The human race was born in slavery, totally subservient to nature. The\nearliest primitive beings feasted or starved according to nature’s\nbounty and sweltered or shivered according to the weather. When night\nfell they sought shelter with animal instinct, for not only were\nactivities almost completely curtailed by darkness but beyond its screen\nlurked many dangers. It is interesting to philosophize upon a\ndistinction between a human being and the animal just below him in the\nscale, but it may serve the present purpose to distinguish the human\nbeing as that animal in whom there is an unquenchable and insatiable\ndesire for independence. The effort to escape from the bondage of nature\nis not solely a human instinct; animals burrow or build retreats through\nthe instinct of self-preservation. But this instinct in animals is soon\nsatisfied, whereas in human beings it has been leading ever onward\ntoward complete emancipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The progress of civilization is a long chain of countless achievements\neach one of which has increased man’s independence. Early man perhaps\ndid not conceive the idea of fire and then set out to produce it. His\ninfant mind did not operate in this manner. But when he accidentally\nstruck a spark, produced fire by friction, or discovered it in some\nother manner, he saw its possibility. It is thrilling to picture\nprimitive man at his first bonfire, enjoying the warmth, or at least\ninterested in it. But how wonderful it must have become as twilight’s\ncurtain was drawn across the heavens! This controllable fire emitted\nlight<\/em>. It is easy to imagine primitive man pondering over this\nphenomenon with his sluggish mind. Doubtless he cautiously picked up a\nflaming stick and timidly explored the crowding darkness. Perhaps he\ncarried it into his cave and behold! night had retreated from his abode!\nNo longer was it necessary for him to retire to his bed of leaves when\ndaylight failed. The fire not only banished the chill of night but was a\npower over darkness. Viewed from the standpoint of civilization, its\ndiscovery was one of the greatest strides along the highway of human\nprogress. The activities of man were no longer bounded by sunrise and\nsunset. The march of civilization had begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the present age of abundant artificial light, with its manifold\nlight-sources and accessories which have made possible countless\napplications of light, mankind does not realize the importance of this\ncomfort. Its wonderful convenience and omnipresence have resulted in\nindifference toward it by mankind in general, notwithstanding the fact\nthat it is essential to man’s most important and educative sense. By\nextinguishing the light and pondering upon his helplessness in the\nresulting darkness, man may gain an idea of its overwhelming importance.\nThose unfortunate persons who suffer the terrible calamity of blindness\nafter years of dependence upon sight will testify in heartrending terms\nto the importance of light. Milton, whose eyesight had failed, laments,<\/p>\n\n\n\n O first created beam and thou great Word<\/p> “Let there be light,” and light was over all,<\/p> Why am I thus bereaved thy prime decree?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Perhaps only through a similar loss would one fully appreciate the\ntremendous importance of light to him, but imagination should be capable\nof convincing him that it is one of the most essential and\npleasure-giving phenomena known to mankind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The human race was born in slavery, totally subservient to nature. The earliest primitive beings feasted or starved according to nature’s bounty and sweltered or shivered according to the weather. When night fell they sought shelter with animal instinct, for not only were activities almost completely curtailed by darkness but beyond its screen lurked many … <\/p>\n