* * * * *
These are the men—inspired by Him who altered times calendar and began an Easter day—
Who took epochal steps for the world's conquest.
That directly achieved in encircling the globe.
But there are others, a host of others, worthy, noble, world pioneers.
* * * * *
O indispensable pioneers, see them moving out in history,
Just as bravely, just as necessary, often giving inspiration to the first,
Most of them impelled forward by Columbus and Copernicus—
The inspirers of explorers, the pioneers of the pioneers.
* * * * *
Consecrated to humanity and the world, look backward and see the host of sphere-ward moving men;
See the explorers—with Columbus, Balboa, Drake, Desoto opening up a new west.
See the scientists—Darwin, Spencer, Huxley, daring to say that God is in life.
See the philosophers—Aristotle, Plato, Hegel, Kant and Eucken.
See the missionaries—Judson, Carey, Thomas, Livingstone, Moffat and Morrison.
See the inventors—Stevenson, Watt, Marconi, Edison and Bell.
See the patriots—Solon, Savonarola, Cromwell, Henry, Lincoln and Gladstone.
Mighty huers through the forests,—
See them laboring for a nation in some special task or knowledge,
But incidentally and emphatically for the world.
* * * * *
And turn your eyes from the past to the present to observe your own world inspired sons!
See them moving toward the international congress and the Hague,
The greatest educators, ambassadors and financiers,
See them increasing in their numbers, for they also will be counted with the world pioneers.
* * * * *
O Copernicus, we hail thee for announcing to timid minds that the earth, "it is a globe."
O Kepler and Newton, we celebrate you for asserting it is true.
O Galileo, we honor and respect you for looking superstition squarely in the face and before highest potentates declaring:
"But nevertheless it does move!"
We commemorate you all master-minded men,
Who have announced, and explored and unified the globe.
Surely these are not pygmies nor dwarfs.
But in achievement, they are Titans, they are giants,
They are the immortal pioneers of the world.