Chapter 1

In the scheme of time, mountains crumble, rivers change their courses, islands form and men explore everything except themselves. It is only when man’s curiosity is directed by his higher intelligence that he thinks to explore the world within.

Do science and spirituality really go hand in hand? Only man is blessed with the intelligence to grasp whether this is true or not; for, how will man be able to understand the world around him or comprehend the inner world within, if his intelligence does not have this unique capacity? Being that human intelligence does have both of these special powers, why has man sought the outer more than he has sought the inner reality? Can this type of one-sided scientific research lead mankind to the social equilibrium and happiness for which he’s been searching so long?

Some men play with life as though it is a toy.  They treat as jokes the roles they have been given by God; and though equipped with the power of reason to better their lives, they allow their reason to become dominated by desire, and thus, rationalize everything they do for the sake of their wants.

As the ages pass, societies are put through their paces by men who rule them. Few are born to rule; and even though some followers do become good leaders, most men are born to only follow.  There are, however, types of men who refuse to follow the morals of social order and think of themselves as better than others, but in actuality, are less.  In this world, the indigent non-conformists who step out of line are called renegades; whereas, wealthy non-conformists who transgress the social morals are referred to as eccentric. Both classes of men have the strong desire to carve out their own path in this world, but only one group can afford to do so – the rich.

By the time the nineteenth century was fading from the evanescent scene of time, drifting into the irretrievable realms of the past, the dawn of the twentieth century was coming over the horizon bringing with it the illustrious promises of the future.  Chicago had become a blustering town filled with ambitious men who were bringing the city into its own as far as being a central figure in the development of both the east and the expansive and untamed west. These so-called ‘big men’ with their ‘big ideas’ and a great amount of money to back them up, roamed the wealthy sections of Chicago as free as feral birds, while the poor were kept caged in the sweat factories.  In spite of the ramshackle look and feel of some parts of the city due to the poverty of the immigrants, Chicago had the sumptuous flavor and scent of wealth. Millionaires were made and broken overnight. The wants of those who succeeded grew by leaps and bounds. Exploitation was put into high gear to satisfy the greed of the rich. And who worked for the wealth they acquired? The immigrants!