All the rest of the arguments--utilitarian, humanitarian, and scientific--I willingly omit. For I do not want the immigrant to be admitted because he can help us dig ditches and build cities and fight our battles in general. I beg that we make this a question of principle first, and of utility afterwards. Whether immigration is good for us or not, I am very certain that the decadence of idealism is bad for us, and that is what I fear more than the restrictionist fears the immigrant. It should strengthen us in our resolution to abide by the Law of the Fathers--the law of each for all, and all for each--if we find that the movement of democracy to which they imparted such a powerful impulse appears to be in the direct path of social evolution. But even if such omens were lacking I should still pray for strength to cling to the ideal which is defined in the opening words of the Declaration of Independence. For I perceive that here, in the trial at Ellis Island, we are put to the test of the fiery furnace. It was easy to preach democracy when the privileges we claimed for ourselves no alien hordes sought to divide with us. But to-day, when humanity asks us to render up again that which we took from the English in the name of humanity, do we dare to stand by our confession of faith? Those who honor the golden images of self-interest and materialism threaten us with fearful penalties in case we persist in our championship of universal brotherhood. They are binding our hands and feet with the bonds of selfish human fears. The fiery glow of the furnace is on our faces--and the world holds its breath. * * * * * Once the thunders of God were heard on Mount Sinai, and a certain people heard, and the blackness of idolatry was lifted from the world. Again the voice of God, the Father, shook the air above Bunker Hill, and the grip of despotism was loosened from the throat of panting humanity. Let the children of the later saviors of the world be as faithful as the children of the earlier saviors, and perhaps God will speak again in times to come. THE END The Riverside Press CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS U . S . A [ Transcriber's Note: The following is a list of corrections made to the original. The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. Introduction vii Introduction ix III. The Fiery Furnace 101 III. The Fiery Furnace 99 (6) See Article by Achad Ha'am, _American Hebrew_, June, 21, 1907. (7) See Article by Achad Ha'am, _American Hebrew_, June 21, 1907. flesh which fastened on us during the centuries of our agonzied struggle flesh which fastened on us during the centuries of our agonized struggle ] End of Project Gutenberg's They Who Knock at Our Gates, by Mary Antin