{"product_id":"2940013301412","title":"The Pioneers","description":"CHAPTER ONE.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSHOWS HOW IT BEGAN.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The world is round,\" said somebody in ancient times to somebody else.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Not at all; it is flat--flat as a pancake,\" replied somebody else to\u003cbr\u003esomebody; \"and if you were to travel far enough you might get to the end\u003cbr\u003eof it and tumble over the edge, if so disposed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEver since the commencement of this early geographical controversy, men\u003cbr\u003ehave been labouring with more or less energy and success to ascertain\u003cbr\u003ethe form and character of the earth; a grand, glorious labour it has\u003cbr\u003ebeen; resulting in blessings innumerable to mankind--blessings both\u003cbr\u003espiritual and temporal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe have heard some people object to geographical discovery, especially\u003cbr\u003ein the inclement parts of the earth, on the ground that it could be of\u003cbr\u003eno use, and involved great risk to life and limb.  \"Of no use!\"  Who can\u003cbr\u003etell what discoveries shall be useful and what useless?  \"The works of\u003cbr\u003eGod are great, sought out of all those that have pleasure therein,\"\u003cbr\u003esaith the Scripture.  There is no reference here to usefulness, but the\u003cbr\u003esearching out of God's works, without limitation, is authorised; and\u003cbr\u003ethose who \"take pleasure therein,\" will be content to leave the result\u003cbr\u003eof their labours in the hands of Him who sent them forth.  As to\u003cbr\u003e\"risk,\"--why, a carpenter cannot ascend to the top of a house to put the\u003cbr\u003erafters thereon without risk; a chemist cannot investigate the\u003cbr\u003eproperties of certain fumes without risk; you cannot even eat your\u003cbr\u003edinner without risk.  Only this are we sure of--that, if man had never\u003cbr\u003eundertaken labour except when such was _obviously_ useful and devoid of\u003cbr\u003erisk, the world would still be in the darkness of the Middle Ages.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47145624240368,"sku":"2940013301412","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013301412_p0.jpg?v=1763579058","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013301412","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}