When Solomon was gathering his materials to build the Temple,
his, large cedar trunks from Lebanon and his costly materials
from everywhere, he used oxen, mules, camels.

With all his wisdom, he little dreamed that the day would come
when his descendants, instead of using mules and huge beasts of
burden, would heat water and with steam develop a force
sufficient to tear his Temple from its foundation.

Still less did he dream that steam would eventually be
superseded, as clumsy and primitive, by the invisible force of
electricity.

When the thunder roared, the lightning flashed and his conscience
troubled him, Solomon, turning away from his thousand wives and
his numerous other doubtful associates, put his head under the
richly embroidered pillow, worked, perhaps, by Sheba's own fair
hands--it did not enter his mind that that lightning could be
tamed and put to work.

Man has been gradually controlling and employing the various
animals on the earth's surface. He taught the elephant to haul
wood and water and to fight his battles. He trained the horse,
the dog. He even taught falcons to bring him back birds from
beyond the clouds, and otters to catch fish in the bottom of
lakes and rivers.

Gradually he has made himself independent of his animal partners.

The rifle made the falcon useless; steam destroyed the importance