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less than one of these, each in a formative stage, some far behind near the beginning, some far ahead near the horizontal end. Earth, he thought, must be somewhere between these two extremes. None of their populace, he further mused, can call himself accomplished until he can go into the very source of life and emerge again; that is, go into the sun and come out. Then, and then only, could the civilizations say they understood matter and spirit. It would be the ultimate and crowning glory of exploration. If, he reasoned, we could get closer and closer to the sun, we could eventually approach its surface, and then bore deeper and deeper into its body to a point somewhere near the absolute core. Why not? Man probes his earth, the space which cradles his earth; he probes his own physical self, and his spiritual essence. He gets answers only by small bits at a time, always proportional to the time and effort he gives his probing. True faith is rewarded by intangible answers. Physical investigation is rewarded by physical response. So itis. Indeed, not only would I venture to go into the sun, he mused, but I would give my life, this one life, this one awareness, to only begin the journey into it. 186 SON OF THE SUN