midnight
But was not this one of the burning problems of the new humanity , this freedom of the soul and body , this new birth into the liberty and love of a great Brotherhood ? Was not sham and hypocrisy now the law of life , and was not Society perishing because of it ? Thus wrestling with the tragic dilemma he felt closing about him , he went past his station to the end of the line and had to take the down train back . It was past midnight when he reached his home . When Van Meter heard of the scheme to appeal directly to the people to build the temple in defiance of the Board of Trustees , who were the legal managers of the church 's property , he was thunderstruck . When the Sunday arrived he came half an hour earlier than usual to watch every incident of the day with his little black eyes open their widest . It was a crisp November morning .