The Transcendentalist concept of humans, God, and personal responsibility was not different from ours. They were reformers with a beautiful concept, facing the same discontents as we: Acute needs, time that moved too slowly, action that felt insufficient, and consequences that would be dire. Connectivity was essential and signal strength iffy. Yet, through printed words and lyceums, they spread a philosophy of change. Many put these words into action, and their successes bolster us today.