The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-02-09


the sources of life to those newly created
beings; and this doctrine still prevails in
some parts Of Asia, particularly in India
and China. The followers of Epicarus,
who we're exceedingly numerous among
the licentious and dissipated inhabitants
of Athens and contiguous cities, at GER
tain period of their history. believed that
the soul, after death, would be transplant.
ed from Earth to a place of endless GEN.
sual enjoyment; where it might revel con-
tinually in what seemed to them the
greatest of all happiness-the safety of
animal pleasures. This doctrine is very
similar to that of the Mahometan faith,
which is prevalent among the Turks Of
South Eastern Europe, Western Asia
and the wandering Arab tribes of the Sa-
hara Desert. 90. =
According to the doctrine of divine
revelation which is the Christians faith
the principle of life is called the soul; and
is represented as an invisible, impercepti-
ble spirit that pervades the human body,
and diffases lite and energy to the whole
system, until the period of dissolution ar
rives, when it leaves the body and wings
its way to another world, more celestial
in its nature and spiritual in its charac-
ter. ,.e71. - - = al-.f ~! .!.s.-.e +
This, however, it may be- remarked, is
mot the universal opinion of the Chris
tian world; its entry into the spirit world
being by some thought to take place at
various periods from its leaving the body;
among this number may be reckoued the
followers of Count Swedenburg. les-
That the spirit remains in the body
only as long as it pleases the Creator in
mercy, to continue it, there is most
cardinal doctrine in this widely diffused
and wholesome system of religion.
| Many other and different theories
might be mentioned such as transplanting
the departed spirits to the planets, to
those bright worlds, revelling in the i'm
mensity of space; os which we can only
see their light and form conjectures o.
their probable inhabitants.
| Some didactic writer's have advanced a
theory that the soul is composed of sever
al distinct faculties, answering to the sev
eral mental and physical qualities of th
animal structure - .'.. -
II is very evident that one. and onl.
lone Of the above theories can be rig ht
and allgmey fall far short of explaining
the cause life and death dl /. :
It'is now proposed to examine the fal
lacies connected with the several theoi
les above mentioned, and adduce anothe
of more modern origin, founded upon tn
natural laws which govern the whole sys
ITEM of nature.
According to Pythagoras the spirit
la departed individual immediately entel
ed into q newly created one; in accordane
with this theory the population of th
lworld would continually remain the SAM
which is far from the facts in the case. :
Therefore, this system fails, in, materi
points, to explain the true cause of lif
The sensual belief of Epicurus and
followers is such only as carnal minde
class of persons would naturally gene
ate. tel5 b9Yelsd no 3 .isii4c9 cdj @s
That life is nothing more than Il
healthy action of the organs of the an
) NAL system, is what the light of scient
and the knowledge of nature, is every ds
making more apparent. In the workiu
Of any machinery, the idea Of power
always associated with, and connected
the machinery A familiar, Illustrate
s may! be found in the common grist mi
. the power, which is the water, is confnt
by dam being thrown across stream
water. that it may be centralized, al
thus made to act Just as the power is r
"a quired to move the machinery of u
80 mill. ytsilaoH7s4 saF .dieazI2aA Ea
as The action of the organs is nothiI
se more than the movement of quite col
5 plicated and exceedingly ingenious sy
at tenn Of mechanism. The several parts
A. this machine are the lungs, the liver, Il
D. stomach, The bowels. and various 9th
fe parts. The building or structure
CO wbich, this machinery is contained is 4
We chest, abdomen, &c. This structure +
by supported by the bones, which are 4
w frame work Of the structure; the flesh a
ld swering the purpose of more eftectual
e protecting these delicate, organs within
IN The machinery being now described,
ld ~, eb