Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-05-06
Scientific.

VITAL Force, MIND, AND SOUL
These subjects have been spoken of
quite familiarly in the pulpit and by
moralists and metaphysicians from time
immemorial almost. All explanations,
conjectures, and speculations on these
subjects heretofore have been unsatis-
factory, and sometimes, apparently,
extremely absurd. The transmigration
idea of ancient Greece was q good con-
ception, but the application of the ma
terial life force to other bodies of differ
ent genera after a dissolution of the
original was, it seems, the great mis-
take. 1t is better, perhaps, than the
Huxley idea.
As matter of variety on these sub
iects, let US analogue a little and see If
this mode of illustration may not be
more satisfactory than the metaphysical
mode heretofore adopted, although 1t is
by no means claimed to be conclusive.
Ii is fact that matter exists, and Is
controlled, according TO universal be-
lief, by real material forces. Electricity,
sravitation, and some others are these
forces. No one denies that such forces
exist and are really material. Down to
comparatively recent period there
were but few simple elements known,
but no one denied these except some
extreme metaphysicians. Now there
are known to be about sixty-three of
these elements. Man has been more
successful in his examinations of pom
derable matter than he has been IN that
of the imponderable yet as he has
made some progress in the latter, there
seems no reason why he shall not add
to their list. The vital force seems as
clear and visible as that of the gravi-
tating. The last every one believes In
since the days of Newton, for, they say,
the effects are visible. The effects OF
the vital forces are equally visible in
the movements of man and animals and
vegetables, and there must be as many
separate acting forces as there are genera
of these. 1t Is said in Scripture that
the vital energy is breath, and 1t seems
to me this amounts to the same thing.
1t must be material, as the effects are as
visible as are those of gravity. Now,
The phenomena OF vital energy are called
mind and soul, and are considered i'm
material. The mind can not conceive
thought to be material. But animals
are said to have mind-and this is true
but no soul, and this is also true.
What, then, is soul as distinguished
from mind? Now We have arrived at a
point where the matter the matter
seems clear, by comparing or examining
the difference, and showing the def
cheney in some respects of animals as
compared with men. We have to DO
this on the chronological basis, which
Is the only practical mode.
1t is commonly thought and taught
that animals have many faculties com
mon to man, and this is true but these
faculties of animals, by reason of infe-
riol structure of organs, are not equal
IN power, particularly those of the in
tellectual, 10 those of man nevertne-
less, 1t is imEateriai mind. Now, OBJ
servation leads to the correct conclu-
sion, and Phrenology proves it, that
animals are not endowed with these
higher and nobler organs and faculties
which lead to God, called Veneration,
Hope, Wonder, and Conscientiousness.
Through these the soul is esthetic, and
its energy is always IN accordance with
the power and energy of these, particu-
larry that of Conscientiousness 1t Is
common observation that the soul in
inferior races and individuals is small.
This is strictly true. We have hopes in
the future in another sphere that these
earthly organs may become so refined
that the soul will be brilliant in proper
tino to this refinement. Let us cultivate
our higher powers, as in proportion to
this Will be the brightness of the soul
and our corresponding happiness in this
life and in that to come.