Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-05-18
Fer the Monitor.
ARE THE BEASTS IMMORTAL

cherish old accepted belief and to disre-
gard the truth to which thought would
lead them, unless it should coincide with
all their preconeeived notions. History
tells US of whole nations that have made
great advancement in civilization and
yet reverenced the grossest absurdities
of legendary and Evolutionary teaching.
Egypt, Greece and Rome originated
and perfected many sciences, and were
in their best days, full of refined arts
and disciplines, yet quite as full of gods
and groveling and abhorent supersti-
lions.
There are many things which the peo-
pie of these intelligent days learn from
their parents and teachers, just as they
were taught hundreds of years ago and
which, thong h they never had any foun-
dationsin fact and truth, are as general
ly accepted and as firmly believed by
the majority of men as the statement
that the sun gives light and heat. Of
one of these, let US speak a few words
Do you know how certain catechisms
say that man is immortal, while all the
beasts, birds and fishes are to be ami
hilated by death ? Didn't your mother
and teacher tell you that you were to
live forever, while all the lower animals
were to die and live no more Haven't
you heard the preacher say that, and
haven't you always believed it Didn't
they tell you that the bible said so ?
Well, I'll warrant that you can not
find the place where the bible says that,
and you never had reason for believ-
ing it. Reason never helped person
to believe such ''stuff
All that has been said by wise men
and fools upon the subject of mind
against Instinct, - has amounted to the
making of a distinction without differ
ence. Mans intellectual endowments
excel in power but do not differ in kind
from those of the other animals Among
men We find those with noble minds
passing many intermediate grades, We
also find those who know less than the
more intelligent of the brutes. Among
the lower animals, we find traces of all
of mans mental and spiritual qualities.
They are endowed with perception and
memory. are keen observers and make
wise provisions for their material wants.
We have every reason to believe that
they think and draw conclusions. They
love, and hate, and fear at times are
proud, and at times show feelings of
shame. They can distinguish between
colors, and know the difference between
what is beautiful and what is ugly.
They are musical, have language, expe-
rience, joy and sorrow, love life and
shrink from death.
have never seen sound argument to
prove that man has a living soul, while
the other animals have not Whatever
may be said to establish mans right in
the case will apply with equal force to
all animate creatures. But this subject
was discussed in SOlomon's day, for We
find him inquiring, 0Who knoweth the
spirit of man that goeth upward. or the
spirit of the beast that goeth downward
to the earth % Then answering his OWL
question with characteristic wisdom, he
says, THAT which befalleth the sons Of
men, befalleth the beasts even the one
thing befalleth them as the one dieth
so dieth the other; yea, they have al
one breath, so that man hath no pre-
eminence above beast. All 90 unit
the one place all are of the dust anG
turn TO dust again What then shall
We believe, that all earthly life is NOR
tai We cannot believe that part o.
it is everlasting and that the rest shall
perish, unless our belief be founded IL
faith alone and such faith as lacks tn,
warrant of inspiration. But we have
other proof than mere faith to the fac
of the Immortality of all life.
1t is fixed principle in philosoph,
that no matter can Be destroyed. If W,
burn tree We simply separate the ele
ments upon which it originally fed. Tn
gases fly upward into the atmosphere
and that part which is of the earth fall
back to earth again but another germ
Of life may collect these scattered ele
ments and the same veritable tree rea
J. again Its majestic form to our view.
If matter cannot be destroyed, can th
: life that controls and governs it =? Shal
that vital force that appropriates matte
. to Its use, gives it form and strengt
| and life and beauty, shall that die an
the matter still exist =? Is the maste
, inferior to the poor instrument he uses
. No. We need not look with sorrow =
r the fading landscape. as at beauties "
: cannot hope to see again. We need nc
: listen with sorrow to the last song of III
5 dying bird; for verify Summers sweet
shall bloom again, as they have man
hundreds of times. Again and agai
Will they reappear and speak to us thei
words of cheer.
: The voice Of wisdom tells the tr,l
: student of to-day as it did Solomon I
Z old that all <ha fov,,,, -