The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-09

What is the human SplrlI w HdI Is
that which we Call ourselves? That
which wills, thinks, feels and loves ?
This question is an important one.
The answer reaches much farther
than the satisfaction of mere curl
osity; though among all the works of
creation, none excites our wonder
more than ourselves. We wonder at
this mechanism of material forces in
the universe about us. We wonder at
the powerful and cunning machinery
man has invented; but we wonder most
of all at this mechanism of mind and
heart. Who has not wondered at the
fact of his own existence? Who has
not wondered at this power to think
at these swift messengers of the mind
that take the wings of the morning and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
that ascend up into heaven and down
into the depths of the earth; at these
waves of emotion that roll over the
heart, of hope and fear, joy and sorroWr
But this question, What is it that we
call ourselves? touches something more
important than our curiosity. 1t is a
fundamental question in religion.
Whether we can have an intelligent re-
ligious faith, believe in higher intel
ligence, ''In whom we live and move
and have our being" whether there is
foundation for the sublime hope that
has stirred the hearts Of the human
race as no other, of life and reunion
and eternal joy beyond this visible
scene of action, depends upon the an
swer to this question as to the nature
of spirit.
There are two views of the nature
and origin of what we call the spirit
ual: the materialistic and the religious.
There is a class of thinkers known as
materialists, who say that there is but
one substance in creation. Everything
is material There is no spiritual
really. All that we see about us, and
the forces that we do not see, are but
different forms of matter. The mate
rialist says that what we call spirit Is but
a high development of matter. The
materialist might illustrate his doctrine
in this way. The blossom on the tree is
but higher form of the same material
that is built into the trunk and branch
es, so the mind is but a highly and fine
" developed blossom of matter. The
materialist might say that the body Is
a candle, of which the soul is the blaze.
You will readily see that the material
ist is consistent in denying future
life. If we adopt the materialistic
view Of the human spirit, our hope OF
Immortality is vain. If the soul is but
the flower of the body then what must
become of the blossom when the
human tree perishes? Inyour case the
blossom may have been of unrlvaled
beauty and sweetness, and made many
lives glad, but if it be merely part OF
the stem from which it hangs, then
when the stem dissOlves the blossom
too must fade away. If thought, feel
ing, love, are but the blaze of an earth
ly candle, then when the candle has
burned to the socket, or some ruthless
wind has blown it out, the light has
disappeared forever.
But shall we accept this materialistic
doctrine with regard to the spiritual
What shall we say of the origin of all
these great and unseen forces in the
universe about us ? The whole mate
rial universe is alive with power. The
smallest handful of earth that you can
gather up from the street, the smallest
grain of sand on the sea shore, is yet
magazine of force. Will the material
ist say that all this is born of matter
too? One of the most generally accept
ed teachings of science, is that from
very chaotic beginnings, the universe
has been made what it is by these
forces; that is, they have been creative
forces; the instruments with which the
creation has been fashioned into all
these comedy forms. These forces pro-
duce every change that takes place in
the natural world about US. There is
not a particle of matter anywhere,
that is not the servant of what we call
spirit. Now is it not rather incredible
that the material of which the universe
is made, should have given birth to the
forces that have created it? 1t would
seem to me just as reasonable to say
that the material for house had pro-
duced the power and genius to build
the house. Is it not rather difficult to
see how matter could give birth to that
which exercises such complete mastery
over it L? Is it not a much more reas-
enable view that matter and spirit are
two separate substances, and that the
latter had an origin back of matter, in
the fountain of infinite power, wisdom
and love?
Now, why may we not say the same
of the human spirit? See how COM
plete has been its mastery over matter.
1t is the mightiest sovereign among the
forces. Mind has almost re. created
the earth. 1t has made the 6ercest
elements of physical nature its slaves.
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