Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-01-05
For the Ellsworth American. 4
The Higher Life.


higher life you sugges, that I'VE are
above the animal world. else why strive
after an unseen ldeal?" and ask, "whst
does nature teach me-"
Those are questions upon which huge
volumes have been written by men OF
brilliant thought in the ages past. and.
no doubt, many more may yet be written.
First. will tell you that what believe is
only my opinion, liable to error as all NOR
tai opinions are upon an after state OF ex-
istence, and like all individual opinions
have 20 influence upon facts. In order for
me to tetiere upon any subject must have
what is to me proof in the matter. No
one has left that which is-to me-proof
OF higher life" or life hereafter; con-
sequently can only form an opinion, and
what person hopes. thinks. supposes, or
belisres. unless substantisted by facts, can
not be proof that those hopes. ideas and
beliefs will ever he realized
| leave the question regarding the fu-
ture condition of man undecided for the
reason that can see no proof TO establish
belief either way. 1t seems to me that
there are just as many reasons for suppos-
ing this to be the higher life" and the on
ly life, as there are to suppose that there Is
another life hereafter. l do not know
that any one ever claimed that there was q
life hereafter. or that they looked for
either happiness or misery after death
until the beginning Of that period called
the christian era, and as understand the
teaching of the church no one is at this
time authorized to say that any one ex-
cept Christ will ever be happy hereafter.
since the church claims that there is vet to
be day Of judgment" which is then to
decide the future location Of past, present
and perhaps future generations; and, &C
cording to the same teaching, there will
be small crowd elected for future happi-
ness. There is one fact that comes home
to my mind that inclines me to the opinion
that shall know nothing after death this
fact also reconciles me to that condition.
One hundred years ago, individually and
personally, knew and cared for nothing ;
l was ignorant and careless of matters,
and. so far as know. was Indifferent to
all things. l see no proof that shall, or
reason why should, know or care any
more for what transpires one hundred
years hence, either terrestrial or celestial.
l might write a small volume telling you
that l see just as good reasons-perhaps
better-for thinking this the only life we
have as for thinking there is another; but
all things ever written or said upon the
subject by man can only be his individual
opinion founded upon what he calls faith
which seems to me to be requisition upon
him to believe something without proof
without even looking for evidence. Sure
| ly We are above the animal world"
Notwithstanding my respect for all re
ligious views INDUCED In by others, can
not See that we are SO much above thu
animal world" There are different or
ders of animals. and mankind is one o.
those orders, but fail to see that an
any better q man than the horse is horse
or the dog dog. In many respects mai
Is inferior to other orders of animals, In
somuch that nearly all other animals ar
born more intelligent than man, and ar
capable of supporting themselves In yer,
short space of time after birth, wherea
mankind is dependent for many year
upon some one else for care and protec
ton before he can support himself. Som
are dependent all their lives upon anoth
er's exertions.
II by one supreme power came the lif
of man, by that same power came all life
not only animal, but vegetable life as well
and If that power exists in man, it mus
exist in all other orders Of lite, because Il
that power exists only that supreme powe
can organize and give life, and mus
consider that power just as beautiful an,
surrounded by the same mystery whethe
visible in the horse, the wolf, the flower
or the man. Whether there is more Of tn
one order than of the other, in the here
after, know not. One of the things tha
nature teaches me is, that In all orders o
animal life there was received at som
time knowledge of existence. The pow
er that impaired the knowledge of exist
ence or life at the same instant impaired
terror Of death, and an instinct of sell
preservation. The instinct does not seen
| to be any more acute In the animal specie