San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-03-02

ing, "moving Of the spirit" in
quaker meetings, and many OF the
forms known as Mysteries. l grant
that my divisions may be open to
discussion, as to the proper use OF
one or the other term in it's proper
place, but it is the idea which L
wish to lay open at the present
writing.
The vegetable world, has it not
within its power to produce It's
conditions, in the animal world
that power is very limited, II pos
sessed or existing at all, but man
has il at his command and can call
for the conditions under which he
can receive a greater influx OF those
intelligent elements with when
the universe seems to be filled.
He can take intelligence from ma
ture as he takes food, as, for in
stance, through the methods OF
education.
The fact that man possesses in
telligence is in Itself a proof that
nature is in possession of it, since
she can impart nothing which
she does not have, and the cOntin-
uous stream Of living beings seek
ing an entrance into this world
and receiving supply would prove
that it, too, like life, force and mat
ter, is infinite and eternal. Man,
as | said, can cause or add to the
conditions under which he can re-
ceive a greater influx OF the intel
ligent elements mentioned above,
and perhaps many others still un-
known. For. if scientists are forced
to avow how little they compre-
bend of the visible universe, what
must be their ignorance of those
mysterious gifts possessed by some
human beings, as mediums, seers,
and Mesmorists. By effort then,
man can not only increase his
knowledge and general intell1-
gence, but he can improve his abil-
ity to acquire it and develop tai
ents within himself which would
otherwise remain dormant.
| must believe, therefore, that
spirit or mind, like every other
element, is eternal. In the count
less millions of living beings it
assumes individuality, which by
experience becomes rounded and
complete, and some philosophers
have asserted that there is spir-
itual evolution as there is a physi-
cal one, that is, as physical man
has passed up through a develop.
ment from the lower animal
forms, so the spiritual and mental
man is the present climax OF an
evolution which has passed through
many phases Of the vegetable and
animal form until it terminated
in the human (metempsychosis).
However this may be, it can re-
main suggestion merely for COM
ing generations to discuss and per-
haps solve. No better proof OF i'm
mortality can be found than is the
mere fact that, so far as we have
seen, all things are eternal; aud,
as to personal identity being
maintained after the human body
has been dissolved into its ele-
ments, the fact of experience comes
in to prove a continuity OF indiVid-
uality, since man is what he is as
the result of experience, even the
impression Of the individual must
be eternal. Personal experience
must forever remain personal pos
session, neither can learning nor
any mental condition be attained
Except through personal effort,
While a prcdispOsition may be in
leritcd the greatest talents will 60
o waste without experience and
fort to develop them and put
them INTRO practice.
Now we arrive at the final, the
most vital Of all prime elements
which it would Sc IN irreverent tC
give a classificati On. God.