Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-12
NATURE OF THE HUMAN SOUL
Spirituality of the Great Mystery Defined
and Affirmed,
wHEReINlTDlFFERs FROM MATERIAL THINGS
Roman Catholic Ideas, Principles AMI
Arguments Set Forth by an
Eminent Clergyman
of that Faith.
FIRST PAPER.

AS this subject has become of unusual IN
terest of late and is being discussed extern
eively up and down the country In religious,
literary and scientific circles, 1t may please
the readers of The Bee to learn some OF the
Roman Catholic IDEAS principles and argu-
mepts thereon The Roman Catholic be-
lieves without doubling that he has SOUL
and that 1t is immortal because his religion
teaches this doctrine. Nevertheless, as VIII
appear in the course of this article, he has
speculated as r1.ch as his neighbors on the
subject and has satisfied his reason that his
church has taught him the truth,
This subject may be considered under three
heads, viz: The nature, the origin and the
end OF the human soul,
The questions that come under the tirst
head, the nature of the human soul, relate
TO its 'immateriality. thing may be
"immaterial," or devoid of matter, in two
ways-first, when no matter enters into its
composition, and, secondly, when besides IL
is entirely independent of matter. There
fore in our view there are two grades OF
"immateriality." The first, CT inferior grade,
is present when no matter whatever enters
into the composition Of the thing This
grade is called simplicity The second
and more perfect grade is called spirituality
a thing has no matter whatever in its COM
position and is also Independent of matter
in it's being and in its operations. This
property enables 1t to place actions when
are independent OF all matter. being that
enjoys this property is called spirit
There are two grades of spirituality. The
perfect grade of spirituality is that property
which elevates substance above matter in
such way that the being in question has
no affinity with matter and can exercise all
its powers and operations without the aid
of matter, Such substance, or being, is
called a pure spirit Spirituality which is
less perfect is that property by which a
form that is naturally designed to associate
with matter is able to exist and elicit some
acts independently Of matter. The human
soul is simple ard spiritual, but only in the
second or less perfect grade. In cur view
God and the angels are pure spirits.
Governing Principles.
The human soul is simple and devoid of
matter. 1t is simple and immateral because
its operations require a simple and imma-
terial principle, To ascribe its oper-
atons to composite and material
principle involves an absurdity. The opera
tons OF the soul, especially sensitive cogni-
tion, ineffective cognition and desire can
never proceed from composite and material
principle. Sensitive cognition requires a
simple and immaterial principle We know
composite things or bodies, E. g., a tree. a
house. an animal, etc, but 1t is the same
identical principle that apprehends and em-
braces in one perception and simultaneously
the whole object and its parts. composite
and material principle could not do this, A
composite and material principle could never
perceive absolutely at one and the same
time the whole object and its parts, because