The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-12
THE IMMORTALITY OF 1Hs soUL.
Humanity's Answer to tho Groat Question
Given by Professor Goodwin Smith.

| Humanity's Answer to tho Great Question
Given by Professor Goodwin Smith.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: The
theological discussion carried on in your
columns. apparently by practical men anxious
to arrive at truths. has been in that
| respect moro interesting than the dis-
| cussions OF professional theoloRians. One OF
the subjects was tho validity OF a Future
Life. which Johnson. orthodox as he was.
could not help feeling TO be defective. 1t is a
| question not only profoundly interesting. but
intensely practical as we'll in Its social In its
| religious bearing. without belief in conse-
quenoes of conduct beyond the present
life, responsibility In the true sense
OF the term can hardly exist. Apart from
individual interest there can only be
social responsibility which would hardly con-
troll the unsocial and selfish natures. whereof
there are not few. The cultivation OF charao-
| ter. independently OF present social require
ments. would lose its object, since the best Of
characters formed by life long effort and self
denial would. equally with that formed by life
long crime or sensuality. come to dust Inter-
est In tho future OF our race would lose its
force reason would bid each man aim simply
at comfortable passage through this life.
1t Is not on the old ground that the doctrine
OF future life can be sustained. Theoloaians
in former days lima 81 ned that the soul was an
entity apart from our physical frame. In serted
into the body by special act OF divine power.
pent In IL during life and set free from 1t by
death. though still naming its fllmy counter
part. Bishop Butler. who has said In the most
effective way all that there was to be said from
his point Of view. argues that the soul. or
he calls 1t the conscious being" 10 in Invisible.
indiscerptible. and. therefore. presum ably I'M
effected by the dissolution OF the body. But
We have now learned to believe that there 10
nothing In us which Is not the outcome Of our
general frame. and presumably liable. with
our general frame. to dissolution at death.
Yet there Ia voice within us which tells us
that In the sum Of things It will be well with
virtue. and that the effort and self-denial eX-
pended in tho promotion Of q good and beauti-
full character will not have been expended in
vain. No man. suppose. at the end OF life.
whatever his course and whatever his success
had BEEN would not wish that his life hal been
righteous II you ask me how this can be
without tho existence OF the soul as an entity
separate from tho body. which 10 liable
to dissolution. my answer Is that l can
not tell. But I do not ON that account
refuse to listen to genuine prompt
ing OF my nature. II this be one. merely
because 1t 10 lot confirmed by the evidence OF
sense. Our whole being 10 mystery. Try to
realize In thought eternity and inilnity and
you become conscious OF that fact Our
sense probably tells us little more OF the uni
verse in which v are than sense tells the pur-
blind mole. which no doubt thinks it secs all
that there Is to be seen. We are happily cast
ing of superstition. but there may be still
some scope for faith. GOODWIN Smith.
TORONTO. Sept. 8.