Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-12

treat of things merely spiritual. 1t can love
spiritual good to such an extent as to be
willing to sacrifice every sensible good
TO; iti sake, viz, riches, pleasures and
honors. So the martyrs have done, who, in
opposition to their senses renounced earthly
possessions for the sake of God and virtue.
Indeed, the noble thoughts and deeds of men
always have to do with the immaterial and
the spiritual, viz, duty, honor justice.
Wherefore Suarez says truly that the humaD
soul feeds upon spiritual things and is nour-
ished by them because they constitute food
that is naturally adapted to it. But sub
ject, or nature, for which spiritual things
arc naturally adapted must be spiritual, be-
cause the aptitude of thing reveals the ma
ture of that thing and is derived from it.
Mind Above Matter.
Therefore the nature of mind is above and
lndcpenden: o. matter. This truth is evil
dencod also by the power which the human
mind exercises over all corporeal nature.
1t investigates the essences of things and
orders and disposes them in such manner
that they are compelled to obey the wishes
and execute tho designs of man. Wherefore
1t Is clear that man possesses a power su-
perior to anything found in the corporal
world.
Many difficulties and inconvenience result
from the position OF the materiaists. If we
deny the spirituality of the soul, the human
mind cannot be distinguished specifically
from that of the mere animal. We cannot
explain the power of man over matter; We
destroy the subject of moral life, take away
liberty and remove the motive for proving
metaphysically the existence of future life.
Locke thought that he was at liberty TO
doubt whether God could endow matter with
the power of thinking. 1t would
seem, however, that God could not
endow any nature with properties that
are repugnant to its essential qualities.
Composition and divisiblity are essential
properties Of matter. With these properties
the power OF thinking is inconsistent Even
sensation, though it is organic, requires in
the one who receives it a principle that is
one and simple. Intelligence and volition
are SO far above organ and matter that they
require principle that Is not only simple
but also independent of matter. 1t would
appear, therefore, that God cannot cause
though'. or intelligence, to proceed from
| matter, which in itself is a mere potency
or, as Locke says, something endowed with
extension and mobility only and capable only
CT mechanical movement.
Tho human soul is truly substance and
is rightly called "subsisting form" Sub
stance is an ems, or being. that can exist in
itself and become the subject OF accidents
prope' to itself. Tho human soul is sub
stance by reason of its spirituality. The
! esst. OF being, OF tho soul exists in itself
and in a manner proper TO itself. Its own
proper being it does not communicate to the
body and thus it becomes the subject OF ac-
cidents exclusively proper to itself, c. g., the
acts of reasoning and willing, intellectual
and moral habits, knowledge and virtue.
The soul, however, is not able of itself to
elicit all the operations of which 1t is the
| root and fountain, nor can 1t wholly consti-
tuto an ems. or being, absolute in its own
! species. Hence arises tho necessity of a
union with the body and hence in certain
| sense, the soul is called an incomplete sub
stance. (Rey) +. F. MCCARTHY.