The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-01-21
Shall We Live Again.

Sometime amid the clatter and
hurry of our daily struggle for exis-
tence, it is we'll to pause for a mo-
ment and take account of things
that do not belong to the common
place, says the Columbia Record. The
question, eff a man die shall ne live
again." has come to US ringing down
the ages, and no man has been able
to answer it to the entire satisfaction
Of others, whatever be his own views
on the question. Sir Oliver Lodge,
one of the most eminent scientists
living, has recently delivered q lee
ture in London on Immortality,
which has impressed many. Natur-
ally the treatment of such subject
by such a man excites interest and
one is keen to know if science Of
fers any grounds for our religious
belief in a future state OF existence.
We are told by the distinguished
lecturer that the body is no more
representative of the Individual than
a worn-out suit Of clothes. Death
merely removes the SOULS instru-
ment of manifestation. 1t resembles
the destruction of an organ, which
left the organist untouched. Death
merely marks the end Of a certain
grouping of physical materials. Con-
sciousness, will, honor. love and ad-
miration are similarly stamped with
Immortality and will not drop into
nothingness. Such creatures as In
sects and trees can hardly be sup
posed to have persistent personal ex-
istence, as they lack individuality;
but there can be no doubt Of the
continuance Of human individuali-
ty.
Speaking of the evidence of per-
sonal Immortality, Sir Oliver said
that part of it Consists of psycholo-
gical manifestations, such as when
ones mind appears to act upon
another at a distance. Telepathy or
clairyoyance must be regarded as
having practically established certain
facts too numerous and too we'll au-
thenticated to be doubted, but this
science is still in its rudimentary
stage. We would be clearly wrong
in assuming that all automatic mes
sages are not of a genuine character.
To say that spiritual manifestations
are futile and inappropriate is quite
untrue. Such a statement is only to
be made by persons not acquainted
with the facts"
But the most striking statement
made by the lecturer, one that leads
to the conclusion that personal life
must be continuous, is this. 1.-The
fact that the higher faculties of the
soul have no special sphere of en-
ployment in the struggle of exis-
tence appears to suggest the coming
of a fuller and larger existence. Pos
sibly these high faculties, which now
seem incongruous and inconvenient,
may ultimately be found to be near
er the heart Of things than faculties
better suited to this world. :"
That is to say, life here being one
almost wholly given up to a strug-
gle for existence, there is little or no
chance for the employment Of the
higher faculties Of the soul; in fact,
to succeed in the struggle imposed
on one it would be better for him
never to allow them to obtrude, as
they stand in the way and are posi-
tive hindrances to success in this
world. For their full employment and
development, therefore, they require
another sphere of life, in which one
is freed from the necessity of strug-
Cling for a bare existence as in this
present world.