The Washington herald., 1908-01-13
Immortality of the Soul.

Editor The Washington Herald;
This corruption must put on incor-
ruption, and this mortal must put on i'm
mortality" Il Cor, xv:53)
The Immortality of the soul and the
eternity of matter have been interesting
subjects ever since man became an in
vesugaung creature. Their relations and
effects have been generally considered
from different standpoints by all classes
ri thinkers and investigators, but with
out definite conclusions as TO their poten-
taIities respecting life.
The soul force may be defined as that
vItalpowerof animated being which knows,
gives life. consciousness, understanding.
and Immortality; and manifesung accord
ing 10 the degree Of development and
perfection of the matter with which il
becomes associated.
II is advocated by some psychological
reasouers that impressions made upon the
lives and minds Of our ancestors manifest
and are transmitted for unlimited gen
erations upon the brains and thoughts
of their posterity. becoming impressive
through dreams. intuiti0nal traits Of
character. natural desires, and predomi-
mating forces.
If this be true, then We have become
creatures not alone of our own environ
meHts, but OF all influences Of past ages
Thus. in a measure, man becomes an
eternal acting, thinking entity evolved
through all ages and Influenced by all
manifestations of his own life and those
which may have occurred during the lives
of remote and immediate ancestors.
With this ancestral doctrine founded
in fact, them how easy il becomes 10
account for the nature, beliefs, and char
acteristie- traits of mankind, respecting
religion and psychological questions. and
particularly Of that OF the Immortality
Of the soul, which seems to be so uni
versalIy common with all conditions OF
men.
Mans chief desire is 10 live. no matter
what the life, rather than to die. Death
and Oblivion have no charms. He may
willingly submit TO change, but the
thought of not being at al is not usually
entertained though all his surroundings
may be mysterious and his final destiny
unknown His mind dWells on life; it is
pleasing and stimulating TO his thoughts.
That of eternal death is depressing, and
naturally tends 60 oblivion and the mega
ton of iltei destroying or weakening the
n0bler and higher purposes of his crea-
tiOu and nature.
As man thinketh, so he becomes. and
as most thoughts and energies are for
continuous life, the desire constantly
grows stronger for Immortality. until a
belief is founded which no argument can
eradicate from the mind. Thought is
creative OF conditions, which finally
polarize into satisfying assurances that
there is some power in the universe
working toward perfection through the
laws OF evolution. This gives man the
universal hope through various forms
OF religions, founded upon faith. the com
fOrting belief in Righteousness. and the
strong desire Of a final salvation. freed
from the trials, experiences and tribula-
tions of this life
Immortality thus becomes to most minds
an established doctrine Of which definite
proof is unnecessary and is generally en-
tertained and accepted by the majority
OF thinkers though knowledge thereof
may be unsatisfactory and thoroughly
convincing. Is not continued life then
self-evideut? Can we be what we are
and not continue to be? The form end
conditions Of life may be a subject of
know that we now live and that we will
continue to live. I'm some condition. for
ever. What that condition will be de-
pends upon ourselves, our desires, ac-
tions. character our very thoughts, and
conformity to the inherent demands Of
both mind and matter Man accepts this
without any proof Dogmatic argument
VIII not change him.
he deems no special belief or disbe-
lief necessary to Immortality, for he feels
ana almost knows that he exists through
the inherent law of his being, regardless
or knowledge respecting the origin of
such laws Force and matter are eternal;
their manifestations constant. If man has
soul force, which is manifest through
out all his nature. il cannot be lost Ii
Is an eternal creation of force and mat
ter 1t may neither enjoy nor suffer all
that it anticipates. Conditions may vary
the ego in every existence and associa-
uon with matter. This present life is one