The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-02-06
The Immortality Of the Soul.

Through the favor OF an inuulgent iru-
gality. the time has rolled round and
finds us active on the occasion Of an
other commencement, and we have been
chosen to discuss the theme, The I'M
mortality of the Soul. I"
Had it not been for philosophy, there
had remained perhaps no footprints Of
any unbelieyers in this great article, for
the sense Of nature would have directed
all right, but philosophy misguided
many; for those who denied immor-
taIity did not deny the common sense
Of nature, which they felt as we'll as
Others; but they rejected the motive as
though it false, because they could not
find physical causes to support the be-
lief, or thought that they found phys
ical causes to effectually overthrow it.
This account we owe to Cicero, one OF
the best judges Of antiquity, who tells
us plainly that the reason why many
rejected the belief OF the Immortality
of the soul was because they could not
form the conception OF an embodied
soul-so that infidelity is of no older
date than philosophy, and future state
was not doubted till men had puzzled
and COMPOUNDED themselves in their
search after the physical reason of the
souls immortality. And now consider
how the case stands, and how far the
evidence OF nature is weakened by the
authority of such unbelievers. All man
kind receive the belief of future life,
urged to it every day by what they feel
transacted in their own breasts, but
some philosophers reject this opinion,
because they have no conception OF
soul distinct from the body, as if the
Immortality of the soul depended
merely upon the strength OF human
Imagination. Were the natural evil
dence OF immortality built upon any
particular notion OF a human soul the
evidence OF nature might be overthrow
by showing the impossibility or i'm
of such notion. But the
evidence OF nature is not concerned in
any notion, and all the common notions
may be false, and yet the evidence OF
nature stands good, which only supposes
man to be rational and consequently
accountable, and il any philosopher
can prove the contrary he may then,
i his word will afterwards pass for any
hing, reject this and all other evidence
whatever.
1t is hard to reason with those who
eel themselves competent to build a
lew universe, or at least to arrange and
improve one already in being. Some
Il our modern world-makers amuse us
With very splendid imaginations OF what
'ught to be and then gravely proceed to
each us what will and must hereafter |
re. Even in the incipiency of their en-
eavors they object to our own terra
ueous habitation as encountered with
o much sea, so many large deserts, so
many bleak mountains, and subjected
D the dread extremes OF frigid and tor 2
id zones. They would have made an :
arth whose surface would have been at
be worst but series OF inclined planes,
'idely extended and gently sloping in
II directions. These would have been
with few small lakes and q
ivers, occasionally variegated with c
yramidal peak or beautiful grotesque q
tile mountain, forming Elysian land :
capes. No rock deserts, no Libyan
ands, no dismal swamps would have r
their rich and beautiful earth, d
lnned with balmy breezes mild as Eden Z
nd refreshed with delicious oders en-
mating from the garden of God. No
urning mountain, no volcanic fires, |
o desolating earthquakes would have :
'ightened any inhabitants OF their Q
lest earth. No mighty cataracts, no |
cree tempests, no appalling thunders
ould have terrified the most fragrant :
Nay, they would have
reverted transgression by absolute fate
nd enacted virtue by an invincible ne
essity. Their heavens would have been
.udded with alternating suns OF mag }
ificen dimensions, while planets of
very variety and comets Of orbits the
lost eccentric would have perpetually
ported in fields of ether for the amuse-
tent OF its laughing inhabitants. And
5 for hell-the dread elsewhere no :
lch ungracious lake Of boiling sulphur,
o such fathomless gulf Of pitchy dark
ess would have disturbed the magma
on OF the sons OF pleasure. And should
IN or folly by any unforeseen casualty
ave appeared in their system of nature
would have been instantly annihilat- !
and thus prevented from spreading !
s dire contagion through the unaffect
regions Of rational intelligence.
Among the stricter sort OF religion
It's such spectators are not indeed OF !
luch reputation. But instead OF this
old and presumptuous class of real
xeptics we have, under the banner Of
nj T.. L.. |