The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-08-26
WHAT WAS III
By ]. a. Tetls

cism as usually understood. could not
accept propositions that were not con-
sistent with reason and the usual laws
of Nature, as understood generally as
scientific truths; but / still held 10 nv
faith IN the Immortality Of the soul or
innef-man, that exists in the material
body. On July Bird Of that year / took
long ride in buggy with highly
educated friend. In the course of Tie
day the subject Of future life came
up and as expressed belief in fu-
lure existence. my friend asked me-
what evidence | had that would Be AL
cepted in any court, that there was
such thing as existence Of the soul
after death OF course | could produce
no proofs, but the, discussion Jet my
mind to work to reason out tie prob
lem of life, intelligence, and the pro
babe modus operandi Of the brain
which is considered the seat Of the
mind and will.
| finally arrived at the conclusion
that steam engine was fair likeness
of the human machine that We can
man. Fhe life in man likened to
heat In steam boiler. So long as the
heat and water were capable of action
the engine was capable Of operating
by the steam the boiler supplied. When
the steam went below a certain force
the engine was no more than inert me-
tai.
| reasoned that the machine we call
man could operate in limited bounds.
50 long as life vitality the soul (call
it what. you please renamed in nor
NAL condition in its home, the brain.
then arrived at the conclusion that
the material body and life were neces-
sary to the existence Of the soul. or
mind, and that when the body decom-
posed. or died. that terminated. deter
mined the end Of both body and soul.
For ten wears had no hope for a
future existence end | believed that
death ended it all. as there was no
proof that | had. that the soul could
exist without the body, nor that the
body as body was inmortal-decom-
position follows the death Of the body
and decomposition maens return to or
iginal elements. The body is continue
ally changing during life and the mat
ter that forms my body to-day has all
been placed there in the last ten years.
In other words, we are constantly
changing the material that constitutes
our bodies. tho we are unconscious Of
it. The machinery Of our bodies OPP
crates at all times and under all cir
cumstances, while the life remains in
us; but, when life leaves the body, all
this ceases and we become only gross
matter subject to the laws governing
material gs-but what of the mind
the 1.-The life?
Mind, soul, life, are recognized only
by their effects on matter. They are
invisible to the eye and are only known
TO exist by their operation thru phys
ical organizations. We see the dog.
the cat. the horse, the cow Each has
his own nature and character, though
each is quadruped with a skin cover
ed with hair. Each has his own class
of character and they do not blend.
You do not find the horse, or COW
chasing rats, rabbits or fowls for food,
nor do you find them exhibiting ts
same cast of mind. as the cat or the
dog. tho each shows that it appreciates
the care and kindness Of its master.
Many domestic animals exhibit almost
human traits in some things, tho we
do not ascribe Immortality to any an
imal below man; but what do we know
about it2
This was my Situation in the realm
of religion when | went to the city of
New Orleans in Feb, 1900 | was To-
Gated in the Godfrey and Sholars head
quarters, at 634 Canal ST., being Secre-
tary Of the Peoples Party campaign
committee. had a throat trouble
brought on from public speaking in the
open air, and the dust rising from the
traffic on the paved sire entered
thru our office windows ar8 irritated
my throat so much that ! was unable
TO talk without continued coughing.
On one occasion, / remarked 10 one
Of my N. 0. friends that intended go
ing to one Of the hospitals for treat
ment. He. advised me not to do il, but.
TO go to some magnetic healer who
used no medicine; that ! would fare
better and he told me how he had spent
hundreds Of dollars at hospitals and
other institutions on a son Of his who
received no benefit, but had been cur-
- :. q 2 =. -. a 81.