It can not be doubted for a moment that it is possible for the soul to exist without the body and that it is therefore immortal. It has been previously asserted that the soul has a distinct existence, which truth is often observed in the sick and dying. If the existence of the soul were necessarily bound up in the existence of the body, or if the spirit of man were merely the product of bodily action, it would necessarily follow that sickness and gradual decadence of the body would be attended by gradual decadence of the soul and mind. But we often find the contrary to be the case. Frequently, when the body lies enfeebled and almost dead upon the bed of sickness, the mind continues sound and vigorous, and not only capable of embracing physical perceptions but often it elevates itself in a surprising manner to the supernatural, divine, and eternal. How is this possible? It can be accounted for only because the soul, having a separate existence, leads a life of its own, and thus can exist without the aid of the bodily senses.

The possibility of the existence of the soul independently of the body, and its consequent immortality, is therefore clear. But let us see if this possibility is verified in a real and actual immortality.

(a.) This truth is evident from the soul's longing after happiness. This longing exists in every man. But in what does happiness consist? In such a condition of things where all our desires are granted and gratified. But, as the world with all its goods must come to an end, it is evident that it can not make man happy. The condition of happiness necessarily implies and requires undisturbed and unending possession, which implies in itself the idea of eternity. Now, as every man contains within himself this longing for happiness we conclude with reason that his soul must be immortal, for it can never be appeased in this world

In the attainment of this happiness lies the highest aim of human endeavors, and it would be the same as annihilating the whole dignity of man to assume it as a foregone conclusion that he could not attain this sublime end of his creation. Moreover such an assumption would impugn the wisdom and justice of God. For, as He has implanted in the soul of man this striving and longing for happiness, He must have made it possible to obtain such happiness, which, as has been shown, is impossible in this world and possible only in eternity. To adduce a comparison: We speak of the instinct of the animal. In accordance with this instinct many of them avoid poisonous plants, and when sick know how to find curing and healing herbs. Their instinct is therefore a presentiment, though an unknown one, of some existing antidote. In no other way can we explain this faculty of the animals. In a similar, though infinitely higher way, can we, from the longing and seeking of the human soul, argue in favor of a really existing happiness, a cure for all our evils here. below. Hence the soul is immortal.

(b.) The immortality of the soul is proved from its own inward consciousness of immortality. To the human intellect the thought is repugnant that with the death of the body all, even the intellectual life, must die. As long as man dwells here below he is obliged to work, to struggle and to strive, and there is no man who in his old age can say he has accomplished his whole destiny, carried out all his plans, attained every object, fulfilled every purpose, fought out the battle of life to a victorious ending, realized all his hopes and gratified all his desires. If, then, human life is a vain strife, if the longings of the soul can not be appeased, it becomes impossible for man to be satisfied with a mere earthly existence. He must appre

ciate the necessity of an everlasting life, where the highest idea of man will be realized.

Again, this idea of immortality must be founded on divine truth, for man could not have learned it from nature or the world. All that we see in the world is changeable, passing, and liable to decay and death. Whence, then, could man acquire the thought of an immortality? It can come only from God, the Creator; it is a thought of truth.

(c.) It is evident from man's longing after justice, and the moral well-being of the world. It is inborn in man to recognize reward for good and penalty for evil. The man does not live who would desire the contrary. Now, in this world we do not find this fair and just polity. On the contrary. Too often does vice triumph here, while virtue groans under wrong and injustice. If we would not go altogether astray in our notions of God and justice, if we would not conceive false ideas of the real and true, and of moral well-being, we must believe in an everlasting life, in the immortality of the soul, where virtue will be properly rewarded and vice be punished in proportion to its deserts. Hence faith in the immortality of the soul is the best and surest foundation of morality in society. The moral restraint necessary for society is dependent in a great measure on the sacrifice of individual liberty and is attainable only where the individual battles with his low egotism and with his passions and other inordinate inclinations.

If there be no prospective compensation to uphold and to strengthen, where will man find a sufficient motive for persevering in this distasteful and wearisome struggle, even in his own interior, for the good of society? Emancipation from all restraint must follow. The history of all nations proves this. With the

belief in immortality stands or falls the moral code of every people.

(d.) The immortality of the soul can also be proved from the universal concurrence of all people in such belief. No nation has ever existed that did not hold and teach, in some form or other, the immortality of the soul, that is to say, a belief in its continued existence in another world. This belief, then, founded as it is in nature, and in the sound sense of mankind, can not be denied without sinning against the testimony of all men.

4. Together with his natural and supernatural likeness to God man possessed, in his primitive condition, before he sinned, many other sublime and supernatural prerogatives, both in soul and body.

The chief prerogative of the soul was its freedom from the domination of the passions. Our first parents, before their fall, knew nothing about a conflict with the inordinate lusts of the senses. In pure innocence they walked before the eyes of the Lord, for sensual perversion was the first fruit of sin.

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The chief and most precious prerogative of the body consisted in its having been created free from suffering, and immortal. The Book of Wisdom teaches us this truth in the 23d verse of the 2d chapter, where it says, "God created man incorruptible, and to the image of His own likeness He made him. But by the envy of the devil, death came into the world." Paul also teaches, in Romans v. 12, By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death." The human body, beside being free from death, was also free from every pain and infirmity. For pain, infirmity, and evil first made their appearance with sin and in consequence of it.

The Trial and Fall of our First Parents.

God had created man in holiness and justice. But this state depends not on force and compulsion; on the contrary it was becoming that man created in freedom should prove himself deserving of this happy state. Hence God subjected him to a test.

His trial consisted, as the Bible informs us, in the command, "Of every tree of paradise thou shalt eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, for in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death" (Genesis ii. 16, 17). It is here self-evident that the eating of the fruit of this or that tree was not sinful, but that the sin consisted in the transgression of the plainly expressed will of God.

Our first parents failed in this trial, for, yielding to the temptation of the serpent, they ate the fruit. The serpent said to the woman, the Holy Scriptures tell us, Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise? And the woman answered him, saying, Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise we do eat: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die. And the serpent said to the woman, No, you shall not die the death. For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat and fair to the eyes and delightful to behold, and she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave to her husband who did eat (Genesis iii. 1 et al.).

Thus the sin of our first parents was completed. They had transgressed God's command. The manner