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 ND God said
let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath
life, (Heb.) SOUL. See also, ver. 30. (Heb.) Lev. 11; 46, (Heb.) &c.
We read of the spirit of the beast Ec 3:21. We know that other
animals possess what we term mental faculties; knowledge, memory,
and affection. “The ox knoweth his owner.” Does the memory of the
horse, the affection of the dog, or the sagacity of the beaver,
prove the possession of spiritual subsistence’s by these animals,
which can act independently of their material organizations? It may
be said that they cannot reason. Suppose that we can demonstrate
this; can we demonstrate that the faculties which they do possess
can be more rationally predicated on mere animated material
organization than reason itself? If the Creator has imparted to
their material organizations, knowledge, memory, with affections,
without any distinct spiritual subsistence; on what principle can we
affirm that he cannot impart to the superior material organization
of man these faculties and reason also? Where is the philosopher
that can prove this? It is easy, indeed, to affirm that “matter
itself is essentially unintelligent, and is utterly incapable of
thought.” Mr. Good in his Book of Nature, p. 367, well remarks, that
“this is to speak with more confidence than we are warranted; and
unbecomingly to limit the power of the Creator.” The question is not
what is matter in its primeval state, but what can the Almighty make
of it? The answer is, that of “stones he can raise up children unto
Abraham,”
[Editor, And if He willed, He could make stones cry out, “And he
answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold
their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” ( Lk 19:40.)]
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