often brought home to the experience of individuals. A man may lose many parts of his body-the eye by which he sees, the tongue by which he tastes, the ear by which he hears, and the hand by which he handles -he may be deprived of all his organs of sense, and yet is the same man as he was before. The mind which is the man, continues unchanged and unimpaired. Chemistry, indeed, demonstrates that our bodies are in a state of perpetual flux, and that not a particle of the matter which once belonged to us, can now be called our own; yet we never lose our personal identity. We are still the same rational and responsible individuals, as

ever.

These remarks apply to the brain, which is the receptacle of sensation-the connecting link between the senses and the mind-as well as to other parts of our mortal frame. It is a well known fact, that this organ is sometimes seriously injured and a large part of it actually removed, without any material interruption of the functions of the mind. Closely connected, therefore, as is this wondrous instrument with these functions, and in general essential to their exercise in our present state of being, it is no more to be confused or identified with the mind itself, than is any other part of the human body. Finally, it often happens, that when the body is desperately diseased and within a few moments of death, the mind remains unimpaired, and

all things merely material. These are functions which a man performs without any aid from his natural senses, and often when during the hour of silent meditation, the world within him is separated from all external objects. The mind can then roam over the universe at its pleasure; and when it rises in living aspirations towards the Maker and Ruler of that universe, it holds converse with God himself.

All inquiries into the nature and essence of mind-what it is, or of what it consistsare improper and absurd: because the question lies beyond our reach. It is not within the province of our faculties. Mind and matter are severally known only by their properties. By matter we mean, that which is tangible, extended, and divisible; by mind, that which perceives, reflects, wills, and reasons. These properties are wholly dissimilar and admit of no comparison. To pretend that mind is matter, is to propose a contradiction in terms, and is just as absurd as to pretend that matter is mind. Since, therefore, the thinking part within us, is plainly distinct in its nature and character from the gross body with which it is here connected, it is only reasonable to believe, that they are essentially independent, and that when the body perishes, or rather falls to pieces, (for in the course of nature, no particle of matter is ever destroyed,) the mind will survive the wreck.

II. This presumption is greatly strengthened by facts familiar to every observer, and

often brought home to the experience of individuals. A man may lose many parts of his body-the eye by which he sees, the tongue by which he tastes, the ear by which he hears, and the hand by which he handles -he may be deprived of all his organs of sense, and yet is the same man as he was before. The mind which is the man, continues unchanged and unimpaired. Chemistry, indeed, demonstrates that our bodies are in a state of perpetual flux, and that not a particle of the matter which once belonged to us, can now be called our own; yet we never lose our personal identity. We are still the same rational and responsible individuals, as

ever.

These remarks apply to the brain, which is the receptacle of sensation-the connecting link between the senses and the mind-as well as to other parts of our mortal frame. It is a well known fact, that this organ is sometimes seriously injured and a large part of it actually removed, without any material interruption of the functions of the mind. Closely connected, therefore, as is this wondrous instrument with these functions, and in general essential to their exercise in our present state of being, it is no more to be confused or identified with the mind itself, than is any other part of the human body. Finally, it often happens, that when the body is desperately diseased and within a few moments of death, the mind remains unimpaired, and

all things merely material. These are functions which a man performs without any aid from his natural senses, and often when during the hour of silent meditation, the world within him is separated from all external objects. The mind can then roam over the universe at its pleasure; and when it rises in living aspirations towards the Maker and Ruler of that universe, it holds converse with God himself.

All inquiries into the nature and essence of mind—what it is, or of what it consists— are improper and absurd: because the question lies beyond our reach. It is not within the province of our faculties. Mind and matter are severally known only by their properties. By matter we mean, that which is tangible, extended, and divisible; by mind, that which perceives, reflects, wills, and reasons. These properties are wholly dissimilar and admit of no comparison. To pretend that mind is matter, is to propose a contradiction in terms, and is just as absurd as to pretend that matter is mind. Since, therefore, the thinking part within us, is plainly distinct in its nature and character from the gross body with which it is here connected, it is only reasonable to believe, that they are essentially independent, and that when the body perishes, or rather falls to pieces, (for in the course of nature, no particle of matter is ever destroyed,) the mind will survive the wreck.

II. This presumption is greatly strengthened by facts familiar to every observer, and

often brought home to the experience of individuals. A man may lose many parts of his body-the eye by which he sees, the tongue by which he tastes, the ear by which he hears, and the hand by which he handles -he may be deprived of all his organs of sense, and yet is the same man as he was before. The mind which is the man, continues unchanged and unimpaired. Chemistry, indeed, demonstrates that our bodies are in a state of perpetual flux, and that not a particle of the matter which once belonged to us, can now be called our own; yet we never lose our personal identity. We are still the same rational and responsible individuals, as

ever.

These remarks apply to the brain, which is the receptacle of sensation-the connecting link between the senses and the mind-as well as to other parts of our mortal frame. It is a well known fact, that this organ is sometimes seriously injured and a large part of it actually removed, without any material interruption of the functions of the mind. Closely connected, therefore, as is this wondrous instrument with these functions, and in general essential to their exercise in our present state of being, it is no more to be confused or identified with the mind itself, than is any other part of the human body. Finally, it often happens, that when the body is desperately diseased and within a few moments of death, the mind remains unimpaired, and