1" 1 1 ■ill In1 111 1 Mil 1 fit tiiHfflHl \Wwm ■•::-'i >" 73 -fj^ m #>• RELIGION; NATURAL AND REVEALED: OR, THE NATURAL THEOLOGY AND MOEAL BEAEINGS OF PHRENOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY: INCLUDING THE DOCTRINES TAUGHT AND DUTIES INCULCATED THEREBY, COMPARED WITH THOSE I ENJOINED IN THE SCRIPTURES. TOGETHER WITH THE PHRENOLOGICAL EXPOSITION OF THE DOCTRINES OP A FUTURE STATE MATERIALISM, MOJLI1VESS, SIN, REWARDS, PUNISHMENTS, DEPRAVITY A CHANGE OF HEART, WILL, FOREORDINATION, FATALISM, ETC. ETC. BY O.' S. FOWLER, »■ • PRACTICAL PHRENOLOGIST, EDITOR OF THE AM. PHR. JOURNAL aUTHOR OF FOWLER'S PHRENOLOGY, HEREDITARY DESCENT, PHRENOLOGY APPLIED TO EDUCATION AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT, DO- TO MATRI- MONY, DO. TO MEMORY, TEMPERANCE, ETC Truth always harmonizes with itself. TENTH EDITION—ENLARGED AND IMPROVED N R W YORK: Published by O. S. Fowler, 1ST Nassau St., Clinton Hall; Saxton & Peirce, a \ Jordan & Co., Washington St., bn»'»n ; Colon 6c Co., Arcade, Philadelphia; J. A. Hop- kins & Co., Syracuse. T* V.; E. A. Smith, Erwinton, S. C.; M. J. Grier, Hamihnn- Oaoaaa West • and Booksellers generally. 18 4 6: i em Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, BY FOWLERS & WELLS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. CONTENTS. CHAPTER 1, THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MAN'S MORAL AND RELIGIOUS NATURE. Sect. I.—Man constitutionally moral and religious, . . 15 ----II.—The foundation of man's moral and religious nature, 29 ----III.—The location of the moral organs, and general re- flections on their faculties, . . .33 CHAPTER II. THE ANALYSIS OF THE MORAL FACULTIES, AND THE INFERENCES CONSEQUENT THEREON. Sect. I.—Veneration.—Its analysis, and the existence of a God. 46 ---- II.—The true religion and the false. . . 61 ---- III.—The Sabbath, ..... 77 ----IV.—Revivals of religion, .... 79 ---- V.—Religious teachers, or preachers, . . .83 ---- VI.—Religious societies or associations, . . 86 ---- VII.—Prayer.—Its duty.—Its efficacy. . - .89 ---- VIII.—Religious creeds, ceremonies, observances, &c. 92 CHAPTER III. THE SPIRITUAL. Sect, I.—Spirituality, or marvellousness.— Its analysis and bearings. . . . . .94 Sect. II.—Spirituality continued.—Inferences, . . .102 Sect. III.—Special providences. . . . ... 106 Sect. IV.—Conversion; the operations of the Holy Ghost: Divine grace ; faith, &c.....109 Sect. V.—A change of heart continued—objections answered. Ill Sect. VI.—Materialism.—Objection answered. . . .114 IV CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. FIOFE, AND ITS EEAEINC3.--A FUTURE STATE. Sect. 1.—Analysis, location, and bearings o* Hope. - 117 Sect. II.—Hope continued.—Miscellaneous inferences. . , 126 CHAPTER V. BENEVOLENCE.--ITS ANALYSIS, AND THE TRUTHS TAUGHT 1 HEREBY. Sect. i.—The function of benevolence, and the duty and plea- sure of doing good...... 128 CHAPTER VI. CONSCIENTIOUSNESS.--ITS ANALYSIS AND BEARINGS. SecT. I.—Conscience innate. ,.....140 Sect. II.—The nature and rationale of right and wrong; or, the foundation of moral obligation. . . .144 Sect. [II.—What is right, and what wrong ? , , . .154 Sect. IV.—Depravity.—Its origin—its extent—its conditions— its causes—its remedy. . . . .161 Sect. V.—Punishment, here and hereafter, . , . 166 Sect. VI.—Penitence and pardon. . ... 169 Conclusion. «.....-. 174 PREEACE TO THE EIRST EDITION. Probably no subject whatever, is fraught with interest more in- tense, or attended with consequences more momentous, than a compa/- rison of the doctrines inculcated, and the duties required, by Phreno- logy, with those enjoined by the Bible. For about 1800 years, has the religion of Jesus Christ, and for several thousand years, have the Scriptures exerted an all-control- ling influence over the intellects, the emotions, and the conduct of mankind—engrossing the feelings, shaping the lives, occupying the minds, and filling the souls, of untold millions of the human family. Nor does, or should this interest diminish. Phrenology is also now every where becoming a subject of all- absorbing interest; and well it may, for it is founded in Truth. It must, it will prevail. It is a demonstrative science. It is built upon facts, infinite in both variety and number. It developes and evolves those laws in harmony with which God created both man and the whole range of animated nature. Every living creature that now inhabits earth, air, or water, is a living, incontestible evidence of its truth, as are also all that ever have lived, or that will ever inhabit our globa And men have eyes to see these facts, as well as intellect enough to perceive that they establish the truth of Phrenology beyond ail cavil or controversy. And they are fast opening their eyes to these facts, and yielding to the irresistible evidence that Phrenology is true. Nor is it possible for any intelligent mind candidly to exam- ine either the facts or the principles of this science, without becoming convinced of its truth, and enamored with its doctrines. Men cannot help believing it, any more than they can help seeing what they look at, or feeling fire when they touch it All must and will admit its viii preface. truth. Many already believe it. Indeed, it is now acquiring and exerting a moral power which nothing — absolutely nothing—can gainsay or resist. It is crushing beneath the car of its triumphal pro gress whatever and whoever resist or oppose its advancement. In connexion with a sister science, it is sweeping into oblivion those old theories, unnatural customs, and erroneous institutions, by which past ages have been enthralled, and even the present is yet spell-bound. So great is its moral power, that it will prostrate and ride over what- ever religious doctrines, forms, or practices conflict with it. If even the Bible could be found to clash therewith, then would the Bible go by the board. Nothing could save it; for it would war with Truth, and must suffer defeat But, if it be found to harmonize with Phrenology, then is it based upon the rock of Truth, and defended and supported by those immutable laws of Nature which the all-wise Creator has instituted for its government; so that neither can infidelity scathe its walls, nor atheism find the least support for its monstrocities; both being overthrown by this science. In this view of the subject, how all-absorbing the interest, how over- whelming the importance, how momentous the results, of a compari- son of the religion of Phrenology with the religion of the Bible! My pen falters! Must I proceed ? I feel utterly inadequate to the task, and yet I feel that this neglected task should be and must be under- taken. Though the objections that Phrenology favors infidelity and fatalism, have been often and ably refuted, yet the real principles de- veloped, doctrines taught, and life required by Phrenology, have never yet been fully and fairly compared or contrasted with the theology and code of morals of the Bible. That is, the natural theology and moral bearings of Phrenology, and the theology and requirements of the Scriptures, have never yet been placed side by side, to see wherein they harmonize, or wherein they differ. This ought cer- tainly to be done. It has been studiously, if not improperly, avoided. No one has stood in the breach, while erring humanity demands the TRUTH on this all-important subject. No leaning to infidelity on the one hand—no truckling to sectarianisms on the other. Let us PREFACE. IX appeal to philosophy. The truth is required, without fear, without favor, without stint. I know full well that no other task requires more moral courage than this. I know that men cling with more tenacity to their religion than to all else besides. What enmity is as strong, what prejudices are as inveterate, as those awakened by tearing one's religion from him ? Like Micah, he exclaims, " Ye have taken away my GODS, what have I more?" Still, I despair not. My hope of success in this arduous and haz- ardous undertaking, rests in the power of truth. This power will ul- timately bear down all prejudice, and break through all opposition. It will force men to abandon their religious errors, and to plant them- selves upon the broad platform of the nature of man. That nature, Phrenology unfolds. Sooner or later, must the religion of Phrenolo- gy become the religion of man. The outlines of that religion, will be pointed out in this work. The present generation may slumber over these truths—may even scout and reject them. Even future genera tions may live uncheered by the sun of moral science, and die unen- lightened by its rays. But the time will come when its general principles will govern the religious creed and the practices of man- kind. Then will the fiery star of sectarianism set iV '' :nal night, never more to torment mankind with its n. _0.,ain rays. Then will religious bigotry and intolerance cease for ever. Then will unre- strained religious liberty pervade our happy earth. Then will all men see eye to eye and face to face. Then will a holy life and a spotless soul in this world, be but the enterance of man into the enjoy- ment of the immortal and boundless bliss which his moral faculties are calculated to pour into the human soul, both here and hereafter. Come, glorious day! come quickly. And I derive no little encouragement, that it is " nigh, even at the door," from the fact that the religious belief of very many good peo- ple is extremely unsettled. Now, mankind hardly know what to believe. Too long already have they been getting their thinking done out; and they begin to see it. They are no longer willing to have it done by proxy. They are unwilling, as formerly, to pin then X PREFACE. faith on the sleeve even of the parson. They desire to think for them- selves. They are even determined to think for themselves. But they have no data—no starting points, no base line, no fixed and settled first principles—at which to commence, and with which to compare. These first principles are to be found in the natural theology, and the natural religion, of Phrenology. This science dissects and un- folds man's moral nature—its primary faculties, its original elements. It does this so clearly that man cannot fail to perceive and adopt the religious doctrines it teaches, and to practice the duties it requires. Rid any mind of preconceived prejudices, and in one year will the truth of Phrenology thoroughly renovate that mind, and purify the life. These prejudices are giving way. The last ten years have liberal- ized mankind more than ages have ever done before. The next ten years, will witness a moral and a religious revolution greater than all past ages put together have yet witnessed. Antiquated errors are tot- tering at their base. The darkness of the past is fleeing before the dawn of Millennial truth. That truth is now being developed by the daily and astonishingly rapid spread of that knowledge of the moral nature and constitution of man imparted by Phrenology. To expound this moral nature, and to show what religious fruit grows thereon, is the end and aim of this little volume. Imperfect in authorship, but rich in subject matter. Defective in style, but deep in fundamental truth. Requiring some minor qualifications, but tenable in every ma- terial position, as well as unanswerable in every leading aro-ument. It asks no favor, but investigation—it yields nothing to the religions that be. Its pathway is philosophy. Its goal is eternal right. Strew- ed behind it in all its course, are the nauseating carcasses of hydra- headed error in all its forms. It stands high on the hill of Science. Its roots run deep into the nature of man. Its branches yield all man- ner of delicious fruits, for the healing of the nations, and the renova- tion of mankind. Its moral truths are food to the hungry, a cooling beverage to the thirsty soul, a foundation to those whom the tides of error are sweeping onward to destruction, and a feast of reason, with a flow of soul, to all—sight to the blind, feet to the lame, health to the invalid, vitality to the dying, and life to the dead. PREFACE. XJ A word in reference to the qualification ol its Editor for properly presenting this subject. That he is thoroughly versed in Phrenology, and especially in that practical department of it which gives him jrjst that very knowledge of the workings or manifestations of the moral faculties, in all their phases and combinations, that is required, almost every American reader will rest assured from what he already knows of his works and standing. That no other man, his brother excepted, is equally well qualified in this respect, is a matter of fact, and not of egotism. Nor is he ignorant, either theoretically or experimentally, of what is considered genuine religion. Brought up by a mother eminently godly and devout, and by a father long a deacon and a staunch pillar in the Congregational Churches, religious from cLJdhood, and fa- miliar with both the Bible and the pecuha. loctrines of most of the sects; he brings to the discussion of this subject not only an intimate knowledge of that science in which his deductions are based, but also a minute acquaintance with the commonly received religious notions and practices of the age. Nor will these deductions be materially affected by their authorship. That affects only the manner in which they are presented. Still, the only drawback experienced by the work consists in the haste with which it has been sent to press—a haste induced by a literal pressure of professional engagements, lecturing, business, &c, which must otherwise have postponed it indefinitely. To this, the public would not consent. The public have said with emphasis, " Let us have the work. Be it imperfect as to style—be its authorship defective- still, at some rate—at all events, give us the work." And the Author feels that it will, that it must, do good—the sole object for which it was written. He feels that no one can rise from a careful perusal of its contents, without being benefitted thereby. It remains only to add, that the Author takes it for granted, that the reader admits and understands the fundamental doctrines of Phre- nology. Taking for granted that the truths established by this science are admitted, he proceeds to investigate the moral and religious xu PREFACE. principles laid down, and the duties pointed out, thereby, and to com- pare them with the fundamental doctrines taught, and duties enjoined, by the Bible. Nor will there be any evasion of knotty points; any temporizing with popular prejudices. But it will contain a full, fear- less, manly, expounding of truth, and exposition of error. Dismiss prejudice. Read; ponder; investigate. Decide. Receive the o-ood Reject the had. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. In .less than nine months after the publication of tliis work, an edi- tion of over two thousand copies has been exhausted. This unex- pected sale makes it necessary to put a second edition to press too soon to allow the Author the requisite time to revise it for that pur- pose and make as extensive improvements as he has hitherto contem- plated. Still, he has taken scraps of time from other labors to rewrite some portions of it, transpose others, make copious additions, and, as a whole, greatly to improve it. The chapter on the nature of right and wrong, and the origin or foundation of moral obligation, (or on the constitutional elements of the sinfulness of sin and the virtue of holiness,) as well as on the causes and cure of human depravity, will be not only new, but also directly in the teeth of all prevailing notions on this subject. Of course, therefore, it will be unpopular. Be it so. Be it as it may. With that matter, the Author does not concern himself. It concerns the reader—it affects his happiness, not mine—whether it be accepted nr rejected. That this analysis of virtue and sin cannot be contro- verted, is certain. That it will plough a deep and wide furrow through the field of truth, now overgrown with the thorns and the brambles of popular error, is also certain. But it will prepare that field for a rich harvest of human happiness and virtue. In short, let not the reader be startled with any thing contained in these pages; but let him come up with bold, manly thought to an unbiased exami- nation of their entire contents. The first edition was received with a much better spirit than the Author anticipated. He expected that its fearless exposition of secta- rianism, its reproving the churches for admitting the fashions into xiv PREFACE. them on the Sabbath, &c, as well as its bold advancement of some unpalatable truths, and fearless exposition of some glaring but gene- rally received errors; would have subjected it and him to odium. But he finds that men can bear the truth much better than he sup- posed they could. He finds that they even love it. He expected infi- delity would come down upon him on the one hand, for exposing some of its errors; and religionists upon the other, for tearing from them some of their darling dogmas. But he finds that nearly all like it. He finds, that in matters of religion, men differ much less than they suppose they do. They divide on names more than on things. And what is more, there are some fundamental religious truths which all see and admit—a broad platform of common ground, which all re- cognize as such. And Phrenology will bring all on to this platform. And may this little volume go forth upon the angry sea of secta- rian contention, to calm its troubled waters; to harmonize conflicting elements, and to disseminate truth, and love, and moral purity among mankind. RELIGION, NATURAL AND REVEALED, ETC. CHAPTER I. THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MAN'S MORAL AND RELIGIGUS NATURE. SECTION I. MAN CONSTITUTIONALLY MORAL AND RELIGIOUS. Man is constitutionally a moral being. He is also naturally reli- gious. Indeed, piety of some kind, and religion in some form, have ever constituted, and still constitute, one of the leading motives, one of the all-engrossing pursuits, of mankind. Strike from the page of his- tory, and from the mind and conduct of mankind, every thing apper- taining to morals and religion, and the identity of both will be de- stroyed. Take his religion from the conceited Chinese, or from the benighted Hindoo, or from the degraded Ethiopean, or from the noble son of the forest, and each in his turn, with Micah, would exclaim, " Ye have taken away my GODS! what have I more ?" In fact, where is the nation or tribe—when and where have any existed—whose religion did not enter into the very texture of their minds, form their habits, mould their characters, shape and perpetuate their government and institutions, and even guide their intellect, as well as govern their whole conduct ? Without these moral elements, how ignoble, how depraved, would man have been 1 But, with them, how exalted, how angelic, how godlike, is he capable of being and of becoming! Nor is there any danger, or even possibility, that man will ever become less religious than he now is and always has been, any more than there is danger of his ceasing to become hungry or to breathe; 16 religion: natural and revealed. 170 for religion is engrafted upon his very nature, or, rather, forms no inconsiderable portion thereof. This fact, established by the whole history of man, is demonstrated by Phrenology, in its showing that a large portion of the brain is appropriate to the development of the moral and religious organs. Till, therefore, the nature of man is essentially remodelled, that nature will compel him to have a religion of some kind. The great danger is, not that mankind can ever become irre- ligious, for that is impossible, but that his religious faculties will still continue to combine, as they always have combined, with his predo- minant propensities, instead of with his feebler intellect. For it is a fully established law of Phrenology, that large organs combine in ac- tion more readily and powerfully with the other organs that are large, than with those that are smaller. Man's intellectual lobe being usu- ally much inferior in size to his animal, the great danger is that his moral faculties will still continue to unite with his propensities ; and hence, that he will still make his religion the scape-goat of his sins. Always has his religion been the servant of his pride, of his unbri- dled lusts, of his sinful passions. It continues to do this. So that his religion, designed and calculated to make him better, actually makes him the worse, and the more miserable. But, let the moral sentiments combine with a vigorous and an unperverted intellect, in conjunction with a healthy organization, and incalculably will they ennoble, adorn, and happify mankind. That their power, both for good and for evil, exceeds all computation, is evident from the whole history of man, as well as from the nature of the faculties themselves. How important, then, that man should understand his moral nature, and obey its laws ! In common with every other department of his nature, it has its laws. To suppose otherwise, is to charge God fool- ishly, by supposing that he has neglected to establish the dominion of laws, and to arrange first principles in one of the most important departments of the nature of man. With this neglect, the Almighty is not chargeable. Of the benefits resulting from the establishment of these laws, man is not deprived. So far therefrom, fixed laws, im- mutable first principles, reign supreme in this, as they do in every other, department of nature. Nor are these laws a sealed book to man. They are not locked up from his moral vision. Like the glorious sun of the natural day, they were made to rise upon every son and daughter of creation and to throw a clear beam of light and truth throughout every human soul. Not a single dark corner exists but is capable of being illumin- ed by the sun of moral truth. All have moral eyes. All can perceive 171 MAN A MORAL AND RELIGIOUS BEING. 17 moral truth. All can follow in the paths of morality and virtue. None need ever stumble upon the dark mountains of error, or be lost in the mist of superstition, or make shipwreck upon the rock of bigotry, or be swallowed up in the vortex of infidelity. Moral science exists as much as physical. Moral science is even as demonstrable as mathemati- cal or anatomical, or any other science. The very fact that man has a moral nature, is prima facie evidence that nature has its laws, and that those laws can be known and read of all mankind. To suppose that man cannot arrive at a certain knowledge of moral and religious truth, is to suppose that the Deity has sealed or blinded the eyes ol man touching this important matter. Who believes this? No one, surely. All men can come to the moral light of our nature. Sectarian- ism need not exist. It should not exist. Truth is the sure light. Truth is come-at-able, to use a common, but appropriate, word. Error in this matter is a most grievous evil. Moral and religious truth is most desirable. If moral laws exist. They must not be violated. They must be obeyed. They may be known. They are not a candle hid under a bushel. - They are a light set upon an hill. All can come, should come, to this light, and be saved from religious error and sin. This light can be seen afar off, even unto the ends oi the earth, and by all flesh. Diversity of religious belief or prac- tice, need not and should not exist. Diversity pre-supposes error, and the greater this diversity, the greater the consequent error. And the greater this error, the more sinful, the more unhappy, the subject of that error. Sectarianism has no excuse. It is most pernicious ; for errors of practice grow out of errors in belief. And the greater either, the greater the other, and the more ruinous. If all would use unbias- ed leason along with their moral sentiments, all would come to the same results ; for, truth is one, and always consistent with itself. Il men would only employ intellect in connexion with their moral na- ture, they would always believe right, and do right, and be perfect. Oh ! if man would but live in accordance with his moral constitution, how holy, how happy, would he be ! Religious errors, and dogma;? would disappear like the morning fog before the rising sun, to be fol- lowed by a devotional spirit, and a virtuous life. But now, alas ! we grope our way in the midnight of superstition. We stumble upon the dark mountains of error on the one hand, while on the other, we plunge headlong into the miry slough of superstition, bigotry, and zeal without knowledge. And most sinful, most miserable, does this our religious nature, render us. 2 5* 18 religion: natural and revealed. i72 But, light is breaking in upon the dark mists of all past ages. Ho, ye who would return from your wanderings and be delivered from your thraldroms and your errors, follow the beacon light of truth hoisted by Phrenology. It will clear up all difficulties. It will solve all moral problems. It will point out that religion which harmonizes witn tne nature of man, and is most conducive to personal happiness and general moral purity. For it is self-evident—is a philosophical axiom—that the moral nature of man must necessarily be in perfect harmony with the moral government of God, as well as with the moral constitution of the universe. If, therefore, Phrenology be true, it of course unfolds the moral nature of man, and, consequently, must be in perfect harmony therewith. So that, on the principle that any two things, each exactly like a third, are therefore like each other, it follows that the moral doctrines taught, and the duties inculcated, by Phrenology, must harmonize perfectly with the moral constitution of the universe; because each, by supposition, accords with the nature of man. If Phrenology develope and harmonize with the nature of man, (which it must do if true,) and if this moral nature of man accord with the moral constitution of things, (which it must do, or nature will be found at war with herself,) then Phrenology, if true, must neces- sarily harmonize perfectly with the moral constitution of things. And vice versa. So that the moral constitution of things, the moral and religious nature of man, and the natural theology, the moral precepts, and the religious teachings, of Phrenology, must each harmonize per- fectly with all the others. And what is more, the moral constitution of the universe, and the government of God, must of course each harmonize with the moral character and attributes of the Deity, as well as with his natural kingdom. Hence, Phrenology, if true, must of necessity be found to harmonize perfectly with the moral character, attributes, and govern- ment of the great Creator and Governor of the universe. And if the Bible be also true, its doctrines, too, must tally exactly with those taught by Phrenology. But, if it be untrue, or, as far as it is erro- neous, will this science expose its errors, and point out" a more excel- lent way." If the original, constitutional, moral nature of man, as point- ed out by Phrenology, be found to harmonize with the Scriptures, they are confirmed by Phrenology, m:d derive an accession of evi- dence therefrom which no sophist can evade, or skeptic gainsay. But if they clash, then are they building their hopes of immortality upon a rotten foundation, which this science can and will sweep away. In othei words; if the Bible and Phrenology both be true, the moral precept* 573 each requires the aid of the other. 19 :-md duties inculcated in either, will harmonize perfectly with those taught in the other, and with the fundamental principles by which the universe itself, as well as the great Creator of all things, are governed ; but if either be erroneous, it will conflict with the other. Hence, Christianity has nothing to fear,, but every thing to hope. [fit be built upon the rock of truth, it will be confirmed and demon- strated. If it stand on a sandy foundation, the sooner it is swept from under it, the better. And if its foundation, like the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image, be partly iron and partly miry clay—partly strong and partly weak, partly true and partly erroneous—we here have a moral touch-stone by which to try and test every moral creed and practice. Let us embrace it. Let all study its principles and follow its precepts, and they will be the better, and the more happv ■smd useful. If it be objected,.that the Bible is already an unerring moral guide, and a perfect standard of religious faith and practice, I answer. Then, why does every religious denomination in Christendom, and every member of every religious sect, besides multitudes of private indivi- duals, all claim to draw their peculiar doctrines and practices from '.he Eible, and even quote Scripture therefor, and that though their dif- ference be heaven wide. Do not Universalists quote chapter and perse as plausibly and as sincerely to prove the final salvation of all men, as do the orthodox in proof of the opposite doctrine that some will be assigned to eternal condemnation ? The Unitarian and the Trinitarian both claim to prove their respective but conflicting doc- trines each to the perfect satisfaction of himself and to the overthrow of the other, from the same Bible, and from not a few of the very same texts. The Baptist draws his doctrine of immersion from the same Bible from which sprinklers draw their opposite doctrine. Contro- .rer§ies without end have been held, and volumes without number written, to prove and to disprove, from the same Bible, doctrines as op- posite to each other as light and darkness, or heat and cold. Nor do he schisms of the Christian churches diminish. Indeed, they are in- creasing in number, and widening in extent continually. Every re- 7olving year gives birth to some new sect, and each of these opposing ?ects alone claim to have the Bible on their side, and give it as autho- rity against all who differ from them; and from the same pages of the same Bible, each is reading himself into heaven, and all who dif- fer from him, into perdition. Now, if the Bible, " without note or comment," be an all-suificienr, guide in matters of religious faith and practice, why this religious di^ •20 RELIGION. NATURAL AND REVEALED. 174 versity and contention % Why does it not compel all to adopt the same doctrines and practices, and these the only correct ones ? If ex- periment, continued for four thousand years, and tried in all ages and by a vast majority of Christendom, can prove any thing, that experi- ment, or, rather, its total failure, and that too, under all circumstances, has proved incontestibly, that, taking man as he is, and the Bible as it is, the latter is not, and can never be, the all-sufficient religious guide and standard of the former. Nor is it possible for it ever to be so. Not that the fault is in the Bible. It is in man. But the Bible requires a help-meet—something to accompany, explain, and interpret it, as well as to enforce its doctrines and precepts. That help-meet is to be found in Phrenology. This science gives the natural constitution of man's moral and religious nature. That constitution is right. Whatever differs from it, is wrong. Whatever harmonizes with it, is right. Whatever construction may be put upon the Bible, not in strict accord- ance with that nature, is a wrong construction. Phrenology covers the same ground that the Bible claims to cover—that of man's moral nature. Wherein the lines of the two run parallel to each other, both are correct. But wherein the Bible is so construed as to diverge in the least from Phrenology, though the Bible itself may be right, yet the construction put upon it, is wrong. Hence, with the book of Phrenology as the elements, and the Bible as the supplement, of reli- gion, it is to decypher out what is true, and to expose what is errone- ous. Each will interpret and enforce the other, and the two together will give a far more consistent and enlightened view of the true reli- gion, and of correct conduct, than either could do alone, as well as rectify all ignorant or bigoted perversions of either. It is worthy of remark in this connexion, that the Bible no where attempts to prove either the existence of a God, or any of the funda- mental truths of natural religion, such as of a future state, or the exist ence of first principles of right and wrong, &c. It takes these mat- ters for granted, assuming in the start, that man already admits and understands them. This is fully evinced by the manner of its com- mencement. It opens with the statement, that "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," and proceeds to tell what God said and did, thus presupposing that his existence is already admitted, and his attributes understood. I do not now recollect a single argu- mentative attempt to prove his existence throughout the whole Bible, True, David breaks forth in the rapture, " The heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth showeth forth his handi-work," &c.; but this is only an exclamation of adoration in view of the wonderous 175 IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL THEOLOGY. 21 works of God, not an argument to prove his existence. Indeed the one distinctive object of Revelation, seems to be to make known the way of salvation by Christ, not to prove the existence or attributes of God. The latter was left for natural theology—for the very principles we are urging. Modern Christianity makes too much of her Bible, by ascribing to it more than it claims, or was ever designed to accomplish. Christianity, or the doctrines of the Bible, are only the supplement of religion, while natural theology, or the existence of a God, or the fun- damental principles of religion to be presented in this essay, are the foundation. Revealed religion is to natural reigion, what Algebra is to Arithmetic—what the foundation is to the superstructure, or the tree to its roots. The latter unfolds the moral nature of man, and with it, the moral constitution of the universe; the former;' builds on it the system, doctrines, and conditions of salvation. Now the true policy of Christians should be to give to natural theology all the im- portance that really belongs to it, and to claim no more for Revelation than it claims for itself. It nowhere claims to be the whole of reli- gion. The Bible itself maintains that the nature of man teaches him natural religion. Thus: " Because that which may be known of God, is manifest in them." " For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." " For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law." " For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves." " Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another." " And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?" Rom. c. i. & ii. And before the great truths of Revelation can be fully enforced, or even understood, those of natural religion must be studied. And this is the great error of the Christian world. They make the Bible the Alpha and the Omega, the all and all of religion, and thrust its handmaid and twin sister, natural the- oiogy, away into the back ground, clear down out of sight and hear- ing, and they pay the forfeit of this unholy temerity in those sectarian dogmas which now disgrace the name and profession of Christianity. Take natural theology along as an interpreter of Revelation, and this religious zeal without knowledge, this superstitious bigotry and nar- 22 religion: natural and revealed, 176 row-mindedness, and these lame and distorted religious opinions and practices, which now dishonor the Christian name, and degrade man, and exist every where in such rich abundance, would be swept from religion, and be supplanted by moral purity and correct conduct. Millions on millions of works on didactic and sectarian theology, are pouring forth bigotry and sectarianism from the teeming press in every civilized and in many pagan lands, while only here and there one on natural theology is published or read. Paley's " Evidences and " Natural Theology," Butler's "Analogy." Good's " Book of Nature," and the " Bridgewater Treatise," (each of which, if based on Phrenology, the natural basis of all works on natural theology, would be infinitely more valuable,) with Alcott's " The house I live in," con stitute nearly or quite all the valuable works on natural theology ex- tant, ancbyet their circulation is insignificant compared with that of some party religico-politico works on some creed or doctrinal point. Witness the sale of works on the Puseyite controversy. No works ever sold with equal rapidity in New-York. And yet, every man of understanding, ought to be ashamed to give a moment's attention tc the points in discussion. Not that I would underrate the importance of the study of the Bible. But I would exalt the study of natural religion. I would see God, Study God, in clouds, in winds, in storms, in calms, in sunshine, m darkness, in vegetation, in mineralization, in every rill, in every flow- er, in every tree, and bird, and beast, and thing that lives or is; and, above all, in man, anatomically, physiologically, and phrenologically. I would make natural theology the basis of all theology, and natural religion, the basis of all religion. I would teach natural religion to children, along with all that is taught them, and before the doctrines and precepts of the Bible are taught; and for the same leason that J would teach arithmetic before astronomy. I would teach them to " Look through Nature up to Nature's God.'' And, afterwards, would teach them the plan of Redemption brought to light in the gospel. They cannot understand, they cannot appreci- ate, the latter till they have studied the former. And, what is quite as important, the human mind requires somewhat more of proof than it finds in the Bible. The Bible gives us its ipse dixit simply; but the human mind requires evidence—requires to understand the why, and the wherefore, and the philosophy, of that which it receives. That philosophy, the Bible does not give; does not even pretend to give. It requires belief on the ground of a " Thus saith the Lord/' and 177 importance of natural religion. 23 there leaves it. As man is endowed with reason, it is proper, it is imperative, that his reason be satisfied. He will reason. He should reaeon And natural religion will give him his fill of reason. It is all reason, and reason the most clear, the most comprehensive, the most satisfactory. Reason, which, while it exalts and fills the in- tellect, also feasts the soul with the most sublime ideas of God it can possibly receive or contain. And, think you, that infidelity, and irre- ligion, and impiety, and profanity, would stalk abroad thus unblush- ingly, if natural religion were taught more, and taught to children ? No, never. The ideas of God thus inculcated, would be too sacred to allow them ever to take his name in vain, or wantonly to break his laws. After the human mind has studied the book of nature, it is prepared to turn to the pages of the Scriptures. And to attempt to teach Bible religion before natural religion is taught, is to plant with- out preparing the ground—to build before laying the foundation—to run before you can stand—or to be a man before you are a child. Nor can any thing else account for the growing impiety of the age ; and that, too, in the very teeth of those mighty religious efforts now put forth, dc fide propaganda. We have religious teaching enough, but it is not of the right hind. Enough of Sabbath schools, and Bible classes, and preaching, and revivals, but not of the right character. We require more philosophy, in which to base it, and with which to enforce it. Phrenology shows, that all the other faculties must be guided and governed by enlightened intellect. That all impressions made upon mankind, to be either permanent or useful, must be made through reason. Nor will the greatest stickler for Revelation, be dis- posed to question the great point I now urge—the necessity of em- ploying reason to enforce religion. Still less will he maintain that the Bible proves, or even attempts to prove, even the fundamentals of religion, much less its details. So that he is compelled either to take natural religion along with his Bible, or else to take his religion along without his intellect. And, surely, no field within the range of human inquiry is as rich in pure philosophy, as religion. None more deep or conclusive in its fundamental principles ; more vast or variegated in the pure, unadul- terated truth brought to light. In other words : The moral nature of man has its laws equally with every other department of nature. Its roots strike deep into the constitution of the human mind. Its branches overshadow no slight portion of that nature. Its fruit is the sweetest and the richest borne by that nature. So is its philosophy. So is its morality. Nor was this tree of the moral nature of man ever design- 24 religion: natural and revealed 178 ed to bear the thousands of different and conflicting kinds of fruit it now bears. Some, bitter j some, sour; some, rotten; some, green; some, hollow; some, bloated j some, shrivelled; some, rank poison. Little healthy. Most of it injurious. All of it defective. And none of it fully adapted to the nature of man. But each sect, and most in- dividuals, have cut off the original branch or twig, on which they each hang their souls, and engrafted thereon a wrild scion, whittled out by their own defective or depraved religious organization, and hang on it, fight for it, die on it—sucking to the last the poisonous fruit it bears, and rotting in every limb, every joint, with the moral disease derived therefrom. Such is not the order of nature. That order is, that the tree of natural religion, planted by the God of heaven, earth, and man in the soil of the human heart, is all that it ought to be. All that it can be. All that it can ever be made. Bearing fruit inconceiva- ble in abundance. The richest possible in flavor. The most nour ishing possible to the nature of man. All that is desired. All that can be required. Filling the soul to its utmost capacity with an exstacy of joy which the world can neither give nor take away. The original constitution of man is right. It is all that even God could make it. Every primary faculty is all that it ought to be; and, the whole com- bined, surpass in excellence all the rest of creation. Man is the last, the greatest work of God. Man's moral nature, is the last, the great- est, part of man. Last to be developed. Last to die on earth j and the heart, the centre, of his immortality. Nor can the study of any de- partment of nature, equal, in either importance or beauty, the study of that nature. Beauty inimitable, characterizes every joint; every muscle; every physical organ; every propensity; every element of Man. But thou, oh! thou moral nature of man, " excellest them all." They, the tree; thou, the fruit. They, the subjects; thou, the queen. Perfect in every feature. Immaculate in every part. And thy face reflecting the image of thy God. If we may not see God and live yet we may see thee, his prototype, in whom dwelleth all the perfec- tions of the Divinity, as far as man may see them. Metaphor aside. Whatever man can know of God, of himself of any thing, he must know through his faculties. No one will for a moment deny, that man was created perfect in every conceivable re- spect. To suppose otherwise, is not* Bible; is not nature; is not truth. No one supposes that his alleged fall took away any original moral element, or added any new element or faculty of depravity. This fall could only have perverted his nature. It could not possibly either add or destroy one jot or tittle of nature. It took away no limb, no 179 THE PRIMITIVE CONSTITUTION OF MAN'S NATURE. 25 muscle, no physical organ. It added no phrenological or other men- tal or moral faculty or power. As far as his original constitution was concerned, it left him just where it found him. It simply per- verted his nature, but did not, could not, change its original ingredi- ents. They are what they were in the beginning. And Phrenology tells us precisely what they are by constitution. It puts the finger of science on every element of our nature—animal, intellectual, moral. It gives us both the warp and the woof of that nature. Every item of it separately. All of it collectively. This, none will deny who admit, what this work presupposes to be admitted, namely, that Phre- nology is true. Hence, in telling us precisely in what the moral na- ture of man consists, it reveals all the doctrines, all the practices, that grow on that nature. That are adapted to that nature. That that nature teaches or requires. Dispute this, and you charge God foolishly, and show your own incapacity and bigotry. Allow it, and you allow that that nature fully known, gives us a knowledge of every moral duty, doctrine, requirement. That obeyed, we should obey every moral duty. That perfect, in development and in action, we should be per- fect in doctrine, in practice, in every thing. " What," says an objector, " but this throws the whole plan of sal- vation overboard." Then overboard it must go. " It does away with trie Bible. It does away with the Savior. It abrogates the Sabbath. It sweeps the board of revealed religion, lengthwise, breadthwise, all wise." Then, must the Bible be done away. So must the Savior. So must all connected therewith. But, this is not my logic. It is yours. I argue thus:—The fall was subsequent to the nature of man. So was the plan of salvation by Christ. So the whole paraphranalia of accompanying doctrines—all the doctrines connected with that sal- vation, or growing out of it. They are extraneous to the nature of man. They are added to it as far as they are connected with it. This is clearly the doctrine of the Bible. Nothing can be more plain or unequivocal than its assertion that man was made perfect at first. He was created perfect. His original constitution was perfection itself. That constitution, Phrenology unfolds. It reveals it all—every shade, Every phase. Every line. Every item. It teaches every doctrine man needs to know- Every duty he is required to perform. Of course, this remark excepts every doctrine and duty connected with the fall. And if man will but fulfil all the precepts, and obey all the requirements of his original nature—of Phrenology—the fall, and all its effects, will pass him by. He will need no Savior, for he will com- 26 THE FOUNDATION OF MAN'S MORAL NATURE. 180 mit no sin. And, by consequence, the nearer he lives up to that na- ture, the less sinful, and the more holy and happy, will he be. Intelligent reader! if these truths run athwart any of thy precon- ceived religious views, take the matter coolly. Go over the ground again. Scrutinize the bases of these inferences. Scrutinize the infer- ences themselves. Give reason her perfect work. Fear not for the Bible. Fear not for Christianity. Care only for truth. There is no danger that truth will ever overthrow either Christianity or the Bible. If they conflict with it, let them go. If they will stand the test of science, all well. If not, surely you cannot wish to build your eter nal all on a sandy foundation. Prove all things. And remember. that the moment you cast overboard the chart of intellect, and the compass of reason, you are left completely at the mercy of the watery, windy elements of mere religious feeling—are carried back at once to paganism—to idolatry. The very fact, that the reasoning organs are located by the side of the moral, is proof positive that the two were designed to act together. Indeed, he who will not reason on religion, cannot and should not know or enjoy religion. Why reason with a toan who says in the start, that he wili not reason ? It cannot be sup- posed, that any sensible person will be afraid to investigate the philo- sophy of religion, or throw away the unequivocal deductions of reason, In order to cling to preconceived, but erroneous, doctrines. Who ever does, let them. They are the sinners; they the sufferers. Let not the preceding be construed into a denial of the fall of man, the need of a Savior, and the doctrines consequent thereon. I am per- suaded, that the reader will find them confirmed by natural religion, as pointed out by Phrenology, and analyzed in these pages. At all events, we waive these points for the present. They will be discussed here- after. Our object now is simply to state the fundamental truths of na- tural religion, not to array them for or against the doctrines of the Bi- ble. Nor do we wish to place them above the Bible, but only to as- sign to each its true sphere and boundaries. We value the Bible. We value natural religion. " These things ought ye to have done. but not to have left the other undone." We require both. Neither, without the other. Both, with the other. " United, we stand; divid- ed, we fall." In view of these premises, what can be more interesting, what more important, than the study of man's moral nature and relations 1 Standing, as they do, (in connexion with reason,) at the very head of nature, the subject matter of no study can equal that of their study. The interest, the value, the importance, of any study, is proportionate 181 ATPEAL TO THE CANDID. 27 to the e.evation, in the range of ereation, of the subjtet of that study. Thus: to study vegetation, its qualities, laws, and conditions, together with the means of improving it, is deeply interesting and highly im- portant, because this study is calculated to promote human happiness, both in the intrinsic interest of the study itself, and also in the applica- tion of the truths revealed thereby to the promotion of vegetation. So, the study of mineralogy, geology, geography, astronomy, mathe- matics, &c, are interesting in themselves, and the truths they teach are highly beneficial in their application to the promotion of general happiness. So, the study of chemistry, is both deeply interesting, and capable of being applied perhaps as extensively as any of the above-named sciences, to the promotion of human happiness. So, the study of natural history—of birds, animals, and whatever lives and moves—is still more interesting and important; because living matter is employed for a higher purpose, and has expended upon its construc- tion and laws a greater amount of Divine wisdom and goodness, than is shared by inanimate matter. These laws, also, are quite analogous to those that govern man; so that the study of living things, teaches us many a useful lesson as to the laws that govern our own nature^ and open into a field so near home that we can gather from it many a rich scientific boquet of beautiful flowers ; many a golden apple of truth to gratify our taste, and to impart health and strength to us as we pass on through life. So, also, the study of man physically—of the wonderful mechanical arrangements of bones, muscles, joints, tendons, &c.—of the heart, lungs, stomach, eyes, head, brain, &c.—is still more interesting and important; first, because its subject matter, (man), is more important than the subject matter of any of the other studies ; and, secondly, because it opens up richer mines of truth, the application ol which is every way calculated to augment human hap- piness, more than any of the other studies yet named. But, it is the study of man's immortal mind—of his elements of feeling and intellect—which constitutes the climax of all studies, both as to the intrinsic interest connected with its subject matter, and as to the great and glorious truths revealed thereby. The study of appetite— of food, nutrition, the effects of different kinds of food, and times of taking it, and their respective influences on intellect and feeling, as well as of the best way of so nourishing the body as to prepare it in the best possible manner for experiencing enjoyment, and promoting the pleasurable action of mind—of the acquiring propensity, the objects on which it should be expended, the conditions of right and wrong as to propeiiy, bargains, dues, &c, and this whole subject of acquisition. 28 man's moral nature and relations. 182 —of man's social, connubial, parental, filial, and political relations, and all that class of duties and relations consequent thereon; as well as of resistance, fear, character, praise-worthiness, and shame, and every thing connected with the commendable and disgraceful,—rise still higher in the scale of interest and value, both as a study and as to the sublime philosophical truths elicited thereby. Still more im- portant, still more useful, is the study of intellect, of reason, of mental philosophy. But, since the moral nature and relations of man stand at the head of man's nature, its equal and twin sister, reason alone, always excepted, it follows, that the proper study of man's moral nature and relation—of religion, theology, duty, religious doctrines, precepts, and practices— stands at the head of all other subjects of study, both as to subject mat- ter, and as to the practical utility of such studies. From this study alone it is, that we can learn the most sublime philosophical truths, and those the most practical which it is possible for God to teach, or man to know. Though this study is not the substitute of all other knowledge, yet it is the crowning excellence of every other. The grand focus to which all others tend. The great mirror of nature, which reflects not alone all that is beautiful and perfect in nature, but even God himself, in all his beauty; in all his glory ! If man but understand and obey the laws and requisitions of his moral nature, and those only, he will be more virtuous and happy than if he under- stand and obey those of any other single department of his nature. But, if he violate these, he will be rendered more sinful and miserable than he could by violating any other. To know them, is the very perfection of knowledge. To obey them, the climax of virtue. To violate them, the quintescence of vice. Will ye, then, Christians, infidels, and neutrals, one and all, give a listening ear, a reasoning mind, and unbiased feelings, to the sublime moral truth and precepts unfolded by Phrenology, and then to a com- parison of them with those of Revelation. And ye who are prejudic- ed, " strike, but hear." I shall doubtless cross the track of many, and offend nearly all; but wait, and " think on these things" one whole year, pondering, point by point, and then " receive the good into ves- sels, but cast the bad away." Few agree in matters of religious faith and practice; therefore most are necessarily in error. Yet all think they are right, and are positive that all who differ from them, are wrong. Who, then, will take it upon himself to assert that he alone is right, and that all the world besides is wrong? What candid mind 182 THE FOUNDATION OF MAN'S MORAL NATURE. 29 bnt will rather say: I may also be in error, and will examine care- fully, and judge impartially. Taking Phrenology for our religious chart and compass, then, let us set sail on our moral exploring expedition, and see to what religious ha- ven it may conduct us—whether into the angry waters of sectarian contention and recrimination, or into the peaceful and delightful haven of truth, and the promised land, fruitful in happiness, and abounding in every virtue. SECTION II. THE FOUNDATION OF MAN'S MORAL AND RELIGIOUS NATURE. As already seen, man is created with a moral nature. He has a moral constitution. He cannot, therefore, be otherwise than moral and religious. As well live without air, or food, or life, as live with- out moral sentiments of some kind, and religious practices of some sort; because they are just as much a part of his constitution as reason, or appetite, or affection, or breathing. Nor can he live without them any more than without a stomach or a brain. This fact is set com- pletely at rest by Phrenology. This science shows, that his moral feelings, his religious susceptibilities, are not creatures of education; are not temporary and liable to fluctuation; but that they constitute a very considerable part and parcel of his original nature. It shows that a large section of the brain is set apart exclusively for the exer- cise of the moral and religious feelings. And this shows, that he has corresponding moral and religious faculties, or primary elements of mind, the spontaneous action of which both constitutes and renders him a moral and religious being. If this question be pushed back another step. If it be asked, what is, the foundation of man's moral nature? In what is it based ? What relation do these moral faculties hold to the nature of things ? In what do these moral elements consist ? What lies at the entire bottom of that nature ? In what does this religious nature originate ? And what are its relations to the nature of things 1 What is its rationale ? I answer: The same, precisely, that causality holds to the laws and causes of things. The same that the construction and constitution of the eye does to light and the principles of vision. The same that Amativeness does to the existence of the sexes and the propagation of the race. The same that Parental love does to the infantile state. The same that any, every phrenological organ and facuity do to their 30 THE PRIMITIVE CONSTITUTION OF Man's NATURE. 184 counterpart, or to that to which they are adapted. Thus: An origi nal arrangement in the nature of man, requires that he partake of food. Hence, adapted to this constitutional arrangement and requisi- tion for food, he is created with the faculty and organ of Alimentive- ness or appetite. On this eating basis of man's nature, grow all those laws, conditions, requirements, pleasures, pains, &c, connected with eating, or de- pendent thereon, or affected thereby. Is it difficult, in this view of the subject, to see what is the foundation, the rationale of appetite ? It is so, that man requires to lay up for future use a supply of food, clothing, and various necessaries of life. Hence the existence of the faculty of acquisitiveness, and of its organ and relations. Nor will any one dispute the self-evident inference, that all the functions, laws, benefits, evils—all that can be said, all that there is, all that there can be, touching appetite, touching property, is based in, grows out of, this primitive, constitutional adaptation of the nature of man to eating, or to acquiring. It being the nature of man to eat, there are certain conditions of eating ; some beneficial, others injurious ; some in harmony with its constitutional relations, and others in opposition thereto. And that out of these constitutional relations, grow all that is,good and bad, virtuous and vicious, right and wrong, of eating. So of acquiring. So, also, it is so, that individual things exist, and that it becomes necessary for man to take cognizance of these things. To enable him to do this, he is endowed with the faculty and organ of individuality, the constitutional tendency of which is action ; and this action brings to his notice those things which it is necessary for him to observe. And every thing connected with these things, or dependent thereon, has its foundation and counterpart in this constitutional existence and function of individuality. In these relations, consist the rationale of this faculty, and of all connected therewith. It is so, that man enters the world in a condition so utterly helpless, that help of some kind, assistance from some quarter, must be had. Otherwise all children must die, and our race soon become extinct. Hence the rationale, the fundamental basis, of philoprogenitiveness. Nor will it be disputed for a moment, that all the relations of parents as pa- rents, to their children as children, grow out of this constitutional ex- istence, function, and adaptation of this faculty to its counterpart. And all that we have to do for our children, or to them, or with them, is simply to do what the constitutional function of this faculty, pro- Derly developed and enlightened, would do, or requires should be done. So the element of beauty exists. Some things are beautiful; oth- L85 THE PRIMITIVE CONSTITUTION OF MAN'S MORAL NATURE. 31 ers are the opposite. And if it be asked, what is the nature of beau- ty—what is its rationale ? the answer is ready—is perfectly simple. [t is this. It is so constituted, so it is, that the condition or quality of beauty appertains necessarily to things. Adapted to this exist- ence of beauty, man is created with the faculty of ideality, the pri- mitive function of which is to appreciate and admire this element of nature. And all is so arranged, that this faculty acts spontaneously in the perception and admiration of this beauty, whenever it is pre- sented, and wherever it can be found. And what is more—what is most—all that can be known or conceived of beauty, is what this faculty teaches. Fully to understand the whole nature of this facul- ty, is to know all that can be known, all that is, of this beauty. And this knowledge would give us a perfectly full and correct estimate of all the conditions, all the qualities, all the degrees, all of every thing connected with beauty. We need to know nothing more, we can know nothing more, of beauty, than that constitutional nature of it which this faculty unfolds. I am aware that this is deep. But I trust it is also plain. It goes down to the last round of the ladder of things. There is but one thing below it—that on which this lad der rests, to which we shall come presently. Similar illustrations of the foundation, the basis, the constitutional- ity, the rationale of things, might be drawn from each of the other faculties. But the principle aimed at, the thought presented, is now clear; sufficiently so at least to enable us to descry the bottom, the fundamental principle, of man's moral nature. That applica- tion is this. It so is, that man suffers and enjoys. And it also so is, that mankind can both promote the enjoyment, and enhance the sufferings, of mankind. Hence the existence of benevolence. Its adaptation, its rationale is, to promote human happiness, and pre- vent human suffering. This is its foundation, its beginning, its end, its constitutionality, its all and all. And every thing there is about benevolence—every thing appertaining to the way in which it should be exercised, to what are, and what are not, fit objects of its ex- ercise to its degrees, its kinds ; to punishment, here or hereafter— every thing connected with this element, depends upon the primary function, the constitutional arrangement of this faculty. When *ve know fully the rationale of this faculty, in all its ramifications and modifications, we shall know all that can be known, all that is, concerning this faculty; its duties, its requirements, its rights, its wrongs, and every thing any way related to this whole class of man's nature or relations. In other words, the complete phrenologi 32 THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF MANS MORAL NATURE. 186 cal analysis of this faculty will tell us all that is, all that can be, concerning this entire department of the nature of man, and all its dependencies. So of veneration. It so is, that man worships, just as it so is. that he eats and sleeps. He worships a Supreme Being. He is so constituted. He cannot do otherwise, any more than he can do oth- erwise than eat, or sleep, or die. And when we know all that Phrenology can tell us concerning this faculty, we shall know all that is (at least all that is to us,) concerning the worship of a God. All that can be known of times, places, and modes of this wor- ship. All that can be known, all that is, concerning its frequency, its character, and its effects. All that it is possible for man to know concerning the existence, character, attributes, works, and govern- ment of this Being. In short, man's whole duty touching this en- tire department of his nature. So of conscientiousness. This facul- ty exists. Its rationale, its fundamental principle, is exactly on a footing with that of appetite, and acquisition, and parental love, and the beautiful, &c, as already seen. That foundation is, the consti- tutional arrangement of right and wrong, of holiness and sin, per se. And when we know all that Phrenology can teach us of this faculty —of the conditions of its action, of its combination in action, of its dic- tates, its requirements, and its nature,—we shall know all that man can know as to what is right and wrong, good and bad, sinful and holy. All that can be known of duty, of penitence, of pardon, of re- wards, of punishments,* natural and artificial, and of every thing, little and great, connected with this whole department of the nature of men. Similar remarks will apply to hope and a future state. To marvellousness, and a world of spirits, spiritual monitions, impres- sions, existences, &c. But, as to present a few of these relations of the faculties to their counterpart, is to constitute the main body of the work, they will not be enlarged upon here. Thus much has been given, because it was deemed necessary to explore the founda- tion of morals and religion, before we began to examine the super- structure. Nor have I ever before seen a successful attempt to go back to the beginning of the moral and religious nature of man, and * Benevolence was also said to teach us all about punishment. Let me ex plain. I do not mean that the function or knowledge of either of these organs singly, without reference to their combinations and other relations, will do this. I mean that all which canbe known of benevolence in combination with conscien' tiousness, and all the other organs, and every thing else bearing on it, will dc this. So of conscientiousnes. So of all the other faculties. 187 MAN CONSTITUTIONALLY MORAL AND RELIGK>US. 33 the reader is earnestly solicited to become thoroughly master of this point before he proceeds. Re-perusal and mature reflection, it will certainly require. But give them. The subject itself will repay you. So will the great truth unfolded. So will subsequent pages. It was promised above, to go still one step lower down into the bot- tom of the subject—to the very bottom of its bottom. And that bot- tom of the bottom, is the happiness enjoyed in the right exercise of these moral faculties. What is the reason of the existence of any and every faculty of man ? What the cause of this cause ? The sub-stratum of all ? It is to render man happy in the exercise of each. Thus, as philoprogenitiveness is based in the infantile condi- tion of man, this infantile condition is based in the happiness of both children and parent. As appetite is based in that arrangement of man's nature which requires food, this arrangement itself is based in the happiness of man. As ideality is based in the constitutional ex- istence of the beautiful, this existence is based in the happiness its exercise confers on man. So of each of the moral faculties. The reason of the rationale of benevolence, is, that its exercise is condu- cive to the best interests of man. But as this has been fully shown in the first chapter of the author's work on Education, it need only be stated here, not exemplified. And now, reader, being at the bottom of this whole subject, let us commence our ascent, that we may examine, step by step, piece by piece, individually and collectively, all the constituent vessels and portions of this wonderful temple of the moral and re- ligious nature and constitution of man. SECTION III. THE LOCATION OF THE MORAL ORGANS, AND GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THEIR FACULTIES. As already implied, though not yet presented with sufficient clearness and force, Phrenology renders the great truth demon- strative and certain, that man is both a moral and a religious being. and that by creation, by original constitution. It shows that this religious tendency before mentioned, is not wholly the creature 6t education, or habit, but of the spontaneous action of his primary elements. The demonstration of this point is all important. It should not be left at loose ends. Nor is it. No one who admits the truth of Phrenology, can for a moment deny the therefore, that 34 MAN CONSTITUTIONALLY MORAL AND RELIGIOUS. 188 man is constitutionally moral and religious—so by creation, not merely by education or habit. This truth is inseparable from this science. It is not necessary—it is too plain, too self-evident to re- quire any thing more than the mere statement—that the admission of the truth of this science, necessarily brings along with it an ad- mission that man has moral organs and faculties, and is therefore a moral and a religious being. The existence of this moral na- ture of man, constitutes a part and parcel of Phrenology. Since, therefore, this work proceeds upon the supposition that this science is true, and since the admission of the truth of this science implies and accompanies the admission of the moral organs and faculties, the very existence merely of which both constitutes and proves man a moral being, it is no more necessary to argue this point than, the truth of arithmetic being admitted, it is necessary to prove by ar- gument that two and three make five ; or the existence of the eyes being admitted, it is necessary to prove that man is a seeing being ; or the existence of the reasoning faculty in man being admitted, it is necessary to support, by facts and arguments, the fact already and by supposition admitted. Another preliminary remark. Religion being constitutional, it must have its laws, and be governed by its first principles. There are three important phrenological principles that bear on this point, which require elucidation here. The first is, the physical position of the moral organs ; the second, their size ; and the third, their function, relatively, as to the animal propensities and intellect. First. The fact is worthy of remark, merely as a fact—as a beautiful illustration of the adaptation of the location of organs to their function—as well as teaching us an important lesson touching their function, that the moral organs occupy the whole of the top of the head. This denotes the elevation of their function. No one will fail to observe, that organs are higher and higher in the body, the more important and elevated their function. Thus the feet are the menials of the body, and accordingly, are placed at the bottom of all, because they are the servant of all, and because they can discharge their appropriate function there better than if placed any where else. So, the organs of the abdomen are still more serviceable, still more essential to life, and productive of a still higher order and more ex- alted quality of happiness, than the feet. But they perform a func- tion less essential to life, and less exalted, than the stomach, lungs, and heart, situated higher up, and as high up as they can well be, and yet be contained within the body. But the head is the highest 189 religion: natural and revealed. 35 of all, and its function—the function of mind, of feeling, intellect, reason—is the highest function of the nature of man, as well as the most pleasurable or painful. And then, too, different sections of the brain, perform functions still more elevated,* still more pleasurable, if pleasurable at all, still more painful, if painful, in proportion as they are located higher and still higher up in the head. Thus, suppose a woman to be endowed with as much of affection, relatively. as Webster is of intellect. Though we should honor her, yet this quality could not command as high a meed of praise, or be as exten- sively useful to mankind, as the talents of a Webster, if properly di- rected, are capable of becoming. So, let two men be each equally remarkable, the one for high-toned moral feeling and conduct, the other, for libertinism, or gluttony, or any animal propensity, and we honor the moral man more than the sensualist. It, is the constitution of man so to do. It is not possible for a well-organized mind to do otherwise. A similar comparison of any of the upper faculties and organs with any of the lower, will be productive of the same results. This point has been fully presented in the Phrenological Journal, Vol. vi. No. 1, Art. II., and requires only to be stated, certainly not to be argued. This truth once admitted, and the relative importance of the moral faculties rises to the superlative degree, and assumes the front rank in the nature of man, having by their side, and on a par with them- selves, the reasoning intellect, but eclipsing every other element in the nature of man. They become the natural governors of man. They exercise the very highest functions of his nature—the throne of the kingdom of man. They ally man to his Maker, giving htm the same kind of excellence as that possessed by the great Giver of every good and perfect gift, and differing from him in this respect only in degree of function, and, therefore, of glory. So, also, their exercise renders him incomparably more happy than the proportion- ate exercise of any animal pleasure. Who does not feel more exalt- ed pleasure in the doing, as well as from having done, a benevolent act, than in eating, or in having eaten a hearty meal ? Who does * If I am asked what it is that constitutes one function more elevntcd than another, I answer, the amount of happiness produced thereby. And this amount ^S governed by two conditions ; the one, the quantify of function; the other, its quality, or the purity, and the sweetness of the pleasure afforded. Thus ; let a man exercise an equal degree of appetite and of conscience, and he will be ren- dered more happy by the latter than by the former, besides also feeling that the quality of the pleasure afforded by the latter is more exquisite, more rich, more desirable every way, than that of the former. 36 MAN'S MORAL NATURE AND RELATIONS. 190 not feel a higher order of pleasure, as well as a greater degree of it, in the exercise of justice, and from the reflection of having done right, than in the mere acquisition of property, or in the exercise of anger, or cunning, or from having exercised them ? Need this point be further enforced ? Does not every well-constituted mind yield a cordial assent to it ? Is it not self-evident ? A moral axiom, even ? Not the offspring of habit, but of constitution ? Not taught, but felt, inherent, an original arrangement of our nature ? This harmonizes beautifully with the fact that the moral organs occupy a large amount of brain. It is a law of Phrenology, and, in- deed also, of Physiology, that the greater the amount of brain brought into action, the greater the pleasure or pain caused by that action. Thus ; not only does a large organ yield more pleasure, when its action is pleasurable, than a small one, and more pain, when that action is painful—large benevolence, more than small benevolence; large friendship, than small friendship; large ideality, than small ideality; large reasoning organs, than small reasoning organs, &c. —but, some organs are larger, when large or very large, than oth- ers when equally developed. Thus; the amount of brain occupied by, and the periphera of scull above, benevolence, or conscientious- ness, or marvellousness, or any moral organ, are much greater than those of size, or weight, or order ; though not greater than those oc- cupied by many of the propensities. But this is not all, nor even the most important phreno-philosophi- cal fact bearing on this point. There is something in the very con- stitution of the moral faculties, which places them at the head of the propensities; at the helm of man, reason alone excepted ; or, rather, in conjunction with reason. It is so, that, to be productive of happi- ness, every animal propensity requires to be governed by the dictates of enlightened moral sentiment—that is, by the moral and intellectual faculties in conjunction. As this is one of the great laws of the mo- ral constitution of man—a perfect standard of virtue, and touch-stone of what is right and wrong in conduct and feeling, its full elucidation here is very desirable, to say the least, if not absolutely indispensa ble. It has been already presented at some length in the author's work on Education and Self-Improvement, p. 149, but, as many of the readers of these pages will not be able to refer to the passage mentioned, and as many who can refer to it will not be seriously injured by its re-perusal, but, especially, as much that we have to say in this work touching the nature of holiness and sin, virtue and vice, good and bad, right and wrong, happiness and misery—all but 191 IMPORTANCE OF THE MORAL FACULTIES. 37 different names for substantially one and the same thing—depend up- on it, a few quotations from the passage mentioned, will not only be pardoned, but are even required, and therefore given, in connexion however, with some important additions, improvements, and infer- ences :— » " Without rendering obedience to this law, there is no virtue, no en- joyment in life ; but, this law obeyed, all is peace and happiness. A few illustrations will serve to explain both the Jaw itself, and its im- portance. Let it still be borne in mind, that we live to be happy— that whatever augments our pleasures, both temporarily and ulti- mately, furthers the ends of our being, and that whatever causes pain, is wrong, and should be avoided. In short, we need only to be selfish —to promote our own greatest ultimate good. Our own happiness, then, and also that of our fellow-men, require that we govern our con- duct by the moral sentiments and intellect—that we never exercise the propensities but " by and with the consent," and under the direction, of the intellectual and moral faculties—that every exercise of the propensities not thus governed, results in misery, both to the indivi- dual, and also to all concerned. " Thus : the exercise of Appetite, by itself, indulged for the mere pleasures of the palate, and without the intellect to choose the kind and quality of our food, or the moral sentiments to restrain its exces- sive action, will often eat unwholesome food, and in excessive quantities, which will derange the stomach, undermine the health, blunt the moral sensibilities, benumb the intellect, and sap the fountain-head of nearly all our physical as well as mental and moral pleasures, besides greatly abridge those very pleasures of the palate sought in its indul- gence. But, let it be exercised under the control of intellect—let the latter choose the best kind, and dictate the proper amount, of food, and let the moral sentiments restrain its excess, and the consequence will be, the greatest gustatory enjoyment that we are capable of experi- encing, as well as abundant sustenance to all the other physical facul- ties, and the greatest pleasures in the expenditure of this sustenance. " If Combativeness be exercised alone, without the sanctifying influ- ences of the moral sentiments, and in opposition to the dictates of rea- son, it becomes mere brute force, mere bravado and physical fight, bursting forth on all occasions, quarrelling with every body, not only without cause, but in opposition to right, and making its possessor and all around him miserable. But, let this organ be exercised under the direction and control of the intellectual and moral faculties, and it be- comes moral courage, a defence of right and truth, and of the oppressed, and opposes whatever is wrong and pernicious in its tendency—than which no element of our nature yields its possessor a richer harvest of the most pure and exalted pleasure, in addition to the pleasure felt in exercising this feeling, and the beneficial ends obtained thereby. " Let a man exercise Acquisitiveness as the robber and knave exer- cise it, without intellect, to tell him that this course, in the long run, will prevent his becoming rich, and without the moral sentiments to 38 THE LOCATION OF THE MORAL ORGANS. 192 show how wrong and unjust this course, (that is, let him exercise this organ without intellect to point out the most successful course, or the moral sentiments to prevent his getting it by extortion and robbery, and other similar means, however unjust,) and this organ will make him wretched, and also all whom he wrongs by his dishonesty. Ill- gotten wealth injures all and benefits none. But let intellect guide a man so that he choose the best course to make money, and then let Conscientiousness cause him to make money honestly, and pay all he owes, and Benevolence prevent his distressing any one by his efforts to acquire property, and that man will enjoy his money, and enjoy life, infinitely more than will he whose Acquisitiveness is not thus governed. The merchants in a town in which I once resided, held their goods at so enormous a price, that they drove all the valuable custom to a neighboring town, where the merchants had moral feel- ing enough to ask only a fair, living profit, and intellect enough to see that "a nimble sixpence is better than a slow shilling." The for- mer merchants failed, and thus defeated their own object, but the lat- ter are very prosperous, and enjoy much more, (both in the possession of their wealth, and in the thought that they obtained it honestly) than the former class." Let a mother be ever so fond of her darling boy, but let her not guide and govern her maternal love by the dictates of the intellectual and the moral faculties combined, and she will not know how to keep her child healthy; and therefore will suffer a world of anxiety on ac- count of his being sick, and still more if he should die. She will not know how to operate on his intellect or moral feelings, and thus una ble to govern him, will be rendered miserable for life on account of his mischievous, wicked propensities and conduct. Or, she will spoil her child by over-indulgence—an occurrence as lamentable as it is common—and thereby cause unutterable anguish to mother, child, father, society, all in any way capable of being affected by the child or the man. But let intellect tell her what physical laws she must obey, to keep her child always well, and all the suffering of mother, of boy, of all concerned, on account of sickness or premature death, can be avoided, and, in their stead, the perfect health, the sprightli- ness, happiness, beauty, and growing maturity of the boy, will fill the boy himself, will swell the bosom of the mother, with joy unspeakable, and be always increasing; thus enabling the boy himself to become a boon, a blessing, to his fellow men. And the more so, if the mother's intellect enables her to cultivate and develope the boy's intellect in the best possible manner, and pour a continual stream of useful know- ledge, and sage maxims, into his young mind, both to guide his con- duct, to call out and develope all the powers of his mind, and to start Hie object of her deep-rooted, but well guided, maternal affection into 193 SUPREMACY OF THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL FACULTIES. 39 the paths of wisdom, and learning, and influence, till, standing on a commanding intellectual eminence, he controls the opinions, and moulds the characters, of thousands of his fellow men; he himself en- joying all that mind can confer ; his mother being happy beyond de- scription in her son ; and society owing and paying a tribute of praise for the happiness spread abroad by this well educated son of intellect. Still more will these results be heightened, if the mother add high- toned moral feeling to this powerful and well directed intellectual edu- cation. Then will she educate him morally, as well as intellectually and physically. She will train him up in the way he should go. She will imbue him early and thoroughly with the principles of vir tue and morality. She will elevate all his aims. Will chasten all his feelings. Will write as with the point of a diamond, upon the tablet of his yet plastic and susceptible mind, and in living, burning characters. never to be erased: " My son, walk thou in the paths of virtue. Turn thou away from every sinful indulgence," and he will obey her. Not only will his moral character be unblemished, and he live in accord- ance with the principle we are presenting, and therefore be happy him- self, but he will elevate all those talents already presupposed to the cause of humanity and virtue, and thus do an invaluable amount ol good. All this rich harvest of happiness to him, to herself/to mankind, will be the legitimate, the necessary harvest of the intellectual and moral seed sown by his mother. It will all flow naturally from the mother's following the law we are urging, of governing her philoprogenitiveness by the dictates of intellectual and moral feeling. And these fruits will be still farther sweetened and augmented, if the parents go still farther back, and so apply the laws of hereditary descent as to secure a good original, physical, moral, and intellectual foundation in their child, on which to erect this glorious superstructure. The importance of this principle can be measured only by the heaven- wide contrast between the effects, on the happiness of the parent, of the o-oodness and badness, of the health and sickness, the life and death, of the child. If but this law were observed, we should have no premature sickness or death, no ebullitions of passion, nc waywardness, disobedi- ence, or immorality in children, to wring the hearts of parents with ano-uish unutterable, and to carry them down to their graves mourning. " Even if the parent love his child morally, and seek to make him better, but, unguided by intellect, actually makes him worse, a course very common, then his child is a torment to himself, his parents, and all concerned. We must love our children intellectually and morally, if we would either have them enjoy life, or we enjoy our children. 40 THE LOCATION OF THE MORAL ORGANS. 194 " If a man exercise his friendship, without the governing influ- ences of intellect and the sanctions of the moral sentiments, he will choose low and immoral associates, who will lower down the tone of his moral feelings, and lead him into the paths of sin, and thus make him unhappy. But, if he exercise his friendship under the sanction of the moral faculties and intellect—if he choose intellectual and moral companions, they will expand his intellect and strengthen his virtuous feelings, and this will make him and them the more happy. Friendship, founded on intellect and virtuous feeling, is far more ex- alted in its character, and beneficial in its influence, than when found ed on any other considerations, while friendship founded on the pro- pensities, will increase the depravity and misery of all concerned. " Let Approbativeness, or love of the good opinion of others, be go- verned by the moral sentiments, and it becomes ambitious to excel in works of philanthropy, and seeks to keep the moral character pure and spotless ; and let it be guided by the intellect, and it becomes in- tellectual ambition, and seeks eminence in the walks of literature or the fields of science ; but when not thus governed, it degenerates into a low, animal, grovelling, sensual ambition, an ambition to become the greatest eater, or fighter, or duellist, or dandy, or coquette, which causes unhappiness to the possessor and to all concerned. If Self- Esteem be governed by intellect and moral feeling, it imparts noble- ness and elevation to the character and conduct, which sheds a beam of exalted pleasure on its possessor and on all around him; but when not thus governed, it degenerates into egotism, self-conceit, imperative- ness, and superciliousness, which gives pain to himself and to all af- fected by this quality in him. " Let Cautiousness be exercised without intellect, that is, when there is no reason for being afraid, and it produces evil only; but let inteL lect govern it, so that it is exercised only when there is real danger to be avoided, or let it be exercised with Benevolence, or Justice, making us fearful lest we do wrong, or careful not to injure others, and its product is most beneficial. This principle might be illustrated and enforced by Amativeness, and indeed by every one of the lower or- gans, and also reversed by showing how happy is the man who gov- erns his principles and conduct by enlightened intellect and high-toned moral sentiments, but it is already rendered too plain to require it. In short, man is constituted to be governed thoughout by his higher fac- ulties, and there is no enjoyment for him unless he puts intellect on the throne and the moral sentimemts as joint rulers of the kingdom of his animal nature. Much of the evil existing in society, much of the suffering which stares at us wherever we turn our eyes, have their origin in the violation of this law. Nor is the misery, so extensive, to be wondered at, if we consider that nineteen-twentieth of the time, desires, pursuits, pleasures, anxieties, &c, of mankined are consumed in feeding and gratifying his animal nature merely; in scrambling after property; in getting something to eat, and drink, and wear, and live in, and show off with ; in gratifying his We or power, his grasp- ing ambition ; in politics, friendship, and family cares; in combating 195 EXISTENCE OF MORAL LAWS. 41 contending, backbiting, lasciviousness, and like animal gratifications. War, love, money, and display, sum up the history of man since his creation to the present time. Before man can become virtuous and happy, his animal nature must be subjected to the control of his moral and intellectual faculties. " This animality of man is in striking harmony with the fact, that a large proportion of the human brain is in the region of the feelings, while but a small moiety is found in the region of the intellect." And before man can enjoy life, he must take time from the fashionable world, from the money-making world, from the red-hot pursuit of animal gratification, to exercise, cultivate, and adorn his moral nature. To be happy, man must be eminently moral and religious—must sub- jugate the entire animal, to the moral and the intellectual. And he is the most happy, who does this the most habitually, the most effec- tually. For three reasons, then, (the first, that the moral organs occupy the highest position in the head, the crowning portion of man; the second, that they occupy so large a section of the brain, and the third, that they are the natural, constitutional guides and governors of the propensities,) should the moral nature of man be known, and its laws be obeyed. No tongue can tell, no finite mind can conceive, the amount of pleasure and pain it is in the power of the moral faculties to occasion. All the abom- inations of Paganism are caused by their perversion. All the blessings of that religion which is peaceable, pure, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, it is in the power of the moral faculties to bestow. Theirs it is, to sweeten every pleasure of life, and to blacken and deepen every crime which it is possible for man to commit. How all-important, then, that we understand their true function—that we derive therefrom all the happiness they are capable of affording, and escape all the pains it is in their power to inflict. This knowledge will set us right. It will banish sectarianism. It will tell us just how to live in harmony with our nature. It will tell us what is right and what is wrong. And Phrenology will certainly impart this knowledge. It will give us the science of man's moral nature. It will tell us every line, every lineament of our moral constitution. In telling us this, it will also tell us what doctrines, what practices, harmonize with that nature, and what conflict therewith. It will unravel the whole web of true religion, of pure morality. That man's moral nature has its laws, there is no question. Some things are right: some things are wrong. The for- mer are right because they harmonize with these laws. There is a mo- ral science, as much as physical. Wherever there are laws, there sci- ence exists. And to suppose that this department of man's nature is lingoverned bv law, is to suppose that the Author of nature has forgotten 42 THE LOCATION OF THE MORAL ORGANS. 196 or omitted to institute that system of laws, causes and effects, in this de- partment of his works which are so eminently wise and beneficial in every other department of nature. Is this whole field of human nature indeed a barren waste? No right? No wrong? No laws? No causes? No happpiness? No suffering? Preposterous in theory! Contradicted by fact! No! There is a right. There is a wrong. Right is right, because it harmonizes with these laws, just shown to exist. The wrong is wrong, and wrong because it violates these laws. Nor are these laws either above his comprehension, or beneath his notice. Neither too abstruce to be deciphered, nor too simple to be worth investigation. They are completely within the scope of his mental vision, the range of his intellectual powers. He can even comprehend all that is necessary for him to know. Nor need any more doubt hang around this subject than now hangs about a mathematical problem, or about any other scientific truth. Not only does there exist a moral science, but that science is demonstrable. I use the word demonstrable in its true signification. I mean that we can prove—can demonstrate— any moral truth just as clearly, just as conclusively, as we can demon- strate any mathematical problem, any anatomical fact, any scientific truth. Of all this sectarian contention, there is no need. It is even culpable. There is a right, and man can ascertain that right. Truth exists. It is obtainable. And when attained, it will harmonize every discordant opinion, every conflicting feeling. Wherever there is op* position of views, there error exists. Truth is one. Truth always harmonizes with truth. Error always claohe'j with truth, and usually with error. If there be two conflicting opinions touching the same point, one of them is certainly wrong. The other is liable to be. And if there be ten, then nine of the ten are eironeous, and perhaps the tenth also. This is certain So that all but one of the conflicting creeds and sects out of the whole two thousand that exist, are wrong, and that one is not sure to be right. And out of these errors of belief grow all manner of errors of practice, all sorts and sizes of sins e,nd sufferings. If a man believe murder to be right, errors of conduct, and consequent unhappi- ness to him, to others, grow out of these criers of belief. If another be- lieves it right to steal, or lie, his erroneous belief will lead him astray in conduct, and render him miserable, aficl all affected by this belief, or the' conduct induced thereby, also miserable. The ancients believed unbri- dled licentiousness to be right, or, at least, made public prostitution a part of their religion, and suffered the consequent penalty of the sin induced thereby. True, to do right, it is not always necessary to know what is right, for a man may do right from intuition, or instinct; that is 197 MORAL SCIENCE. 43 by simply following the original impulses of his nature. Still, to believe wrong to be right, is almost certain to induce wrong conduct, the ne- cessary consequences of which are pain. But how shall we know what is right, and what wrong. By what standard shall we try all our creeds, all our practices ? By the stand- ard of the nature of man. That nature is all right—is perfection itself —as perfect as even a God could make it. To suppose otherwise is to arraign the workmanship of the Deity. Hence, to follow that nature in belief, in practice, is to believe right—to do right. That nature has its laws. The fulfilling of these laws is the cause of right, the cause of happiness. Their violation, is the cause of sin, the cause of suffering. But where can we find an unerring exposition of the moral nature of man ? Such an expositor, once found, is our talisman, our philoso- pher's stone, in all matters of religious belief and practice. That found, we need nothing else. That obeyed, we are as perfect in conduct as we are by creation. Where, then, can that stone be found ? In heaven ? No, for we cannot get at it there. In the decalogue ? No, it is too short. In the Bible ? No, not all of it. But in the pages of Phreno- logy. That dissects, it lays man's moral nature completely open, and reveals every shread and fibre of it. Every law, every requirement, every doctrine, every action, required by the nature of man, will be found in this book of man's moral and religious nature. And this sci- ence puts all these doctrines, all these requirements, on a scientific basis, on that same basis of positive, actual fact, on which the science of mathematics places every mathematical truth ; or of astronomy, any astronomical truth; or of anatomy, any anatomical truth; or of chymistry, any chymical fact; or of induction, any matter of inductive philosophy. It is all put upon this basis. Nothing is left at loose ends. It is all exact. All demonstrable. All certain. And all plain, too. No mist envelopes any point of it. No dark spots remain upon its horizon. Every fact is as light as the noon day sun of eternal truth, and unquestionable science, can make it. And I hail with joy the science that can do this. That is now actually doing all this. That is des- tined, ultimately, to do all this, yea, even greater works than these. That will both banish all sectarian deformities and parrisites, so that not a sect, not a sectarian, shall exist, but which will throw a literal flood of light and truth on this whole department of the nature of man, which it would dazzle our now benighted vision to behold. Gracious heaven! Is there indeed such a treasure within our reach ? Has so glorious a mural sun indeed dawned upon the sectarian dark- ness and bigotry of uges? Aye, verily. Let us proceed cautiously. 44 THE MORAL FACULTIES PECULIAR TO MAN. 198 but thoroughly, to unravel this thread of man's moral and religious texture and constitution. Let us bury preconceived doctrines. Let ug come up to this work as sincere inquirers after truth. Let us learn from it our moral duties, our moral destinies. But, in order fully to comprehend the moral bearings, precepts, and principles taught by Phrenology, we must analyze the moral faculties. This will teach us their nature and true functions, and, therewith, the moral nature and constitution of man, as well as show what doctrines they teach, what conduct they require. It should here be added, what has all along been implied, that the moral faculties themselves, unenlightened by reason, are but blind feel' ings, mere religious impulses. To produce the good effects above ascribed to them, it is indispensably necessary that they be guided by enlightened intellect, and governed entirely by the dictates of reason, as will be more fully seen hereafter, CHAPTER II. THE ANALYSIS OF THE MORAL FACULTIES, AND THE INFER ENCES CONSEQUENT THEREON. The organs of the moral faculties are all located together in a kind of family group, upon the top of the head. They are thus removed as far as possible from the body, so that their bland, mild, softening, hea^ venly, harmonious action may be interrupted as little as possible by those causes which disease, disorder, or inflame the body, and, thereby, the propensities in particular. When fully developed, they cause the head to rise far above the ears, and become elongated upon the top, thereby rendering it high and long upon the top, rather than wide and conical. They may be very correctly measured, by observing the amount of brain located above Cautiousness and Causality. They are much larger in woman than in man, and their faculties are stronger, as is evinced by the fact, that about two-thirds of our church members are females, and that piety in woman is the crowning excellence of her sex, while its absence is a moral blemish which no cluster of virtues can efface. They are peculiar to man. In the brute creation, they are wanting or too much so to be taken into the account. They are equally defi. 199 ANALYSIS OF VENERATION. 45 cient in their character. Thus, a dog cannot be taught to worship God; nor a tiger, to pray; because neither is endowed by nature with either the moral or religious organs or faculties. And this dou- ble absence of both organ and faculty, forms a strong proof of the truth of Phrenology, while the presence of either, without the other, would prostrate the science. But, it so is, that man is both the only animal possessed of the moral organs, and also the only terrestrial be- ing endowed with the moral and religious faculties that accompany them. This fact furnishes a positive proof of the truth of Phrenology as extensive, as diversified, as the whole human family, on the one hand, and the entire brute creation, on the other, can render it. SECTION I. VENERATION.--ITS ANALYSIS, AND THE EXISTENCE OF A GOD. Adoration of a God; the Spiritual worship of a Supreme Being; Devotion; Reverence for religion and things sacred ; Disposition to pray and to observe religious rites and ordinances. Gall, the discoverer of this organ and faculty, observed, that his brother, whom his father intended and had fitted for the mercantile calling, but whose religious feelings were so strong as to tear him from all other pursuits, overcome all obstacles, and finally force him to enter the clerical profession, was largely developed upon the top of his head. He afterwards observed, that the heads of those who visit- ed the temples for prayer and religious observances most frequently, and remained longest at their devotions, were similarly developed. He at first, called it the organ of Theosophy, or the science of reli- gion. It creates the feeling of awe of God. It excites the spirit of prayer and praise to the Supreme Ruler of the universe. It delights to me- ditate on his character, and to study his works. It induces a general, spiritual state of mind, a devout, religions feeling, which fills the soul with holy aspirations and heavenly pleasures, and attaches its posses- sor to those religious observances which are considered as an expres- sion of these feelings. It creates a sense of the Divine presence, a feel- ing of nearness to God, and desire to hold communion with the Crea- tor of all things. It elevates the soul above the things of earth, and places it on Divine things, and delights to contemplate his character, and to bow before his throne in devout adoration and praise. 46 ANALYSIS OF VENERATION. 200 This organ is divided. While the back part, next to Firmness and Conscientiousness, gives the devout, religious feeling just ascribed to it, the frontal portion, creates respect for elders and superiors, and vene- rates the ancient and sacred. It is the conservative faculty, and, while the other faculties reform abuses, this faculty prevents sudden changes, and discountenances radicalism. It is usually small in the American head and character, being rendered so, doubtless, by the necessary ten- dency of our republican institutions. I would not urge adherence to what is wrong, but I would respect, aye, pay deference to superiors, and show respect towards all. Let a deferential feeling be cultivated in our youth. Let impudence, and disorder, be discountenanced. Le< this faculty be cultivated, or our liberty will become lawlessness, and our republic but an unmeaning name. The existence and analysis of this organ, establishes, past all cavil and controversy, the existance of a God. The argument, or rather fact, by which this great truth is established, is this: Every organ has its own primitive, natural function, and also adaptation. Or, rather, the primordial function of every organ, is adapted to some one law of nature or want of man. Thus, Parental Love is adapted to the infantile condition of man. Causality adapts man to a world governed by causes and effeets, and enables him to apply these causes to the production of desired results. Cautiousness is adapted to a world of danger. Combativeness, to difficulties. Individuality, to the identity or existence of things. Form, to the great arrange- ment of shape or configuration. Size, to that of bulk, or of big and little. Color, to the primitive colors. Weight, to the laws of gravity Order, to that perfect system which characterizes all nature. Locality to space. Ideality, to the beautiful in nature and art. Constructive- ness, to our need of garments, houses, tools and things made. Appetite, to the great arrangement, or demand and supply, of nutrition. Ac- quisitiveness, to our need of property. Amativeness, to the different sexes, &c. Veneration, therefore, has its adaptation or counterpart in the na ture of things; and that adaptation is to the existence and worship of a Divine Being. This argumeat is short, but perfectly demonstra- tive. It cannot be evaded. It leave? no chance for cavil. Phreno- logy establishes the existence of the organ, and the nature of its func- tion, namely, the worship of God. Therefore, there is a God to be worshipped—a Spiritual Being, adapted to Veneration, to whom this organ can lift up its prayers, and with whom hold sweet communion. Throughout all nature, whenever and wherever one thing exJft and 201 EXISTENCE OF A GOD, 47 is adapted to a second, the existence of the second is sure, else nature would be at fault. If this argument is not proof positive, then there is no proof, and no argument can ever prove any thing; for this is proof of the strongest possible kind. An anomaly like the existence of any one thing in nature, adapted to that which never existed, can no where be found. No axiom in philosophy is more fully establish- ed than this, that when one thing exists, and is adapted to a second, the second also exists, or has existed. Ransack all nature, and not one solitary instance can be found, either in the world of mind or matter, of one thing's being adapted to another thing which does not ex- ist, or has not existed. Thus: If you find a tooth, you feel as sure that a socket exists or has existed, to which this tooth is adapted, as of your own existence. If you find an eye adapted to its socket, or a bone adapted to articulate upon another bone, you feel quite certain of the present or past existence of the socket, or the bone to which it is adapted. So of every thing else in the world of either mind or matter. Veneration, therefore, has its adaptation, and that adaptation is to the existence and worship of a God, as much as the eye is adapted to seeing, or the ear to hearing. As the existence of the eye, and its adaptation to light, pre-suppose and necessarily imply the existence of that light to which it is adapted ; as the existence of the stomach, and its adaptation to food, pre-suppose and necessarily imply the existence of food adapted to it; the adaptation of the lungs to air, and the air to the lungs ; of Causality to the laws of Causation, and laws of Causa- tion to Causality ; and so of illustrations innumerable scattered through- out nature, and indeed constituting a great portion of nature; so the existence of Veneration, and its adaptation to Divine worship, pre- suppose and necessarily imply the existence of a Deity to be wor- shipped. This argument is short, but on that very account, the more unan swerable. It has but two points: the one, that one thing's being adapted to another, proves the existence of the other—a principle of philosophy which allows of no exceptions; and the other point, the fact of the adaptation of Veneration to this Divine worship. The first admits of no cavil whatever, and the second of none that is available. If it be objected, that its adaptation is to superiors, and that its function is that of deference and obedience to men, I answer: We have ano- ther facnlty expressly adapted to that office; namely, the fori part of Veneration. Besides, man does certainly worship a God. Where is the human being who has never feared, loved, or worshipped a Divine spirit, the great Architect of heaven and earth, the great prime-moving Cause 48 WORSHIP OF GOD A PRIMITIVE FACULTY. 202 of causes. Standing upon the top of some lofty eminence which com- mands a view of some vast, variegated, indescribably beautiful plain below, loaded with nature's choicest treasures, and skirted with yon- der bold cliffs and rugged mountains, rising one above another till they hide their majestic heads in the clouds; or beholding-, in mute astonishment, the cataract of Niagara, in all its sublimity and gran- deur; or watching the swift lightning, and hearing peal on peal of roaring thunder; or witnessing the commotion of the elements, and the raging and dashing of the angry seas; or examining minutely the parts of the flower, and the adaptation of- every part to the perform- ance of its own appropriate function; or the organs and adaptions of our own Avonderful mechanism ; or, indeed, scrutinizing any of the innumerable contrivances and adaptations with which all nature is teeming; where is the moral man, endowed with an intellect capable of perceiving these wonders and beauties, whose heart does not kindle with glowing emotions of adoration and praise, rising, not alone to nature herself, but mainly to the Architect and Author of nature ? Who that has never felt—never realized—the existence of a spirit in na tare analogous to the God of the Christian ? And if, perchance, in some dark corner of our earth, a human soul should be found, which never felt this sentiment of Divine worship, just as there are some whose organs of Color are too small to perceive the colors of the rain- bow, does this prove that this sentiment does not exist in any other soul? Shall the blind man who can see no sun, assert that therefore there M none? Shall those who cannot see, guide those who can? fenail those who experience this heaven-born emotion, be aro-Ued out of the existence of this emotion, because, forsooth, some self-made Atheist says he has never experienced it? If one does not experi- ence this sentiment, another does, and this argument rests not on the fact that all experience this emotion, but on the fact that any do If from the first opening of the eyes of Adam upon the surrounding beauties of creation, down to the present time, a single human soul has poured forth a single heart-felt offering of prayer and thankso-iv- ing to a Divine spirit, he has exercised some organ in this worship, and that organ is Veneration. This organ, this alone, worships a God. ^acn ol the other organs has its own specific function to perform, so that no other organ can perform this function. But the funciion ol Divine worship is exercised by man. As well tell me that the sun never shined, as to tell me that man has never worshipped . spiritual Being. What mean yonder towering steeples, yonaer houses erected in every town and hamlet, in Christian and in Pagan lands, to the worship of God? What means yonder Hindoo widow, 203 EXISTENCE OF A GOD. 49 voluntarily ascending the funeral pile of her departed husband, or yon- der mother committing her darling child to the deified waters of the Ganges? Seest thou yonder towering pagoda; yonder temple of Juggernaut; yonder thronged mosque; yonder altar, reeking with human gore, just offered up in sacrifice to God ; yonder solemn con- vent ; yonder crowded sanctuary ? Hark ! Hearest thou, in yonder secret closet, the soft accents of heart-felt prayer and praise to the Al- mighty Giver of every good ? Look again. Dost thou see yonder domestic group, bowed down around the family altar, all offering up their morning or evening sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving to the God of every mercy and blessing, and supplicating their continuance? Tellest thou me, these do not sincerely worship a Deity ? Indeed, nothing is more plain, no fact is more apparent and universal than this, that man does worship a God ; and the amount of this worship is inconceivably great. It is natural for man thus to worship. He can no more live and be happy without adoring a God, than without rea- son, or any other equally essential faculty. Man worships a Deity, and has an organ of Veneration adapting him to that worship; there- fore, there is a God adapted to this organ. Besides : every other organ and faculty are completely engrossed in performing each its own function, leaving no other one but Venera- tion to exercise this devotional feeling. Thus, Philoprogenitiveness is completely engrossed in loving and providing for children. It has no time, no capacity to worship. Combativeness is all engrossed in resisting and defending, so that it cannot worship, nor is it capable of exercising any other than its own appropriate feeling. So, Appetite is all taken up with table luxuries. It is too greedy ever to think of exercising the feeling of worship. And, besides, it could not if it would. So, Acquisitiveness is exclusively occupied in hoarding, and does nothing else. Cautiousness is full of its alarms. It does not, it cannot, worship. Ideality is so completely absorbed in contemplating and admiring the glowing beauties that throng in upon its delighted, extatic vision from every quarter, that, though it may admire the beau- ties of creation, yet it cannot worship their Author. Causality does not, cannot worship a God. It is completely engrossed in searching out and applying causes. Though it may reason out the fact of the existence of a great first cause, yet it goes no farther. It can do no more. It does not, it never can, fall'down on the bended knees of de- votion, and worship Him ; because, to investigate and apply causes, is its sole function. Its constitution precludes its exercising any oth ?r. Similar remarks apply to Benevolence, to Comparison, to each of l'o wear bustles, or corsets, or fashionable attire. He dressed in swad dling clothes. He loves you none the better, ye painted, padded, bus- tled, ribboned, milliner-made Jady-christians, because you go up to the sanctuary attired in the latest fashions, with your gilt-edged prayer- book or Bible in hand, &c.—in that nipping, swinging, artificial walk, and affected manners — the natural language of self-esteem and Ap- probativeness. Indeed, such he does not love at all. Ye cannot serve two masters. If ye will dress fashionably, ye cannot be the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus. 6 76 THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL FACULTIES SHOULD GOVERN. 230 Methodists! I have one word to say to you. Ye did run well What hath hindered you ? Ye once interdicted church fellowship to the daughters of fashion. But " ye have fallen from grace. Have glided along down that swift current of fashion which is sweeping away all that is pure and lovely in the religion of the Bible, of the cross. Watchmen! to your posts. Sound the alarm ! If any reader suspects that I have chained the fashions on to the car of religion a little more closely than truth will warrant, I defend, I even advance, my position, by calling your attention to Saturday af- ternoon and evening ; and bring shop-keepers, milliners, seamstresses &c, as my witnesses. These things speak volumes. They tell a tale which religion should blush to hear. It remains to add, that thus the exalted heavenly emotions of Vene- ration, are not enhancsd, but grievously retarded by this parasite of approbativeness. It is that propensity-religion, all along shown to be so injurious in its effects, and so unholy in its exercise. True, it is not quite as low as the licentious worship of Venus, the revelling wor- ship of a Bacchus, or the murderous worship of a Mars, of the an- cients ; because Veneration now combines with organs a little higher in the head, and less animal in character, than with them. Still, it is animal religion yet. It is not the religion of either enlightened intel- lect or high moral sentiment. It is in the teeth of the nature of man, and of the requirements of Phrenology. I might say more. I may rue my having said so much. Be it so. But it is true—only that " the half is not told." From these few applications of this great principle, that correct re ligious doctrines and practices involve the combined and harmonious action of all the faculties, with the moral and intellectual in the ascen- dency, the reader will see its sweep, its power. That it forms a cor- rect test and touchstone of true and false religion, cannot be doubted. That it criticises effectually much that now passes for religion, is self- evident. That these few are but the beginnings of its application, is also apparent. Still, as these applications will be rendered much more clear, general, and powerful after we have analyzed a few more of the moral faculties, and demonstrated a few more fundamental principles, we postpone them for the present. Perhaps entirely; for two reasons; first, the reader can apply them—cannot help applying them for him self; and secondly, the task is most painful thus to criticise what so many good people hold as so sacred. 231 THE SABBATH. 77 SECTION III. THE SABBATH. Having proved the existence of a God, and the duty of man to wot- ship him, and laid open the great principle, by applying which we may form correct views of the character, attributes, and worship of God ; the inquiry comes home with great force, " What in regard to the sabbath ? What says the nature of man touching this religious institution ? Does Phrenology recognize any sabbath ? If so, which % The Jewish, or the Christian ? Does the nature of man set apart, or require to be set apart, any portion of time for religious worship ? If so, what portion ? Phrenology answers this question thus : " Man, worship thy God. Worship daily. Worship habitually. Exercise thy religious feel- ings, not by fits and starts, not at given times and seasons, but continu- ally. Make this worship a part and parcel of thy daily avocations, or, rather, pleasures." It saith, "Arise, thee, in the morning betimes, and as the glorious sun is lighting up and animating all nature with his presence, do thou pour forth thy heart in praise and adoration to the Maker of the sun, and to the Author of all those beauties that surround thee. And when the setting sun is shedding on delighted earth his last rays of glory for the day, and spreading his golden hues over na- ture, to wrap her in the mantle of night, do thou offer thy evening orisons of thanksgiving for the mercies of the day, and supplicate pro- tection for the night." Instead of spending all thy energies in amass- ing wealth, or in pursuing merely animal, worldly objects, Phrenology saith, " Take a little time to feed thy immortal soul." Phrenology says, thou mayest go to church if thou pleasest, or not go if thou ob- jectest. It says, that place and mode are nothing; that the worship is the main thing. We should think as much of thus feasting our im- mortal souls with thoughts of God and heaven, as of feeding our frail bodies with our daily oread. Should exercise worship as often and as much as we exercise appetite or vision. Should take time—should make a business of one as much as of the other. I enjoy neither food. nor sleep, nor life itself, more than I enjoy this communion with my God. I look upon these seasons as the brightest spots upon the page of life. The most pleasurable. The most profitable. 5. At least, it is lawful to walk abroad in the fields on the sabbath, enjoy the fresh breezes, and pick and eat fruit, and what we like. This shutting ourselves up in-doors, is positively wrong. It diirun- 232 NO SABBATH ACCORDING TO PHRENOLOGY. 78 ishes circulation, and this deadens the action of the brain and nervous system, and, by consequence, of the mind and religious feelings. In order that the worshipping feeling should be most active, the body also must be in motion. This is founded clearly in a physiological prin- ciple. It is as necessary that we take exercise on the sabbath as that we eat. If the day be indeed so very holy, why are not all the physiological laws suspended on that day? If the day is too holy in which to take exercise, it is, of course, too holy in which to eat, or breathe, or live. Why does not the heart stop its wanted pulsations the moment Sunday begins, and resume them the instant it terminates ? For, if it be right to eat or breath on the sabbath it is equally, and for precisely the same reason, right that we exercise, recreate, pick flowers and fruits, enjoy nature, enjoy life. Besides, this enormous stuffing on the sabbath, is ruinous alike to the religious sentiment, to the whole mind. Baked beans and pork, the most indigestible of all things, is the Yankee dish for a sun day dinner as sure as Sunday comes. Precious little piety, at least, in pork. Above all things, children should not be confined on the sabbath, nor on any day. The law of their nature that demands phy- sical exercise almost constantly during the waking hours of childhood and youth, is imperious, inexorable, even on the sabbath, and must not be violated. Cannot be, with impunity. " Oh, but," says one, " let us at least have a sabbath as a day of rest from the toils and burdens of the week. As a civil institution, it has no parallel in value. Our horses and servants need rest. We all require one day to clean up, refresh our weary bodies, banish the cares and vexations of business, and place our distracted minds on heaven and heavenly things." I know, indeed, that «/men will work too hard one day, they require to rest the next. Not so if they do not over do. Indeed, perfect health requires a given, equal amount of labor daily. So, if a man will eat too much, he will be benefitted by fasting. Not, however, when he has eaten just enough. If you will not work your beasts too much week days, they will need no rest Sundays. If you do not follow the world too closely six days in the week, you will not feel the need of resting from it on the seventh,'but will le the bet ter for not resting. So, if you will exercise Veneration s jfflciently during the week, you will need no sabbath to increase its energies Live just as you ought to during the week, and you will require to live just the same on the sabbath. I might enforce this point, by al- luding to the force of habit, but, as habit only requires the applica 79 REVIVALS Ol* RELIGION. 233 lion of that same grfctf law of piopoitnnate action already pointed out and is therefore aVu-ay embrace! in effect, enlargement is hardly necessary. SECTION It REVIVALS OF RELIGION. Governed by the same principles, and od Lb&rlji related as to de- serve notice in the same connexion with the iabbath, is the doctrine of " revivals." Phrenology discards them entirely. First, on the fun- damental principle of Phrenology, a.id the great law of mind already brought to bear on the Sabbath, (namely, that uniformity, proportion- ate action, is the great law of perfection,) revivals are to the mind what artificial stimulants are to the body. They elate only propor- tionably to depress. It is a law of mind, that extreme action induces the opposite extreme. Now, if it be desireable to render our religion purely periodical—the ebbing and flowing tide, or the mountain torrent —rather than the quiet, steady, stern, then, get up revivals. But, we have shown, that these extremes violate a law of mind, and that a most important one. " To the law and to the testimony" of man's nature, I submit this point, as also the kindred one, touching sudden convictions. Quick convertions, on the principle that" the hottest love is soonest cold," is like a fire made of shavings, blazes,and scorches, and dies, leaving no valuable influences behind. To be productive or permanent good the moral organs must be exercised habitually. No- thing but continual, long continued exercise, can essentially either promote the growth of the organs, or improve the tone and vigor of the faculities. Let this great truth, elsewhere demonstrated, (that all improvement of the faculties must be brought about by improving their organs,) be borne constantly in mind, and also that this improve- ment can be effected only by a perpetual exercise of both faculty and oro-an. Fitful action will not, cannot do this. Permanent action alone can do it. This doctrine is opposed, to revivals. That is, the revival principle. • Besides: These revivals are sometimes got up; and, indeed, I speak the sentiments of all their advocates, when I say that they are always got up by means of protracted meetings, powerful appeals, &c. I know something about this, for I have got up revivals and religious 234 EVTLS OF PERIODICAL RELIGION. 80 excitements myself. I say, then, without any fear of contradiction that religious excitements are produced just as we produce impressions or excitements about Physiology, Magnetism, Singing, Temperance, &c. They are induced by their own appropriate means, just as any and every thing else in the physical and the moral world. The means used bring them to their crisis sooner, or protract them longer, according to the nature of the means used. I advocate, then, that they be protracted so as to have a permanent revival. I do not object to revivals, as creating too much religious feeling. I would have as much religion always as there is in any revival, divested, perhaps, of some extraneous matter. But I uncompromisingly oppose periodical religion; or, rather, annual religion; for, revival matters are so man- aged as to " get up1"1 revivals at stated seasons of the year. It will not take much of the spirit of prophecy to foretell, that about next January revival meetings and efforts will begin to multiply, and begin to pro- duce copious showers of" Divine grace" by February, only to be completely dissipated by April. But, why do April showers, perhaps the chilly winds of March, dissipate or supersede the showers of Divine grace ? Because revivals must give way to business. January brings leisure to merchants, tradesmen, &c, to get up revivals till the money-making season again returns. I submit, to Christian and to all, if this periodicity of revi- vals, and at such times and seasons, too, does not tell a story touching revivals that should make those blush whom it may concern. Let me not, by any means, be understood to speak against man's exercising the religious feeling. So far from it, I would advocate our exercising the religious sentiments more all the time, than they are now exercised even in revivals. - But, I would not have these exer- cises fitful, but perennial. The day of Pentecost should have lasted till now, and even swept down the vista of all coming time, till the last human being gave up the ghost.. The principles advocated in this essay, show that religion should be the paramount feeling, pur- suit, occupation, of man, and not a winter's coat, that he can put on when he cannot make money, only to be put off when he can. Mo- ney should be the one to give place to religion, and not religion to money-making. And this subjecting the " Spirit of God," as revival influences are called, to the worldly spirit, tells a deep, dark story on the religion of the day—tells it that it is both animal, and secondary at that, while it should be primary, and in-wrought into the very texture of all we do say, feel. This is the revival doctrine and spirit of Phrenology, and of the nature of man, if not of the pages of the Bible. 81 REVIVALS GOT UP. 235 indeed, I am fully persuaded, that the Bible does not inculcate, does not even sanction the revival spirit, or measures, or converts of the day. For, those that are converted by impulse, must, by a law of mind, be impulsive, periodical Christians, and therefore disqualified to enjoy constant, permanent religion, as well as to shine as a steady Christian light upon the sinful darkness of the surrounding world. But, if others entertain other views, let them. Let those 'cultivate annual religion who have no bettsr religioa. But, let me live near to my God always. Let me pray without ceasing. Like Blackhawk. let me never take the refreshing draft from the bubbling sprino- with- out offering up thanksgiving and praise to the Author of all good. Let me be as religious in August as in February. Let my religion not be the changeable garment; but, let it be in me, and form the major part of me. No annual piety. No weekly, Sunday pietv. even. But daily, and hourly, and constantly, may my soul hold sweet communion with the God of nature. And I am persuaded. that these views will accord with both the intellect and the better feel- ings of those who have either. At least, I shall not concern myself with those who differ from me; for the very good reason, that I consi- der them in error. I know that I have now touched two of the four tender places of the religion of the day—the Sabbath, and Revivals. I know that I shall excite against me the proscriptive spirit* of the religion of the age. Be it so. I stand where even their anathemas, (I know they arc more powerful, more unrelenting than the anathemas, the proscrip- tions, the tyrany, of any thing else in this Avorld,) cannot essentially harm me. The truth of Phrenology is above their reach. So is my professional reputation. If they say I do not understand my business- the spontaneous voice of the entire community will give them the lie. and react against them, not me. So that if they commend, or if thev condemn, my patrimony is beyond their reach. I fear them not. Why, then, should I turn aside for them, or even bow and scrape to curry their favor. I have more business on hand constantly than ten men can execute. So that, if they even do operate against mo. thc-A" cannot hurt me. My bread and butter is beyond their reach. Let them do their worst. I bow not. I ask no favors. I grant none. * There is no better proof that the religion of the day is no better than il ought to be, than the way it treats its opposers. When one cheek is smitten, it does not turn the other also. It proscribes, anathainizes, aye, even putiishes And punishes, too, those who are sincere in their belief. But I may take ur this point separately. 236 APOLOGY FOR TELLING THE TRUTH. 82 And, oh! if I ever thanked my God for any thing, it is that I stand in a position where I can tell the truth, and defy the consequences. It is awful, to have truth struggling within one's soul, reel and rum- Wing like the earth, when its pent-up fires are seeking vent. I appea" to ministers, who ache to tell truths which they know will cost them their salar'e-s. But, it is glorious to be able to utter truth, in all its dignity, in Ul its power. To see it cut its own way, and prostrate whatever opposes it. To see it make those in error wince and writhe under its folds, only to be overcome and prostrated by their own vain struggles. To see the human mind delivered from those thraldoms by which it has been spell-bound, and come out free as air into the glorious liberty of the sons of truth. To see error and misery sup- planted by virtue and happiness. To see thirsty souls drink in truth. and be refreshed, and to be re-invigorated, and become regenerated thereby. That glory, I enjoy. I glory in the mere utterance of truth. I glory in being the instrument of good to man thereby. I glory in not being obliged to truckle even to religious bigotry and ty- ranny, the worst form of tyranny, proscription, intolerance on our globe. Even it, cannot harm me. I snuff the wind of its threats in my nostrils, and sing, aha, aha! And I tell all whom it may concern, that I ask no odds of any one. I have got the American ear; the confidence of Americans. And I shall use that confidence without abusing it; and so as even to increase it. It cannot be taken from me. There is a power in TRUTH which will make ten friends to one enemy. I can live without ever making another cent. I can satisfy my con- science, by telling the -whole truth, and am able to father its conse- quences. So, reader, you may hear -or forbear. You may laud or cavil. What you say and do for or against these things, will react on you for good or for evil. Better take it kindly, then, and profit by the lessons it teaches. Hence, when I come to the other two places—(corns! on the feet of modern Religion, that make her limp and hobble along)—I shall tread on them just as though they were not there. Temporize, I need not. Suppress truth, 1 will not. So that the reader may calculate on straight-forward, thorough work. 83 RELIGIOUS TEACHERS USEFUL. 2o7 SECTION V. RELIGIOUS TEACHERS, OR PREACHEF 6 Since it is beneficial, necessary, for man to be religious, the question recurs on the expediency of having religious teachers, preachers, &c. Phrenology, I thing, favors the existence of this profession. xMan is capable of being influenced by his fellow men. Hence, those who are truly religious, are capable of infusing the religious spirit into their fellow men. Still, that profession, as now conducted, is sadly faulty, and comes far short of effecting the good it is capable of accom- plishing. Ministers are able to do immense good, but they not un- frequently wield their tremendous influence to the injury of mankind- How often do they become dogs in the manger, neither eating the hay of science themselves, nor letting those under their influence eat it. This is strikingly true, in regard to Phrenology. And, indeed, not unfrequently in regard to other great reforms in mankind. Their in fluence is entirely too conservative. They hold society back from effecting those changes that are evidently beneficial to society. As a class, they hang on too tenaciously to the old ways, and set their faces against Phrenology, Magnetism, Science, Geology included, ublic condemnation of Phrenology. So much Ardover knows 239 DEPENDENCE OF MINISTERS I repeat: They are generally honest, sincere, well-meaning men, and most of their faults are faults of education, (or rather, the want of it,) not of motives. I am far from joining in the general tirade against ministers, or trumpeting their faults. Faults they certainly have. But they are faults that grow out of their habits, and the temptations to which they are exposed. The second fault of ministers, is that they do not labor sufficiently either for health, or talent, or moral feeling. They are feasted to death, because they eat much from home, and must live on the fat of the land ; every table to which they are set being loaded with the good things. Then they write and preach too much, and allow themselves very little time for recreation or exercise. Every minister ought to have several acres of land, and to work enough on it to raise most of the eatables for his family. This, besides vastly improving his health, and, conse- quently, his talents, will render him more independent than he now is. I do say, that no religious teacher should depend on his preach- ing for his living, for two reasons :— First: It renders them more mercenary than is consistent with their station—hirelings, that preach for wages. How can this help season- ing their preaching, and making them have an eye to higher salaries ? But the main reason is, that it incapacitates them for telling the truth. And hence, though consicous that certain unpopular doctrines are true, and ought to be preached, they yet keep one eye upon the loaves and fishes. It cannot be otherwise. This makes them temporize with the sins of the rich men of their parish, or with the sins of their wives, or sons, or daughters, so as to augment their own salaries. Let those who are so disposed, give. But let the minister be able to support himself, if he must, so that he may be free and bold to declare the whole truth, without fear or favor. I would also have them mingle somewhat more with their flock and be more familiar with them, and talk religion, and live religionj to them daily. Having these set seasons for religion is not the thing. It renders it formal. Besides, we require to have our religious feel- ings kept perpetually in action; and these organs can be operated upon only as can all the others, namely, by presenting their appro- priate food, daily, hourly. And, particulary, by living religion. I confess, the Quaker notions as to ministers, come nearer to the doc- trines of Phrenology, in this respect, than any others. One thing more: Preachers of morals sh®uld also be teachers of science. Religion and science ought never to be separated. They axe twin sisters. Their organs occupy contiguous portions of the head 86 MINISTERS SHOULD MINGLE MORE WITI. THEIR FLOCK. Their functions naturally blend, and excite each other. I have de- monstrated the principle which settles this matter. All their hom- ilies should be based in science, and mixed through science, and all science should be accompanied with religion. Thus says Phenology. It also saith: Let no man become a religious teacher, unless prompt- ed by the religious feelings; and let him never attempt to preach, pray, exhort, unless when imbued with this sentiment; so that it will gush forth in every word, in every action. Let us have no for- mal preaching or praying. I think one evil grows out of our having a set ministry: And thai is, that the people rely on them to do up their preaching, praying piety. They do not exhort their neighbors to love and good works, because they pay their minister to do that. And so of many other re- ligious duties and feelings. Now piety cannot be done up by proxy. Every one must be religious for himself. Tf to shurk this private, personal piety off on to the ministers, were the natural, necessary con sequence of having ministers, Phrenology would utterly condemn having any minister, yet I do not think it is necesary, only accidental, caused by a low state of religious feelings. But, after all, though religious teachers are good in their places, and though they may perhaps do good by exciting their fellow men to religious feeling and good works, still no one can pray or be reli- gious for any other. Every one must be good and do good for him- self. Ministers cannot pray instead of their flock, and thus excuse the latter. Nor believe for them. Nor be benevolent for them. Nor do works meet for repentance for them. " Every man for himself." And I really fear, that the mere fact of the existence of ministers of religion, is generally abused in this way. We would fain be reli ligious by proxy. Better not have any ministers at all. Then, we shall not rely upon them to our soul's injury. Nor need the fact be disguised, that many do rely upon their minister to do up their reli- gious thinking, and their religious feeling for them. As well get your minister to eat for you, or sleep for you, or live for you. And let us be religious for our own selves, and also do all that in us lies to pro mote holy feeling and godly conduct among mankind. As to the way they make ministers, by laying on of hands, ordain- ing, &c. it is all useless. All the ordinations and holy orders of all Christendom, from St. Peter down to the latest dates, cannot make a person one whit the better man, the better minister. But they some- times work injury, by leading the people to suppose a man to be good because he has been ordained. As to laying on of hands, mentioned 241 RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES OR ASSOCIi. TIONS. 87 in the Bible, it was evidently, simply a magnetizing of the moral sen- timents. As far as the " fathers" in the ministry actually charge the moral organs of their seminary-made minister with the relieious fluid or impulse, by holding their hands on the top of his head, this ordaining process may do some good. In no other way. A word in this connexion, about the consecration of houses of wor- ship. How much more holy, sacred, is that church as a church, or the wood and morter that compose it, after its consecration than be- fore ? Does the quality of holiness belong to matter ? Does it not belong exclusively to mind ? Perfect nonsense to consecrate, holify wood, plaster, pews, steeple! Too absurd to require exposition. And yet, to make it a profanation of holy things, a desecration of the sanctuary, to allow any but an ordained minister to mount the pulpit, or any thing but the sectarian dogma that consecrated it may allow to be uttered within its walls ! Science—Nature—Man ! Oh, horrible ! what Profanity! Desecration ! And then too, a bishop, a church, conse- crated by Catholics, is catholic-holy, but un-holy to all Protestants; while priests and churches consecrated by Trinitarians, are trinitari- an-holy, but unitanan-unholy ; and so on of all the sects. I have no patience with sectarian religion, sectarian holiness, sectarian church- es, ministers, doctrines, any thing sectarian. SECTION VI. RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES, OR ASSOCIATIONS. Next to Clergyman, come Religious Societies, or bodies of relig- ionists associated together for religious objects. Is this Phrenologi- cal ? Clearly so. The principle already explained, that the social affections should combine with the moral sentiments, decides this matter in favor of religious organizations. But, it also says, that the basis of such organizations should be voluntary association, and without one iota of compulsion or restraint. Phrenology goes in for the largest liberty, especially as regards the moral sentiments. It does not believe in creeds, in any form; for this implies that they must govern our belief, and this trammels that perfect liberty which the nature of man requires. All prescription, all proscription, are abhor rent to this science. I will not here stop to inquiry wherein, but shall 3S RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. 242 probably demonstrate this principle hereafter. Suffice it for the pre sent to observe, that the faculty of will, in like manner with all the other faculties, should combine with the moral faculties. Where there is compulsion of any kind, in any form, there liberty is at^vlged, and with it virtue and enjoyment. Man was never made to think by proxy, or to pin his faith on creeds or on leaders. Every man has or should have, religious feelings, intellect, and will, and should exercise all three together. Should think for himself, without let or hindrance, and take the consequences. Perfect liberty of thought and action is a cardinal doctrine of Phrenology. But all creeds, and all the reli- gious organizations of the day, operate against this liberty. Think of it! The Council of Trent legislating for the consciences of men i The General Assembly, telling their churches and members what they shall believe, and what not! The Pope of Rome, telling intelligent beings what is heresy, and what not! Or the Methodist Conference saying, believe this, reject that! Every thing of this kind—the entire paraphrenalia of modern religious associations—in character, is on a par with the fires of Smithfield, and the Inquisition. There are fag- gots and inquisitions in our day, in our midst, and I doubt not but that some readers have been scorched. I have, and expect to be again. But, having on the coat of truth, woven with asbestos, I tell them to fire away, for they are only scorching themselves. I boldly aver, that there is more of religious tyranny than of all other kinds of tyranny put together. Men must think in the traces—must believe by rule—or else have all their business, all their influence, taken from them. We declaim against the intolerance of the Catholics. They are in- tolerant. But the Protestants are about as much so. I verily believe. that if the civil law did not step in and prevent, religionists of our day would burn each other at the stake, for opinion's sake—as the honest and virtuous Quaker has been burnt—as Salem witches were mur- dered ! They do all but hang and burn now. They do even worse. They rob of character. They slander, and do the worst they can. In- stance the treatment of the Come-outers* If they had been very devils, * I do not choose this illustration in order to side with the Come-outers. I say they are persecuted, but I also say that they show precisely the intolerent spirit towards their enemies that their enemies do towards them. Both deserve censure. At least, it is all wrong for them to disturb the meetings of others. If others want meetings, or ministers, or what not, be it even liquor, let them have them. Let all men do exactly as they please. Simply point out their er- rors, in the spirit of kindness of course, and then let them chose and act for themselves. 243 RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE. 89 they should not have been treated as many of them undoubtedly were. Would not some folks like to burn a Rodgers now alive, as somebody burnt his ancestor ? Shame! a burning shame! Forbid- den by the Bible! In the teeth of Phenology! And for opinion's sake ! Put on the straight-jacket of creeds, and hew every man's mind down to it, lengthwise, breadthwise, all wise (if you hew him in pieces) so that you but make him fit into the hole dug out for him! And then call that religion! Religion it is, but it is that of popery. It is propensity-religion. It has not one generous trait to recom- mend it. And what is more, each sect has got its own straight-jacket, and is trying to fit not only their own members to it, but also all the world besides. But the worst of all is, that they require us to believe lies, and then put us into the Inquisition, because we will not comply. To be com- pelled to believe any thing, even the truth, is horrible. But to be obliged to believe error, or else to be put upon the rack!—don't call yourselves Christians ! " A rose by any other name may small as sweetly." The Bible speaks of that day as most glorious, when every man shall worship God " under his own vine and fig-tree." And so it will be ; but, though man is a little nearer to that blessed period than in the dark ages, he is a long way from it yet. Men are yet at- tempting to cram their creeds down each others throats ; and " might is right." What moral man but dispises the politics of the day, for turning men out of office, and putting them in, for opinion's sake, and thus destroying the freedom of the elective franchise. Contemptible? And much the very same spirit of proscription runs through nearly every sect, only that it is plied with greater minuteness and efficacy by the latter than by the former. Why did not Jesus Christ catch Judas by his collar, and, after jerking and twiching him about, cuffing and pelting him almost to death, pitch him out of the pale of disciple- ship ? And what would you have thought of him if he had thus treated even Judas ? What do you think of yourselves ! and that too though your opponents are as sincere in belief, irreproachable in life, as yourself, perhaps more so ? Away! It is not Christianity—it is narrow-minded, bigotted, tyrannical, sectarian deviltry. I mean, to esteem, or treat voluntary man any the better or worse because he does or does not believe as you do. Let him believe as he pleases, and you believe as you please, yet both continue to be as cordial friends as ever. But enough of this painfully disgusting subject- Let us all do unto others as we would have them do unto us. As we all like to think and. act ior ourselves, let us yield the same liberty- to 90 PRAYER.—ITS DUTY.—ITS EFFICACY. 244 others, and yet not think any the worse of them therefore. And let intellect be the only weapon with which to propagate the peaceful re- ligion of Jesus Christ. Let Mahomet make men religious by the sword. Let the Pope propagate popery by means of the Inquisition Let Protestant dissenters employ in effect the same odious, anti-repub lican, anti-christian spirit against which they themselves protested and rebelled. But let Phrenologists take the atheist by the hand as cor- dially as they do the faithful, and give and take the largest liberty. The only principle on which all religious associations, and indeed all associations, should proceed, is that of the natural attractions ol kindred minds for each other. No formal reception. No expulsion. Let members come and go at pleasure, and believe and do what they please, influenced only through the medium of intellect. Let the pleasure taken in each others society be our only creed—our only bond of union. SECTION VII. PRAYER.--ITS DUTY.--ITS EFFICACY. Veneration prays. Prayer is then our duty, as it certainly is our pleasure. This has been already shown. But it remains to an- swer the question : Does praying for any given thing have any tenden- cy to bring about the end desired ? Does it alter the course of the De- ity ? Does it change the immutable plans of the A-lmighty ? Does it set aside the laws of cause and effect ? No, neither. Then, " How can it be efficacious, which the Bible abundantly assures us it is ?" Sim- ply thus: We cannot pray for a thing very earnestly without desiring it as earnestly. Indeed, prayer is but desire, and each is propoition- ate to the other. Now, who does not know that when we desire a given thing very much, we naturally, necessarily put forth corres- ponding efforts to obtain the thing desired; or, what is the same thing, prayed for ? And who does not know that this effort, this ap- plication of appropriate causes to the production of the effects desired, tends to bring about the end prayed for just as we produce a crop of corn, or wheat, or peas, or whatever else we pray for. We pray for every thing we want, and every single thing we effect, is but an answer to prayer. To pray for a thing and not to put forth the corresponding effort is but mockery—is no prayer, no desire, for desire and effort 245 PRAYER.--HOW IT IS ANSWERED. 9! go together pari passu.* Neither can be without the other, and the degree of either is the measure of the other, and generally, of the effi- cacy of the prayer; though that is also affected by the amount of causality brought to bear upon the end prayed and labored for. Causality must accompany veneration—a doctrine already urged. ■' But," says a truly pious Christian, " we sometimes pray for things beyond our power to effect, and on which causes cannot be, and are not, brought to bear. For instance, I prayed earnestly for the conversion of a certain impenitent sinner. I said not a word to him. I used no means. But he was converted, and in answer to my prayers." Agreed. " A mother prays for her son who is far off, and wrestles in spirit for days, but holds no communication with him. Still, he is converted. So, with hardened sinners sometimes in revivals. So, in regard to praying for the sick, and their almost mi- raculous recovery, and in cases innumerable where your plausible exposition will not apply." First: In the next chapter, I shall present a doctrine in relation to spiritual influences which will show how it is that your prayers for an impenitent sinner operated as causes, to bring him to repentance. Men commune with each other spiritually as well as sensibly. Man has a spiritual nature, a magnetic, immaterial nature, that is not al- ways chained down to his body, but, bursting the shackles of clay, leaps over immeasurable space, and knows neither time nor distance, but is indeed and in truth a spirit. This state is pre-eminently a state of prayer. And in this state, though the mother sees not her son with material eyes, or addresses him with her voice, yet her spirit holds communion with his spirit, and his with hers. Though you see not, speak not to the impenitent sinner for whom you pray, yet your spirit yearns for his spirit, and impresses him with that religious feeling which pervades, engrosses, your own soul, which becomes the cause, and his convertion, the effect. The organs are all catching. The exercise of any faculty in one> naturally, necessarily, ex- cites the same faculty in another. Anger in one electrifies all around him with the same angry feeling. So with the religious spirit. The religious feelings becoming roused in one, excite the same in another. These two combine and reaugment and rekindle similar feelings in the souls of others, and thus the " revival" goes on till the very atmosphere becomes charged with the religious fluid * " With even pace," I sometimes quote Latin because it is often appropriate and expressive, and because I could wish men generally knew more about lan- guages. 92 PRAYER CANNOT CIIANGE THE PURPOSES OF GOD. 246 thrown off by so many, which spirit impresses the impenitent and fi- nally converts them. Secondly: Our world is governed throughout by cause and effect. Nothing occurs that is not caused. And this is as true of the world of mind as of that of matter. For one, I am not atheist enough to believe that the first thing ever occurred without being caused. Nor can I admit that, after the Deity has got his plan all laid right in in- finite wisdom and for the greatest good of the greatest number, that the prayers of mortals will either change the purpose of high Hea ven,* or nullify the laws of causation as to the thing prayed for. Such are not my views of God or nature. If, reader, they are yours, I pity you. I pray that you may see your error, and I will do my best to get my prayer answered ; that is, to convince you that such notions show your views of God to be extremely limited and er- roneous. Intelligent reader; while this view of prayer diminishes nought from the efficacy of prayer, it presents the character of God in a dig- nified light, and sustains the great arrangement of cause and effect in all its power, in all its universality. It remains to add, that both verbal prayer and also public prayer, find their counterpart in Phrenology; the former in the spontaneous disposition of language to clothe thoughts and feelings in appropriate expressions, and of adhesiveness, which, with veneration, inculcates social prayer. On these two principles, grow both vocal prayer and that social prayer in which one is spokesman for the others. Praying with and for others, intensifies the action and extends the scope of veneration, and thereby increases the pleasure and the profit to be derived from its exercise. * In making this allusion to the doctrine of Divine decrees, I do not wish to be understood to advocate the existence of such decrees; nor do I now wish to be understood as abrogating this doctrine. I simply say let it stand untouch- ed for the present. '247 RELIGIOUS CREEDS, CEREMONTES, OBSERVANEJS, ETC. -3 SECTION VIII. RELIGIOUS CREEDS, CEREMONIES, OBSERVANCES, ETC. We cannot well close our observations on this faculty without re- marking upon religious forms, ceremonies, rites, observances &c. Do they aid veneration, or augment its action ? If so, they are good. If not, they are useless, besides being liable to cheat us with the shadow without the substance. Phrenology answers this question negatively. It says, that as friend- ship is impeded by ceremonies, so is veneration. Gushing friendship is all cordiality. It knows no intervention between the feeling and the expression. It requires to go through no ceremony in order to express itself. So with the religous feelings. And as, when a would-be friend receives you very politely and ceremoniously, you may know that he does not feel friendship, but only puts on its semblance, so when religious ceremonies are rigidly observed, take it for granted, that it is mainly ceremony. That there is very little soul or religion in- it. And I cannot but think this to be the New Testament view of this matter. I do think, that Christ took special pains to do away with all rites, ceremonies, forms, &c. except the two baptism and the comm- union, and has not left one form, except a short prayer, on record. He does not say that we shall begin our set worship, (or even that we shall have any set, formal worship,) with asking a blessing; to be fol- lowed by reading a portion of the Bible, and this, by singing, and this by a long prayer ; this again by singing, this by a sermon, and this by a short prayer, a sing, and the benediction. One would think this specific routine, if not absolutely necessary to salvation, at least had some saving virtue in it, and hence its universal adoption. Phrenol- ogy sees no special virtue in the Episcopalian or Catholic form of ser- vice.—(No heaven-wide difference between them.) It sets no store by creeds, by councils, by religious liturgies, prayer-books, homi- lies, and all the attache of modern religion. Away with them all. They but interrupt thy communion with God from thy heart. And if thy Keligious feelings and aspirations are so weak that these printed prayers and set forms are necessary, are even helps to devotion, why thy religion is weak indeed! and thou art making it still weaker. « 94 VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION THE ONLY PROPER BOND OF UNION. 248 Break away from all shadows. Regard only the substance. Exer- cise the religious feelings. Forms or no forms, printed prayers or vocal prayers, or no formal, outward expression of prayers at all, so that thy heart but communes with God. So that thy feelings are but softened down by prayer's subduing influences ; so that thy soul is bedewed with the holy, happy, soul-satisfying worship of thy God. But, beware that these ceremonies do not leave thee the shadow for the substance. Quite analogous to ceremonies, are creeds, articles of faith, &c. Phrenology discards them. It is like measuring out a given kind of food to each and all members of the human family, and then compel- ling them to eat this particular dish, (perhaps dose,) and to eat no moie, no less, nothing else. And that dish, too, all embittered and even poisoned with some ism. It is like making a bedstead, and stretching those who are too short to fill it, and cutting off unfeelingly those who are too long till they come within its iron dimensions. It also abridges liberty of thought. Above all things, it is odious to coerce belief. Many a hypocrite do these creeds make ; for he who is true to the faith, gets patronized, and he who is not, is not only neglected, but is pro- scribed, by a silent influence to be sure, but " by a mighty hand and a stretched out arm" notwithstanding. And modern religion gets paid for this in her having so many tares, and so little wheat. Phrenology says, patronize men none the less, respect them none the less for opin- ion's sake. Let a man be an infidel, so that he is sincere, treat him just as though he believed with you. Agree to disagree. Proscrip- tions for opinion's sake, are detestable. Out upon politicians for giv- ing offices exclusively to their own partizans. It is a direct and pal- pable interference with the elective franchise, with that pretended, air- bubble liberty, in which we glorify ourselves. It must bring even politics, (scandalous, contemptible, as they are any how,) into disgrace with every sensible man. But, to carry this proscription into religion —to buy up religion as they buy up votes—shameful, despicable! And yet this is the nature of all creeds. " Oh, but," say you, " we want it as a test of their belief. We want none with us who do not believe with us." I repeat: Let members come and go at pleasure. Let the natural bonds of friendship and adhesion alone operate. Let those form themeselves into religious associations whose opinions and feelings naturally, mutually, attract each other. Let those go elsewhere whose pleasure in the association will not bind them to it. Let those come in who are attracted to it, just as the literary seek the society of the literary ; and so of other 210 SPIRITUALITY OF MARVELLOUSNjiS*. 95 instances of association. Phrenology advocates the largest liberty, This liberty, especially of opinion, is the glorious birth-right of every human being. Upon this liberty, creeds trespass. It sets articles of faith to thinking for those who subscribe thereto. They can be val- uable only as they are minute; and if they are minute, they divide, bewilder, injure their subscribers, injure all. This train of remark, or these applications of Phrenology, might be extended at pleasure, but I forbear. Reader, carry them out for your- self. Drink in the fundamental principles, and then run them up and out for yourself in their most beautiful, most interesting appli- cations. CHAPTER III. THE SPIRITUAL. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth. SECTION I. SPIRITUALITY, OR MARVELLOUSNESS.---ITS ANALYSIS AND BEARINGS. Perception and feeling of the spiritual; belief in the superhuman; trust in Divine providences for guidance ; intuitive perception of future events ; the spirit of prophecy; prescience ; that spiritual state of mind and feeling, which, as it were, separates the soul from the body, and perceives things independently of the physical senses or other faculties ; Faith Man has a soul—a spiritual essence—which sees without eyes, hears without ears, operates disembodied, and connects him with heaven, and with God. Without this soul, this spirituality, this dis- embodied susceptibility, how could he form the least idea of a spiritual state, of spiritual beings, or of God as a Spirit, or of any thing at all related to the spiritual ? What better idea of any thing spiritual, of any thing material, than the blind man, (mentioned on p. 53,) did of colors? How completely foreign to all his perceptions would be even the being of a God ? He could conceive of him only as a ma- teral being or thing, and could form no conception whatever, either right or wrong, of any being, thing, state, independent of matter, any 96 ANALYSIS OF MARVELLOUSNESS. 250 more than the blind man could of colors, or the total idiot of first principles. But, man has these perceptions and feelings. They are in-wrought into his moral constitution, his very being. They are not creatures of education; for how can that be educated which does not exist ? How cultivate the spiritual, when we can form no idea whatever of the thing to be cultivated ? And the universality of this sentiment, in the form of a belief in ghosts, in an hereafter, in transmigration, a heaven, a hell, and the like, in all ages, and among all mankind, esta- blishes the existence of some faculty analogous to the definition given above, from the exercise of which these perceptions and feelings pro- ceed. Precisely the same argument, mutalis mutandis,* which prov- ed the existence of veneration, will equally prove the existence of this faculty. And this existence and analogy established, the same argu- ment of adaptation which established the existence of a God, (p. 47,) will establish both the existence of a spiritual state, the spiritual exist- ence of God, and the existence of spiritual beings. Let us apply it. Belief in a spiritual existence, is universal. From the earliest re- cords of man, he has held converse with spiritual beings, and has had his heaven and hell. Adam, Cain, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Hagar, Esau, Moses, Aaron, 7oshua, David, Solomon, the Prophets, in sacred history; the druids of our ancestors; Eneas, and all the ancients; all paganism, all Christendom, all mankind, in all ages, have talked with Jehovah, or with gods, or angels, or devils, or departed spirits. Indeed, the entire texture and frame-work of the Bible, of ancient mythology, of Hindoo worship, of Indian worship, of all religion, is a spiritual existence. To deny that man has the sen timent of the spiritual, is utter folly. To assert that it is formed by education, is equal folly; for education can never create any thing. only develop primary powers. Education must have some original faculty upon which to operate; else it is powerless. And, as of vene- ration, so of the spiritual feeling. If it were not indigenous, it would soon be eradicated. At least, it could not pervade the whole human family, and govern them, too, so energetically. A foreign element, a parasite, a feeling for which man had no predisposition, and that was foreign, and therefore repugnant, to the nature of man, could not po^l ' sibly fasten itself upon that nature and stay fastened, and then infusj itself all through that nature as this faculty has done. . The supposition is preposterous. For, the mental nature of man, like his physical, would soon expell a foreign intruder, or else merely furnish * " Those things being changed that require to be changed." 251 MAN REQUIRES A SPIRITUAL NATURE. 97 it room, but would separate itself therefrom completely. I cannot see that this point requires argument; namely, that this sentiment of the spiritual is constitutional in man. Besides : Man requires such a faculty. Many things can be known only by its instrumentality. We often require to know what causalitv cannot reach, because it has no data on which to operate, or because unknown contingencies will render the results unknown: in short. which can be arrived at through no other faculty, but which can be by this. Which often is by this. Man has a power of vision which the light of the sun cannot enlighten, cannot bedim. Which thick darkness cannot obstruct. Which penetrates the unknown future. Which dives deep into the sea of time, and gathers pearls from ,.. bottomless abyss. Which distance does not intercept. Which sees, not with the natural eye, but uses the telescope of angels. Which reads the book of fate before time has broken its seals. Which de- scries danger, and either shuns it or prepares therefor. Which pre- cedes time and plucks many a golden apple, a delicious fruit, before Saturn* opens them to the gaze and the contemplation of all. Which looks down the long vista of time, and surveys all coming ages at one great view. Which soars above the clouds of heaven. Which leaps death's dark hiatus, and reveals to man what shall be hereafter, when the moon dies, the sun goes out, and rolling ages speed their onward flight through eternity! But to be specific. First: Man needs some element in his nature to spiritualize that nature. To throw off its terrestriality, and ethereal- ize his soul. To shake off the materiality of his nature, and cloth* himself with immateriality, as with a garment of glory. To elevate his entire nature. To whisper constantly in his ears that God is a spirit; that he himself is a spirit; that anon, he will join a spiritual throng which no man can number, whose bodies will not wear out; will only brighten with age. Oh ! thou God of spirits innumerable ! Can we ever duly love Thee, duly praise Thee, for this the most odo- rious department of our nature ? Oh ! do Thou spiritualize our in- most souls, that we may see Thee, worship Thee, as Thou art! That ^4».we may cheer on earth by tastes, by bountiful repasts, of heaven.:: 1 \f4Blo certainly regard this view of the nature of man as beauntiful, glo- rious, beyond all expression, all conception. Without it, existence. how tame!* Death, our extinction! Life, transient! Eternity, ban- ished ! ;STo conception of an hereafter, of a God! But, blessed be uod, for this element of Spirituality. For the lessons of immortality, of divinity it teaches. * The god of time. 98 FOREWARNINGS.--UrSHER.—-KENNON. 252 Secondly: The spirit of man does certainly reves.. his coming destiny. Man is often forewarned. Often impressed with the feeling that that will happen which is about to happen. A few examples : — The lamented Upsher, at the very time when the fatal gun was loading that blew him to atoms, and immediately before its disas- terous explosion, in drinking a toast, took up an empty bottle, and remarked, that these dead bodies, (empty bottles,) must be cleared away before he could drink his toast. Setting it aside, he took up, by chancej nother empty bottle, * repeated, that he eould not give his toast till the dead bodies were cleared away. Nor did he. In a few seconds his own dead body, along with many others, were indeed " cleared away." In conjunction, read what follows from a correspondent of the Boston Daily Advertiser, who says:— " It is worthy of remark, as a singular instance of pre-supposed danger, that the late Secretary of State, Mr. Upshur, could not be pre- vailed upon to join in either of the previous excursions in the Prince- ton down the Potomac, assigning as a reason his fears of some, disaster from the big cannon. It was only by much persuasion that his preju- dices were surmounted, and he prevailed upon to unite with other members of the Cabinet, and many personal friends, in accompanying the President on that greatly to be deplored occasion. Of this re- markable fact there can be no doubt, for I have it from one wrho heard it from the Secretary's own lips, wondering at the same time that an "vidual possessed of so much good sense, and strong nerve, should permit his fears or prejudices thus to influence him." While going down to the Princeton in the morning, Com. Kennon, another of the killed, remarked to Capt. Saunders, that if any accident should befall him on this occasion, he [Capt. S.] would be the next in command at the Navy Yard. Judge Wilkins had a similar premonition, to which he took heed, and by which his life was saved. As the fatal gun was about to be fired, he remarked, pleasantly, " Though Secretary of War, I don't like this firing, and believe I shall run;" and suiting the action to the word, he retreated to a place of safety. If Judge Upsher or Com. Kennon had heeded their premonitions, so plain, so powerful that they were,, uttered, and in the face of the ridicule with which they were met, they too would have been saved. So loud was the voice of this spiritual monitor in Judge Upsher, that he could hardly be persuaded to go on * From all accounts, it would seem, that they had a real drinking frolic on board, and that many were intoxicated. I do not mean entirely drank^ but " es- sentially corned." What examples for our rulers to set! What a national curse such rulers! And whose money bought that fatal wine 1 Reaa^r it was outs, Comment each for himself. 253 FACTS IN ILLUSTRATION OF INTUITIVE PERCEPTION. 9£ board, and, when on board, could talk only of " dead bodies." These facts are undoubted. Their inferences are palpable. These facts are recent and striking, but they are by no means alone. Another: Sudden Death. The Bay State Democrat of last evening announces the death, on Sunday morning, of the Rev. David Damon. Pastor of the Unitarian Society at West Cambridge. He was engaged at Reading on Friday afternoon last, in preaching a funeral sermon, when he was attacked with a fit of apoplexy, which has thus proved fatal. A short time since, while delivering an address at a consecration of a rural cemetery at West Cambridge, he made the remark, that possibly he should be the first to repose in death beneath its shades; and the words of the speaker have literally proved true !—Courier. Maria Martin was killed by her sweetheart, William Corder, and buried in a barn at Ipswich, England; and he left for London. Her mother-in-law dreamed three nights in succession, that she had been killed, and her body buried m a certain red barn. Her dreams alone induced a search in the barn, where they discovered the body, and in the exact place where she dreamed it was, and dressed in men's clothes, as she dreamed it was dressed. He was executed in 1827. The mother of McCoy, the Sabbath before he was killed in the ring at White Plains, while lying down to rest was awakened by a horrible dream which so terrified her that she sprung from her bed, and run into the room where the rest of the family were, exclaiming, "I see him horribly beaten the blood gushing from his head with great fury." The next Tuesday, he was beaten till he was blind, and died from profuse bleeding. A highly nervous woman, insisted that her sons should tackle up one cold night, and go a given distance in a certain direction, where they would find some persons in distress. She had had other premonitions, which they had found to be as she directed, and therefore went, and found some persons who had been turned over in the snow, and but for this timely assistance, would have perished. With her, such pro- phesies were so common, and so certain, that her family always fol- lowed her visions, because they always found them so uniformly cor- rect. The wife of the Adams who was murdered by Colt, dreamed, two successive nights, before the murder, that she saw the lifeless corpse of her husband, all mangled, wrapped in a sail, and packed away in a box. She told this to her husband, and remonstrated almost with frantic earnestness the last time he went out, to prevent his going, urging as her sole reason, that he wovld be murdered. So deep was 100 INTUITIVE PERCEPTION. 254 .he saddening impression left upon her mind, that she felt little sur- prise at his not returning, alleging that he had been murdered. Mr. R. S. says, he always dreams out any thing remarkable before it happens. He dreamed one night that he struck a young friend of his, and that the blood gushed out of the wound. In a day or two afterwards, this same young friend of whom he dreamed, becoming intoxicated, demanded his wages. Mr. S. refused to give them to him till he got sober, because he knew he would waste them, and told him to come sober to-morrow, and he should have them. But no, he must have them then, and took up a club to beat Mr. S., who was obliged to clinch in with him, in order to save himself. This young friend embraded his hands in the hair of Mr. S., and tried to choke him, til! Mr. S., after remonstrating with him, and telling him he should have to hurt him, finally struck, and ruptured a blood vessel, which caused copious bleeding. The young man, however, recovered, and thank- ed Mr. S. for not paying him. A friend of mine, living in Albion, Orleans county, N. Y., tackled up his horses to go a few miles, and, before starting, called his family together, and, what he had never before been known to do, kissing them affectionately, bid them all good by. « Why, husband, what in the matter ? Are you not coming back soon ?" said his wife. " Yes I calculate to return about three o'clock; but,_somehow or other it seems to me just as though I never should see you again," was his answer. He started. His horses took fright, ran away, and killed him, and he was brought back to his family a corpse. This I had from his wife. Abercombie states several analogous facts. Time would fail me to narrate what I have seen, felt, and heard fully authenticated. Indeed, the world is full of them. So full, that it requires a greater stretch of Marvellousness to disbelieve and account for them, than to ascribe them to the natural workings of this faculty. How often, when our sky is cloudless, and every prospect bright, does a strange feeling flit lightly cross our mind, whisping bad news or trouble in our ears— faintly, perhaps, but so that we feel it, and so it turns out to be. Ana, again, how often, when hope is blasted, our way is hedged in with thorns, and no bright spot appears on our horizon, do we internally feel that all will yet be well, and so it comes to pass ? So strono- is this sentiment in man, that it has given rise to the proverb, " I feel it in my bones." But more: The canon of prophecy is not yet sealed. Men pro- phesy in this our flay. Their spiritual vision precedes the rapid flight of time and fore-shadows coming events. A few tact*:__ 255 INTUITIVE PERCEPTION. 01 Elias Hicks prophesied many years ago, that, in 1842, England would be without a King, the United States without a President, and the times hard in the extreme. And so it came to pass. There are many now living in Boston, who, eleven years ago, heard Dr. Beecher prophesy, that, in ten years, Tremont Theatre would be converted into a church, and he should preach in it. " And it was so." Just ten years after uttering this prophesy, he preached its dedication sermon. And what is more, he uttered the prophesy when there was no shadow of a prospect of its being fulfilled. The main theatre of Boston — of New-England—popular ; every thing against the prophecy. But it has literally been fulfilled, and " at the time appointed." And what is still more, this prophecy was uttered during a revival, in whieh this faculty was of course unusually active. Josephine was Bonaparte's prophetess. He generally followed her advice. She told nim not to go to Russia that year. He disobeyed. He fell. Indeed, I do not believe the great^man ever lived who had not some bosom friend, generally a female, aHvjfe, a sister, a^mother a friend of childhood, or some female friend, whose whole soul is in the cause to which he devotes his life, to give the required advice. This spirituality, this intuition, is in the organization of woman, in the head of woman. But enough. I shall not be believed. Thou' I do not put forth these views as positively as most others that I advance, still, I think them correct. I think I find them advanced by Phreno- logy. If others think otherwise, they have as good a right to their opinion as I have to mine. Thirdly. Man requires and uses this faculty as a guide to truth. u There is a divinity within" some men that siezes truth by a kind of intuition, and without the aid of intellect. That scents truth, as the hound, the fox. That drinks it in as the fish drinks in the water, and with evidence, without evidence, in spite of fallacious evidence, ar- rives at truth. It aids causality in reasoning. It helps comparison propound analogies. It joins ideality in her sublime reveries, and opens a door for the reception of truth through that channel. It guides the social affections upon proper objects. It warns us of hypocrites, and tells us whom to shun, whom to trust. Man has, or can have, in his own soul, a directory and a compass, to spy out his coming destiny, which, unperverted and properly cultivated, will warn him of ap- proaching danger and point out the road to success and happiness. But I am talking Greek to many. To most. Few have this organ, except very feebly developed. Miserably small in the American head! Usually, a deep cavity, and that in so-called Christians. They even pride themselves in rejecting Phrenology, Magnetism, every thing, 102 THH PROOF THAT THERE IS A WORLD OF SPIRITS. 256 till they can see and understand. Till the reasons, and the whys and hows, are given, and so fully as to breakdown all disbelief. Why the existence of this organ, unless to be exercised ? Its absence is a great defect. Its presence constitutes a part of every well balanced and truly philosophical mind. If the human mind were so constituted as to admit nothing which it did not see, or else fully comprehend and understand, its progress in knowledge would be exceedingly slow, and its attainments very limited. Children could know little or no- thing, for they are incapable of profound reasoning or extensive ob- servation. Indeed, we are obliged to receive much of knowledge on testimony. The importance of the function of this faculty, and of duly exercising it, and the utter folly of those who refuse to believe till they can see, know, and understand, is thus too apparent to require comment. But, since we take Phrenology for granted in the start, why at- tempt to prove what this science has already proved at our hands ? The existence of the faculty, and its analysis in substance, as I have given it, or what is tanamount to it, is set at rest by Phrenology. It not only shows, as in the case of veneration, that all the other faculties are exclusively engrossed each with other functions, but that these apparitions and spiritual impressions are made upon the mind by means of this faculty. Phrenology drives the nail of its existence and then clinches it. It renders its existence and functions demonstrably certain. And glorious indeed are the results to which these inferences con- duct us ! They open immortality upon our vision. They reveal a spiritual principle in man which age only invigorates, and which will be young far into the vista of eternity. Veneration tells us that there is a God. Spirituality tells us that he is a Spirit, and hope tells us that we shall one day see him as he is, and be like him. Infinitely does it exalt the character and ennoble the nature of man! Glory! Hallaluia! The argument by which this existence of a world of spirits is esta- blished, is analogous to that employed in proving the existence of a God, from the adaptation of veneration to that existence. Spirituality exists in man. It even forms no inconsiderable a part of his primi- tive constitution, one of his original elements of mind. This faculty has its counterpart, its adaptation. That adaptation is to a spiritual state. Therefore there is a spiritual state of being adapted to this fa- culty. Short, but demonstrative. But two points. The existence of ".his faculty in man, which Phrenology sets completely at rest; and that great law that one thing being adapted to a second, proves the ex 257 SPIRITUALITY CONTINUED.--INFERENCES. 103 wtence of this second. Phrenology says that this faculty e;rists, and the inference that a spiritual state also exists, that God is a spirit, that man has a spiritual department in his nature, that man can commune with God, with spirits, and with eternity, and kindred inferences, fol- low as a necessary consequence. SECTION II. SPIRITUALITY CONTINUED. INFERENCES. " To be spiritually minded, is life." Having demonstrated the existence of this faculty, it remains to point out its legitimate function, and then to draw those inferences de- pendent thereon. Prayer—spiritual communion with God—is one of its functions. I have my doubts whether the spirit of prayer is fully understood— whether its true analysis has yet been given. The general impres- sion is that its main object should be to bring about something—to supplicate some blessing, obtain some gift from God. This interpre- tation cannot be sanctioned by Phrenology. This science shows—all nature shows—that the whole universe, God himself included, is go- verned by immutable, unalterable laws—that causes and effects reign supreme, and allow not the least chance for prayer to effect the least change in effects, because it cannot change their causes. And to suppose that human entreaties can change the mind, the will, the eter- nal purpose of the Almighty, is utter folly—is downright blasphemy. These notions are revolting to correct notions of the Supreme Ruler of the universe. But, having already refuted the doctrine, let us in- quire, What is the true function of prayer, and what its effect? Its function is the exercise of the self same spiritual feeling already pointed out. The value of this spiritual feeling, has been already shown, and prayer induces this spiritual state of mind. " No man hath seen God at any time, so that we do not, perhaps cannot, know his nature, or the mode of his existence; but, be he what he may, ■ prayer assimilates our souls to his soul, and, by frequently throwing us into a spiritual, holy frame of mind, it induces a permanency of this spiritual state which foreknows the future, and perceives the truth, as if by magic. When particularly anxious to perceive and enforce truth, I feel like praying, perhaps not audibly, but like throwing my- gelf into this spiritual state in which truth flows into my own soul, 104 WHERE TO EXERCISE THE PRAYERFUL SPIRIT. 258 from which it radiates into the souls of all who hear me. I hope I am fully understood as to the effect of prayer on the soul. Hence Paul says, " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not." We see, in this aspect of prayer, how it is that God giveth wisdom, namely, that by and in the very act of praying, we throw our minds into that spiritual state in which we perceive truth as if by intuition. As a means of arriving at truth, nothing equals prayer, and he who does not pray, is compelled to fol- low on after truth through the paths of intellect merely, and plod and dig for that which a prayerful spirit perceives at once, and with per- fect certainty. And, then, how happy, holy, pure is the praying soul! How transported from earth into that blessed state that awaits the pure in heart! Let scoffers laugh at prayer. Let the sons of sin and lust forget to pray. But let me bow the knee of humble prayer, and lift the eyes of devotion to my God, and hold sweet communion with him till I become embued with his spirit, and am transformed into his image! I cannot forbear expressing the conviction not only that prayer is not generally understood, but also that there is much less prayer in the world than is supposed. Many of our clergymen preach in their prayers, and pray as if trying to impress some truth upon the mind of the hearers rather than to call out their soul in pure devotion. Let ministers preach when they preach, and pray when they pray. These preaching prayers are out of place. Besides, they substitute the form for the thing, and thus satisfy the praying appetite, without feeding the praying spirit. As to the best place for exercising the prayerful spirit, Phrenology is unequivocal in recommending nature, the open fields, the velvet lawn bedecked with flowers, the shaded brook, the mountain cliff The works of God are wonderfully calculated to impress his being, his attributes upon the soul. They call out the spiritual feeling. They bring us near to God. They assimilate us to him. And I fully believe, that our churches should be generally in the fields of flowers, in the bosom of nature, rather than in houses made with hands. If I were to erect a church, upon the plan propounded by Phrenology, I should build it of trees unsawed rather than of timbers, and of flowers, not with nails. Verdant leaves should be my roof. Paths among flowers should be my aisles. A projecting rock should be my pulpit. Fragrant trees and flowers should be my perfumery. Boquets should be my psalm-books. The chirping songsters of the grove should echo to my notes of praise, and the balmy breezes should waft my prayers to heaven. Suppose that immense sum ex. 259 SPIRITUALITY.--TNFERENl ES. 105 pended in building Trinity Church, in New-York, had been spent m making a magnificent pleasure park, adapted expressly to call out the religious sentiments, how infinitely more real homage would be of- fered up to God than will ever be exercised within its massive, fash- ionable walls! I have no objection to having churches. If they pro- mote the religious feelings, they are useful. If not, thev are injurious. But, be they good or bad, to spend so much money in their erection, is making but a poor use of what, if properly applied, spent in works of charity, would do a vast amount of good. By spiritualizing the soul, prayer prevents grossness and sinful ani- mal indulgence, and refines, elevates, purifies, and exalts the soul more than words can tell, but not more than may every reader experience. The reader will see an additional reason, from the analysis of this faculty, why revivals of religion and religious exercises should be permanent, not transcient. The prevalence of a belief in ghosts is in point, and strengthens our position of spiritual premonitions. If you ask me whether I believe in the existence and appearance of ghosts, I say yes, with emphasis. Not that I ever saw one. Nor is it the tes- timony of others that imparts this confidence. It is this principle. I never saw an apparition. My organ of spirituality is too small ever to see one. But 1 believe this principle. It will not lie. I believe that the spirits of departed friends hover over us, and conduct our choice, our course. I believe the spirit of my departed mother has watched over her son, guided his footsteps into the paths of Phrenology, and still continues to throw around him those spiritual impressions which tells him what is truth, and guides him in its exposition. She prayed for her oldest son on her dying bed, and even while death was sever- ing her spirit from her body. To these spiritual exercises, reader? you may possibly owe a small debt of gratitude. And if this be delu- sion, let me be deluded. Let me be joined to this idol, if idol it be. I believe farther : If we were sufficiently spiritualized, we might hold converse with the spirits of our departed friends, with angels, and with God! I believe they might become our guardian angels, to tell us all what we should do, and what avoid. I believe we might talk with them, as did Abraham, Moses, and the prophets! And when our friends die, we need not be separated from them, though we live and they are dead. They are in a state more exalted than ours, but, if we were as spiritually minded as we are capable of bemg, we could still hold direct communion with them, and they would be- come spiritual conductors, carrying a torch-light by which we could guide our erring footsteps into the paths of success, of holiness, of hap- piness. 106 MR. TENANT THREE DAYS IN A TRANCE. 260 If this be so, man has in his own bosom a directory, a spy on his coming destiny, which, unperverted and properly cultivated, will warn him of approaching danger, and point out the course of success and happiness. Animal Magnetism also establishes the spiritual, immaterial exist- ence of mind in a state separate from matter, as clearly as any fact in nature can be demonstrated by experiment; for, first, it throws the mind into a state probably analogous to that after death, in which the body has little control over it, in which time and space are unknown, in which it sees without the eyes, or as disembodied mind sees by a spiritual cognizance, and in its independent capacity as mind ; and, 2dly, when the magnetizer and the magnetized are both pure mind- ed, the latter sees and holds converse with the spirits of the departed, and receives from them warnings, directions, council, for those who make the proper inquiry. Words cannot express what I have seen in this respect. And, oh! If I have ever seen a happy soul, it was one in this state, with the moral organs highly charged, and all ex- citement removed from the propensities. Description would be sacri- lige! And then to have this holy spell broken in upon by exciting one or more of the propensities at the same time! But I am utterly incapable of describing the scene. Still, I saw how ineffably holy and happy the human soul could become by the exercise of the moral sen- timents, and particularly that faculty under consideration. The Rev- erend Mr. Tenant of New Jersey, who was in a trance three days, and who, in that state saw and heard what mortal tongue may not, could not tell, was in this spiritual state. So are those at religious meetings, particularly camp-meetings, who pray and sing till they " have the power," as it was formerly called. This having the power, fanatical as most religious men call it, is sanctioned by Phrenology. It requires guiding, but it could, should be exercised till it transformed earth into heaven, and feasted our souls with rich foretastes of those joys which " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive," but which are laid up for the spiritually minded. But enough, I am treading on holy ground. Few will appreciate. Fewer still experience. But woman will appreciate, will feel. To her I commend these remarks. Her I exhort to breathe forth these holy aspirations, " for in due time, ye shall reap if ye faint not." And, oh ! such a harvest. A feast on the food of angels ! A ban- quet served up in the palaces of heaven ! Fruit from the tree of eter- nity ! Reach forth. It is within your grasp. Pluck and eat, and give to others, that they may eat and live. 201 SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. 107 SECTION III. SPECIAL PROVIDENCES " Trust in the Lord." Closely connected with this subject, and deserving of remark in this connection, is the doctrine of " Divine Providences" so called. Spiri- tual guidance, has already been seen to be recognized by Phrenology. But about providential interpositions it knows nothing. Whatever effects do not result from causation, or, especially, whatever interrupts causation, it discards. Nature never allows anything to step in be- tween causes and effects. Spiritual impressions may guide, and hence may be called providential interpositions by their guiding our choice; but, they never cut off legitimate effects from their true causes, and sub stitute others. Still, an event is none the less providential when a spi ritual precaution or monition forewarns us to escape danger, or induces us to choose our best good, than if the laws of nature were interrupted and the great arrangement of cause and effect rendered null and void; for the results are equally beneficial to us. If our organization be fine, and if this feeling of spirituality be cultivated, we shall be pre- served from all harm thereby, and guided into the right course, so that our happiness be secured. And the fact is beautiful to philosophy, and encouraging to mortals, that those who are the most perfectly organi zed, should receive most of this heavenly guidance. By cultivating those highest elements of our nature, already specified, we shall be most effectually promoting our own highest happiness. But we cannot dismiss this subject of providence without exposing a prevailing error in regard to what are considered providences. Spi- rituality perceives, follows, and trusts in these spiritual guidings; hope expects good to result therefrom; veneration adores God therefor; and benevolence adoring God for his kindness, trusts in him that these spiritual guidings will be for good; and all, guided by causality, that they will harmonize with fixed laws. This principle leads to the in- ference that all spiritual guidings and providences, as far as these pro- vidences exist, are for good—are never afflictive, but always pleasura- ble. Nor does the benevolent Creator of all things do evil that good may come. He does not give pain first, that he may give pleasure afterwards. In every single instance throughout creation, he so ar ranges it as to give all pleasure, and no pain in order to arrive at that 108 CHARGING TO PROVIDENCE WHAT WE INFLICT OURSELVES. 262 pleasure. What right have we, then, to suppose that he makes us suffer in order afterward to cause us enjoyment, for this would be a toto celo departure from ». "ery principle, every fact of his entire gov- ernment, and in direct con flic, with that view of the divine character and government already evolved from Phrenology. No ; afflictive pro- vidences do not exist. All pain is but punishment, not providences— the natural consequences of violated law, not divine chastisements. God does not carelessly dip the arrow of affliction in the wormwood of his malignity or wrath, and thrust it causelessly into the soul of man. A.11 that God does, from beginning to end, is all promotive of happi- ness. The idea, so often held forth from the pulpit, that sickness and death in the prime of life, are afflictive providences, sent to chastise us, is onerous ; for they are the penalties of violated physical laws. Sick- ness and premature death are as much the effects of their legitimate causes, as any other event is an effect of its cause. A child dies, and the parents, while bleeding under the wounds of lacerated parental love, console themselves by " The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." " It is the hordes doings," &c.; whereas they killed their child. They allowed it to disorder its stomach and bowels by eating cucumbers, or green corn, or unripe fruit, or too much fruit, and then it was exposed and took cold, was badly doctored, had the summer complaint, and died. Or, in the fall and spring, it was exposed till it took a violent cold ; a fever set in, and fastening upon the throat, it had the croup and died. Or, upon the head, and it died of brain fever. Its sickness and death were caused, and that by violations of the physical laws. It was murdered by neg- lect or improper treatment, and then all this b.ame is thrown off from the guilty perpetrators, by charging it to the providence of God. Just as though God killed your child ! An anecdote in point. One Christmas evening, the parents of a child tickled it mightily with the idea, that if it would hang up its stocking, Santa Claus would come in the night and fill it full of good things. She did so, and in the morning while yet in bed called for her stocking, which she found filled with raisins, nuts, rich cakes, &c, and which she continued to eat till she had swallowed the whole. She was plied through the early part of the day with additional good things ; till at three o'clock she was taken in a fit, and died at night. Dissection showed the cause of her death to have been simply, solely, an overloaded stomach, and yet, at her funeral, the good old minister soothed the lacerated feelings of parental anguish by telling the pa- rents that " It was the Lord's doings, to which they must bow in silence 263 SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. 109 —that it was a mysterious providence, sent as a chastisement, to wean them from earth and earthly things, and place their souls on heaven and heavenly things." And yet both the gormandizing of the child and also the dissection, showed its death to have been caused solely by parental indulgence. I doubt not buu every reader has seen cases m point. And then, what idea must he have of God, who suppose; he killed the child, not only without law, but directly in the teeth of those very laws which he himself has established. And even if they think he meant it for their good, just as though he did not know how to seek their good without making them thus miserable. Similar remarks appertain to the sickness of adults. We go on to violate every law of physiology, and for a series of years, and then, when nature would fain vindicate her laws by punishing their aggres- sion, we deafen our ears and harden our hearts to her remonstrances by accusing the Deity of stepping aside from his laws, and tormenting us by his afflictive providences. The plain fact is this, that we need never be sick. We have no right to be sick. We are culpable for being sick, for all of every thing is caused. All sickness is caused, and caused directly by the violation of some physiological law. Let parents as parents, obey these laws, and then let children be brought up in their obedience, and then continue therein all the days of their lives, no sickness, no pain, would, could occur. Every organ of the body was made to be healthy, none to be sickly. Health is but the tatural, primitive, action of them all, while sickness is their abnormal or painful action. Let them alone, save giving them their unnatural stimulants, and they will all go on to perform their normal, healthy function from the cradle to the grave. No truth is more self-evident, than that health is the natural function of every faculty, and sickness their perverted function. If we do not make ourselves sick, we shall always be well. Teeth were never made to ache. They were made to masticate food. They give us pain only when we cause their decay by abusing them. The Indian never has decayed or aching teeth, nor need we if we take proper care of them. So witfl every other organ of the body. They all give us pain only after we have abused them. and in consequence of that abuse. And the natural order of death is, that, like the setting sun, we should gradually descend the hill of life and die by slow and imperceptible degrees, just as the western sky be- comes less and less bright, till, finally, the last rays have taken their departure. Violent death, in the prime of life, is most abhorrent—is inconceivably shocking to Benevolence, and forms no part of the natu- ral order of things, or of the Providence of Gad. We die in spite of 110 CONVERSION. 264 Providence, instead of by its hand. " We give ourselves the wounds we feel. We drink the poisonous gall, and then sickness and death punish us for our transgressions. If these principles were not rendered perfectly demonstrative by physiology, I would cut off my right hand rather than pen them ; for they are most unpopular, and especially will excite religious prejudice against me. But they are true, and will ultimately bear sway. • Reader, let me entreat thee to examine this point carefully one full year, and then you will coincide with me. I grant that sickness and death are often induced by parents, either as parents, in their having some hereditary disease, or by their not understanding how to preserve the healths of their children; still, they are never providential, but always punishments, and imply guilt some where. If I be asked, why I bring forward a point so unpopular, I answer, to save life. As long as men continue to regard sickness and death as providential, they will not be led to obey the natural laws. But the doctrine urged above, cannot be believed without powerfully enforcing obedience to those laws; and I doubt not but a knowledge of this very principle will enable many a reader to escape many an afflictive provi- dence, and to enjoy the society of his children, companions, and friends many years longer than he otherwise would—reason enough, surely. SECTION IV. conversion; the operations of the holy ghost; DrvrNE grace; FAITH, ETC. " Unless ye be converted, &c. ye cannot see the kingdom of God." The principles thus represented teach us the true doctrine of those spiritual influences called conversion, the operation of Divine grace, the Holy Spirit, &c. That a Divine Spirit exists, has been already shown. Also, that it is in every place. And that prayer communes with him, &c. But, the tendency of the principles already presented, shows that we seek him, not he us. He does not turn aside from the usual operations of nature, to pour out his spirit upon mankind. Or, rather, that spirit is like the wind that blows every where, except where it is excluded, and that will blow even there, and with the same freedom, if the doors and windows of the human soul be but opened 265 CONVERSION.—the operation of the holy ghost. Ill for its reception. In conversion, I believe. It consists simply in tha spiritualization of our natures already pointed out, the main medium of which is marvellousness. By operating upon this faculty and or- gan, it extends the range of its action so as to quicken benevolence, veneration, hope, conscientiousness, and the whole moral group; and this gives them that ascendency over the propensities which we have already shown to constitute virtue, the product of which is "joy in the Holy Ghost," moral purity, and consequently happiness. Natural, it is ; supernatural, it is not. Not for the chosen few—the elect. But as free as the air of heaven, or the gushing fountain. All can, who will, drink in these heavenly influences—be converted—be holy—be hap- py. Nor should any wait to be operated on. They must operate on themselves—must pray—must spiritualize themselves. And so we must spiritualize, convert, one another; for all the organs are capable of being excited. The exercise of these spiritual feelings in one, will tend to excite them in others, and then again in others ; thus widening their influences and happifying mankind beyond what tongue can ex press or mind conceive. Prayer, being an exercise of this spiritual feeling, is eminently cal- culated to promote it in others ; that is, to convert others—to convert ourselves. So, praying for the impenitent is equally calculated, as al- ready shown, to spiritualize, convert, them. And let all seek these religious, elevating influences, for the same reason that they should eat, or think, or talk; namely, to be happy in their exercise. But, let these exercises be permanent, not transient. To sadden conversions, the same principles apply that are already shown to go- vern revivals. But, the mere statement of the principle is sufficient. Is it not highly probable, that" these principles throw some light on the existence of what is called the Holy Spirit; the Holy Ghost; the Spirit of God, &c. ? Do not these phrases refer simply, solely, to that spiritual existence of God already pointed out, and refer to the mode of Divine existence, rather than to separate personages of the Deity ? At all events, other than this, Phrenology, as far as I am now able to interpret it, knows nothing of the existence of a separate part or per- son of the Deity corresponding with the usual doctrines of the Holy Ghost 112 A CHANGE OF HEART. 26C SECTION V *- CHANGE OF HEART CONTINUED.--OBJECTION ANSWERED. Many believers in the doctrine of a change of heart and life, are un- able to reconcile this doctrine with the principles of Phrenology. And as the following quotation from page 410 of " Fowler's Practical Phre- nology," states and answers this objection satisfactorily, it is inserted accordingly. "' To the Messrs. Fowlers: " ' Sirs,—At your next lecture, I wish you to explain, according to the principles of phrenology, how any material or radical change in a man's moral character, disposition, or conduct, can take place. For example ; we frequently see the infidel and irreligious man, suddenly and radically change his sentiments and practices in life, and become pious, reverential and devotional. Now, ac- cording to the principles of your system, it seems to follow, that, in reality, there are no such changes, and that they are wholly imaginary or hypocritical, or else, that there must be a corresponding change of the phrenological organs, namely, a sudden diminution of one class of organs, and an equally sudden enlargement of another class, whose functions are directly opposite. " ' That men do often experience these changes, is evident to every one ; but that the bumps of the cranium, are subject to such sudden growth and depres- sion, is certainly most doubtful: and, if these organs do not coirespoud with a man's changes in conduct and disposition, how can they have any reciprocal relation to his true character ? D. J. MALL1SON, M. D.'" " Admitting this doctrine of a change of character and conduct, called regeneration, as believed in and taught by orthodox Christians, to be correct, and the first question to be considered in relation to its bearings upon the doctrines of Phrenology, is, in what does this change consist ? From even a superficial view of the subject, it is evident, that it does not consist either in a substitution of one primary mental faculty for an other opposite faculty, or in a change of the original nature and cha- racter of the faculties, or of their proportional strength; for, if the subject of this change possessed a strong and original intellect before conversion, he has just as strong and as original an intellect after con- version ; but, if he is weak-minded before, he still remains so. Even his leading peculiarities of mind, thought, and feeling, remain unal- tered. t If, before conversion, he possessed a remarkably retentive me- mory of incidents, of faces, of dates, of principles, and of places, his memory of these things is equally tenacious afterwards; but, if his memory of any of these things was weak before, it is equally so after- wards. If, before, he was remarkable for his mechanical or any other talents, he is uniformly found to possess these very same talents, and in the same degree, afterwards. If he be possessed of a superior musical talent before he meets this change, he possesses the very same talent, and in the same degree of excellence, after this event. 267 A change of HEAR1. 113 " In what, then, does this change consist ? Simply and solely in a change of the direction of these respective faculties, or of the objects upon which they are exercised, and not in a change of their nature and character, or of their relative power. For example : if the per- son converted, had a great talent for music, the effect of his conversion is to change the direction of this faculty : thus, before conversion, it was chiefly exercised in singing songs, lively airs, &c, whereas, it is now chiefly exercised upon pieces of sacred music. If, before conver- sion, his reasoning powers were great, but exercised principally upon political, philosophical, or scientific subjects, they are afterwards equally powerful, but directed mainly to religious and theological sub- jects. Benevolence, which was before manifested in relieving the physical suffering, and promoting the temporal wants and earthly hap- piness of his fellow-men, is now directed to a different and far more elevated object, namely, the salvation and eternal happiness of mankind. And so of every other feeling, faculty, and talent, of the individual. " Now, inasmuch as the relative power of the faculties themselves, remains unchanged, though directed to different objects, there is no call for alteration in the proportionate size of the organs, and, of course; no need of a sudden diminution of one class of organs, and an equally sudden enlargement of another class. But, if this change of heart iid necessarily involve a change of the nature and the constitution of the primary mental powers ^he inevitable conclusion would be, that these faculties were not well made at the first, and therefore, require remodelling, or, rather, re-creating, which would necessarily imply imperfection on the part of the Creator ; and, not only go, but this radi- cal change in the nature of the faculties themselves, would certainly destroy the identity of the person converted, thus making him, not a new, but another, being, " Again : if this conversion were to change the relative power of the primary faculties, the same inferences hold good. Whilst, then, the nature of the faculties themselves remain unchanged, and their propor- tionate strength the same as it was before, the amount of it is, that divine grace simply gives to the faculties as they priginafly or previously were, a. new, direction. . . " An illustration will, perhaps, make the point clear. A steamboat, which is made perfect, and beautiful throughout, is being propelled down a river, by the power of steam. The rudder is turned, and the same boat is noio propelled up the river, by the same power, and by means of the same apparatus. But the boat is not changed, or trans- formed ; for it is, by supposition, made perfect; nor is the nature of the steam changed, nor the character or proportionate strength of any one thing about the boat. This is not necessary. The boat is perfect. Its direction, merely, is altered ; and that by means of the co-operation of the power of the boat and that of her commander. So it is in the matter of conversion. The sinner is sailing smoothly down the rapid current of sin and worldly pleasure. He is arrested, and changes, not die nature of the thinking faculties themselves,hut merely the direction 114 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 268 of the thoughts produced—not the nature of the propelling powers them- selves, but the drift and current of the feelings that flow from those powers, by setting before them a different object to stimulate and occupy those powers. " The analogy of the steamboat, does not, of course, hold good throughout; for man is a moral agent, the steamboat, a mere machine. It, however, holds good as far as I have occasion to apply it. Men are depraved, not because they have depraved faculties, but because they make a depraved use of good faculties: see last proposition under the last objection, p. 403 of Fowler's Practical Phrenology. " You allude to a ' sudden' change. So far as the change is sud- den, it is not a change, either of faculties, or of their relative strength. This change of the proportionate strength of the faculties is always gradual. The man whose besetting sin before conversion, was an inordinate craving for money, has the same craving afterwards, with this difference merely, that, by the grace given him at conversion, it is restrained from breaking out into overt acts of wickedness. The same is true of the passionate man, &c. Paul speaks of carrying on a ' warfare against the lusts of the flesh;' and the Bible everywhere holds out the idea that victory over our depraved propensities, must be gradual, and can be obtained only by long continued and laborious effort—by watching and praying, and severe self-denial. Christian experience is compared to the 'rising light, which,' from a feeble gleaming, ' groweth brighter and brighter till the perfect day'—' to a grain of mustard seed, which,' from the smallest of seeds, ' becomes a great tree ;' plainly implying, that, as far as the relative strength of the faculties is changed, so far the change is gradual. " I would ask any true Christian, if he is not obliged to hold in with a strong rein, those propensities that predominated before his conver- sion ; and, if a long time is not requisite effectually to subdue " those sins that most easily beset him," so that their instinctive promptings are not plainly felt. By the time, then, that he has subdued his pro- pensities, or altered the relative strength of his faculties, the organs will have time to adjust themselves accordingly : see pp. 123, to 140, 01 Education and Self-Improvement; second edition, 1844. " If I mistake not, then, I have clearly shown, that the doctrines and principles of phrenology, are not at all inconsistent with the dociTinc of regeneration ; and, also, that phrenology enables us to tell what kind of Christians particular individuals are." 2'j[) MATERIALISM. 115 SECTION VI. MATERIALISM.--OBJECTION ANSWERED. The doctrine of the immateriality of the soul, of an eternal existence beyond the grave, is glorious, is beatific, in the highest degree, and holds out the blessed hope that that eternity may be infinitely happy, as well as of infinite duration. But, it is alleged, that Phrenology mili- tates seriously against this soul-inspiring doctrine, by demonstrating the existence of relations between the body and the mind so intimate, so perfectly reciprocal, in nearly or quite every and all conceivable cir- cumstances, as to leave room for the inference—as even to force the in- evitable conclusion upon us, that, when the body dies, the soul dies also. The intimacy of the relation existing between the body and the mind, I admit. But I do not admit the therefore, that mind is mate- rial. This therefore depends, not on the intimacy of the relation be- ween the body and the mind, but on the fact of the existence of any "elation whatever. Whether this intimacy be great or little; uniform, or occasional; perfectly reciprocal, or not so at all; does not affect the question. Be the relation ever so distant, so that it but exist at all, that existence goes just as far in proof of either doctrine, materiality or immateriality, as would the most intimate relation. But, I cannot see that the existence of this relation, be it more or less perfectly reciprocal, proves any thing either way. Even if matter should be shown to be the cause, and rnind the effect, the doctrine of materialism would not necessarilly follow. If it could even be shown, that organization was the cause of mind, and that mind was simply the product or function of organization in operation, I cannot see that this product is necessa- rily material because its machine or manufacturer is material. And the more so, since we cannot say for certain that the physiology is the cause, and the mentality the effect, rather than mind the cause, and physiobgy the effect. That laws of cause and effect exist between the two, or even govern all the relations of either to the other, is demon- strated by Phrenology ; but whether it is the original cast and charac- ter of the mind which gives the form and texture to the body-, to the brain, or the size and other conditions of the latter, that govern the for- mer, has not yet been fully established. And even if mind could be shown to be the product of organized matter in action, the materiality or immateriality of that mind remains still undecided, that depending on the nature of mind itself, and not on its material agent. But it is hardly necessary to discuss this whole subject of material 116 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 570 ism itself, but simply to show that Phrenology dees not lead thereto. The great truth is admitted, that we know nothing of mind in this world, except as it manifests itself, and acts by means of the corporeal organs. And particularly the brain and mind are perfectly reciprocal, is plain matter of fact, which all see and feel every hour, moment, of their wakino- existence. " The whole question, then, seems to resolve it- self into this:—Whether or not the connexion of mind and matter ne- cessarily involves the doctrine of materialism. " But, decide this question as we may, this much is certain, that phrenology is no more liable to the charge of materialism, than is every system both of physicks and metaphysicks extant. If phrenology is chargeable with materialism, the science of anatomy, of medicine, of physiology, of natural and moral philosophy, and, in short, of every thing which treats of the human body or mind, is equally chargeable with supporting the same doctrine ; for they, one and all, equally with phrenology, admit, and even demonstrate, this same great principle of the intimate connexion and relation between the physical organization and the manifestations of thought and feeling. Nay, even the Bible itself is chargeable with this heresy of materialism. But, if there is any more materialism in the proposition, that one portion of the brain is employed to perform one class of mental functions, and another por- tion, another class, than there is in the proposition, that the whole brain is brought into action by every operation of the mind, then, indeed, is phrenology guilty, but not otherwise. All systems of physiology support the doctrine, that the brain is the corporeal instrument by means of which the mind performs its various functions; and this doctrine constitutes the data, and the only data upon which the charge of materialism, as urged against phrenology is founded. Hence, so far as the objection has any force, ft virtually lies against the existence of any connection between, not only the brain and the operations of the mind, but between any portions of mat- ter whatever and the mind. But it has already been shown, that we know nothing of the existence or operations of mind in this life, as a separate entity, or a thing that exists or acts apart from organized or animate matter ; but of its existence and operation in connection with organized and animate matter, we do know, just as well as we know that matter itself exists. " But this objection is not urged by infidelity against the Christian religion so much as it is by professing Christians against phrenology. They argue that " Materialism is false, because it is confrary to divine Revelation; but that phrenology leads to materialism.; and. therefore. :j ? 1 MATERIALISM.--OBJECTIONS <*NSWERED. 1 1 phrenology must be untrue." But let those who are zealous for the truth of the Christian religion, beware, lest, by proving materialism upon phrenology, they thereby prove it upon themselves, and thus fall into the snare which they had set for phrenologists. They infer that, if phrenology is true, it necessarily implies the truth of the doctrine of materialism, and, consequently, overthrows Christianity. Now, if, after all, phrenology should become (as it unquestionably will) fully established, materialists and infidels will prove their doctrines by the very arguments furnished by Christians themselves. " They will reason thus : ' According to your own arguments, if phrenology is true it establishes the truth of materialism, infidelity, fatal- ism, «fec. : phrenology is demonstrably true; therefore the doctrines ol materialism, infidelity, fatalism, &c, are undeniable.' And thus, even though their arguments are sophistical, Christians will be ' condemned out of their own mouth,' or else driven to the disagreeable alternative of admitting that their arguments are fallacious, and the offspring of religious bigotry."* But, so far from bearing in the least in favor of materialism, Phre nology furnishes the strongest argument that exists in favor of the immateriality of the soul, and of a spiritual state. No argument can be stronger in proof of any thing whatever, than the existence of this organ and faculty of spirituality is proof that man has an immaterial nature, a spiritual existence. What proof can be stronger that man is a seeing being than the fact that he possesses eyes, adapting him tc seeing, and constituting him a seeing being ? What, that he is a rea- soning being, than his possession of the primary element or faculty of reason ? What that he has a spiritual nature than the analysis of the primary element of spirituality just shown to form a constituent portion of his nature ? It is demonstrative proof. It is the highest possible order of proof. It settles the matter completely. It leaves no evasion, no cavilling, no room for the shadow of a doubt. Man has a spiritual. immaterial nature, just as much as he has a friendly nature, or an ob- serving nature, or a moving nature, or any other nature, and is there- fore, and thereby, and therein, an immaterial being, just as much as he is a thinking being, a talking being a parental being, a remembering being, or possessed of any other constitutional quality whatever. Am- plification will not strengthen the argument. There it is, in the plain- est terms. Whoever admits the truth of Phrenology, af man, and therefore certain not to continue long or extend far. Nc 277 A FUTURE STATE. .21 stronger proof can exist, that to hope for a future state of being is the natural function of this faculty, than the universality of this expecta- tion in all ages, among all flesh. In short, the same argument by which the function of Divine worship was proved to be constitu- tional, [p. 46 to 53,] mutatis mutandis, proves, with equal clearness, that to expect to exist hereafter is the legitimate, primitive func- tion of hope, and not its perverted function. And that same branch of this argument by which it was shown that worship was not taught, but was innate, also proves the innateness of this expecta- tion of eternity. Without this faculty, and unless to hope for eter- nity were its true function, man could form no more conception or idea of a future state than the blind man could of colors. In short, all the ramifications of that argument, apply to this. The premises, the data, the application, the answers to objections, the all of either, are every way alike. But, again: (And this argument applies equally to veneration.) If to expect to live hereafter, be the true function of hope, that func- tion, that hope, must be every way beneficial to man ; for every organ, faculty, element of our nature, exercised in harmony with its normal, primitive constitution, is every way promotive of happi- ness, because in obedience to the laws of its constitution. But what- ever exercise of any faculty is not in harmony with its normal, primi- tive constitution, violates the natural laws, and thus induces their pen- alty. Now, I submit to any reflecting mind, what pain, what penalty is there that grows naturally, necessarily, out of this hope of immor- tality ? So far from experiencing pain in the act itself, the human mind even exults in the pleasures of such anticipation as much as in, perhaps, any other mental exercise whatever. If I wished to give the human mind a literal banquet of pleasure, I would feast it on thoughts of immortality. If I wished to make the strongest possible, and the most impressive, appeal to the mmd or soul of man, I would found that appeal on eternity! Reader! does thy hope of existing hereafter, give thee pleasure or give thee pain? And if pain, is that pain the necessary, or the accidental, accompaniment of hope? That is, is it absolutely impossible for hope to be exercised without inducing this pain/ Surely not. Nor do any painful after conse- quences grow necessarily out of this exercise of hope. Both the exer- cise of hope in this way, and all the products of that exercise, are pleasurable only, and pleasurable, too, in the highest possible degree. There is no pain, no punishment growing out of this exercise of hope, but a certain t sward. Therefore, this exercise is in obedience to the 122 HOPE, AND ITS BEARINGS. 278 fixed laws of our being, and therefore in harmony with the primitive function of this faculty. Nor can this argument be evaded. If it be objected, that thinking so mnch of another world, unfits us for this, I say thinking just enough about another world is the best possible preparation for enjoying this. I go farther: I say that, mere- ly in order to enjoy this life fully, we require to hope for another, and I submit this remark to the consciousness of every reader. I put it home to the feelings of all, whether enjoying another world in anti- cipation, does not sweeten every pleasure of this; and whether a prac- tical belief that there is no hereafter, does not render the pleasures of this life insipid ; besides, weakening a most powerful motive for good, a powerful restraint upon evil. Nor do I feel that this position can be shaken or evaded. If it be still further objected, that many, that even the majority of, professing Christians, spend so much thought upon another world. that they fail to study and obey the organic laws, and both shorten life and render it miserable; whereas, if they did not hope for another life, they would study to make themselves happy in this ; I answer, by admitting the fact, but denying that it is a neeessary consequence of believing in an hereafter. So far from it, the highest possible prepa- ration for enjoyment in this life, constitutes the best possible prepara- tion for enjoying immortality; and vice versa, the highest possible preparation for eternity, involves the very state which will best fit us to enjoy time. I know, indeed, that perhaps the majority of our truly religious people, neglect health, and often hasten their death, solely in consequence of their religious zeal. But, is this the necessary^ the universal, inevitable consequence of this hope of immortality? Is A utterly impossible to indulge the latter without inducing the former'/ Surely not, and he is simple who asserts otherwise. In short: Viewed in any light, in all aspects, the inference is con- clusive—is established by the highest order of evidence.—that the lc gitimate, normal function of hope is to expect to exist beyond the grave. This established, and the inference becomes clear and even demon- strative, that there is a future state adapted to this faculty. If not—if there be no hereafter, why was this faculty, or at least this manifesta- tion or exercise of it, ever planted in the breast of man ? Would a God of truth and mercy thus deceive us ? Would he cruelly raise the cup of immort?lity to our lips only to tantalize us therewith while alive, and then to deceive us with the hope of immortality thereby raised in our souls, while no immortality exists to await or fill this natural de- 279 A FUTURE STATE. 123 sire and expectation ? In case there were no hereafter, man would have no hope adapted thereto, or capable of creating this expectation. And, surely, the location of hope by the side of spirituality, so that the two may naturally act together, and thereby create the desire, the feeling, that there is a spiritual state, and that we shall exist therein forever, forms the strongest kind of proof that there is an hereafter, a spiritual, never-ending state, adapted to that constitutional arrangement of the nature of man. Who can doubt the concentration of proof that goes to establish this glorious result ? Who can say that this radiat- ing focus of truth is but midnight darkness, or only the glare of the delusive ignis fatuus ? Nor have I ever seen the man who could inva- lidate this blessed conclusion. It is plainly grafted on the nature of man, or, rather, founded in it. The admission of the truth of Phre- nology, presupposes, and necessarily implies, the conclusion to which we have thus been brought. And I am free to confess, that, faith aside, and as a matter of reason and argument, I pin my hopes of im- mortality (and they are neither few nor weak,) on this argument. No other argument that I have ever seen at all compares with it in point of clearness and force. I repeat it. A natural, spontaneous ex- ercise of the faculty of hope, is an expectation of existing hereafter. This is its natural, legitimate, primitive function; therefore, this faculty is adapted, and adapts man, to an hereafter. Hence there is an hereafter adapted to this organ. Many infidels have been converted from Atheism, or at least from scepticism thereby. Among the thousands that have come to my Knowledge, the following are given as samples:— " Neio-Fairfield, March, 1843. " Mr. Editor—During the little leisure I could get from the duties of a private school under my charge for about eighteen months past, I have been studying Phrenology. From the first, I was so deeply interested in its principles, its application to morals, religion, and al- most every other subject of public importance, that I determined to become its public advocate as soon as I could command time and means to acquire that practical proficiency adequate to the accom- plishment of the duties involved in so responsible an undertaking. And I think, of all other persons, I have the greatest reason to love and to reverence Phrenology, inasmuch as it has been one of the prin- cipal instruments in saving me from the rock of infidelity, on which I had struck. When I saw, that the mind was constitutionally adapted to the great and leading principles of Christianity, I was enabled to comprehend the fallacy of the base and servile doctrines of the infideL Instead of inculcating or encouraging any thing anti-Christian, as iome in their ignorance and opposition have said, Phrenology beauti- 124 HOPE, AND ITS BEARINGS' 280 fully explains and establishes all the important principles of religion. We find, that certain organs of the brain are necessary for the exer- cise of those feelings of worship and adoration of the Deity, trust in his providences, and confidence in the revelations of his will. Hence, the infidel must, at least, be deficient in the organs of venera- tion and marvellousness, and, accordingly, this was the case with me. And now, to obviate this tendency to disbelief, I set intellect over against it, and take the revelations of God for granted, without once trying to doubt them—knowing that my doubts are the result of small marvellousness. To me, the fact, that there is an organ whose func- tion is, trust in Divine providence, and belief in the spiritual, proves a future state, and an over-ruling hand. If this be not the case( then the Creator has given us a faculty for perceiving, and having faith in, a state which does not exist—a thing entirely incompatible with the character of Omnipotence. " Now, the confirmed infidel or atheist requires some plain, posi tive, and tangible evidence, that may be brought under the cogniz- ance of his senses ; and this is the kind of evidence afforded by Phre- nology, for he can both see and feel it. It was this process of reason- ing that convinced me of the truth of Christianity, and the error of infidelity, and I feel bound by love to the science, and the interest 1 feel for those who have unfortunately stranded upon the shoals of in fidelity, to make this public statement. " B. J. Gray." Extract of a letter from a gentleman in It. 1., dated May, 1844. "A little more than a year since, an inquiry arose in my mind re specting the truth of the fundamentals of religion, such as the being of a God—the divinity of the scriptures, &c. But, my mind becom ing excited on these points, and getting into a doubting, sceptical mood, did not stop here. I asked after the foundation and origin of governments, the utility of the social state, &c. I would know what constituted an action virtuous, or if there was actually any propriety in the distinction of right and wrong. I ruminated over all the ' scenes of man,' to inquire into the elements of every thing, to see if, in spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,' whatever is, is right1—I feared what ever is, is wrong ; or, at least, I felt I must see the reasons for Pope's proposition. ' Time would fail me' to give you a detailed account of the state of mind into which I was hurled. What I have said must suffice. But I began to read extensively. I procured the best books I could obtain on the subjects which looked most momentous to me. I began to meditate also methodically and rigidly, to determine per- plexing questions with the precision of a philosopher. But I found, what I had partly realized before, that authors differed, and that I was in want of first principles. In my distress, I turned my attention to Phrenology, of which I had already a little knowledge, for salvation from universal scepticism's painful confusion or derangement—which last I very much feared. And, blessed be God, I found it a uni- versal logic, an endless dictionary, a chart of the universe, and the God of first principles. Before the revelations of Phrenology, all of my doubts and perplexities fled like morning vapors chased away 281 TESTIMONIALS OF CONVERTS FROM INFIDELITY. 125 by the rising sun, and left my soul to enjoy a great amount of truth, established in the certainty of demonstration. And it was durino- the time of my emancipation from the thraldom of corroding, soul-killing uncertainties, that I became acquainted with your writings. I feel to rejoice that you have ever been raised up to labor as a Phrenologist. ******** I must say, before I close, I am waiting with intense interest to see what you shall say upon theology in the ' Journal' of this year. Hun- dreds and thousands are doing the same. Among these, I know of several distinguished ministers of the gospel. Do your best. Be thorough. Your work, ' Natural Theory of Phrenology,' is good; but too limited, as I wrote you several months since. Don't leave a point not thoroughly treated." Letters and statements of this character, flow in continually from all quarters. Those who accuse Phrenology of leading to infidelity and scepticism, either practically or theoretically, have either but a smat- tering of this sublime, this religious science, or else are incapable of comprehending it. Its influence on my own mind has been to deepen my religious feelings, and enlarge their boundaries, not to enfeeble them. True, it has enfeebled my narrow minded sectarian notions. I thank God that it has. Much that was bigoted, intolorant, contracted. and erroneous, it has abolished. But the gold of Ophir, the wealth of India, the treasures of the whole earth, could be but a drop in the buck- et compared with the value of those religious doctrines and feelings it has added to my former religious stock. Nothing would tempt me to return back to that state of semi-darkness from which Phrenology has delivered me. I consider that true religious feeling has been multi- plied within me a hundred fold by this science. Nor, in all my ex- tended acqaintance, do I know the man whom Phrenology has ren- dered infidel. I know those whom it has liberalized. Whose bigotry it has slain. But not whose soul it has hardened to religious impres- sions. It will melt the hearts of all who drink in its doctrines. Fear not, then, intellectual reader. Fear not, pious reader. It will make you better Christians. It will purify your souls. It will elevate your religious nature. It will make you more holy-minded, more exalted in your views of the character and government of God, and go far to- wards preparing you for a blessed immortality. 126 HOPE.—MISCELLANEOUS INFERENCES. 223 SECTION II. HOPE CONTINUED.--MISCELLANEOUS INFERENCES. " Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." Having pointed out the general function of hope, it remains to add a few suggestions relative to its exercise. 1. It is very large in the American head—larger than in the heads of any other nation which it has been my good fortune to examine; caused, doubtless, by that continual inflation of it, growing out of the very nature of our institutions. (See Hereditary Descent, p. 47.) 2. It combines mainly with acquisitiveness; whereas it should com- bine mainly with the moral faculties. We confine our hopes mainly to the things of this world; whereas we should place them mostly on heaven and heavenly things. On this root of the violation of man's nature, grow the inflations and depressions of trade in this country which have overthrown so many, and set our whole nation upon the full gallop after riches. Our pecuniary embarrassments were not caused, cannot be cured, by either political party, or leader, by a na- tional bank, or the want of it, but simply, solely, by the over-exercise of hope, and by confining it to this world ; whereas it should soar to another. And as long as men go on to violate this law of their na- tures, by this wrong exercise of this moral faculty, they must suffer the penalties of its infraction. But, when they will obey this law not only will our pecuniary embarrassments cease, and our worldly spirit be subdued, but all the glorious, soul-inspiring fruits of its pro- per exercise, will be ours in this life, along with a preparation for that which is to come. 3. This organ is sometimes too small. Those professing Chris- tians in whom it is small, with small self-esteem, and large cautious- ness and conscientiousness, suffer much from gloomy religious feelino-s feel extremely unworthy, and too guilty to be saved, and indulge' doubts and fears as to their future salvation. Let such remember that these gloomy doubts and fears are not piety, but are inconsistent with it—that the absence of hope is a defect, and that, if this organ were larger, and conscientiousness smaller, though their conduct would be no better, and heart perhaps worse, yet their hopes of heaven would be much stronger, while their prospect? of future happiness would bi 228 THE PROPER CULTrVATION OF HOPE. 127 less bright. To such, Phrenology says, that these gloomy feelings are caused, not by any actual danger, but simply by their organs. I tells them to cultivate this organ, and not to indulge these religious doubts and fears. 4. I find, that most disbelievers in a future state, have moderate or small hope, and hence their expectation of existing hereafter is feeble. They say and feel, " well, I neither know, nor care much, whether 1 am to live hereafter or not, but I will take my chance with the rest of mankind." To such, this science says, your doubts as to a future state grow out of your imperfect phrenological organization, and not out of the fact that a future state is doubtful. Cultivate and properly direct this faculty, and your doubts will vanish, your soul be cheered with hopes of immortality. 5. The proper cultivation and exercise of hope, becomes a matter of great importance. To show how to enlarge and direct this faculty does not come within the compass of this work, they having been treated in 'Education and Self-Improvement."* Suffice it to say, that in order to enlarge it, it must be exercised, and to effect this, its appro- priate food, (immortality,) must be kept continually before it; it being feasted thereon, and ravished thereby. 6. It is a little remarkable that the exercise of this faculty, in refer- ence to a future state, is so often commended and enforced in the Bible. In this, the Bible harmonizes with Phrenology, and is right. 7. Some beautiful inferences grow out of the combinations of hope and marvellousness, but being in possession of the requiste data, the reader can carry them out for himself. * Directions for cultivating all the moral faculties, and indeed all the faculties, will be found in that work, so that their repetition here would be out of place. 128 BENEVOLENCE. 283 CHAPTER V. BENEVOLENCE.—ITS ANALYSIS, AND THE TRUTHS TAUGHT THEREBY. SECTION I. THE FUNCTION OF BENEVOLENCE, AND THE DUTY AND PLEASURE Of DOING GOOD. " It is more blessed to give than to receive."—Christ. Pain exists, and man is the subject of it. Governed by laws, the violation of which induces pain, man often sins and suffers. Instead of placing us in a world of chaos, confusion, uncertainty, and chance, Infinite Wisdom has seen fit to throw laws around us, and to sanction those laws, by rewarding their obedience with pleasure, and punish- ing their infraction with pain. But for these laws, man could have calculated upon nothing, could have enjoyed, could have effected no- thing ; and without the reward of pleasure attached to their obedience, and a penalty of suffering affixed to their infraction, these laws would have been utterly powerless, and therefore perfectly useless. Indeed, self-contradictory though it may seem, no feature of the Divine charac- ter or government is more benevolent than in the institution of pain ; for, without it, we should be liable, carelessly or ignorantly, to lean upon a red hot stove, or put our hands into prusic acid, and destroy them, and indeed to destroy all parts of our frame a hundred times over, if possible; as we now are, the instant we injure ourselves, or violate any physical law, we feel pain, and are thereby warned of our sin, and seek relief. So in the world of mind. We may even take it for granted, that every pain ever experienced, or ever to be experi- enced by man, is a consequence of the violation of some law of his being. And on the other hand, that evary pleasure we experience, .vhether mental or physical, flows from our voluntary or involuntary obedience of some law. But, if this institution of pain existed, unless man had some faculty analogous to that of benevolence, to dispose him to pour the oil of con- solation into the soul of the sufferer, and assuage his pain, how deso- late would our world have been ! Callous to the sufferings of our fellow-beings, and not disposed to lift a finger to relieve them! Re- 284 THE DUTY AND PLEASURE OF DOING GOOD. 129 gardless of how much pain we inflicted, how much trouble we caused ! not one kind feeling in the soul of man! How utterly desolate! How- shorn of its blesssings, would be our earth! Or, if man had been created an isolated being, incapable of bestowing or receiving favors. or of augmenting or effecting the happiness of his fellow-men, this faculty would have been out of place, and only tormented its possessor with the sight of suffering which could not be relieved. But, a bene- volent God has instituted pain for a wise and beneficial purpose. But letst suffering unrelieved should blast, or at least mar, his works, he has offset it by planting in the soul of man this kindly feeling for his fellow- men. And then, in addition to this, he has put man into that relation with his fellow-men by which he can both assuage their suffering and promote their happiness. Again, the exercise of every organ gives its possessor pleasure in proportion to its size and activity. Benevolence is a large organ, and therefore fills the heart of the truly benevolent man with as pure and enalted pleasure as he is capable of experiencing ; for, " it is more blessed to give than to receive." Thus does it double the pleasure of man ; first, by pouring the oil of consolation into the wounded heart; and, secondly, by filling the benevolent soul with a pure fountain of pleasure, " which the world can neither give nor take away/' But for the existence of suffering, this faculty would have had no sphere of action, and must have been in the way; but, with the existence of pain. man is rendered, as already seen, much more happy than he could possibly have been without either law or consequent suffering; and doubly happy: first, in bestowing charity, and in doing acts of kind- ness ; and secondly, in becoming the recipient ot these favors, and responding to them with heart-felt gratitude. Oh, God! in infinite wisdom hast Thou made us ! Thou hast bound us to Thee and to one another by a three-fold cord of love and wisdom: first, by the institu- tion of pain ; secondly, by off-setting this institution with this faculty, and, thereby, by making its exercise so pleasurable to both giver and receiver ! Wanting in either, Thy government would have been im- perfect. But possessed of all combined, it is infinite in itself, and infi nitely promotive cf the happiness of all Thy terrestrial creatures! The existence i>f this faculty, makes it our imperious duty to exer-< cise it in doing good, and to exercise it much, because it is a large or- gan ; that is, it occupies, when large, a greater periphera or surface on the scull, and a greater amount of brain, than perhaps any othei organ ; and, as already observed, Phrenology requires us to exercise every organ habitually, and in proportion to its relative size when 130 THE FUNCTION OF BENEVOLENCE. 285 large. Man is too selfish, even for his own interes If he were less selfish, he would be more selfish: that is, if he were more benevolent, he would be more happy. This organ saith; " Throw open the doois of thy house to the benighted wanderer. Be more hospitable, for thou mayest entertain angels unawares. Make sacrifices to do good, and thou wilt thus cast thy bread upon the waters, to be gathered in great- ly increased. Nay, in the very act of doing good, thou hast thy re- ward." But, not to dismiss this subject with the mere abstract inference, that it is our duty to do good, let us look at some of its practical illus- trations ; that is, to the advantages to be derived from its general and proper exercise. To draw an illustration from hospitality : To enter- tain friends, and even strangers, is one of our greatest pleasures. It is not the order of nature, that we should have so many public houses. For, besides their being the greatest nuisances that curse any commu- nity, the recepticles of gambling, drinking, and all sorts of wicked- ness, which, but for them, could not exist, they deprive us of that pri- vilege of exercising the hospitable feeling which would result from throwing open our doors to our fellow-men, and loading our tables to feed the hungry. In a tavern, little social feeling is exercised, and but little benevolence. It is purely a dollar and cent affair, and very dear does it cost those who are entertained; because a few of the guests want a great deal of waiting upon, which raises the price, and then those who want but little, have to pay just as much ; thus wound- ing acquisitiveness and conscientiousness. Familiar as I am with the principle, that the violation of any of the natural laws punishes the disobedient, I am, notwithstanding, often surprised and delighted to see it practically illustrated in ways innu- merable, which escape general observation. The violation of the law of hospitality is a case in point. Taverns are the direct, legiti- mate product of the violation of the law of hospitality. And " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive," the number and the aggravation of the public and pri- vate sinfulness and vice, of all descriptions and degrees of heineous- ness, that grow on this root of violated natural law. Drinking, and all the vices that accompany it, " whose name is legion," are their le- gitimate offspring. If taverns produced but this single sin, it would be punishment enough in all conscience, yet this is but the beginning. Balls are another. Not that dancing itself is wrong. Indulged in at proper seasons, say in the day time, or till nine or ten o'clock in the evening, dancing would be the best recreations to be found, and 286 TAVERNS.--THEIR INFLUENCE, ETC. 13 most healthy, especially for woman ; but, carried to excess, and corr* nected, as it usually is, with drinking and many other objectionabla things, especially the exercise of amativeness, in various combinations, I deem it most objectionable. Besides, dancing being carried to sucn excess, generally continued all night, trespasses too much upon time that should be allotted to sleep, of which young people require a great amount. They also cultivate artificial manners. These balls are almost always held in taverns, and go to support them. Another is, tavern associations—tavern stories, (almost always ob- scene,) tavern lingo, of which profane swearing furnishes the warp and considerable of the filling,* betting, political discussions, horse-racing, and this whole class of evils. I should rather bury my children than have them brought up in a tavern where liquor is sold. I would make an exception in favor of temperance taverns, and I urge it upon every temperance man, upon all moral men, to patronize tem- perance taverns wherever they can be found. I never go to any other when there is one in the place, and I am sometimes almost tempted even to solicit entertainment in private families, rather than to put up at a liquor-selling house however " respectable." My brother urges that taverns should be supported at public ex- pense, as we support a minister, for example, so that they may not be allowsd to sell liquor. He argues, that we properly pay taxes to sup- port the poor; that these poor are almost all made by taverns ; and that we should be gainers by supporting taverns at public expense rather than the poor made by these taverns. That they are a great public curse, cannot be questioned. That we can do without them, 1 fully believe. Quakers make perfectly free to call on each other for entertainment wherever they are. I doubt not they call it a great privilege both to entertain each other, though perfect strangers, and certainly it is most grateful to be thus entertained. Let us all mani- fest the quaker spirit, and we shall rid our land of its most blighting * Swearing is unquestionably a great sin, not so much against Gcd, as the swearer. If, as is often, perhaps usually, the case, it is mainly the dialect of an- ger and blackguardism, it simply shows the disposition of the one who swears, and tends to increase his rough, wrathful state of mind. If it has become habitual, it shows that these feelings are habitual, and indicates permanent depravity. It also tends to increase these unhappy feelings in the minds of those who hear it. Swearing before children is very bad; because all children will imitate, and by imi- tating the language of swearers, they soon come to feel the accompanying feel- ing, and thus grow up under the dominion of the propensities. I put swearing up- on the ground of the injury it does to the swearer and to the community, rather than on its being an offence against God. It also indicates vulgarity. .32 BENEVOLENCE.--DOING GOOD. 287 sirocco—public houses—and both give and receive a vast amount of pleasure. This doctrine is correct in theory, and beautiful in practice, and I hereby extend the rites of hospitality to all who may chance tc pass my door,* and want victuals or lodging, as free as the air we breathe. By this means, vast accessions of knowledge would be de- rived by that interchange of views, experience, feelings, &c, conse- quet thereon. Acquaintances would be extended, friends multiplied. and society linked together by the strongest of bonds. In short, it is impossible to count or estimate the blessings that would grow on this tree of the nature of man. Another illustration of the beneficial effects of exercising benevo ence, is to be found in providing for the poor. The way they are now supported, almost entirely precludes the exercise of this faculty. This should not be. I doubt whether there need ever be any poor. To do away with taverns alone would obviate probably two thirds of their number. And most of the balance would never be- come poor but for this grasping love of money which actuates all classes, and hoards immense wealth in the hands of the few, and thereby"ever over-reaches the many. Property is only another name for the necessaries and comforts of life. Now it is plain, that if a few have a great amount of them, the many must be proportionally de- prived thereof. I believe it wrong to become very rich, and that it should be prohibited by law, just as we prohibit other things that in- jure the public. Especially, if we give the poor an opportunity to help themselves, nearly all would embrace it. To be supported at public expense, is most humiliating. How many poor widows have worked themselves into their graves to support a starving family, rather than to go upon the town! Reader, writer! how would you like to go to the poor- house ? But, when poor, and needing help, if some more fortunate neigh bor would give you an opportunity to help yourself, to till land, or to do other work, how would your lightened heart leap for joy ! The prettiest way to help a poor neighbor is to employ him, and to give him ample, bountiful if you please, wages. A story:—A fortunate, but benevolent man, had a poor colored neighbor too infirm to do much, but very deserving. The former would sell to the latter, but postpone the reception of pay, or tell him that he would give him a certain sum per capot for whatever tares * Three miles north of Fishkill village, on the road to Ponghkeepsie, Dutches rounty, N. Y. I call ic ' The Bird's Nest." 3t88 HOW TO EXERCISE BENEVOLENCE. 133 or vermin he wished exterminated; say, a round sum for the head of every crow, or squirrel, or muskrat, &c, or for every thistle-root, or dock-root, &c. In this way, the poor man nominally paid for what he had, so as to be relieved from that oppressive feeling of obligation and dependence that always accompanies the reception of gifts, and yet was as much benefited as though he had not paid a cent. Thou sands of ways which every reader can devise for himself, may be contrived in which to bestow charity and yet relieve the recipient from all feelings of obligation. Making christmas, new-year, and other holiday presents, furnishes another delightful exercise of this faculty. Phrenology recommends it most cordially, and also the general interchange of neighborly acts, Thus : " neighbor A. come over into my orchard whenever you like and help yourself to such apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, and the like as you please." •' Thank you, neighbor, I will avail myself of your kind offer. I have a fine lot of currents, more, probably, than will be wanted. Come over or send any of your folks, and pick what you like. My grapes come on finely, and when ripe, make free to pick what you want." Or, as you pick a fine watermellon for your din- ner, send one in to your neighbor, or a dish of fruit, or a quarter of veal, or a few pounds of butter, or a large loaf of cake, or what- ever you can conveniently spare. Neighbors should not count dollars and cents as often as they now do; nor as many thousands. My uncle and my father, living on adjoining farms, were in the habit of" changing works," whenever either needed help and the other could spare it. If either had a lot of hay down and needed help, and the other was not driven with work, they would both turn too and help each other ; and so in reference to grain, or hoeing, or ploughing— every thing that seemed to require it; neither ever thinking of keep- ing any account, or putting the matter on the ground of debt or credit, but on that of neighborly accommodation. Nor did I ever hear a word of complaint from either, that the other had not helped his part, or any thing of this kind. So that neighbors can interchange these acts of kindness greatly to the accommodation of each other, and with- out any thing to mar the good resulting therefrom. Again. Many more things should be regarded as common prop- erty than now are. Say, let every town own considerable public ground, on which any who pleased are allowed to raise potatoes, or corn, or what they like or need. So, also, let there be much more public spirit than now exists. Let every town have its pleasure park, full of fruit and ornamental trees, the fruit of which shall be common 134 THE DUTY AND PLEASURE OF DOING GOOD. 289 property, and where the whole town may congregate, say at sunset for recreation and an interchange of good feeling—where our youth may meet for play, where our boys may drive the ball, our girls the hoop, our maidens take the fresh air, and give vent to their youthful, buoy- ant, sportive, merry, happy feelings. There is no telling how much pleasure, profit, might be derived from such an arrangement. Analogous to this would be that of lining our roads with fruit trees of all kinds. Let the inhabitants of any town, of all our towns, save the pits and seeds of all the fruit eaten in but a single year, and plant them by the way-side, and then graft them with the very best of fruits when old enough, and what vast quantities of fruits would they pro- duce in twenty years, sufficient to supply every family in town, and thousands to spare. The poor could pick and sell to our cities, and thus live comfortably, or at least be relieved from pinching want. What a vast blessing might be conferred on coming ages by a little pains on the part of a few. For one, I shall line the road that passes across my little farm in this manner, pro bono publico, and persuade all I can to do the same. Let all the believers in Phrenology do this, and long would posterity extol that science which prompted so wise, so philanthropic a deed. If it be objected, that in this case, each, eager to get his share, or perhaps all he can, will scramble for it before it is ripe, I answer, Have enough for all. If it be further objected, that the cattle will browse off the trees, I reply, Still, the trees will get above them, gra- dually to be sure, but ultimately. Or, they may be protected till above their reach. Or a town ordinance might easily exclude them from the streets. An additional motive for moving in this good cause, is to be found in the fact, that bread and fruit are the two main supporters of ani- mal life, or at least, the best. Bread is emphatically the staff of life— the very best article of diet that our earth produces. Fruit is most wholesome, besides being so very delicious. But it is the two united which constitutes the diet for man. A meal made of good home-made bread manufactured of flour not killed in being ground and bolted, eaten with first-rate apples, either raw, or baked, or stewed, or made into sauce, is the most palatable, the most wholesome, that can possi- bly be eaten. Few are aware of the fact, that a meal of this kind gives more gustatory pleasure in eating than a meal made up of any other sort of food. Fruit should always be eaten with meals, and as a part of them. The juice of fruit, either bohed down into a jelly, and eaten on bread in place of butter, or the juice of fruit with bread 290 BENEVOLENCE SHOULD BE EXERCISED PROPERLY. 135 crumbled into it, and eaten as we eat bread and milk, is most delicious, most wholesome. No better article of diet can be had. Butter is most injurious. A poor family need not starve, if they can get nothing else, especially if they had some handy press for mashing and pressing the fruit, say every day or two, as it is wanted for use, so that it need not ferment. The juice of all fruit after fermentation has taken place, is most injurious. But apples can easily be kept till straw- berries are ripe. Cherries, blackberries, currants, &c, last till early apples and peaches come again, and thus nature has so arranged it that we may have fruit the year round. Has the reader never ob- served how wholesome and palatable strawberries are to the sick, es- pecially to consumptive patients ? And if I had a consumptive patient in the strawberry season, I should order as many as the patient pleas- ed to eat. I should not only prescribe them in place of medicine, but as medicine. They will even effect cures where medicine will not. The diet above recommended, would prevent most our of sickness, by which so many are made poor, and would in nine cases out of ten restore health. An arrangement for raising abundance of bread-stuff might easily be made, or in its absence, potatoes, easily raised in any abundance, might be substituted, and thus the poor be relieved. Besides, there is such a thing as saving at the spigot, but letting it run out at the bung—as giving to the poor by littles, and yet allow- ing causes to remain in action—to even augment—which increase poverty by wholesale. Giving a shilling here, a dollar there, five dollars yonder, dered incontestable, demonstration, certain. If required to prove that man was constitutionally a seeing being, and not so by education, I should be unwise to aigue the point, but simply appeal to the fact that he is created with eyes—a kind of ad hominem home proof, which it is impossible to gainsay or resist. The highest order of proof that reason is innate rather than taught, is the fact that man possesses ori- ginal elements of reason. The human mind is so constituted that it cannot *possibly resist or evade this kind of proof, any more than it can resist the evidence of the senses. It is, in fact, proof drawn from the senses, and founded on them; for we see that he has originally a primary organ and faculty of conscience. We also see its workings. We see that he possesses the primary power of conscience, just as we see that he possesses the primary elements of walking ; and we also see and feel the workings of this faculty, just as we see and know that he walks and talks. If his having feet proves him to be a walking being ; his possession of lungs, a breathing being ; of a sto- mach, a nutritive being; of eyes, a seeing being; of causality, a reasoning being ; of sexes, a sexual being; of benevolence, a humane being ; of veneration, a devotional being ; of language, a communi- cative being, then does the existence in him of conscientiousness prove him to be a moral, accountable, rewardable, punishable being. Ma- thematical demonstration is not clearer, stronger, more demonstrative, ad hominem, infallible, than is this species of reasoning. Indeed, whoever rejects its conclusions, is incapable of reasoning—incapable of arriving at any conclusions, or knowing any thing whatever ; and as such, he is unworthy of notice. How unjust, then, the accusation that Phrenology establishes fatal- ism, when it overthrows that doctrine, and establishes the moral ac- countability of man! And if any thing were wanting to complete this argument, the fact that there is an organ of will, (the lower por- tion of self-esteem,) goes, if possible, still farther; and the two toge- ther establish the additional doctrine, not only that he is a moral and accountable being, but also free to choose, will, decide, and act for himself; which completes his punishability as well as accountability, Those, therefore, who accuse Phrenology of favoring fatalism, are either ignorant or bigoted. So far from it, it even furnishes this mora] accountability of man, to the Christian already proved—as clearly lemonstrated as any proposition in geometry. Receive it, then. At 144 MORAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF MAN. 299 least stop these Ciamorous imputations. Let it also be remembered, that under the head of veneration, by proving the existence of a God, Atheism was proved to be false ; of marvellousness, the immateriality or the spirituality of the soul was proved; and of hope, a future state of being was also proved to exist. No refutation of these objections can be more complete, and even demonstrative. To every reflecting reader, I have now two points to submit. First, whether the innateness of conscience, and the moral accountability of man, has not been set completely at rest by being demonstrate,!, as we would demonstrate that, two and two make four. Secondly, whether the accusation that Phrenology leads to fatalism, is not n.v:st unjust and even reprehensible ; for if those who bring it, do not kno ,v enough about it to know better, they know nothing about it, and should say nothing; but if they do Know better, they are actually culpa, lie. So that whoever brings it, is censurable, and should be esteemed1 1 e fc;ss therefore. Nor will it be long before this will be the case. SECTION II. THE NATURE AND RATIONALE OF RIGHT AND WRONG; OR THE FOUN- DATION OF MORAL OBLIGATION. Having established the moral accountability of man, and the exis- tence of first principles of right and wrong, two questions naturally present themselves to the reflecting mind. Since the quality of right and wrong necessarily appertain to our opinions, conduct, expressions. feelings, &c. First: What things are right, and what wrong, that we may choose the former, but refuse the latter. Secondly: Why is that right which is right, and wherefore is that wrong which is wrong? In what does this quality consist ? In what fundamental principles is it based ? What are the constitutional ele- ments of right and wrong ; of sin and holiness ; of virtue and vice ? Though the first question naturally comes first, yet its answer de- pends upon that given to the latter question. Hence, the last shall be discussed first. In July, 1S43, the author listened to an able discourse, preached by the Rev. Mr. Culver, of the Tremont Temple, Boston, from the text; 300 THE nature of right and wrong. 145 " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,*" in which he urged that the com- mand of God constituted the ground-work of right, and his prohibi- tion, that of wrong ;—that the Jews were commanded on certain occa- sions, to sacrifice a white heifer, not because a white heifer was better than one of any other color, not because there was any fitness in a white heifer moi e than in others; but simply, solely because God commanded a white heifer to be sacrificed ;—that baptism by immer- sion was right—not because there was any inherent virtue, either in it itself, or in it more than in sprinkling; but simply, wholly, because Christ commanded it—that we should love God supremely, and our neighbors as ourselves, for no other reason whatever than because God commanded it;—that a " Thus saith the Lord," was what consti- tuted that right, which was right,—that wrong, which it prohibited, and not the nature of the thing commanded. And my impression is, that this is the doctrine maintained by the great majority of ministers and laymen. But, from this doctrine Phrenology dissents in toto. It shows that the Tightness of right, and the wrong of wrong, are constitutional, being based in the very nature and fitness of things, without any reference to either command or prohibition of God on the one hand, or to the want of them on the other. Suppose it possible for God to command that which was wrong in itself;—suppose it wrong in the very nature of things for a man to seize a virgin by force, carry her off by main strength, and compel her to live with him in opposition to her wishes, such a course being repugnant to her, besides sundering those social ties that bound parents to her and her to the home of her youth, would that command render it right—render any thing right that is wrong in itself—necessarily constitutionally wrong ? I trow not. Phrenology shows, as fully, conclusively as it shows any thing —and we have seen that this is perfectly demonstrative, and from precisely the same data, that the right is right, and the wrong is wrong; not at all because commanded or forbidden by God, but solely, wholly, because so by constitution,—-by nature, in and of itself, and without any reference whatever to the commands or prohibitions of God. If things are rendered right or wrong by the word of God merely, then are there many things which are right constitutionally, but wrong in fact; and others wrong by nature, but right by command ; while the great majority of our every day feelings and doings are destitute of all moral character, because neither commanded or forbidden, at • Matt, xxii, 39. 146 right and wrong are rendered so by their effects. 30 least explicitly. How can a fiat of the Bible render any thing r.ght or wrong, good or bad, not right or wrong, good or bad, in and of itself? Is it possible for a command of the Bible to alter, add to, ab- rogate, one iota of the original constitutionality of right aud wrong ? This would be to array the Bible against nature—against even the fundamentals of that nature. It would make the Bible say, " Obser- ving this ordinance, is right, is a moral duty obligatory upon every member of the human family, from the moment of its institution; its neglect wrong, sinful, punishable ;" while the voice of nature responds : " No such thing. There is no right or wrong about it either way." I caution believers in the Bible not to array it against nature, for the latter will not yield one hair's breadth to the former, and what is more, what is most, nothing will equally lower the estimation of the Bible in intelligent minds, or more effectually advance infidelity. It requires considerable patience even to argue a point so pal- pably fallacious in itself, and so directly in the teeth of the nature of man. The fact of the existence of the faculty of conscientiousness as an innate, primary element of the human mind, proves both the existence of right and wrong, and also their constitutionality—that they are so of necessity and in their own inherent nature, not by the requirements of the Scriptures. Though the Deity commands us to do wkat is right, and forbids us to do what is wrong; yet, things are right and wrong in and of themselves and prior to all command, independently of all prohibition. Phrenology demonstrates this point in and with its demonstration of the existence of conscience. The two necessarily go together. They can never be separated without doing violence. To argue the point, that things are often rendered right or wrong by legislation, by law, &c, such as that hanging is right when it is legal, and because of its legality,—because we are commanded to obey our rulers, &c, is folly; for he whose conscience is so weak as to imbibe such a doctrine has not sufficient conscience to yield assent to the right when he knows it. And yet, there are those, and those too who have considerable influence, weak enough, intellectually as well as morally, to advocate a doctrine that strips right of all its high and holy sanctions, and makes it a mere thing—a mere play-thing, even—with which mortals may tamper and even sport—a perfect weather-vane, shifting continually with every shift of legislation, how- ever corrupt But, to the point: Why is the right, right ? Wherefore is the wrong, wrong ? I answer: They are rendered so by their consequence*—by 302 happiness is the object of man's creation. 147 their effects on the happiness and the misery of ourselves and others This is rendered evident, by that fundamental principle on which every department of the nature of man proceeds. That principle is happiness. I will not here illustrate this doctrine in detail. The reader will find it run out in part in the few first pages of « Education and Self-Improvement." It is there shown, that the fundamental basis of the nature of man—the only end, object, function, and entire con- stitution of every organ of the body, every faculty of the mind, every element of our nature, is happiness, all happiness, and nothing but happiness. As this is an important point, the reader must pardon an- other quotation from "Education and Self-Improvement," p. 13 in which this fundamental principle is, perhaps, expressed better than it could be if re-written. " That Happiness is the sole object of Man's creation, is rendered evident by its being the only legitimate product of every organ of his body, of every faculty of his mind, of every element of his nature. What but happiness is the end sought and obtained in the creation of every bone, of every joint, of every muscle ?—happiness in their exer- cise, happiness in locomotion, labor, &c, and happiness in the results obtained by this motion. What but pleasure is the legitimate func- tion of the eye ?—the most exquisite pleasure in the exercise of sight itself, and an inexhaustible fund of happiness in the ends attained by seeing—in its enabling us to find our way, and in pouring into the mind a vast fund of information, and also furnishing an inexhaustible range of materials for thought and mental action. What but enjoy- men* is the end sought and secured by the creation of lungs ?—enjoy- ment in breathing freely the fresh air of heaven, and enjoyment in the expenditure of that vitality furnished thereby ; few realizing the amount of pleasure cabbie of being taken in quaffing luxuriantly and abundantly the health-inspiring breeze! What other object than pleasure dictated the creation of the stomach?—pleasure in the act of digestion, and pleasure in the expenditure of those vital energies pro- duced thereby. And what is the object sought and obtained in the creation of the brain and nervous system—what but happiness is the only legitimate product of their primitive function?—happiness in their exercise itself, and inexhaustible happiness in that boundless range of mental and moral ends secured by their creation. Narrowing down our observations to the mental faculties^ we find the same sole end sought and obtained by the creation of each one separately, and all'collectively. Benevolence was created both to pour the oil of consolation into the wounded heart, to avoid occasions ol pain, and to beautify and bless mankind ; and also to pour still greater blessings into the soul of the giver; for, it is even " more blessed to give than to receive." Parental love, while it renders the parent hap- py in providing for darling infancy and lovely chiilhood, also renders the child most happy in receiving the blessmgs showered down upon !48 MAN WAS MADE TO BE PERFECTLY HAPPY. 303 it by this happifying faculty. The legitimate function of _ ideality is pleasure; both in contemplating the beautiful and the exquisite in na ture and in art, and also in refining and purifying all the grosser ele ments of our nature, and softening and gracing all our conduct. Ac- quisitiveness was created to afford pleasure, both in the mere acquisi. tion of property, edibles, and the comforts and conveniences of life; and also to furnish all the other faculties with the means of gratifica- tion: appetite, with food; benevolence, with the means of bestowing charity; cautiousness, with instruments of defence; the social feel- ings, with comforts for the family ; inhabitiveness, with a home ; con- structiveness, with tools, farming utensils, &c. ; intellect, with books, philosophical apparatus, and the means of prosecuting the study of nature and her laws, &c Appetite, while it gives us gustatory plea- sure in partaking of food, also furnishes the stomach with the mate- rials required for manufacturing that nourishment and strength with- out which every enjoyment would be cut off, and life itself soon cease. Causality was created, not only to produce the richest harvest of plea- sure in studying the laws and operations of nature, but also, that we might adapt ways and means to ends, and secure our own highest good, by applying the laws of causation to the production of whatever results we might desire. The legitimate function of language is to furnish a world of pleasure, merely in the act of talking, and then to add to it that inexhaustible fountain of happiness which flows from imparting and receiving knowledge, ideas, motives for action, &c, and in reading, in hearing lectures, sermons, &c, &c. Memory en- ables us to recollect what gave us pleasure, and what pain, that Ave might repeat the former and avoid the latter ; that we might remember faces, places, numbers, &c, and recall our knowledge at pleasure, so as to apply it to beneficial purposes. Veneration naturally gives us pleasure, both in worshipping God, and in those holy, purifying influences which prayer sheds abroad in the soul. The same princi- ple applies to Friendship, to Connubial Love, to Ambition, to Perse- verance,to Sense of Justice, to Hope, to Imitation, and to every othei element of the human mind. I repeat: The legitimate function every physical organ, of every mental faculty, of every element of of man, is happiness, all happiness, pure, unalloyed, unmitigated happiness, and nothing else. Man was made solely to be happy, to be perfectly happy, and for that alone.—Nor does the needle point to its pole more uniformly and certainly, than does every part of man point to this one result. No truth can be more plain, more universal, more self-evident." I call upon all who doubt this great truth, to specify a single organ, faculty, function, any thing, of the nature of man, of which this is not the palpable, self-evident fact. No truth is more apparent. It runs throughout all nature. It is the sulistratum of every thing belonging to the nature of man. 304 WHATEVER. IS RIGHT IS PROMOTIVE OF HAPPINESS. 149 Right, of course, then, harmonizes with this great arrangement of nature, is founded in it, is designed to carry it out. Wrong conflicts therewith, and violates it. And whatever does conflict therewith, (that is, whatever occasions pain,) is wrong, and wrong because of this con- flict—because it causes pain. So, also, whatever harmonizes with it (that is, whatever causes happiness,) is right, and right because it pro- duces pleasure—because it fulfils not merely a law, but the law—all the laws in one—of the primitive nature and constitution of man. How this principle can be controverted, I see not. So constituted is the human mind as to see, and feel, that the normal action of every department of its nature is pleasure, and pleasure only ; and that all pain proceeds from—is caused by—a violation of that nature. It is also so constituted as to see that right consists in obeying the laws of our being, and wrong in their violation, as well as that their observ- ance is right—their infraction wrong. Put these two points together, and the result is clear, satisfactory, that the fundamental basis of right, —its rationale, the reason why right is right, is—the happiness that flows therefrom—the furtherance of the end of our being occasioned thereby; it amounting to the same thing as an augmentation, or in- crease, of ourselves, namely, happiness. And, per contra, the reason why wrong is wrong, is, that it violates, or counteracts, that nature— mars the work of God, by inducing suffering. One phase more of this argument: That whatever is right, is pro- motive of happiness, no one will for a moment deny, and, vice versa, that whatever is promotive of happiness, is right, as well as that the opposite is true as to wrong. Otherwise, the nature of man is at war with happiness ; and nature, with nature. And what is more, happi- ness and right, on the one hand, and suffering and sinfulness on the other, stand related to each other in the light of cause and effect. That either obedience to law, that is, virtue, causes happiness, or else that virtue is caused by, or else consists in, obedience to law, and, per con tra, that the violation of law, (that is, sinfulness,) causes pain, or else that sinfulness is caused by suffering, is self-evident, from the fact, that the one is the cause, and the other the effect The first impression is, that obedience to law is the cause, and happiness the effect. But why is-obedience the cause? To secure the effect, (happiness,) of eourse. Hence, it is self-evident, that it is this effect, (namely, happiness,) that governs. Right would not be right if it did not secure this effect. Hence, as happiness governs virtue, it of course is the cause of virtue. The contrary is true of pain and sinfulness. In sinning, or disobey- ing law, we suffer in order to make us ooey. To avoid suffering, in 150 man has a natural aptitude for pleasure. 305 the governing motive, and not merely or mainly to avoid doing wrong, per se. Wrong in itself, and aside from the suffering it causes, is a matter of little account. It is to escape suffering that constitutes the governing motive, so that it is this suffering which governs, and, therefore, becomes the cause and the essence of the sinfulness of sin. Finally, and mainly: Man has a natural aptitude for pleasure, and a natural shrinking from pain. This arrangement of his nature, is the whole of him—all there is in him, and of him, and about him This is the git and quintessence of his entire constitution, and of every adaptation, and organ, and function, of which he is composed. This is the neucleus. Every thing else in him, and of him, is attached to —is gathered on this. Along with that of all his other elements, it forms the centre of right and wrong. Right and wrong, like every thing else, are dovetailed into—framed upon—this standard, this foun- dation timber, of the man. Hence, right becomes right when, and because, it squares and plums with this standard : and wrong becomes wrong solely in consequence of its deviating therefrorii. In short, the pith and summary of the whole argument, is simply this: Happi- ness, along with suffering as its natural antagonist, forms the govern- ing principle or element of the nature of man. This governing prin- ciple of his nature, of course governs reason, friendship, appetite, praise, censure, kindness, connubial and parental love, truth, refinement, vul- garity, hope, fear, virtue, sinfulness, right, wrong, sin, holiness, good- ness, badness—the whole of man, and, by consequence, becomes the cause, and the rationale, of them all, right and wrong, goodness and badness, of course included. To take a few examples:—It is right that we exercise benevolence. But, why right? Simply, because that, by so doing, we further the end of our creation—enjoyment—both our own, and that of the fellow- being whom we help. Nor is there any other reason why it is right to exercise it. There is but one other possible reason why it is right; and that is, the command or will of God, to which we shall come pre- sently. The opposite holds true of causing pain. To cause suffering for the sake of causing it, is wrong. This, all admit. But, why wrong ? Because it retards the end of creation by producing its opposite. Nor is there any other reason why it is wrong to inflict pain as such. It is right to eat It is our bounden duty. It is wrong to starve. But, why ? Solely because not eating causes pain to ourselves and others, which does violence to this fundamental law of our nature—the law of happiness. Our eating does not effect the Deity. We cannot offend Him by not eating. Nor by eating too much. He is infinitely 306 how man's conduct stands m RELATION to his GOD. i5I &.bove all influences which it is possible for mortals to exert. To sup- pose it possible for our sinfulness to affect the Almighty, is to degrade him by putting him upon a par with man! I am loath to argue a point so self-evident. I can hardly believe that any intelligent mind really entertains such an idea, except by tradition, or from supersti- tion. Certainly not from intellect Its absurdity could be easily de- monstrated, but to state it is refutation sufficient. It is at war with every principle of common sense—at war with the Bible, which saith: —" Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profit- able unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous ? Or, is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?" —Job xxii. 2, 3. "If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or, if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou to him? or, what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy wickness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man."—Job xxxv. 6, 7, 8. " What is man, that thou art mindful of him," &c. &c. If by sinning against God be meant simply a breach of his laws, —the laws of nature, then may man be truly said to sin against God, but not in the sense of offending him literally. Man can indeed break the law of God; because all the laws of our being may be considered as laws of God; and man being capable of obeying and breaking these laws, he is, of course, capable of obeying or of dis- obeying God. In this sense, but in no other, does the conduct of mortals stand related to their God.' But, to proceed with our illustrations: It is right to worship God in spirit and in truth, not at all because our righteousness affects the Almighty, or our impiety injures him, but simply because in so doing we secure to our own souls the beneficial effects of our prayer. Prayer softens down the propensities, subdues the soul, elevates the higher faculties, and makes us happy. Therefore it is right, but not because it in the least affects the Deity. It is wrong to take the name of God in vain, not because profanity injures the Almighty, but be- cause it renders the swearer unhappy, by debasing his feelings, cultivating the propensities, searing the moral sentiments, and thus rendering him and those affected thereby miserable. It is right to keep our word; because a liar is not to be believed though he speak the truth, and therefore loses all the advantages of confidence; but he who keeps his word inviolate, his character spotless, his credit good, reaps all the benefits of thus fulfilling this law of his being, (and they are many and great,) besides rendering his fellow-men 152 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONG. 307 happy in so doing; whereas he who does not regard his promises occasions pain to his fellow-men. It is the pain consequent on disho- nesty, a breach of truth, pupmises, &c, which constitutes them wrong. And the more pain they occasion, the more wicked they are. So murder is a most heinous crime, because it occasions so much misery so much to the one deprived of life and all its blessings, to his family or friends, to community, besides it so effectually hardens the heart of its wicked perpetrator. So of stealing. So of every crime that can be named. We might thus take up one after another, any and all of the laws of our being, physical or moral, and show that the heinousness of their violation consists in the pain consequent on such enfraction; that the virtue of their obedience consists in the happiness caused thereby. But this is unnecessary ; for if this is the case of one, it is so of all. To the principle alone reference is had ; and if that prin- ciple applies to the above illustrations, it applies to all illustrations— to all possible shades and phases of both sin and holiness. If to this it be objected, that it is motive alone which constitutes the virtue or the sinfulness of acts, I answer: This has nothing whatever to do with the nature of right and wrong. We are now discussing the constituent elements of right and wrong. Motive may make an action which is right in itself, wrong in the doer, or one wrong in itself, right in the doer. Thus, in attempting to deceive or wrong my neighbor, I might do him an actual favor. My wrong intention might make it wrong in me, and yet the act done did not eventuate in wrong to him, but the reverse. Or, if in attempting to shoot a furious bull which was tearing my friend in pieces, I should shoot my friend, I should do wrong, while I meant right. This killing my neighbor is wrong in itself, but not wrong to me, because done by accident. Still, this is foreign from the real point under discussion; namely, the con- stituent elements of right and wrong, in and of themselves. The question of motive will be discussed hereafter. This principle, that the nature of right and wrong is founded in the pleasure or pain consequent thereon, does not tally with the prin- ciple of deism, which maintains that there is no such thing as right and wrong in the abstract; for it demonstrates that there is a right, a wrong, in itself—-in the abstract—in its own nature, and in the nature of things. This difference is fundamental—as toto ccelo as the admission of the principle of a conscience is from its total denial__ as the admission of the existence of right and wrong per se is different from its denial. This doctrine enforces the moral accountrbility of 308 THERE IS CONSTITUTIONALLY A RIGHT AND A WRONG. 153 man. That denies it. In short; light does not differ fror. darkness, or heat from cold, more than this deistical doctrine of no right, no wrong, does from the phrenological doctrine of the existence of both, per se. Touching the morality, the accountability, and the punish- ability of men, it makes all the difference of a positive and a negative. To Christianity, this principle, that conscience is innate, as well as the one that right is right in its very nature and constitution, is very important. Not only does it harmonize with a similar doctrine taught in the Bible, " Deal justly]' " Owe no man any thing," " Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them," " Lie not, but obey the truth," " Righteousness exalteth a nation," &c. &c, in texts without number ; but what is still more, it greatly enhances the moral virtue of doing right, as well as the heinousness of doing- wrong. It gives to the right a distinctive character, a spe- cific nature of its own, thereby imparting to it a moral beauty, power, and grandeur which, if it did not possess, it would be tame and pow- erless, as well as destitute of all inherent, specific character, while it reveals in bold relief the naked deformity and inherent moral turpi- tude and heinousness of sin. This principle renders right jand wrong positive in their characters. In maintaining the doctrines of Christ- ianity, this inherentness of right and wrong, of virtue and sin, is all- important, and even fundamental. It is, indeed, a corner stone of the whole superstructure of Christianity. Overthrow this original constitutionality of right and wrong, and you take away the corner stone of Christianity, and overthrow its whole superstructure; but establish it, and at one fell swoop, infidelity is overthrown. On this radical point the victory turns, and Phrenology gives it to Christ- ianity. Christian! dost thou fully appreciate this scientific confirma- tion of thy foundation stone? And ye religionists who oppose Phrenology, " know not what ye do," and are crucifying your best friend. Let me warn Christianity that she is fast losing intellectual ground, and that nothing but a scientific proof of her fundamental doctrines will arrest this onward march and these rapid strides of infidelity and scepticism. But Phrenology, if promulgated, will stop it. Its proof of this fundamental doctrine, infidelity cannot reach, nor scepticism resist. They are ad hominem—they go home to the understanding, and innate consciousness of one and all. Christianity! wilt thou embrace this thy twin sister and handmaid, or wilt thou, unwise, ungrateful, bigoted, turn her coldly or contemptuously away 1 There is, then, constitutionally, a right, a wrong. And that right is enforced, is invited, by all the happiness it is possible for man to ex- 154 WHAT is right; and what wrong. S(S perience in doing right; that wrong is prohibited by a'l tl^ Lunish ment it is possible for man to suffer in breaking the laws of his being. Nor is it immaterial whether we do right or wrong. Nor are the motives for doing right far removed from us ; nor the penalties of do- ing wrong, They are not in heaven, not in hell, exclusively, nor even mainly. They are in us—in the happiness, in the suffering, ice are capable of experiencing. They go right home to the inmost sou, of every member of the human family. To do right, is our own highest possible interest. To do wrong, is directly, necessarily, in the very teeth of that interest. Let us all, then, strive to be right, that we may be happy, Let us all eschew evil, that we may escape pain. Let us avoid sin for pre- cisely the same reason that we would not put our hands into the fire, namely, because in doing wrong, we suffer its consequent penal- ty. Wonderful!—the workmanship of a God !—is this contrivance, this arrangement, of right and wrong. Calculated, in the highest possible degree, to induce men to do right, and to prevent their doing wrong. SECTION III. WHAT IS RIGHT, AND WHAT WRONG? " There's but one way to do a thing, and that is the right way."—_ . . Having thus shown that great first principles of right exist, and are founded in the very nature and constitution of things ; and, also, what is the nature of right and wrong ; we pass, naturally, to the applica- tion of this principle to what is right and wrong. On this subject, much diversity of opinion exists, and its proper decision will do mcr*> for mankind than the -cnowledge of any other thing whatever. In deciding it, Phrenology says: " That is right which harmonizes with the primary nature and original constitution of all our faculties, and whatever violates this primary nature of any faculty, is therefore wrong." It moreover affirms, that all those actions, feelings, an3 opinions which harmonize with the primary nature and legitimate function of any or all the organs, and violate none, is right; but that whatever violates any faculty is wrong—that the natural, legitimate exercise of any faculty is right, and its perverted action wrono-, It 310 THE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONG ILLUSTRATED. 155 also shows what is the natural, and what the perverted function of any faculty; and thereby furnishes us with an unerring test of every opinion, feeling, and action of our whole lives. For example: You wish to decide whether a given business or bargain be right or wrong. Conscientiousness summons a moral court martial, and subpoenas the other faculties as witnesses. It says : ' Well, benevolence, what say- est thou to this bargain, or business, or act, or practice, or whatever is to be judged?" If this faculty respond: " I say it will distress yon- der innocent man, or make that widow or orphan more wretched, or will grind the face of the poor, or is oppressive and cruel, or even is in the way of human enjoyment;" conscientiousness then says, " It is wrong. Do not this wicked thing." " And, causality, what sayest thou .?" " I say its effect will be unfavorable," or, " such and such an effect will be unfavorable," or, " such and such a law will be violated thereby." Conscientiousness again puts its ban upon it.' " And, ideality, what sayest thou?" "I say it is coarse, vulgar, disgusting, repulsive, and offensive to taste, as well as degrading and debasing." ;' No," responds conscientiousness, " this thing is wicked, and must not be done." If veneration sees that the thing proposed will conflict with the worship of the true God; or friendship complains that its legitimate exercise will be circumscribed or wounded, ot parental love mourns over its injury to offspring and the young, or self-interest complains that it will eonflict with enlightened selfishness, by injur- ing the health or circumscribing legitimate enjoyments; or time says, "I have more important matters on hand;" or the organ of mus- cular motion says, " It will not allow me sufficient exercise;" or vitativeness says, " It will shorten my days"—if any of the organs rise up and testify against the thing to be judged, conscientiousness vetoes it, and then firmness and all the other faculties combine to re- sist it. But if enlightened benevolence says, " It will do thee good, and him also;" if friendship says, " It will deepen my roots and strength- en my cords ;" if ideality be charmed with its beauty, causality com- mend its effects, time can make room for it, veneration be gratified, life prolonged, self-enjoyment secured, and all the other faculties sanction, none condemning, conscientiousness, as judge, says, " Nei- ther do I condemn thee ; all is right;" and the other faculties aid in its execution. This is predicated on the supposition that all the facul- ties act in harmony with their primary natures and legitimate func- tions. When any act, opinion, or feeling has Jhus been once decided upon, eventuality recollects it, and firmness abides by it. 10 156 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONG. 311 In still another way—by another of its principles, already explained —does Phrenology tell us what is right, and what not; as well as ex- plain the cause of that diversity of opinions and practice as to the right and wrong in opinion, feeling, and conduct. It says that the even, equable, or proportionate action of all the organs, is right, and the ex- cessive action of any, wrong. Thus, if acquisitiveness be too large, and benevolenee too small, Phrenology saith: " Wake up, benevo- lence, thou art too sluggish; hold up, acquisitiveness, thou art too grasping, and dost over-reach." If cautiousness predominate, and combativeness be weak, it saith: " Thy fear prevents thy enjoyment, and retards thy success: do not thus procrastinate;" but, if Phreno- logy finds cautiousness small, she saith : " Take care, take care there, Mr. Reckless, thou art continually injuring thyself and others, for want of prudence." If she find benevolence predominant, she saith. " Do not thus give away thy all, but reserve for thyself the means of sustaining life, and capital enough to acquire more property, with which to do still more good." If she find ideality small, she chides her for allowing improprieties of feeling and expression, and for not enjoying those rich and ever-varying beauties with which nature every where shines so resplendent. If veneration be small, or mar- vellousness, (faith,) be feeble, she saith to the former: " Lengthen thy prayers, and pour out thy soul oftener in worship and praise to the God who made thee ;" and to the latter she saith : " Away with thy scepticism, and let thy faith grow till from a mustard seed it becometh a great tree." And so of all the other faculties. It saith to the feeble ones : " Quicken your actions ;" and, to the predominant one: " Re- strain your excesses." It would fain keep them all along together, pari passu, and combine all into one harmonious whole. By another of its fundamental principles, and one already given, does Phrenology proclaim the right, and point out the wrong ; name- ly, by that of the supremacy of the moral sentiments and intellect over the propensities ; or, at least, as the constitutional guides and govern- ors of the latter ; but, having already explained the principle fully, its application, in this connexion, is left for every reader to make. Let him who would know whether a given thing be right or wrong, stop and ask, whether the thing to be adjudged be in harmony with the dictates of enlightened intellect, and the normal constitution, or the primitive funtions of the moral sentiments, and the answer will soon Jell hin what is right, and what wrong. I have said that Phrenology shows why men differ in matters of right and duty. Men's opinions and practices as to right, duty, &c, 312 WHY MEN DIFFER IN MATTERS OF RIGHT AND DUTY. 157 will accord with their phenological developments. That is, different phrenological developments cause men to think and feel differently on these subjects. To illustrate: Suppose conscientiousness be alike in two persons, A. and B., and full in both, or five in a scale from 1 to 7. A. has large benevolence, and small acquisitiveness and veneration; while B. has small benevolence, and large acquisitiveness and vene- ration. A.'s conscientiousness combines with his large benevolence, and makes him feel that he is in duty bound to do all the good he can, and that it is wrong to take a large price from a poor man because ho can gel it; while his small acquisitiveness induces him to give the poor man more for an article than it is really worth; yet, as his vene- ration is small, his conscience does not require him to go to church. But the large acquisitiveness and small benevolence of B. warpe his lesser organ of conscientionsness, and allow him to take from the same poor man more money for a thing than it is really worth, be- cause the poor man can do no better. His large acquisitiveness throws dust into the eyes of smaller conscientiousness and benevolence, and hushes up their feebler remonstrances, while he grinds the face of the poor, takes advantage of their distress, and extorts money from them, because they are in his power, though he is wringing out their very heart's blood. Still, this same conscience, though it allows acquisi- tiveness to cheat and extort, also combines with veneration, and com- pels him to go to meeting the next Sabbath, to read his Bible, say his prayers, and go to the communion table—to " sand the rice, water the gin, and then come in to prayers." The conscientiousness of A. would torment him for extorting the money extorted by B., just as much as that of B. would torment him for not praying and going to church; while the conseientiousness of B. would acquit him for ex- torting this money from the poor man, or taking the advantage of him in a bargain, as much as that of A. acquits him for not praying and attending church. The opinions of these two men as to what is right and wrong, are directly opposite; each condemning what the other approves, and each approving what the other condemns, and both reading each other out of heaven, the one for the other's extortion, and the other for the other's impiety. Now, Phrenology condemns them both, and yet approves both. It saith unto A., " Thou art right in thy humanity, (provided thou dost not injure thyself and those de- pendent on thee, by giving too much,) but wrong in thy impiety, Give to the poor, but worship also thy God." Phrenology then turns to B. and saith, " Thy devotion is right, but thy extortion is wrong. Reduce thy acquisitiveness; increase thy benevolence; for it is wrong 158 WHY MEN DIFEER AS TO RIGHT AND WRONG, 313 for thee thus to oppress and distress these poor sufferers." But D. has all these organs large and active. He makes money, but always makes it honestly, and never distresses others. He also gives to the poor, but not to his own injury, or that of those dependent on him ; and worships his God, both socially and in secret. His conduct Phrenology fully approves, and his conscience makes him happy. Thus, large conscientiousness, combining with large domestic or- gans, and weaker intellectual and moral faculties, tells its posseesor that his main duty consists in taking care of his family; and adds, a He that provideth not for his family is worse than an infidel;" but this organ, when it combines with small domestic organs and large be- nevolence, tells its possessor that his duty consists mainly in doing good to the heathen or to mankind in general, though, in so doing his family suffer, and quotes the Scripture, " He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." He who has large conscientiousness and ideal- ity thinks it his duty to keep his person neat and nice—to shave and change his linnen often, though he make some poor slave work half the time in order to keep himself clean and nice. A fashiona- ble lady, (and all fashionable women are ladies, of course, however ill bred, for fashion " hideth" (and maketh) " a multitude of sins,") with more vanity than sense, but having large veneration, full conscien- tiousness, large ideality, very large Approbativeness, a silly mother, and a soft-soap preacher, feels it to be her imperious duty to go to church, always provided that she can go dressed in the very top of the fashion, show a wasplike waste, and wear a half bushel bag of bran or a small bale of cotton; but if she can not go thus fashiona- bly, foolishly, and wickedly attired, she does not feel it her duty to go at all, because her dress is not decent; for it would be very wrong in- deed for her to go to church without being decently (fashionably^ dressed, lest her dress should attract attention ; though if her extreme fashions should attract the gaze of all present, that would be all right. (how very tender some people's consciences are, though, about certain matters!) but the conscientiousness of another lady, who has large in- tellectual and moral organs, feels it to be her duty not to dress, and frowns upon our scrupulous fashionables. Conscientiousness with acquisitiveness makes one feel it to be his duty to make and hoard mo- ney ; but with acquisitiveness small, that it is wrong to devote all his energies to amassing paltry wealth ; with self-esteem large, that it is his first duty to take care of self—but with this organ small and be- nevolence large, that it is his duty to serve others first, to the neglect and even injury of self. And the greater the number of faculties 314 THE PRINCIPLE OF RIGHT AND WRONG. 159 brought into simultaneous or combined action, the greater the diversi- ty of opinion a-*d conduct as to what is right and wrong. The reader w«l thus perceive that the same principle which was pointed out in regard to veneration, showing that the organs give us our views of the char* Uer of God, while veneration falls down and wor- ships, applies also to co*j>cientioiisness; the other faculties biasing our moral opinion and conduct, and then conscientiousness impelling us to do what these other organs tell us is right. And as this principle, when applied to veneration, teus us the true character and attributes of God, when all are equally d^eloped and not perverted ; so when it is applied to conscientiousness, it v-jlls us what is right and wrong in itself; for he who has all the o^ans equally developed and un- perverted, will take correct views of n^ht, and do accordingly—will think it right to take care of his family, k make money, to defend the truth, and the poor, to be guarded and cai Jul to dress respectably, to worship his God, to observe and admire the beautiful; to do good at home and abroad, to take care of self, but not \o be too selfish, and so of all other faculties. He, therefore, whose organs are most uniform and not perverted by education, will form the most correct opinions as to right, and live the best life ; but he whose head is uneven, some of his organs large and others small, will be lame, and warped, and bruised, and zig-zag in his moral conduct and opinions. Hence, also, by ex- amining his own head, every individual can see wherein his own standard of right and wrong in conduct and belief, departs from this the only true standard ; and wherein it accords with it; so that, by putting his intellect over against his excesses and defects, he can see and remedy defects. This moral formula is the test and touch-stone, by which to try every opinion, and judge every act of his whole life. If any organ be deficient, Phrenology will analyze that organ, and tell how much more of that ingredient he requires in his composition, and also help him to supply it in theory if not in fact, and also tell him what organs are too large, and therefore what kind of feelings and ac- tions to suppress in order to be virtuous and happy. This single prin- ciple, this moral formula, is worth more than all the works on ethics and speculative theology ever written. It shows every man what colored glasses he has on, and what ingredients are requisite to restore to them the color of truth and the practice of right. Guided by this principle, men will no longer regard themselves as infallible, any more than when they know that they have on green glasses, or pink glasses, or dark glasses, will they contend that every thing at which they look is green, or pink, or dark, just because it looks so to them; 160 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONG. 315 but they will say, " I know that my glasses are green, and you know that yo-ur glasses are pink, and you know that yours are dark, so that the same objects look green to me, but pink to you and dark to you Though it really seems to me taat these objects are green, to you, that they are all pink, and to you that they are all dark, still we can none of us tell what the real color is, till we get off our colored glasses— till our organs are equally active, or else till intellect can make all necessary allowances. Then all objects will appear alike. Till then, we will not each read the others out of heaven, just because we wear different colored glasses. No, we will be charitable—will each re- collect our own liabilities to error, and not condemn those who differ from us. Will not this principle, if applied, heal over and effectually cure those sectarian isms—those " wounds, and bruises, and putrify- mg sores," which now cover poor, sickly, feeble Christianity " from the crown of the head to the sole of her foot?" Each will not then say to his neighbor, " know ye the Lord" as I know him, or I'll not have you in my heaven, " but all shall know him" right and alike. " Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time, And Viug this welcome day." Shine brighter yet thou star of Gall: Teach us thy better way. This principle also shows how it is, mat some men can be very wicked, and yet very religious, and even pious. A few anecdotes, by way of illustration: A certain deacon, that lived less than fifty miles above Troy, N. Y., the leader of his society, earnest, gifted, sincere in prayer, eloquent in exhortation, the right-hand man of the minister, and forward and zealous in all matters appertaining to religion, but somewhat slippery in money matters ; set up a store, and, in buying his goods in Troy, gave his minister, Mr. L., who was well known in that city, as his reference. Shortly afterwards this minister being down to Troy, was beset by the pious deacon's creditors, to know what for a man he was, and whether he could be safely trusted, &c. The reverend gentleman hesitated and evaded, but, finally, answered: " To tell you the truth—God-ward, he is honest; but, towards man, rather twistical." Mr. S., being hired by a neighbor to help move a family to the west, stole several things, axes and other things, as he could lay hands on them along the road; and some things from his employer; and yet, all the way along, he talked religion to those he met, both in the bar rooms, and stopping them by the way-side. 316 DEPRAVITY. 16 Other similar cases have been reported in the Jouiral. [See thai of the girl who would steal, and also that of Mr. N., of U., who pray- ed so fervently sabbath days, and was converted by every revival that came along, and yet sought and took every opportunity to cheat his neighbors—both of which are given in Vol. IV.] Henry A. Wise is both a zealous Christian, and yet a great duellist. Cases analogous to these occur in every community, and in nearly every church. Nor are these pious sinners hypocrites. They are sincere in both their sinfulness and their religion. And the reason why some men are both great sinners, and yet great religionists, is two fold: first, some of their animal propensities are powerfully developed, along with some strong religious organs, which act by turns, and thus ren- der them very zealous in religion at one time, and yet very immoral at other times. Much has been said of late in denunciation of those ministers who have been guilty of immoral conduct, as if they had all along been guilty of the most consummate hypocricy from the commencement of their career until the disclosure of their crimes. This is by no means necessarily the case. They may have been truly religious, sincerely godly, at the very time in which they were indulging unbridled lust; for it is possible, it is not uncommon, for the propensities to act at th; same time that the moral faculties are in exercise, and even in combi- nation therewith, thereby producing animal religion. Secondly their organs may differ, are likely to differ, from your own—causing them to regard that as allowable which your organs condemn. Be charitable, therefore. Put the best construction possible on the faults, foibles, errors, selfishness, sinfulness of you- >>llow-men. But, more of this hereafter. SECTION IV. DEPRAVITY.---ITS ORIGIN--ITS EXTENT—ITS CONDITIONS--ITS CAUSES-- ITS REMEDY. Having proved the existence of sin, as well as shown its rationale, we pass naturally to consider its origin ; its extent, whether total or partial; its conditions; its causes; and how to obviate them, and thus diminish it—questions on which the religious world have been divid- ed, and yet questions which the happiness of man requires to be 162 DEPRAVITY.---ITS ORIGIN. 317 settled. What, then, saith the nature of man, touching these points ? First, its totality; or what is called total depravity ; original sin, &c. I will not attempt to state, refute, or establish any of the num- berless views of this doctrine entertained by the different religion sects: but shall proceed to show the phrenological doctrine touchim this point. It knows nothing about any other original sin than tha contained in the doctrines of hereditary descent, presented in the last and present volumes of the Phrenological Journal. That the iniquities of parents—the violations of both the natural and the moral laws—are transmitted frorv: parents to children, it fully establishes. If a parent, or a succession oi parents, violate the laws of physiology so as to induce a consumptive tendency, the children are born with that dis- ease actually fastened upon them. So of cancerous, apoplectic, bilious, nervous, and oth'n affections, and indeed, of all physical diseases, and of all predispositions. A similar principle applies to the transmis- sion of moral maladies, be it insanity, or inordinate love of money, or love of liquor, or revenge, or irritability, or lust, or deception, and with all forms and degrees of sinful predispositions. And so also of length of life, health, strength, buoyancy of spirits, and also kindness, amiableness, integrity, devotion, talents of all kinds. So, indeed, o, of all the qualities and tendencies of our nature. The conditions goodness, badness, sinfulness, virtue, of the parents, and indeed of th" ancestors for generations back, effect the nature, goodness, badness, of the children, to give them originally a good or a bad tone or direc- tion.* Like parents, like children, is its motto, as it certainly is the motto of truth. But, about any other kind or degree of original sin, or total, innate depravity, it knows nothing. It says, that the sin of the first parents of our race, is capable of tainting all their posterity —" the sins of the parents are visited upon their children unto the third and fourth generations of the disobedient," (when the race runs out,) but, otherwise, unto thousands of the disobedient. Aside from this original sin, it knows no other.f Still, it does not positively say there is no other. But if there be, it is a revelation of the Bible not of Phrenology. For a full exposition of the doctrine of the hereditary influences, the reader is referred to the Author's work entitled, " Hereditary Descent." its laws and facts. t In conversing recently with a Dutch Reformed, though formerly Congrega- tional, clergyman, on hereditary descent, he stated it as his full belief that origi nal sin, or innate depravity, consisted in this doctrine of hereditary descent, and was explained by it. No one who knows him, will for a moment doubt his " total" Orthodoxy as to Calvinism. I also heard it from a staunch orthodox 318 ITS EXTENT AND CONDITIONS. 163 Another principle of Phrenology deserves at least mention here, though it may not bear much upon the original sin advocated by orthodoxy. It is this. Every primary faculty of man, is good, and its normal, constitutional function, is virtuous. Man's original nature is right. The depravity of man, however,' Phrenology certainly recognizes, in the fact that the natural exercise and function of all his faculties are more or less perverted and distorted in nearly or quite all mankind Few, if any, live up to their original natures, or are any thing near as good in character as they are in their developments. The perverted and excessive action of the faculties in children is much less than in adults, and their heads are better. No one can look upon a healthy child born of really good parents, without seeing much to admire— very much that is sweet, lovely, angelic. A man's business and cir- cumstances tend greatly to increase his virtue or vice, as do also his physical habits, what he eats and drinks, temperance and intemperance, associates, &c. &c. The artificial state of society in which we live, the inducements and temptations to sin which every where beset us, the universal scrambling after money, and rush for places of profit and power, corrupting examples, wrong education, and thousands of simi- lar causes that are continuous and powerful in their action, greatly enhance this depravity, if they do not cause much of it, by distorting and perverting the nature and conduct of man. But, as to either the innate or the total depravity of man, Phrenology is clear and demon- strative. It says that every primary faculty of man, as originally con- stituted, is good and right, and that the legitimate exercise of any and every faculty, upon its own appropriate object, and in a proper degree, is virtuous—that no faculty is constitutionally bad ; that all are good in themselves, and in their primitive action and function, and that de- pravity forms no constituent or necessarily accompanying part of the nature of man, but is a perversion and violation of that nature. Far- ther than the hereditary descent of qualities from parents to their de- scendants, already alluded to, Phrenology knows nothing of man's depravity, either total or innate. If this fully established doctrine of Phrenology is found.to embrace or explain the doctrines of ■" original pulpit, and an Andover educated clergyman in June 1844, and also in a recent conversation, found it to coincide with the views of another leading Congrega- tional clergyman in New England. Yet, whether this sentiment be orthodoxy or not, is left for others to say. I give it merely as his opinion, and leave it to others for consideration. 164 CAUSE OF DEPRAVITY. 319 sin" or " total depravity," by showing that children inherit from their parents particular predispositions, propensities, tastes, aptitudes, pas- sions, tendencies, and mental and physical qualities, then Phrenology may possibly be said to recognize these doctrines. At all events, children do inherit depraved propensities from their parents, and also virtuous predispositions. Still, these hereditary ten- dencies may be counteracted. Though insanity, which consists in the over or exalted action of one or more faculties, and liability to be wrought up to this exalted pitch of derangement, be hereditary; yet, by avoiding those causes of excitement which are calculated to devel- ope and increase this naturally excessive susceptibility, as well as by applying causes calculated to allay constitutional excitability, and to soothe and relax; no one, however crazy his ancestors may have been, need become deranged. Indeed, this very susceptibility, instead of degenerating into insanity, if properly managed, is calculated to aug- ment his talents and happiness ; for derangement is only the excess of that very action which, when healthy, gives talent and enjoyment. If this be construed so as to militate against the doctrine of innate depravity and original sin, still it is clearly a doctrine of Phrenology, and as such I state it and leave it. Whatever other doctrines con- flict with it are erroneous. It is not necessary for Phrenology to con- tain this doctrine of original sin, only that it should not conflict v/ith it; for, as already observed, it is not founded in the original nature of man, and therefore is not a doctrine of either Phrenology or Natural Theology. Its advocates claim it to be a doctrine of Revelation, and regard it as one of the doctrines of salvation by Christ. To this claim, Phrenology willingly accedes. One origin, one great procuring cause of human depravity, is to be found in a disordered physiology. In my work on Education, p. 94, I have shown, fully and conclusively, that there exist the most inti- mate relations between the body and the base of the brain, or the or- gans of the propensities—that whatever stimulates the former, natu- rally, necessarily excites the latter. This law is unquestionably a fundamental principle of the nature of man. I have also shown in this work, p. —, that the ascendency of the moral sentiments and in- tellect, is one of the leading conditions of virtue, while the action of the propensities without the direction and government of intellect and the moral sentiments, is sinful. Now put that and that together, that physical inflammation and disease often excite the propensities till they predominate, and thus induce sinfulness, and we see that physical health is indispensable to moral purity; while one prolific cause of 320 ITS REMEDY. |(35 that widely extended depravity of our race is to be looked for in the diet and physical habits of mankind—in the enormous quantities 01 ardent spirits, ale, beer, flesh, cucumbers, hot bread and butter, &c. &c, consumed. That alcoholic drinks vastly enhance the sinfulness and suffering of the drinker, is a matter of fact which stares us all fully in the face. That it does so by disordering the physiology, is self-evident. In no other way is it possible for matter to effect mind. Then why should not all physical disorder produce moral disorder ? Indeed, I regard sin as not unfrequently the product of a disordered brain, while the normal function of a healthy brain, is always virtuous. I regard flesh as highly corrupting to the blood, as highly inflammatory, and thereby, as directly calculated to inflame the base of the brain; thereby producing moral impurity. Man is a physical, as well as a moral being. He is under the dominion of physical laws, as well as of those that are moral. Why, then, should not the violation of the physical laws be as sinful as that of the moral, and vice versa of their obedience ? Indeed, the moral cannot possibly be obeyed unless the physical are first obeyed. Virtue and vice, sin and holiness, happi- ness and misery, depend far more on the conditions of the body—on health and sickness, what, and how much we eat and drink, how much, and where we sleep, whether we exercise or not, &c. &c, than is generally supposed. A child is more cross and fretful, and there- fore more depraved, when a little unwell, than when not so. Eating green fruit, therefore, or doing anything else to impair its health, in- duces this fretfulness, and therefore augments depravity. Similar illustrations innumerable, apply to adults—to the whole human family. And the way to reform men morally, is to reform them physically. But the principle is probably clear, and the inference most important. Let me not be understood, however,, to ascribe all sin to physical diseases. Volition also enters into the composition of sin. An act cannot be called culpable unless it was done voluntarily. This is a matter of consciousness. The motive, as well as the act committed, goes far towards rendering the doer criminal or innocent. We can- not feel really guilty for any act, however wrong in itself, when our intentions were right. Nor can we help feeling condemned for an act good in itself, but committed with wrong intentions. When we have injured others unintentionally, we may feel sorry, but we cannot feel condemned. Conscientiousness can act only in conjunction with the power of will. Intellect, is also a necessary ingredient in accountability. An idiot cannot be morally accour, .nble, for, by supposition, he has no intellect to guide his choice. 166 PUNISHMENT. 32 So derangement diminishes accountability: and so does all those physical disorders already spoken of, as inducing sinful actions. As far as they affect us they are upon a par with derangement. In short, the great Phrenological law is this. As the even, uniform action of all the faculties, constitutes virtue, and also gives us correct ideas of what is right, so our accountability is greater or less, accord- ing as all our physical and moral faculties are more or less perfectly developed. The parable of the talents is a happy illustration of the same doctrine. Our moral accountability increases as does our moral and intellectual capacity. In Phrenological language: the more fully and evenly developed our faculties, the more material has conscience with which to operate, and therefore the more accountable the subject, and vice versa. This is the phrenological principle. Every reader can run it out in its ramified applications for himself. SECTION V. PUNISHMENT, HERE AND HEREAFTER. Having already demonstrated the existence of right and wrong, only other names for virtue and sinfulness, it remains to discuss the rewards of virtue and the punishment of sin. It has all along been implied, it has been even demonstrated, that goodness is rewardable, and sin pun- ishable. That is, obeying any and every law of our being, always induces a given kind and amount of pleasure as a reward, while vio- lating them inevitably brings down upon the transgressor, and upon all affected thereby, a given kind and degree of pain, as a penalty conse quent upon such violations. In the very act of such obedience and in all its consequences, to ourselves, to all concerned, we enjoy, whilst in and by the transgression, and in all its consequences, we suffer. This ts a certain, uniform, universal fact. The penalty goes along with the transgression. The reward, with the obedience. Each are linked together as causes and effects, and are therefore certain. They are inseparable each from the other. It is not possible to sin without suf- fering, or to suffer without somebody having sinned to cause it. Nor is it possible to do right without receiving pleasu; e therein ourselves, and also making happy as far as the act in question at all affects others. Farthermore. Different kinds and degrees of rewards and punish- ment accompany the obedience and violation of the several laws. Ajid these are proportionate to the value or importance of the 322 PUNISHMENT, HERE AND HEREAFTER. 167 obeyed or broken. As, the greater any blessing, the greater the curse of its perversion, so the obedience or violation of the several lavvs, for both amount in fact to the same thing. Not only does this doctrine of proportion exist between the impor- tance of the several laws and the penalty of their infraction, and vice versa of their obedience, but there is something in the very charac- ter of the pain or pleasure, analogous to the nature of the law broken or obeyed. Thus the obedience or violation of the natural laws, bring physical happiness or suffering, while the violation or obedience of the mental or moral laws, brings mental or moral suffering or pleasure. The violation of the law of reason, induces error., and this error pun- ishes us in a variety of ways, according to the nature of the error im- bibed; and mce versa of correct reasoning. Obeying the law of friendship, induces pleasure in that department of our nature, and in all its dependencies, and vice versa of its infraction. But this whole range of thought is condensed in this—the self-acting of the various laws. Every obedience to law rewards itself. Every violation of law punishes itself. In the very act of obedience consists the pleasure. In and by the transgression occurs the pain. Hence, the analogy between the two on the one hand, and the pleasures of obedience, or the pains of its disobedience on the other. Hence, also, the universality, of the rewards and punishments. This doctrine of the self-acting of all the laws of our being, shows how it is that we shall be punished, both here and hereafter. It repu- diates the doctrine of a literal hell of fire and brimstone: we shall be as it were, chained to ourselves—chained to the characters we form here, and to their consequences. This will coustitute all the hell we shall ever experience. Heaven consists in doing right, and hell in doing wrong. Both are conditions, rather than places. They are in us, and form a part of us ; so that we need not wait for them hereafter. Not that Phrenology repudiates the doctrine of a heaven and a hell hereafter, but it shows what constitutes heaven, namely, obedience to the laws of our being, and what makes a hell, namely, the violation of these laws, both here and also hereafter. Again: virtue and vice are self-perpetuating and self-progressive. The Phrenological doctrine of the increase of organs by exercise, and of their diminution by inaction, establishes this point beyond a doubt. As already shown, Phrenology establishes the doctrine of a future State of being, and that to us, as us—to us in our own appropriate per- sonality ; and as the same beings then that we are now; for the argu- ment already shown to prove a future state of existence, when applied 168 PUNISHMENT, HERE AND HEREAFTER. 323 to our own personal existence, also proves that personal existence— proves that toe ourselves here, shall be ourselves hereafter—shall be the same beings here as there, except important changes ; yet these chan- ges will not affect our identity, or our personality, or our existence as ourselves. That is, we shall be the same beings there that we are here, except changes analogous to those that occur between infancy and old age. Since, then, we shall exist hereafter in our own appropriate per-' sons, and be the same beings there as here, we must of course be mo- rally accountable there as well as here, and also, as such, punishable. Otherwise, one fundamental condition of our present existence will be wanting, which will destroy our identity and personality. Now, add to this the Phrenological doctrine of progression in virtue and vice— the doctrine that the natural tendency of goodness is to grow better, and of depravity to become worse, and we have all the principal mate- rials of all the heaven and hell that await us hereafter. What influ- ences may be thrown around us to induce (not compel) us to choose the good and eschew the wrong, Phrenology saith not. These influ- ences may beveiy powerful, and be calculated to make the good bet- ter and the bad worse, or to make all better, and of course the more happy; but I am aware of but one Phrenological principle that bears on this point. That principle is, that as sin consists in the predomi- nance of the propensities, and as death is likely to weaken them, per- haps destroy many of them, and also relieve us of all those causes of depravity which come through a disordered physiology, the propen- sities will not then predominate. Therefore we shall cease to sin; cease to suffer. Still, there is too much of theory about both these opposing inferences to render either demonstrative. But I cannot resist the conviction, to which Phrenology brings us by several roads, that as long as we exist, that is forever, we shall reap the rewards of our conduct in this life. In the chapter on hope, when showing the juxta position of hope and conscientiousness, I think I demonstrated a principle that bears on this point. Still the principle being before the reader, he will draw his own deductions. Let it be borne in mind that this work purports to give, not the theology of its author, but of Phre- nology ; supposing this science to be true. Individual opinions should have no place in the work. The author has sedulously endeavored to deduce every doctrine presented in these pages legitimated from some fully established principle of Phrenology. Let it also be distinctly remembered, however, as all along implied, that Phrenology teaches natural theology only—the moral nature 324 PENITENCE AND PARDON. 169 and constitution of man alone—and not the doctrine or means of sal- vation by Christ. Though it teaches the doctrine of penitence and pardon, on which salvation by Christ is founded, yet it neither reveals a Savior, nor shows what we must do to be saved. The one specific object of Revelation, appears to me to be, to reveal a Savior and dis- close the means of salvation, not to furnish a code of morals for the guidance of man's conduct. The fall of Adam and salvation by Christ occurred after the nature of man was completed, and are extraneous to that nature ; so that Phrenology, which unfolds the constitution and laws of man's nature, could not have any specific bearing on these points. The code of Phrenology was sealed before a Savior was needed, so that those doctrines connected with salvation, such as the doctrines of the trinity, atonement, total depravity, special divine influ- ences, and kindred doctrines, are all left to be developed by revelation. For Phrenology to claim their revelation, would be plagiarism, and derogatory to the Bible, to reveal which is its main design. Whether Phrenology developes principles relative to the atonement of offences by a third person or not, I know not, but I believe that this also is left to be revealed by the Bible. SECTION VI. PENITENCE AND PARDON. " Then came Peter to him and said, Lord how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him ? Till seven times ? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times, but, until seventy times seven." In morals, the doctrine of penitence and pardon, is one of great im- portance—is even fundamental. It is also undecided. Christianity maintains, or rather is based in the doctrine of the forgiveness of sin, or of atonement and salvation by Christ. Infidelity scouts this doc- trine on the ground that it directly contravenes every law of nature, and argues that the violation of every law of nature induces its own penalty, while its observance brings with it its own reward—that this doctrine of penitence and forgiveness shields the guilty from deserved punish- ment, allowing them to violate the inexorable laws of their being, and yet escape their penalties—and there is nothing in sorrow for sin at all calculated to ward off it3 fearful penalties—that if a man take arsenic 170 PENITENCE AND PARDON. 325 or laudanum, and the moment afterwards is deeply penitent theieof, yet that this penitence does not in the least stay the effects of the deadly poison—that even when we sin ignorantly, the effect is the same and the penalty sure; and that therefore this doctrine of forgiveness of sin is utterly unphilosophical, and right in the very teeth of all that we know to be true in nature touching this point. And now, Christian, where is thy answer ? A " thus saith the Lord" will not do, for the infidel does not admit the truth of revelation, but requires an answer drawn from nature, and founded in the constitu- tion of man, or in some fully established moral principle. It may safely be said that nature no where furnishes any evidence of this lead. ing Christian doctrine; but so far from it, is direcLly opposed to it, be- cause her natural and physiological, as well as moral laws, are inexo- rable, and the punishment attached to their violation certain. The Christian is nonplussed. Nothing in nature affords him any aid, but everything is against him. Phrenology now kindly steps forward to his aid, and says to Infidelity, " Cease thy triumphant boasting, for this Christian doctrine has its counterpart in the nature of man." One of the functions of conscientiousness is to be sorry when we are convinced of having done wrong, and another is forgiveness of the penitent. I have examined tens of thousands of heads, and am plain to say, that large conscientiousness not only experiences deep remorse and contri- tion when sensible of having sinned, but also freely and fully forgives the penitent; but, with combativeness and destructiveness also large, it never will forgive the sinner till he shows penitence. Till he breaks down with sorrow for sin, it pursues him with unrelenting moral in- dignation, and the more so the larger this organ ; but, the moment it discovers penitence, it says, " I forgive," " go thy way, sin no more." It is not in the heart of a conscientious and benevolent man to punish an erring but penitent sinner, who is humbly supplicating pardon for sins committed. Until it does discover this penitence, however, it says, M Let law have its course. He has sinned, and his punishment is de- served. Let it be inflicted without mercy." But the very instant it discovers sorrow for sin, its sword of justice is sheathed. Its primi- tive feelings are subdued. Its moral indignation is disarmed and smothered, and succeeded by full forgiveness. But I never yet have found the man with small conscientiousness, and large combativeness and destructiveness, who showed signs either of penitence for his own sins, or of forgiveness of others. A story of one will serve for all. At Cambridge, in 1838,1 examined the head of xn old college mate having this organization. The night following, he conceived himself insulted 326 IT IS OUR DUTY—OUR PRIVILEGE--TO FORGIVE THE PENITENT. 1T1 by a friend, whom he accordingly challenged. His friend apologized. " But what does your apology have to do with my wounded honor ? Does your sorrow atone for your insult? No! Apology or no apology, I will have satisfaction." If benevolence be large, it may stay the uplifted hand of vengeance, but the old grudge will still rankle in the bosom. A cordial reconciliation is impossible, however hum- ble and penitent the transgressor. But large conscientiousness fully and freely forgives, freely restores the guilty to confidence and affec- tion, and even bestows increased favors upon him. The doctrine of penitence and pardon then, so essential to the main- tenance of Christianity, is proved by Phrenology to form a part and parcel of the nature of man, and to be consistent with that nature. True Phrenology says nothing about forgiveness and salvation by Christ. It proves that the great element or principle of forgiveness is not only not inconsistent with the nature of man, but is actually en- grafted on that nature. It proves the basis or ground work of this Christian doctrine, and leaves it for the Bible to say how and by whom we are to be forgiven. Overthrow this doctrine of forgiveness, and Christianity is overthrown, and even razed from its very foundations; but establish it, and you thereby establish the fundamental basis of for- giveness by Christ. Phrenology, as already seen, proves this doc- trine of forgiveness to be a function of conscientiousness, and to be engrafted in the nature of man, and then leaves it for the Bible to tell us how we are to be saved from the consequences of sin. Tell me, Christian, art thou sufficiently thankful for this timely aid ? Wilt thou not embrace and kiss thy twin sister and thy handmaid ? How un- grateful is this nineteenth century Christianity (falsely so called,) in thus turning its twin sister out of doors ! Let me not be understood to say that we can sin and not be punished at all. But not to the full extent. In and by the very act of trans- gression, we suffer. But that suffering often continues throughout this fife. And, what is more, the natural tendency of sin is to augment itself. But penkence induces reform—always, necessarily, and thus both arrests the increase «f the transgression, and consequently stays the penalty that would otherwise have occurred, as well as tends towards healing the wound already made. This principle shows that it is our duty, our privilege, to forgive the penitent. Our fellow men wrong us; wrong others. At first, we feel disposed to pursue them with the uplifted hand of punishment. But this principle stays that hand. It teaches us that to " err is human : to forgive, divine." ' Let him that is without sin, cast the first stone," 172 WE SHOULD FORGIVE THE PENITENT. 327 Sinful man should not be censorious. Why is he so mijch so? Do they who condemn others, think they are perfect ? Should not they forgive who pray to be forgiven ? How many, themselves no incon- siderable sinners, essay to pray " Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us," and yet are unsparing not in their cen- sure merely, but in their ceaseless condemnation of those who are even no worse than they are. This is not Phrenology. It is not Bible. It is not Christianity. Forgiveness was one of the greatest lessons taught by the great Teacher and Exemplar of mankind. " If thine enemy hunger, feed him." " He that smiteth thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also." This is Christianity. This is Phreno- logy. And he is the best Christian who is the most forgiving. One of the very best of men it was my happy lot ever to know, was one of the most forgiving. He will take an erring brother by the hand and tell him, " sin no more," but not cast him off because he had fallen. Above all things, because a man has one " easily besetting sin," should he not be condemned as a bad man in aL things. And yet the general say is, " He that will lie, will steal." As though a man could not be guilty of one sin without being black-hearted throughout, and given to all manner of wickedness. One propensity may be strong, yet others not so, and the moral organs generally large. That propensity may overcome him, and yet he be at heart good, and correct in all other respects. Or, under some powerful temptation, he may give way for a single moment, only to repent and abhor himself in sackcloth and ashes therefor, and yet be cast out of society, and by those, too, who call themselves Christians ; though a rose by any other name would smell as sweetly. Especially should this forgiving spirit be manifested to- wards the young. They often sin from impulse merely. Forgive and restore them, and they will reform, whereas, if not forgiven, but blamed and cast off, they would plunge again into the vortex of sin and misery, from which they might otherwise have been saved. Look again at the practical utility of the application of this principle of forgiveness. As long as the drunkard was cast out of society for being a drunkard, and treated with contempt therefor, he continued to drink. But when he was taken by the hand of brotherly feeling by Washingtonianism,* and restored to his lost standing in society, and * By many good men, and even Temperance advocates, Washingtonianism is held in light esteem. They say, " Oh yes, it has done good to be sure, but, but, but." Allow me to say, that nearly every distinctive feature of Washingtonian- ism is founded in a principle of the nature of man. Its forgiving spirit pre-emi- nently. Its whole-souled benevolence. Its brotherly feeling. Its practical 328 THIS CHRIS ilAN VIRTUE SHOULD BE CULTIVATED. 173 made again to feel that he was a man, he reformed. But twit a Wash- ingtonian of having been a drunkard, and you take the most effectual method possible to re-plunge him into that abyss of ruin from which he would otherwise have escaped. As great a reform is yet destined to be effected among the daughters of sin, as is now in progress among the inebriates. It cannot be that this whole class of unfortunates must perish. Benevolence will not permit it. Humanity, flushed with the triumphs she is now achieving for the intemperate, as well as in other departments of philanthropy, will not allow so numerous, so miserable a class of human beings, to perish in their sins. And in this greatest of works she will not be buffeted. Success will even increase upon her. But, how—by what weapons—is she to achieve her conquests ? By forgiveness. By love. Now, when a woman sins, be she ever so penitent, be it that her seducer is almost wholly in fault, as is almost always the case, be it even that she sinned under the most solemn pro- mises of marriage, or by mock marriage, still, she is cast out of " gen- teel" society. All the respectables point at her the finger of scorn. Even so-called Christians are loudest in her condemnation. Every friend forsakes her. All employment forsakes her. Though willing to earn her living by any occupation however laborious, however me- nial, yet even that is taken from her. She must starve, or else live com- pletely abandoned, however repulsive such a life. Nobly, immortal Mrs. Childs ! hast thou done by Amelia Norman. Beyond all praise, thy conduct! Worthy of all imitation, thy example ! And it will be followed. It will rescue from " hell" thousands who must otherwise perish in untold misery! A worthy sister of the great apostle and martyr of moral reform! Go on. Persevere, ye sisters of moral re- form. Teach men practical forgiveness. Rather re-teach them; for, by precept upon precept, by parable after parable,* by example after example, did Christ Jesus inculcate, enforce, command, his disci- ples to exercise this pre-eminently Christian virtue. I long to see the Washingtonian movement extended to the moral reform cause. Won- ders, will this forgiving principle work. Let its virtues be tried. Let this rarest of Christian virtues be cultivated. And immeasurably will the fruits thereof gladden mankind, as well as fill the forgiving soul to effects and practical workings. Its narration. Hardly any thing interests the human mind more : convinces, argues, persuades, instructs, or calls out all the faculties of the human mind, more than narrative, facts experiences, stories, &c. And it is destined to teach even the learned many a lesson of human nature which metaphysics does not reveal. * See Matthew xxi. 174 CONCLUSION. 329 its utmost capacity with a joy which it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive. These, and other fundamental principles, developed by Phrenology, both expose the utter folly of sectarianism, and reveal its remedy. Its disciples can hardly fail to agree in matters of religious belief and practice; for its problems and corollaries are so reasonable, are en- forced so clearly, as literally to compel belief Taking the worst sec- tarian bone of contention that exists—that of original sin, or total de- pravity—let us see how this science will bring harmony out of Babel. This doctrine is by far the most knotty point of controversy that divides the warring sects from each other, and separates them all from infidelity. Payne assails this doctrine of imputed sin with all the ri- dicule, all the opprobrium, which his satirical pen could command. He even arraigns that part of the venerable decalogue which declares that God will visit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations of them that hate him, but showing mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his command- ments. He argues, that this horrible doctrine of punishing innocenj children for the sins of their guilty parents is an outrage upon every principle of justice and benevolence, as well as directly at war with the whole known character of God;. and hence, that God could not be the author either of the decalogue, or of the Bible. Many even of those who believe the Bible, side with him far enough to discard the doctrine of imputed sin. Unitarians, Universalists, and even Method- ists, reject its orthodox version: " In Adam's fall we sinned all." Even Dr. Taylor avows that we are not punishable for the sin of Adam; and this is substantially the new school doctrine. This sin- gle point, and those doctrines that grow out of it, occasion more secta- rian discord than probably all others united, it being the great divid- ing line between them. Now, if Phrenology can so far solve even this problem as to restore harmony of belief here, it can surely recon- cile minor differences, and calm the troubled waters of sectarian strife. This doctrine of original sin, is set at rest by the phrenological doc- trine of hereditary descent, or the transmission of qualities from gene- ration to generation as far as this matter can be traced, which is often for ten generations; and, in the case of love of property and facility of acquiring it, the religious sentiment, mechanical ingenuity, and su- perior natural abilities, it can be traced from Abraham, all along down throughout the whole Jewish nation, to the present time. The law by which children inherit both the virtues and the vices of their ancestors, running back even to the beginning of time, is demonstrated by this science. (See the Author's work, entitled, " Hereditary Descent," in 330 CONCLUSION OF RELIGION. 175 which this transmission is shown to appertain to the whole man, both mental and physical—to diseases of both body and mind—virtues and vices included.) Now, in this doctrine is embodied all the original sin known to Phrenology, if not to man. Nor is this version of thai doctrine repulsive to either reason or justice, for it is as right that chil dren inherit the mental and moral virtues, vices, and capabilities of their parents, as their lands and property. Payne, then, was too fast. So are all those who declaim against this doctrine. The fun- damental doctrine of Orthodoxy is therefore sustained by Phrenology; and yet this doctrine is so modified by this its only true version as to be objectionable to none—to be readily admitted by all. Payne him- self would have been compelled to admit, would cheerfully have admit ted, both the doctrine itself and its utility, and even its absolute neces- sity. This principle of hereditary descent would have compelled him to eat his own words. It will compel assent to this Calvinistic doc- trine as thus modified. Still, while it sustains the fundamental doc- trine of orthodoxy, it materially modifies it; so much so, that now it both compels our assent and calls forth our admiration, whereas then it outraged both our justice and our reason. Thus does Phrenology harmonize even infidelity and orthodoxy, and that too on the very point in which they differ most widely and fundamentally. And in doing this, it will settle by mutual consent many a minor point now controverted. It will also essentially illustrate other orthodox doctrines based on this point, thereby bringing all into the same (and that the right) ground concerning them. Similar remarks will be found to apply to nearly or quite every sectarian doctrine now in dispute. A great religious peacemaker will Phrenology be found to be. But, why particularize ? for if it can harmonize this the greatest and most fun- damental difference so easily and perfectly, surely it can the lesser ones. To recapitulate the numerous and striking coincidences between the religious doctrines taught, and practices required by Phrenology, and thos°e enjoined in the Bible, is scarcely necessary, for every intellec tual reader must have observed them in passing. To take a few as samples: The Bible enjoins continually and positively, the worship of God. So does Phrenology, in its pointing out the existence of ven- eration, and the fact of its existence rendering its exercise imperative —our highest duty, our greatest privilege. And the attributes of God as pointed out by Phrenology, harmonize beautifully with those con- tained especially in the New Testament—such as his benevolence, his justice, his wisdom, his paternity, his spirituality, his firmness, his so- vereignty, &c. As the Bible requires us to do good, and represents charity as the greatest of the Christian virtues, and our great Exam- 176 CONCLUSION OF RELIGION. 331 pier as wholly devoted to the cause of humanity, so Phrenology also inculcates the same sentiment, by pointing out the existence of bene- volence, and our consequent duty to exercise it Both the Bible and Phrenology recognize the doctrine of spiritual ity as appertaining both to man and to angels, as well as to God. See the whole tenor of the Bible touching this point, especially its requisition of faith, as compared with those views of spirituality found in this work. Phrenology and the Bible both enjoin the sentiments of justice, of penitence, of forgiveness. Both inculcate the hope of immortality, and require its exercise. Both interdict lust, profanity, drunkenness, glut- tony, covetousness, stealing, fraud, malice, revenge, false swearing, lying, murder, and kindred vices; while both inculcate filial piety, moral purity, chastity, honesty, good works, parental and connubial love, friendship, industry, manual labor, self-government, patience, perseverance, hospitality, sincerity, cheerfulness, faith, spiritual-mind- edness, intellectual culture, and the whole cluster of the moral virtues. I do not, however, hesitate to say, that the Old Testament allows some doctrines which are at war with Phrenology, such as war, capi- tal punishment, the " life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" doctrine, &c.—(Deut. xix. 21.) These, however, the New Testament abrogates, supplanting them by the law of kindness— a law so signally in harmony with the teachings of Phrenology. In- deed, the doctrines and teachings of Christ, are found to harmonize perfectly, and in all their shades and phases with the doctrines and teachings of Phrenology. His doctrines are perfect. Wonderfully calculated to reform and adorn mankind. Every doctrine, either an exposition of some law of mind, or else founded on some law. * Every precept, calculated to promote moral purity and human happiness. A perfect pattern in both precept and example, of that ascendancy of the moral sentiments so clearly demonstrated and so forcibly enjoined by Phrenology, as the sine qua non of virtue and happiness. Phrenology does not suggest a single error or improvement either in his doctrines or examples, or in that inimitable exemplification of them in practice described in the first few chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, where they went from house to house, healing the sick, bestowing alms, breaking bread, and having all things in common. Oh, that his be- nign and heavenly doctrines were but comprehended and practiced by his professed followers—by the whole world. A holy and a happy world would then be ours! 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