The Higher Nature, 249 



dom. But where the ruler is misled by ignorance, 

 or fails through weakness or negligence, to control 

 his subordinates, there is riot, waste, rebellion and 

 ruin. 



We speak of this higher nature, which rules in 

 man as one, and so it is one, as something added to 

 the animal nature ; but it involves distinct methods 

 of activity, which our present purpose does not re- 

 quire us to fully analyze. We shall only speak of 

 this higher nature in man as ruling the lower ac- 

 tivities, and trace instinctive impulses into it, and 

 beyond it, into the strictly religious nature ; in 

 both of which, these principles appear abundantly, 

 thus giving a whole field of instinctive activities 

 in man, which either never exist in the lower ani- 

 mals ; or, if they exist in them, they are beyond 

 our power of discovery. 



The instincts of the higher and lower nature 

 of man are in constant conflict, because the lower 

 are not limited, but are constantly pushing beyond 

 their proper bounds, as they never do in animals. 

 If the higher gain the day, man is worthy of the 

 place he was made to fill, as the image of God and 

 ruler of the globe, — having dominion over all its 

 creatures, aj^d over his own animal nature. But if 

 the animal instincts take the control, there is no 

 limit to his possible degradation. 



The animal powers of man must be governed, 

 then, because they are not self-regulative. They 

 must be limited, and directed in their action, by 

 some power or set of powers above them. This 

 power the man has ; or more strictly, he has a com- 



