284 Instinct, 



These instinctive beliefs and the instinctive actions 

 are strongly analogous to some found in the lower 

 animals, and almost a perfect type of the instincts 

 of a child towards a parent. But having reference 

 to an unsee7i Being and reaching towards another 

 life, they are peculiar. They are, however, in this, 

 analogous to the instincts of such animals as pro- 

 vide for the future, of which they can know noth- 

 ing by inference, either from their own past exper- 

 ience, or from any knowledge gained from those of 

 their kind. The analogy holds in regard to action 

 respecting an unknown future, but these principles 

 and the instincts, in other respects, are entirely un- 

 like. The latter relate to the continuance of the 

 species, or the comfort of the individual, while the 

 former relate to accountability, — ijidividnal account- 

 ability to God, — which Webster said was the greatest 

 thought he ever had. We have reached, then, in 

 the instincts of the religious nature, the origin of 

 the highest thoughts, and the most powerful im- 

 pulses to action through love or fear. And as un- 

 derstanding gives direction to these impulses, by 

 itself or through revelation, we find the authority 

 of obligation joined with them to secure them from 

 defeat by the lower nature. 



We are now prepared to give a diagram that 

 shall aid in showing the comparative condition of 

 all the powers possessed in common by men and ani- 

 mals — it being understood that the word " IN- 

 STINCT " only marks the beginni7ig of that kind of 

 activity which is continued in some form among all 

 the higher powers. 



