THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. 



hours, to reflect that their exertions are the 

 means of distributing numerous comforts and 

 conveniences among men of different nations, 

 ranks, kindreds, and languages. Their minds 

 would take a more extensive range among the 

 various tribes of mankind with which they are 

 connected, as intelligences of the same species ; 

 they would learn to trace the remotest conse 

 quences of every branch of labour, and of every 

 mechanical operation in which they are engaged, 

 and they would thus feel themselves more inti 

 mately related to every individual of the great 

 family to which they belong. 



That it is the intention of the Creator that an 

 extensive and affectionate intercourse should be 

 carried on between the remotest tribes of man 

 kind, appears even from the physical constitu 

 tion and arrangement of our globe. The surface 

 of the earth is every where indented with rivers 

 of various dimensions, winding in every direc 

 tion through the continents and the larger 

 islands, and some of them running a course of 

 several thousands of miles. In the eastern con 

 tinent, above four hundred rivers of large di 

 mensions are rolling from the mountains towards 

 the sea ; and in the western continent, more 

 than one hundred and forty majestic streams are 

 to be found, connecting the highest and the re 

 motest parts of the land with the ocean, besides 

 thousands of streams of smaller dimensions. 

 The water of the sea is formed of such a con 

 sistency, or specific gravity, that it is capable of 

 supporting large floating edifices ; while, at the 

 same time, its parts are so yielding as to permit 

 such vehicles to move with rapidity along its 

 surface, through its waves and billows. In vir 

 tue of this arrangement, the ocean, instead of 

 standing as an everlasting barrier between the 

 nations, has become a medium for the most 

 speedy intercourse between distant lands. The 

 atmosphere which surrounds the globe, contri 

 butes likewise by its agency to promote the same 

 important end. By the impulsion of its differ 

 ent masses in various directions, our ships are 

 wafied with considerable velocity along ihe sur 

 face of rivers, seas, and oceans, to the remotest 

 extremities of the globe. By means of these ar 

 rangements which the Creator has established, 

 the treasures of the mountains, and of the inland 

 parts of the continents and islands, are conveyed 

 towards the sea, and transported from one island 

 and continent to another ; and thus the various 

 tribes of mankind have an opportunity of visiting 

 each other, of cultivating an affectionate inter 

 course, and of contributing to their mutual en 

 joyment. And as it is probable that there exist 

 in nature certain powers or principles not yet 

 discovered, the agency of which may be applied 

 to the propelling of machines and vehicles over 

 land and water, and through the regions of the 

 atmosphere, with a velocity much superior to 

 what has hitherto been effected ; it appears 



evident, that the Creator, in forming such prin 

 ciples, and in permitting man to discover their 

 nature and energies, intended that they should 

 be applied for promoting a rapid and endearing 

 intercourse among all the branches of thai 

 large family which he has placed upon the globe. 

 And I have no doubt, that in the future ages of 

 the world, by means of improvements in art 

 and science, such intercourse will be carried on 

 in the spirit of benevolence, to an extent and 

 with a rapidity of which we cannot at present 

 form any adequate conception. 



It appears, then to be one great design of the 

 Creator, in connecting mankind by so many 

 links, and in rendering them dependent upon 

 each other, though placed in opposite regions oJ 

 the globe, to lay a broad foundation for the exer 

 cise of the benevolent affections between men of 

 all nations, and ultimately to unite the whole hu 

 man race in one harmonious and affectionate so 

 ciety. And it is obviously the duty of every 

 human being to cultivate those dispositions, and 

 to prosecute that train of action which have a 

 tendency to accomplish the plans of the Univer 

 sal Parent, and to promote the happiness of his 

 intelligent offspring. In so doing, he contributes 

 to his own individual happiness, and at the same 

 time to that of all the moral intelligences in hea 

 ven and earth with which he is connected. 



SECTION III. 



THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION OF MANKIND 

 CONSIDERED AS A BASIS FOR LOVE TO OCR 

 NEIGHBOUR, AND AS A MOTIVE TO IT3 

 EXERCISE. 



THE present world is not the ultimate desti 

 nation of mankind. It is only a passing scene 

 through which they are. now travelling to that im 

 mortal existence which will have no termination. 

 Man is at present in the infancy of his being ; 

 his faculties ate only beginning to expand, his 

 moral powers are feeble and depraved, his intel 

 lectual views are circumscribed within a narrow 

 range, and all the relations in which he stands 

 demonstrate that the present scene is connected 

 with the future, and is introductory to a higher 

 sphere of action and enjoyment. &quot; We know,&quot; 

 says the Apostle Paul, (i that if this earthly 

 house of our tabernacle were dissolved, we have 

 a building of God, an house not made with 

 hands, eternal in the heavens.&quot; And our Sa 

 viour declares, that &quot; the hour is coming, in 

 which all that are in their graves shall hear his 

 voice, and shall come forth,&quot; and that &quot; our 

 vile bodies shall be changed, and fashioned like 

 unto his glorious body,&quot; and shall enter into the 

 enjoyment of a new world, &quot; which is incorrup 

 tible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away.&quot; 



