RELATIONS OF MANKIND. 



Tlw capacity of making perpetual advances 

 in knowledge and moral improvement in a fu 

 ture stale of existence, is that in which the true 

 dignity of man consists; and in this capacity, 

 and the high destination with which it is con 

 nected, there is no difference between the higU 

 and the low, the slave who is chained to a 

 galley, and the sovereign at whose nod the na 

 tions tremble. They are equally destined to im 

 mortality, and will exist in a future world, when 

 time and all the arrangements of the present 

 state shaul come to a close. If man were only 

 the creature of a day, whose prospects are 

 bounded by this terrestrial scene, and whose 

 hopes terminate in the tomb, it might appear a 

 matter of comparatively little importance whether 

 or not our benevolent regards were extended to 

 our fellow-men, except in so far as our self-in 

 terest and avarice were concerned. The happi 

 ness of a fellow-creature might then be consider 

 ed as a matter of indifference, and his dissolu 

 tion, at death, a circumstance as trivial as the 

 falling of a leaf in autumn, or the sinking of a 

 stone to the bottom of the ocean. Even in this 

 case, however, it would still be conducive to hu 

 man happiness during the short and uncertain 

 span of our existence, that all the branches of 

 the human family were cemented together in 

 union and affection. But when we reflect that 

 all the intelligent beings around us, with whom 

 we more immediately associate, and all those in 

 distant lands with whom we are connected by 

 the ties of one common nature, and on whom we 

 depend for many of our comforts, are destined 

 along with ourselves to an eternal world, in 

 another region of the Creator s empire ; and 

 that the affections we now cultivate, and the 

 conduct we pursue in reference to our brethren, 

 have an intimate relation to that immortal ex 

 istence ; this consideration stamps an import 

 ance on the exercise, of brotherly affection which 

 is beyond the power of human language to ex 

 press. It shows us, that the dispositions which 

 we now indulge, and the manner in which we 

 treat the meanest of our fellow-creatures, may 

 be recognised and attended with the most im 

 portant effects a thousand millions of years 

 hence, and may run parallel in their conse 

 quences even with eternity itself. 



We may, perhaps, view it as a matter of tri 

 vial moment in what manner we now conduct 

 ourselves towards a servant or a slave ; whether 

 we render his life miserable by hard labour, 

 cruel insults, and contemptuous treatment, or 

 study to promote his comfort and domestic enjoy 

 ment ; whether we neglect to instruct him in the 

 knowledge of his duty to his God and to his fel 

 low men, or labour to promote his moral anJ re 

 ligious improvement. We may view with in 

 difference or contempt the person and the family 

 of a poor pious neighbour, who has earned a 

 canty subsistence by the sweat of his brow, and 



may behold his body laid in the grave with as 

 much apathy as we behold the carcass of a dog 

 thrown into a pond. But could we follow the 

 pious man beyond the precincts of the tomb, into 

 that immortal scene which has burst upon his 

 disencumbered spirit ; could we trace the gradual 

 expansion of his faculties towards objects which 

 lie beyond the grasp of mortals, and the perfec 

 tion of his moral powers ; could we behold his 

 mouldered frame starting up to new life at &quot; the 

 resurrection of the just,&quot; and arrayed in new 

 splendour and beauty ; could we contemplate him 

 placed in a station of dignity and honour among 

 the sons of God,&quot; in that glorious residence to 

 which he is destined ; his intellectual powers ex 

 panding, grasping the most sublime objects, and 

 pushing forward in the career of perpetual im 

 provement, without the least stain of moral im 

 perfection : would we now treat such a one with 

 malevolence, or even with indifference or ne 

 glect ? And were we placed by his side in such 

 a dignified station, what would our feelings be 

 when we recollected the apathy, the indifference, 

 and even the contempt with which he was treated 

 in this sublunary scene ? On the other hand, 

 could we follow the poor wretched slave to the 

 future world, and contemplate the degradation 

 and misery to which he is there reduced in con 

 sequence of our malevolence and neglect, what 

 emotions of horror and indignation should we 

 not feel at the recollection of that pride and dis 

 affection which led us to act so basely towards 

 a fellow-immortal, whom it was in our power to 

 have trained to wisdom, to excellence, and to a 

 happy immortality ? When, therefore, we be 

 hold individuals withholding their benevolent re 

 gard from their brethren of mankind, and treat 

 ing them with haughtiness and contempt, we 

 must conclude that such persons overlook the 

 true dignity of man, and secretly disbelieve the 

 reality of an immortal state of existence, whatever 

 professions they may make to the contrary. For 

 the consideration of the eternal destiny of man 

 kind reflects a dignity on the meanest human be 

 ing, and attaches an importance to all our affec 

 tions and actions in relation to him, unspeakably 

 greater than if his existence were circumscribed 

 within the narrow limits of time, and throws 

 completely into the shade all the degrading cir 

 cumstances with which he is now surrounded. 



When we consider our brethren of the human 

 family in the light of immortal intelligences, and 

 look forward to the scenes of the eternal world, 

 a crowd of interesting reflections naturally arises 

 in the mind. A wide and unbounded prosnect 

 opens before us. Amidst new creations and \he 

 revolutions of systems and worlds, new displays 

 of the Creator s power and providence burst upon 

 the view. We behold ourse ves placed on a 

 theatre of action and enjoyment, and passing 

 through &quot; scenes and changes&quot; which bear no 

 resemblance to the transactions and events ot 



