94 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. . 



they had loved on earth would have a future life ; while others 

 brought forward " the beasts that perish " as a crushing and con- 

 -clusive argument, of which they evidently supposed me to be entirely 

 ignorant. 



The reader will therefore see how important it is that the true 

 meaning of the Hebrew text should be known, and that the Psalmist 

 should not be accredited with putting forward a doctrine to which, 

 whether true or false, he makes no reference whatever. 



As regards the main idea of the book, and the con- 

 clusions to be drawn from the arguments which he 

 brings forward, I cannot do better than quote my 

 father's own closing remarks : 



In announcing my belief that the lower animals share immortality 

 with man in the next world, as they share mortality in this, I do not 

 claim for them the slightest equality. Man will be man, and beast 

 will be beast, and insect will be insect in the next world as in this. 

 They are living exponents of Divine ideas, as is evident from the 

 Holy Scriptures, and will be wanted to continue in the world of 

 spirits the work which they have begun in the world of matter. 



But, though I do not claim for them the slightest equality with 

 man, I do claim for them a higher status in creation than is generally 

 attributed to them : I do claim for them a future life in which they 

 can be compensated for the sufferings which so many of them have to 

 undergo in this world ; and I do so chiefly because I am quite sure 

 that most of the cruelties which are perpetrated on the animals are 

 clue to the habit of considering them as mere machines, without 

 susceptibilities, without reason, and without the capacity of a future. 



Of course, " Man and Beast," when it appeared, 

 gave rise to much discussion, and a host of criticisms 

 appeared in the newspapers and other periodicals j 

 some very friendly, some very much the reverse. But 

 the prevailing tone was that of ardent sympathy with 

 the principle of the work; and until the end of his 



