180 THE IMMORTALITY OF ANIMALS 



The researches of scientists, during the history of 

 man, for six thousand years, have failed to produce 

 a single instance. It is true the gradations between 

 the higher species is well established by the laws of 

 nature, yet the difference is so well marked that no 

 doubt is left as to which species each belongs. This 

 beautiful gradation is well marked throughout all 

 creation. The scientific world is indebted to Mr. 

 Darwin for many suggestive thoughts on this sub- 

 ject, but near resemblance does not furnish substan- 

 tial proof that man descended from lower forms of 

 animals. 



On the other hand, this uniformity of design does 

 furnish proof that all animals were created by one 

 and the same Creator, and that each is endowed 

 with a physical formation and mental faculties pe- 

 culiar to its own species. This unity of design is 

 founded on the most solid argument which the light 

 of reason supplies for the unity of God ; but the 

 knowledge of the general fact on which that argu- 

 ment proceeds is not confined to the student of the- 

 ology. It forces itself irresistibly on the thoughts 

 of all who are familiarly conversant with the phe- 

 nomena, either of the material or of the moral 

 world ; and is recognized as a principle of reason- 



