190 THE IMMORTALITY OF ANIMALS 



is an insensibility to all other impressions connected 

 with it, although everything which bears upon it 

 may be in full view. In other words, your mind 

 may be engaged in one thing and your body in an- 

 other. You may be so intently engaged in the 

 music of one particular instrument, of an orchestra, 

 that you may not recognize the sound of any other 

 instrument. 



It is a demonstrated fact that every part of the 

 animal system may safely sleep or become torpid 

 except the soul and vital organs. 



Nature has established a law that as soon as the 

 vital or involuntary functions are discontinued, life 

 ceases ; the soul deserts the body, the laws of chem- 

 istry, hitherto held in subjection by a superior con- 

 trol, assert their authority ; and the whole visible 

 system falls a prey to corruption and ruin. But 

 the soul does not suffer with the body, in the de- 

 struction to which it is turning, but finding the 

 latter no longer a suitable residence for it and no 

 longer able to accomplish its purpose, wings its 

 flight to God who gave it. 



Then again it is argued that the soul is imma- 

 terial, and is superior to the physical organism from 

 the fact that a person dying of old age will retain 



