290 THE IMMORTALITY OF ANIMALS 



theme of this book, let me urge that one of the 

 principal arguments for man's immortality is that 

 righteousness is not always rewarded in this world, 

 and sin is not always punished. The sinner may 

 be prosperous and happy, so far as this world is 

 concerned, and the righteous may be subjected to 

 perpetual want and misery. The innocent may be 

 cruelly tortured to death, like the Christian mar- 

 tyrs and lower animals, and the wicked devils who 

 perpetrate such deeds enjoy the happiness and lux- 

 ury of a palatial home. 



It is claimed that there must be a future life in 

 order to equalize such differences, which seems rea- 

 sonable. If such is God's plan to adjust the differ- 

 ences in one species of His creatures, by what justice 

 could He exclude another species who are possessed 

 of a like nervous system and susceptible of like 

 mental sorrow and physical suffering ? 



Is it in accordance with the laws of nature and 

 what we know of the All-wise Creator to make such 

 a break in a general law as to give man a reward 

 of eternal happiness for innocence and suffering, 

 and annihilate another species of His creatures for 

 the same reason ? 



That all living beings are immortal, and will con- 



