hat after death he
ceases to be conscious until the resurrection."[180] But speculative
inquiry was soon to give place to spiritual faith. The death of his
revered and pious father brought his mind into realizing contact with an
unseen and eternal world; and, in the words of his biographer,
distinguished alike for profound science and deep practical piety, "The
death of Mr. Hall's father tended greatly to bring his mind to the state
of serious thought with which he entered on the pastoral office.
Meditating with the deepest veneration upon the unusual excellences of a
parent now forever lost to him, he was led to investigate, with renewed
earnestness, the truth as well as the value of those high and sacred
principles from which his eminent piety and admirable consistency so
evidently flowed. He called to mind, too, several occasions on which his
father, partly by the force of reason, partly by that of tender
expostulation, had exhorted him to abandon the vague and dangerous
speculations to which he was prone. Some important changes in Mr. Hall's
sentiments resulted from an inquiry conducted under such solemn
impressions, and among these may be mentioned his renunciation of
Materialism, which, he often declared, he _buried in his father's
grave_."

FOOTNOTES:

[145] M. AD. FRANCK, "Rapport a l'Academie," Preface, p. XXI.

[146] M. COMTE, "Cours," I. 44, 89, 141; IV. 675; V. 45, 303. M.
CROUSSE, "Des Principes," pp. 16, 20, 84, 88. M. CABANIS, "Rapports du
Phisique et du Moral de l'Homme," 3 vols. M. BROUSSAIS, "Traite de
Physiologie appliquee a la Pathologie," 1828.

[147] "Systeme de la Nature," I. 2, 10, 86, 101, and _passim_. This
eloquent text-book of the Atheism of the last century is dissected and
refuted by M. BERGIER in his "Examen du Materialisme," 2 vols. Paris,
1771.

[148] M. COMTE, "Cours," I. 44, 141. M. CROUSSE, "Des Principes," pp.
84, 86. ATKITSON AND MARTINEAU, "Letters on the Laws of Man's Nature and
Development."

[149] DR. PRIESTLEY, "Discoveries relating to Vision, Light, and
Colors." MR. DUGALD STEWART, "Philosoph. Essays," p. 187.

[150] DR. PRIESTLEY, "Disquisitions relating to Matter and Spirit;"
"Free Discussion of the Doctrine of Materialism;" "Correspondence
between Dr. Priestley and Dr. Price."

[151] DR. JOHN MASON GOOD, "Life of Lucretius," prefixed to his poetical
version of "The Nature of Things," I. XXXVIII.

[152] The "fictions of Clairvoyance" may be studied at large in "T