a truth,
and, in obedience to his personal whims, trying to force all
things into conformity with it, he does act as a selfish egotist
in full violation of the moral law and the spirit of religion. But
a future life we believe to be a fact; and therefore we are, in
every respect, justified in gladly expecting it and consecratedly
living with reference to it.

Furthermore, admitting it to be an open question, neither proved
nor disproved, but poised in equal uncertainty, still, it is not
immoral nor undevout deeply to desire and fondly to hope a
personal immortality. "The aim of religion," it has been said, "is
the annihilation of one's own individuality, the living in the
All, the becoming one with the universe." But in such a definition
altogether too much is assumed. The aim of religion is only the
annihilation of the self will of the individual as opposed to the
Will of the Whole, not the losing of one's self in the unconscious
wastes of the universe, but the harmonizing of one's self with the
Supreme Law of the universe.

An humble, loving, and joyous conformity to the truth constitutes
morality and religion. This is not necessarily inconsistent with a
personal immortality. Besides, the charge may be retorted. To be
identified with the universe is a prouder thought than to be
subordinated to it as an infinitesimal individual. It is a far
haughtier conceit to fancy one's self an integral part of God's
substance than to believe one's self a worshipping pensioner of
God's will. The conception, too, is less native to the mind, has
been more curiously sought out, and is incomparably more pampering
to speculative luxury. If accusations of selfishness and
wilfulness are to be hurled upon any modes of preferred faith as
to our destiny, this self styled disinterested surrender of our
personality to the pantheistic Soul is as obnoxious to them as the
common belief.

If a desire for personal immortality be a normal experience in the
development of our nature, it cannot be indictable as an offence,
but must be recognised as an indication of God's design. Whether
the desire is a cold and degraded piece of egotism deserving
rebuke and contempt, or a lofty and sympathetic affection worthy
of reverence and approval, depends on no intrinsic ingredient of
the desire itself, but on the character in which it has its being.
One person will be a heartless tyrant, another a loving saint, in
his hope of a future life. Shall our love