tary parts of the matter which composed it, combine in various new associations, in obedience to certain fixed laws; under which new associations, all trace of the body which they constituted, is, altogether, lost. The bodies of newer animals and vegetables are constructed of matter, which has, thus, previously constituted animal and vegetable bodies; and, thus the same matter is worked up, as it were, over and over again; passing into the bodies of animals and of vegetables; quitting these; constituting inanimate forms of matter; and, again and again, going through the same round of living and dead existences. Thus, a very small proportion of the matter of this globe, so small as scarcely to be taken into account in an estimate of the whole mass, is employed in the construction of successive animal and vegetable bodies; the materials of the bodies of all existing animals and vegetables, being composed of a portion of the débris of pre-existing animals and vegetables. Thus, the bodily frame of every human being, is, in some way or other, derived through a continued chain of being, of which, the first link was Adam; Adam having been formed directly by the Deity. But, although we, thus, trace the being of every individual man, directly, to his parents, and the being of these parents to their parents respectively, until we arrive at the first man; yet, we cannot conceive, that anything short of the agency of GoD, can form man; we cannot conceive, but, that GoD's agency now creates man, as it created the first of the race. Every man derives his body from the disposable matter belonging to this earth, and renders up again to earth the tenement which has been so borrowed. But, in every human body, there exists a spirit, a spiritual being, an individual spirit, distinct, as to its own essential existence, from every other human spirit that has been, or that is, or that may hereafter be, incarnated; and, this spirit survives the death and dissolution, of its earthy tenement. Of every human being, that has existed on earth in a form of flesh, from Adam downwards, and that has cast off that form, there exists, at the present moment, in some mode of being, and in some abode to us unknown, a distinct individual spirit. Of the bodies, in which these spirits have been incarnated, no memorial remains; for, the matter which composed them, has often changed its mode and form of being; it has contributed towards the construction of the bodily forms of succeeding generations; and, it exists, at present, before our eyes, in some form, whether animate, or inanimate. There is, then, permanent individuality, as regards the spirit of man; but, no permanent individuality, as regards his body. That body, ever, returns to the earth from which it was taken. Whence, then, comes, whence is derived, the spirit of each individual man, thus created in a continued line of succession ? The parent matter cannot generate or call into existence, new matter; it can but resign a small portion of itself, which, in some inconceivable way, attracts, and assimilates to itself, other portions of disposable matter, so as to form another animal body, bearing a similitude to the bodies of its parents; the parents not having any cognizance of the mode, in which this mysterious production. and growth of a new animal is effected; and not having any power of altering the operations of the fixed laws which regulate these. Parent man cannot generate matter; can he, then, generate spirit? Was the spirit of the first man, so diffusible, so transmissible, so susceptible of subdivision, that it could serve as the stock, as it were, whence the spirits of all succeeding generations of men were to be derived; while, yet, the distinct individuality of each spirit, of each man, throughout all generations, and all ages, was preserved ? We cannot think this. came, directly, from GOD. The spirit of Adam being that has existed, since the creation of Adam, has derived his body from earth. And has he not, then, derived his spirit from that source whence the spirit of Adam also was derived? We must conclude, that every man derives his spirit directly from the Deity. And, if he does so derive it, then is every man, that is born into the world, created by GOD, as Adam was; every man is composed of a spirit, emanating from the Deity, and put into a body of flesh, as Adam was composed; every man is made, in every particular, exactly, as Adam was; as much "in the image of GOD," and after His "likeness," as was the common ancestor of the human race. But, it may be said, by those who maintain that the nature of Adam became altered and degraded after his acquisition of "the knowledge of good and evil:" Granting, that the spirit of each man who is born into the world, comes, direct, from GOD; and, that, as so coming, it must be free from any taint, as derived through any of its predecessors in the line from Adam downwards; yet, if, in consequence of Adam's acquisition of this "knowledge," his bodily frame became, in some way or other, altered and degraded, so as to be made the vehicle of such impressions, only, as should excite sinful inclinations in the spirit; as we observe that bodily peculiarities of parents are transmitted to their offspring, not only influencing the character of their bodies, but giving, also to their feelings, and faculties, and conduct, certain tendencies and peculiarities, which, also, characterized the parents; may not the altered, and debased nature of Adam, which we suppose to have been consequent to his acquisition of the fatal "knowledge; " may not this have been transmitted to his posterity, and may it not have rendered all mankind, naturally, prone to sin? The answer to this question may be found in the preceding investigation. We say, Where is the proof that Adam's bodily nature was altered, after his acquisition of "the knowledge of good and evil?" There is no mention, anywhere, made of any such alteration. This is, of itself, a sufficient answer to the question, But, we cannot form any conception, how, or why, the bodily |