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MORAL LAW¹

Throughout the vast ocean of organic life all known laws and forces, whether in celestial spheres or on our own globe, are acknowledged to perform their office— unless incidentally obstructed—with perfect justice and equity. Moreover, as the material constituents of all things are combined in man, he can exemplify this principle, and thus a true conception of corresponding justice may be obtained. The laws that govern organic and mental constitution operate—according to their nature—with steady and undisturbed action. But if any of these laws are hampered by incidental or intentional impediment or violation there are natural results involved. If the demands of physiological law are not properly obeyed a corresponding result of necessity follows the violation. So also violation or disregard of the mental law carries with it no less certain consequences. As regards both, their interruption, like their fulfilment, bears witness to their essential harmony, for good or evil is produced accordingly as they are transgressed or obeyed.² The truth is that all movements

¹ See The Principles of Nature, Part I. pp. 113-118, extracted.
² A consideration of moral law, its transgressions and their consequence, is not without suggestions concerning the old religious problems of moral and spiritual death, which are mentioned once only by Davis. He was of opinion that the idea of moral death has arisen from a superficial view of social disunity and of disunity in thought and action. As shown previously, he maintained that the innate divinity of the spirit of man prohibits the possibility of spiritual wickedness or unrighteousness, thus

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produce their appropriate results, which are pure and happy when any law is fulfilled in all its requirements and demands, but the reverse in the contrary case. It follows that the law or principle of goodness is in operation constantly, between which and its infraction—or between harmony and disunion—may be discerned the unbroken reign of never-ending justice. Power, wisdom and goodness are combined in the general and specific composition of all things, from the lowest upward to man. They point to that Infinite Source from which they emanate, as also to higher and more perfect attributes than are discerned in manifest things.

All spheres in the immensity of space follow unfailingly the law according to which they were produced originally and are governed always thereby. The strict exactness of those specific forces and motions in each part composing the celestial orbs; the beauty and union displayed in these with respect to each other and to their respective centres, manifest the Divine attributes of meekness, compassion and mercy; and at the same time

reproducing unconsciously the thesis of more than one heresy and of at least one non-Christian religious system. The desires of the spirit are said to proceed both from within and without—from the material relation which man sustains to his fellow-man and the universe, and from affections springing up within and controlling the outer. These affections are the elements of the spirit, which desires purity and perfection. It is the principle within that illuminates the external, whenever any divine thought is presented for contemplation. It is this which recognises goodness; it is this which is the element of love; and this is the immortal principle. Its workings and effects are the morals and affections of man. Morality is then a consequence of the unchanging divinity of the spirit and is deathless, like the laws that govern all subordinate organisations. Moral death is therefore a manufactured expression, meaning nothing. Spiritual death is an alternative form of its wording, and is an impossible figure of speech. Man has not retrograded toward the lowest point of imperfection; indeed retrogression is another word without meaning, for everything is unfolding life and beauty, according to the law of progression and eternal development.—The Principles of Nature, pp. 413, 414

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are a true and correct signal of distributive justice. Individual and isolated observations, apparently disconnected with the universal law of motion, will impress this conclusion yet more deeply on the mind. The evidences revealed in traditional histories of the world, including many investigations of physical sciences and established axioms set forth in contemplation of Nature and Art, carry with them convictions of the attribute under consideration. The natural developments of this earth, from grosser stages up to animal creation, unfold one harmonious chain of progression, while life, sensation, intelligence have followed in their respective orders as legitimate results of inherent laws. Throughout the vegetable kingdom may be observed a constant giving and taking, that one may sustain another for the maintenance of the kingdom as a whole. So also herein is developed the truth of universal reciprocity, kindness and mercy. This harmony, this universal sympathy and charity correspond to the infinite, ineffable compassion in the Great Fountain of all existence. The animals themselves exhibit more lenity and instinctive justice than are often displayed by the misdirected principles of mankind. They show also unqualified attachment. From lower to higher states of animal existence there is one chain of universal sympathy, corresponding to the reciprocity observed in the animal kingdom and to the unperverted morality of man, all of which are in analogy with the law of planetary worlds.

And man, who is the perfection of all and governor of his own being, possesses the combined refinements of justice, mercy and benevolence, shrined in unclouded reason.¹ By this he may comprehend truth, subdue

¹ So it is said elsewhere that moral laws refer especially to the mind, wherein are the ideas of duty, of right and wrong, of individual responsibility. It is said also that man is always punished in proportion as he infringes upon his sense of right, though the latter may be partially developed or altogether of an educational kind. The moral man suffers

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artificial feelings and desires which are unlawful developments of his proper nature. He stands thus the emblem of distributive justice and universal compassion. His highest attainment, his most happy and blessed condition, is to exercise justice without distinction. So therefore, from man to animals, from animals to vegetables, from these to the material sphere which contains all, and thence through the immensity of space, there is the seal of harmony, magnificence, beauty, of justice, mercy, sympathy, eternal benevolence. From the first attribute to the last, from that combination of all which constitutes the grand totality, there is developed and expressed in all things, visible and invisible, this gospel of eternal truth. Power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy, truth —the truth which is these—is with them, as they unfold from it and manifest it in their turn—such are the gradual developments of the one absolute principle, and this principle is the Divine Essence.

from physical transgressions, and the physical man suffers from moral transgressions.—The Great Harmonia, Vol. Ill, pp. 338, 339.