The study of the biological sciences, comparative and human physiology, morphology, histology, electro-chemical action, etc., is most important and necessary for the advancement of medical science; but these can be studied without any violation of the moral Law of Unity. It is necessary to study the forms and functions of life which are manifested in organisms lower than man. The laws which govern animal and vegetable growth form important steps towards our increasing knowledge of human physiology and sanitary law; but these can only yield true and available facts when studied through the natural and healthy working of the objects of study. The artificial production of mental or physical disease by fear and suffering vitiates the natural order of life, and leads to error in observation and induction from such observation. Torture is not only unsuited to laboratory work, but is an inevitable source of error in results. A laboratory or workroom should never be degraded into a torture-chamber. Experiment should never degenerate into curiosity or inhumanity.[9] In the future a wise Institute of Preventive Medicine may possibly be placed in the healthy country. Around such an Institute for wise research a well-planned health colony could grow up, which would be of enormous utility to the overworked brains of our most valuable people. It would be a health centre where the weary brain could be refreshed and its vigour renewed by the restorative effects of manual labour. Guided by true science, it would teach our teachers and our legislators. Here they might learn to reverence those laws of health which are equally violated by overworked brains and overworked muscles. An Institute of Preventive Medicine genuinely ‘scientific’ would be the soul of such a health centre. But such a colony can only be created when narrow selfhood has been transfigured by the universal life; for, as has been finely said: ‘True social integration will follow upon spiritual integration, and upon nothing else.’ Whilst working towards a fuller realization of our ideal we must respect and aid, as far as we can, those isolated efforts to deal with special transgressions of the Moral Law which are really steps onward in the growth of humanity. Separate efforts to advance temperance and purity, justice to women and children, to the poor and weak, to the humbler animals, our fellow-creatures, are all efforts to be heartily encouraged. Each effort forms a little step out of selfishness into large religious life. Although those who realize the Law of Unity cannot rest in any isolated work, yet it is by the honest fighting of sins that we grow into that hatred of Sin which will lead to its destruction; and by the slow perception of truths we gradually approach that ineffable Light of Truth which will melt away the chains of selfhood, and set us free in the larger liberty of the Universal Life. FOOTNOTES: [2] See Appendix, p. 85.