The idea has obtained to a considerable extent, that this material body is the cause of our lusts, passions, and appetites, and that these will die with it. It is my opinion, however, that the body, so far as the matter itself is concerned, does no more to degrade us or injure us in any wise, morally, than does the matter composing any other material substance. It has only become an instrument receptive of certain conditions, as the horse-shoe magnet has become receptive of certain magnetic conditions. We talk about the attraction of the magnet as though the attraction were in the iron. But the attraction is between the positive and negative conditions, which are present in the iron; and when your bring the different parts of the iron together, you bring the conditions which they contain into proximity, between which the attraction exists. So it is with this material body; it is made receptive of conditions. The matter entering into this body needs to go through a certain process, after it is taken from the rock, before it is fit to enter into the human system, because the matter which enters into the mineral kingdom undergoes a certain change by which it is fitted for the vegetable structure; and is then brought into a certain relation by another principle by which it becomes receptive of another condition, which other condition is essential to it if it would enter into or become receptive of the essential condition. So that the particle of matter passing through the vegetable kingdom passes through it for the purpose of being made receptive of a higher condition; and when it passes into the animal it has come into relation to another power, called the nerve-power, with which it was not in relation when in the vegetable kingdom. It is brought under the influence of this nerve-power, and made receptive of another principle. And thus one particle of matter, in passing from the mineral up to the animal kingdom, goes through that elaborating process, simply because by being brought into relation with certain media it becomes receptive of certain higher conditions of which it was not before receptive. The conditions do not change the character of the matter at all. They pertain rather to the spiritual than the material department of this being; so that when my body is brought to a certain condition of development, it becomes receptive by a sort of induction of new conditions. Certain relations are established between my body and spirit. My body depends upon certain things for nourishment, and my spirit depends upon my body for certain assistance. These relations make my body subject to a law of consciousness; but that law of consciousness does not pertain to my body. My body is but the instrument by which that consciousness is acted upon from the external world. When I experience pain in my finger from placing it in the fire, it is not my finger that smarts, but there is a consciousness