face of the ocean and dives into its depths in
submarines. Man makes nature his servant; harnesses the mighty energy of
electricity for instance and imprisons it in a small lamp for his uses and
convenience. He speaks from the east to the west through a wire. He is
able to store and preserve his voice in a phonograph. Though he is a
dweller upon earth he penetrates the mysteries of starry worlds
inconceivably distant. He discovers latent realities within the bosom of
the earth, uncovers treasures, penetrates secrets and mysteries of the
phenomenal world and brings to light that which according to nature's
jealous laws should remain hidden, unknown and unfathomable. Through an
ideal inner power man brings these realities forth from the invisible
plane to the visible. This is contrary to nature's law.

It is evident therefore that man is ruler over nature's sphere and
province. Nature is inert, man is progressive. Nature has no
consciousness, man is endowed with it. Nature is without volition and acts
perforce whereas man possesses a mighty will. Nature is incapable of
discovering mysteries or realities whereas man is especially fitted to do
so. Nature is not in touch with the realm of God, man is attuned to its
evidences. Nature is uninformed of God, man is conscious of Him. Man
acquires divine virtues, nature is denied them. Man can voluntarily
discontinue vices, nature has no power to modify the influence of its
instincts. Altogether it is evident that man is more noble and superior;
that in him there is an ideal power surpassing nature. He has
consciousness, volition, memory, intelligent power, divine attributes and
virtues of which nature is completely deprived, bereft and minus;
therefore man is higher and nobler by reason of the ideal and heavenly
force latent and manifest in him.

How strange then it seems that man, notwithstanding his endowment with
this ideal power, will descend to a level beneath him and declare himself
no greater than that which is manifestly inferior to his real station. God
has created such a conscious spirit within him that he is the most
wonderful of all contingent beings. In ignoring these virtues he descends
to the material plane, considers matter the ruler of existence and denies
that which lies beyond. Is this virtue? In its fullest sense this is
animalistic, for the animal realizes nothing more. In fact from this
standpoint the animal is the greater philosopher because it is completel