he earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who
gave it." A careful analysis of this passage reveals no support for
Spiritualism; for it does not say that the spirit, on returning to God, is
conscious, or is capable of coming back and communicating with mortals. It
is not denied that different component parts enter into the constitution
of man; and that these parts may be separated. Solomon himself may
therefore tell us what he means by the term "spirit" which he here uses.
He employs the same word in chapter. 3:21 of this same book, but says that
beasts have it as well as men. And then in verse 19, he explains what he
means, by saying that they (man and the lower animals) _all_ have one
_breath_. The record of man's creation in Gen. 2:7, shows that a
vitalizing principle, called the "breath of life," was necessary to be
imparted to the organized body, before man became a living being; and this
breath of life, as common to man and to all breathing animals, is
described in Gen. 7:21, 22, by the term {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} (_ruahh_), the same word that
is used for "breath," in Eccl. 3:19, "spirit," in verse 21, and "the
spirit," which God gave to man, and which returns to God, in chapter 12:7.
Thus it is clear that reference is here made simply to the "breath of
life" which God at first imparted to man, to make him a living being, and
which he withdraws to himself, in the hour of man's death. Job states the
same fact, and describes the process, in chapter 34:14, 15: "If he [God]
set his heart upon man, if he gather _unto himself_ his [man's] spirit
[same word] and his breath; ... man shall turn again unto dust." No one
can fail to see here that Job refers to the same event of which Solomon
speaks.

And at this point the question may as well be raised, and answered, Whence
comes this spirit which is claimed to be the real man, capable of an
independent and superior existence without the body? Bodies come into
existence by natural generation; but whence comes the spirit? Is it a part
of the body? If so, it cannot be immortal; for "that which is born of the
flesh is flesh." John 3:6. Is it supplied to human beings at birth? If so,
is there a great storehouse, somewhere, of souls and spirits, ready-made,
from which the supply is drawn as fast as wanted in this world? And if so,
further, is it to be concluded that all spirits have had a pre-existence?
and then what was their