The eyils manifest in the moral department of existence, arise from
an inversion of those affections which must rule in the soul to
advance it to its highest destiny. Thus man naturally loves himself
and his pleasures supremely, and he takes character and acts from
such love. This is an inversion of the love which should rule in him,
and it brings him into antagonism with justice, with righteousness,
with holiness, with purity, in short, with every perfect attribute ; and
his character and actions express this antagonism ; and in every-
thing, he is liable to become the opposite of what he must become to
attain the end for which he has been created. These fidse conditions
and false desires bring him into antagonism with God and His gov-
ernment, and produce in him rebellion, where there should be loy-
alty ; hatred, where there should be love ; curses, where there should
be blessings ; vileness, where there should be sanctity ; fraud and
oppression, where there should be fidelity and brotherly kindness ;
corruption where there should be purity ; sorrow and death, where
there should be life and joy forevermore. '

While remaining in these inverted spiritual conditions and false
relations, man must be cursed. To all such God must be a consum-
ing fire. The Divine Life and Power which works to bless obedi-
ence, must inevitably work to curse disobedience. If the true con-
dition of the soul is full of blessings, its opposite must be fiill of
curses. The power of true love to redeem and save, when inverted
in the soul, must be to damn and destroy. Whether all the powers of
the universe, working to advance the soul to its divine destiny, shall
bless the soul, depends upon the attitude the soul takes to the laws
governing in such advancement. If it is loyal and obedient, and
continues in accord with the just operation of these laws, it will be
well with it. The Omnipotent Power with which the material and
spiritual universe go forward in their mission, will lift the soul to
its highest and best estate. But if it is disloyal and disobedient,
and thus throws itself athwart the path of Omnipotence, it must
perish or the universe must go to ruin. 