The value of life and charitable institutions : a discourse delivered before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at their semi-annual meeting, June 11th, 1805. ... / By Thomas Gray, minister of the Church of Christ on Jamaica Plain, Roxbury.

  • Gray, Thomas, 1772-1847.
Date:
1805
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The value of life and charitable institutions : a discourse delivered before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at their semi-annual meeting, June 11th, 1805. ... / By Thomas Gray, minister of the Church of Christ on Jamaica Plain, Roxbury. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A DISCOURSE BEFORE THE HUMANE SOCIETT. m 1 HE love of life and aversion from death., are principles closely interwoven with all the instincts of our nature. We seize with ea* gerness upon every means of preserving the for-? pier, and fly with timid caution the avenues, which lead to the latter. Varied in innumerable forms, these principles are found to mingle with many of our pursuits, often to stimulate the kind* ly affections, and give to them all, the fullest stamp of interest and importance. Life is the gift of God, and as such must be valuable to every reflecting being. It is the be¬ ginning of all blessings to all creatures, and there¬ fore becomes the objeCt of their united attach¬ ment and solicitude. The animal tribes, by in¬ herent appetites, seek their own preservation, and by aversions the most powerful, are guarded from whatever is injurious. By the force of their mere JnstinCts are they seen to avail themselves of ma¬ ny useful herbs and plants, as preservatives of their health, or as antidotes to disease. Man en¬ dued with the nobler faculty of reason, for the same ends, explores the mineral,the vegetable,and animal kingdoms} and extracts, from all, those