Such relation is necessarily implied in the existence and exercise of affection. There must be a sentient object, one capable of benefit, to whom there is conscious obligation. Herein, and herein only, personality appears; herein, and herein only, moral character has its root and growth. The affections being psychologically and ethically essential to integral manhood, it follows that a man cannot be truly and rightly a man apart from his fellows, and in his relations to them his conscience discerns the moral law demanding the exercise of righteous affections, and claiming recognition as the supreme law of humanity.

There is no need to consider further the individual man. We have noted him as a typical organism, pointing out that, apart from his relations to others, that is, in him alone, there is no ethical element. In the prior part of this treatise the reciprocal relations of man to man, in their ethical aspect, have been discussed at length. True the mere coexistence of two persons may correctly be construed as an organism, each being for the other and both for the pair; especially exemplified by partners in business, they being formally unified. But to view the simple relation of man to man as an organism would lead to no conclusions other than those already attained, and hence we may now dismiss this simple case also, and proceed to consider more intricate relations.

Herbert Spencer: "We find not only that the analogy between society and a living creature is borne out, but that the same definition of life applies to both." - Social Statics, p. 490. Elisha Mulford says: "The logical fallacy of defining an ethical by a physical organism, and limiting the one to the conception of the other, appears in Draper's Civil Polity. But nations do not exist in history in this limitation in a physical sequence; they appear under the conditions of a moral life, and their growth or decay is traced, not in necessary, but in moral causes. The Nation, p. 18, note. And von Mohl says: "These conceptions of the State and its correspondences based on physical science appear from time to time, partly through an altogether sickly tendency of thought, and partly through a mystical and fanciful conceit." — Encyklopadie der Staatswissenschaften, p. 84.

CHAPTER II

THE FAMILY

§ 110. A study of the simple relation of man to man has enabled us to discover the principles of obligation, with their application in equivalent intercourse. This exposition, however, though fundamental and widely comprehensive, is not exhaustive, and not adequate to the demands of right living. For, in actual life, the relations subsisting among men exhibit many varieties in kind, and those of the same kind many differences in degree; also these relations are subject to many and extreme changes, often amounting to reversal, due to growth, activity, and the ceaseless mutations of intercourse. Now, since all obligations originate in and correspond to present relations, it follows that the special duty of a man to some one on his right hand is rarely quite similar to what is due to some one on his left; also that his duty to either is often quite unlike the duty of that other to him; and further, that his duty to any one to-day frequently differs greatly from what is due to the same one to-morrow. It is needful, therefore, to consider the kinds of relations in which men stand to each other, and their variations, in order to determine the corresponding obligations.

The relations that obtain among men exhibit many varieties chiefly because of differences in social organization; under which general title, therefore, human relations and consequent obligations may be distributed and discussed. The procedure involves the principle that the perfection of natural order, its harmony and stability, require that each member fulfill its office in the several organisms to which it

belongs. This is a natural principle, physical and psychical and ethical, being applicable to the universe considered as an organic whole, as well as to each of its organized members, and specially, as we have just seen, to the microcosm, man. In society at large each one is morally bound to fulfill his functions as a member of the whole, and also as a member of each of those subordinate and constitutive organisms in which he is integrant. A study, then, of the chief constituents of society will bring into view the various kinds and degrees of duty corresponding to these functional relations, whose variations determine the variations of personal obligation under the sole but universal law of loving service. To this study we now proceed.

§ 111. Nature presents in both animals and plants a fundamental fact in sex. This is a primary, inerasable distinction that cuts all higher forms of animated beings, and especially the total of humanity together with every subordinate class of mankind, into two portions, delicately marked by anatomical and physiological variations which extend throughout the body, being discoverable even in the brain. The physical differences are normally attended by mental and moral differences which though less definite are not less deep, permanent and universal. In these differences originate an appetite and an affection which often become passionate, tending on the one hand toward the deepest degradation, and on the other to the highest exaltation. Hence it comes that the relation of the sexes is perhaps the most powerful social factor in every community, both savage and civilized.

Herein the pointing of nature is distinctly to marriage and offspring. It sets apart a pair, a male and female, for each other, their exclusive union being spontaneously guarded by hygienic barriers, and by a prompt jealousy, fierce and fatal. Offspring brings into play strong parental instincts, prompt

ing protection, provision and nurture until maturity. Thus the family is preeminently a natural institution, which in some important respects takes precedence of all others, and is fundamental in the constitution of society.1

§ 112. The ideal family in modern society consists of a mature man and woman, not differing greatly in age, who of their own free will, have entered with civil and ecclesiastical forms, into the marriage bond, are living together as husband and wife, and providing for their yet unemancipated children. Their children are first a son, then a daughter, again a son, then another daughter. The parents, beside each other, have both a son and a daughter, and each child has both a brother and a sister. These exhaust the family relations. To complete this ideal, add a home, giving common. shelter, furnishing conveniences, and serving as a local habitation and center of union.

What support this ideal receives from ethical principles will be more clearly seen after a detailed consideration of the several relations involved. But we make at once the obvious remark that it is not often fully realized, because of failure or irregularity in births, intervention of death, or extreme poverty. Still, even in such incomplete families, the relations are generally sufficient for the unfolding of the domestic virtues, the building of character, and the enjoyment of home life.2

1 It is noteworthy that the zoologist and the anthropologist, in their logical distribution of the animal kingdom into genera, species and sub-species, never recognize, even in the most insignificant varieties, sex as marking a class. This indicates that scientifically a male and female together constitute one individual of a kind. So in the story of Eden this essential oneness is singularly emphasized; see Genesis, 1:27; and 5: 1, 2.

2 "Home, its perfect trust and truth, its simple holiness, its exquisite happiness, is to the world what conscience is to the human mind." - BULWER.

§ 113. It is evident that a family is an organic union of several persons, as indicated in their common surname, and in the correlative terms husband and wife, parent and child, father or mother and son or daughter, brother and sister; each of these implying the existence of the other. Ethically each member is related to every other, and to the whole, as at once means and end. The existence of relations among these persons determines that there be corresponding obligations, and the variety of relations determines a variety in the obligations. The particular kind and degree of the obligation of each member, is determined by the special function belonging to that member in maintaining the orderly unity of the organism. Just this much is the duty of each, and

no more.

If, however, there be, as there often is, disorder, distraction or failure on the part of some one member, requiring additional and special efforts on the part of the others to restore and maintain order and efficiency, then their duty is enlarged to meet the requisition. An excellent analogy is seen in the physical organism of the individual man. Each of the organs of his body contributes to the healthful action of every other, and all the others contribute to sustain each one. Moreover, when any one is disordered, there is a disturbance more or less general, a sympathetic suffering of all allied organs, and a feverish effort of nature to restore the normal condition.

§ 114. In the actual case of a man and a woman obeying the beck of nature, and entering into the marriage relation, let the distinct personality of each, and their entire moral equivalence, be granted; then several important truths are logically consequent.

First. In consenting to this union, both parties are to exercise their unbiased free will. Any unwarranted interference, objective or subjective, in the liberty of either is a