culty in the idea that there are other inhabited worlds beyond our own. The fallacy at the root of Paine's argument is the applying to moral subjects the commercial axiom, that abundance depreciates the value of an article. If there were but one soul in the universe, then it would be of sufficient value to warrant the death of Christ; but if there were millions more, it would be out of the question that such a price should be paid for one soul. And so in regard to worlds: if there were no other worlds than ours, it would not be improbable that Christ should die for it, but as there are many other worlds, it is highly improbable that God should esteem it so highly as redeem it at such a cost. But the absurdity of this argument is at once seen in the light even of human feelings. A parent does not love his children less in proportion as their number increases. He does not, by an arithmetical rule, divide his love, as he must often do his slender pittance, among them. His joy in each may be only enhanced by the play of domestic affection in the enlarged family circle; and when one falls, his grief may be all the greater because of the shame and sorrow that come upon all. If man be only one of a large family circle, God does not value his soul the less; and He will not be less disposed to make a sacrifice to redeem him from the sin and sorrow which he has brought upon himself by the fall. If a father were reported to have made a great sacrifice to rescue one member of his family
