This reply gained everyone’s applause, and compliments to Hedvig made the round of the table.
Mr. Tronchin asked her if the doctrine of the immortality of the soul could be gathered from the Old Testament alone.
“The Old Testament,” she replied, “does not teach this doctrine; but, nevertheless, human reason teaches it, as the soul is a substance, and the destruction of any substance is an unthinkable proposition.”
“Then I will ask you,” said the banker, “if the existence of the soul is established in the Bible.”
“Where there is smoke there is always fire.”
“Tell me, then, if matter can think.”
“I cannot answer that question, for it is beyond my knowledge. I can only say that as I believe God to be all powerful, I cannot deny Him the power to make matter capable of thought.”
“But what is your own opinion?”
“I believe that I have a soul endowed with thinking capacities, but I do not know whether I shall remember that I had the honour of dining with you to-day after I die.”
“Then you think that the soul and the memory may be separable; but in that case you would not be a theologian.”