Emerson had planned to write an essay of Compensation when he was young and since he wanted to make up his own mind about this subject. Emerson criticizes theologians who are not aware of the law of Compensation, even though the common man is aware of it. The subject he studies interests him because it is, as he says, obvious ; there's no two ways about it. According to him, there are no books that deal with this specific subject. The justification of this law can be found in the everyday life, in behaviour of everyone. All men are by nature endowed with such a principle.
Emerson begins his discussion by saying that men, thanks to the law of Compensation, have a link with God. Compensation is compared with the soul of the world. This law does not come from tradition, it can not be taught through education. But, it has always been renewed itself in every man. It is a divine gift. The law of Compensation is a principle which is works in us. That's why, it is still interesting to examine it. But this gift is not the result of an external revelation; it acts everywhere. Emerson writes this text after he has listened to a sermon in which the preacher made reference to eschatology. The wicked men of this world, who struts safely, will be tried and the good men, who suffer torments inflicted on them by the wicked men, will be saved. And the infinite work of rebalancing the scales will be done by Jesus. Emerson was surprised that the meeting did not react. They accepted a prejudice which seemed obvious, but they were wrong. The preacher was not clear enough. Does “to rebalance the scales” means that in the next life the good men will be rewarded for their good life by sins of the wicked men ? And the wicked men by the benefits of a good life? Moreover, to say that the wicked prevail in this world that would submit to them, and it also means that they could act with impunity ; and human justice would not have to judge them because they will be condemned at the end of