MONISTIC EVOLUTION 123 



cell or granule of protoplasm, we know that this pro 

 toplasm must have been produced by the agency of 

 a living vegetable cell previously existing, and we 

 have no proof that it can be produced in any other 

 way. Again, what particle of evidence have we that 

 the atoms or the energy of an incandescent fire-mist 

 have in them anything of the power or potency of 

 life ? We must grant the monist all these postulates 

 as pure matters of faith before he can begin his 

 demonstration ; and as none of them are axiomatic 

 truths, it is evident that so far he is simply a believer 

 in the dogmas of a philosophic creed, and weak as 

 other men whom he affects to despise. 



We may here place over against his authority 

 that of another eminent physiologist of more philo 

 sophic mind, the late Dr. Carpenter, who has said : 



As a physiologist I must fully recognise the fact that 

 the physical force exerted by the body of man is not gene 

 rated de novo by his will, but is derived directly from the 

 oxidation of the constituents of his food. But holding it as 

 equally certain, because the fact is capable of verification 

 by everyone as often as he chooses to make the experiment, 

 that in the performance of every volitional movement physi 

 cal force is put in action, directed, and controlled by the 

 individual personality or ego, I deem it as absurd and illo 

 gical to affirm that there is no place for a God in nature, 

 originating, directing, and controlling its forces by His will, 

 as it would be to assert that there is no place in man s body 

 for his conscious mind. 



Taking Haeckel on his own ground, as above 



