Design in Matter, 185 



can hardly fail to inquire if there is not also evi- 

 dence of the same personal attributes, somewhere 

 apparent, in the materials with which all these mar- 

 vellous structures have been formed. And when 

 the inquiry has been fairly made, the answer has 

 been fully and explicitly in the affirmative. 



There is nothing absurd in supposing matter to 

 have existed, in some form, from all eternity. But 

 when we have studied the elements in all their rela- 

 tions and adaptations, it is impossible for us to 

 believe that matter came to be what it is without 

 an ordaining iu: e. Such relations of quality 



and quantity have appeared as to show, most con- 

 clusively, that the elements were adapted to the 

 ;u of life upon the globe. And the combination 

 of so many substances, with such a range of affini- 

 ties, could not be supposed to exist, working harmo- 

 niously to the same end, the sustaining of life, unless 

 they were created for that purpose. To believe that 

 they happened to be what they are, would demand 

 the utmost credulity. 



We can but glance at some of the properties and 

 compounds of the four elements already referred to. 

 So essential are they to life, that it was not only 

 necessary that they should be well distributed, like 

 other substances, in the beginning, but since such 

 vast quantities of them may be consumed in a sin- 

 gle place, they must also have the power of easily 

 restoring the equilibrium, or of returning to any 

 portion of the earth from which they may be taken. 

 This requirement is remarkably met by their con- 



