WHAT IS LIFE? 45 



who is the builder of all living things we see. He can see 

 only the atoms, molecules, electrons, smashing around in 

 space like a great cyclone, tearing through a city, and in 

 this clash and crash of the blind forces, life started and 

 continues today. In my opinion a chemist from his lab- 

 oratory can form no opinion of the structure and life of 

 the cell. A chemist deals with the crude forces of nature, 

 with dead matter. The remains of a watch, a threshing 

 machine or a human being after it had been burned into a 

 gaseous form would not furnish a person with any infor- 

 mation as to the nature, character, purpose or inner life 

 of those structures. 



The cell is an animal, very highly organized and 

 specialized. Take the single cell called amoeba for in- 

 stance. He has no machinery with which he can manu- 

 facture starch. He does, however, carry with him build- 

 ing material with which he can in an emergency save his 

 life by covering himself with a coat of armor. Other cells 

 carry with them a structure which is called chromato- 

 phore. With this instrument, these cells are able to manu- 

 facture starch from the crude substances of earth, air and 

 water by the aid of sunlight. From these facts, it must 

 appear evident to the reader that the cell is a very highly 

 organized and specialized individual, and that to look at 

 him from the point of view of being mere matter and force 

 is the same as to compare the actions of a stone rolling 

 down a hill with that of an automobile moving over a 

 smooth pavement. One is compelled to move by reason 

 of the force of gravitation while the other moves by virtue 

 of the intellect that guides it. The structures of life, like 

 plants and animals, are built from the materials taken 

 from the earth, air, and water, just as are the structures 

 man builds, like railroads and skyscrapers. If we were 

 asked how it is possible for man to effect the construe- 



