WHAT IS LIFE? 51 



direct the heat or energy of the sun and thereby mold mat- 

 ter and direct the actions of the atoms of matter as they 

 wish. At any rate we know that the sun may shine on 

 carbonic acid arrd water until eternity without producing 

 fats, carbohydrates and proteids. Without the intellect 

 of the living being we call cell interfering, they would 

 not be produced. The carbohydrates produced by the 

 cells of plants are products of art and so are all the prod- 

 ucts of cells. 



Knowing it to be a scientific fact that matter and force, 

 gravity, chemical affinity, etc. will behave just the same 

 everywhere in the universe, we know that the cell (whom 

 we also know to be a living animal or being) must employ 

 the same methods as man to effect his purpose and de- 

 sires. Without intelligence man could not produce his 

 products of art and it must be perfectly clear that the cell 

 must employ the same means and be possessed of the 

 same quality or power in order to be able to produce his 

 products. 



Years ago before we had produced a microscope power- 

 ful enough to see the cell, we could see particles of matter 

 take their place and arrange themselves in order so as to 

 become collectively plants or animals, whose parts bore 

 a strict relation to the whole. From our knowledge of 

 matter we knew that it could not act in that way towards 

 a purpose unless it was guided by the intellect of some 

 being similar to our own, no more so than brick and stone 

 could take- their place in the construction of a house with- 

 out being guided by the intellect of some living being. 

 The thinker and observer could then as he can today, see 

 that matter was guided by a mind similar to his own, 

 towards a purpose. There seemed to be an invisible 

 spirit in charge, directing atoms and particles of matter, 

 which also proved to be the fact. 



