THE UNDERLYING IDEA 



47 



the aquarium the Httle mass of transparent jelly which 

 surrounds and protects the delicate eggs of these crea- 

 tures. Fastened as they are it is easy to direct a 

 magnifying glass so as to observe the change which 

 goes on within these transparent eggs. It is even 

 possible to apply a microscope in such a way as to 

 w^atch the transformation under the low power of the 

 glass. At first the eggs are as clear as water, having 

 at the center a slightly yellowish spot. This central 

 mass divides and subdivides until the separated sec- 

 tions grow so small and numerous as to lose indi- 

 viduality. Then the mass begins to press out here 

 and dent in there. After a little while a double line 

 of fine, hairlike projections runs around the creature. 

 These hairs wave in such fashion as to make the 

 embryo snail revolve slowly in its Qgg. A little later 

 and swellings become more pronounced over the sur- 

 face. One side flattens ; the rotary motion stops ; eyes 

 appear at the front of the animal; a hump on the 

 back begins to be covered with a shell, and the little 

 creatures, pushing from the jelly, start their life jour- 

 ney on the side of the aquarium. Why did it happen? 

 How did it happen? Here we have seen creation at 

 work. Here surely the hand of the Creator is work- 

 ing in the only sense in which the Creator may be 

 properly said to have a hand. How the history of the 

 substance out of which the egg was produced provides 



