ER. V 



LIVING MATTE 



the Creator, and we can only know the future as he has 

 revealed it. 



" Heaven from all creatures hides the book of Fate, 

 All save the page revealed the present state." 



17. Our study thus far impresses us not only with the 

 truth that all living things manifest a dualism, but also 

 that all living are intimately related. Not that all come 

 from a single germ, or from a few germs, but that ani- 

 mals and plants form, after some sort, a common family. 

 From the great Father and Fountain of life all living 

 things proceed, and their existence and endowments are 

 according to his will. Immaterial, or spiritual existen- 

 ces weave for themselves a beautiful garment from the 

 inorganic world. The plant bioplasm appropriates min- 

 eral matter, with carbonic acid, water, and ammonia, 

 and by a wonderful vital chemistry transforms it into 

 organic compounds, as starch, sugar, gum, albumen, etc. 

 These compounds afford pabulum to animal bioplasm, 

 and are transformed to blood, muscle, nerve, and other 

 complex animal substances. After these transformed 

 products have served the purposes of animal life they 

 are discarded, and return again to the mineral world. 

 Thus the wonderful wheel of life revolves from age to 

 age under the watchful care of divine Providence. 



1 8. The intimate relations of living things may find a 

 mathematical illustration in the logarithmic spiral, such 

 as is described by a ship sailing N. E. at an angle of 60 

 from the pole. It is the spira mirabilis of Jas. Bernou- 

 illi, who desired one to be engraved on his tomb, with 

 the motto : *" Eadem mutata resurgo " " I rise the same, 

 though changed." It is a spiral which has the same 



