ioo THE CREATION OF MATTER 



compounds do not show any. They are found only in 

 protoplasm, into the composition of which all the four 

 kinds of atoms enter. Each element must, it is evident, 

 contribute something to the production of the result 

 attained, and the result must depend on its containing 

 that something. If carbon had been wanting in what 

 forms its contribution, if hydrogen had been lacking in 

 its quota, if oxygen and nitrogen had been unequal to 

 the demands made on them; if every atom of these 

 elements had not been distinguished by its own special 

 characteristic contributory to the building up of the 

 protoplasmic substance, life would not have been. A 

 multitude of conditions must be fulfilled in order that 

 the simplest living forms may be brought into existence. 

 It is a pure contingency that two atoms of carbon should 

 possess the necessary characteristics. It is a pure contin- 

 gency that two atoms of oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen 

 should. The contingencies go far beyond all numbers 

 that every atom of each kind existing in the universe 

 should. In producing results so peculiar out of entities 

 so vast in number, who can believe that chance had any 

 part, who can believe that it could have yielded atoms for 

 the least living globule 1 Have we not here irresistible 

 evidence that, if this view of the origin of life be true, 

 these elements of matter have been made and adapted for 

 their place and work ? 



Nothing can be more irrational than to affirm of these 

 workers and their workings, that they simply say to us : 

 "We are as you see, and there is nothing and no 

 one beside us or behind us. We are workers. We are 

 matchless in form and endowment. We are adapted and 

 adjusted to each other. We form combinations. We 

 conduct processes. We build up structures. We kindle 

 life's spark. We are fitted for the work, and we do it, 



