206 LIFE IN NATURE. 



restraint, is Life. The passion on which it rests, 

 uncontrolled, leads to corruption, ends in death. 



We cannot but be struck with this fact in the 

 history of the seed : opening the eyes of our souls 

 to read it. Operated upon by the forces which 

 bring its latent "passion" into play the chemical 

 affinities which its elements contain the seed begins 

 to undergo a change, the decomposition of its sub- 

 stance. But mark the difference. This change 

 arises alike in the fertile and the infertile seed; it 

 is the starting point at once of life and death. Re- 

 sisted by the germ, it becomes the source of living 

 action ; it is the very power of growth ; the chemical 

 change, controlled, constitutes the life, and forms 

 the basis of all the subsequent development: if un- 

 resisted, the seed decays; it sinks into corruption 

 and is lost. Passion resisted is the source of life. 

 Can we fail to hear in this a voice which addresses 

 itself to our manhood? or to recognize a spiritual 

 fact a fact which our hearts alone can know 

 veiling itself behind these seeming laws of force ? 



Throughout all life it is so. The one fact of the 

 control of passion is presented to us in all its forms. 



