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carbon is abundant and gold scarce? Whence did the 
affinities come? Did hydrogen construct itself on purpose to 
be able to take one atom of oxygen into union with two of 
itself to produce water? And, when both were self-made, 
whence came the pressure by which their combined bulk was 
reduced eighteen hundred times to make the great ocean of 
water ? How were the diverse atomic weights determined, 
so that lithium is but seven, while bismuth is two hundred 
and ten? ‘These are but a few of the thousands of questions 
which claim an answer before we can admit the independent 
action of matter. 
And the difficulties are only removed a step further back, 
by the adoption of the only alternative which is possible to 
the Materialist,—the eternal existence of matter,—while that 
theory carries with it certain grave difficulties peculiar to 
itself. In the days of old, when matter was thought and 
spoken of as one simple whole, it was possible, with at least 
a show of reason, to argue for its eternity, but no man can 
contend for sixty-three eternals. Geology shows that, so far 
as our earth is concerned, there has been a constant process 
of disintegration and re-construction from the beginning, every 
series of which is capable of measurement in time; and the 
most liberal donor of duration can go back to a precise and 
definite beginning. Astronomy also teaches us that the solar 
system can only have existed for a limited and definite period, 
while all through its existence the motions of the several 
members, both in direction and speed, have been ruled by 
strict mathematical law. But such science can scarcely be 
attributed to an assembly of unconscious and incompatible 
atoms. ‘Thus we are compelled to look for some intelligent — 
creator and distributor of matter in its various forms, adequate 
both in knowledge and power, to account for the existence 
and adjustment of the substance of the universe. 
But we are now met by a theory which, taking matter as 
already existing, supposes it to possess inherent power of 
development into all the forms of life we now see. An initial 
difficulty here is the fact that, in all the changes taking place 
in mere matter, a strict law or orderis, and must be, observed. 
In all chemical combination strict Jaws of quantivalence and 
proportion prevent any more than a definite and invariable 
number of specific atoms uniting to form any substance; 
while other laws compel the union of the appointed number 
when brought into juxtaposition. Thus, matter, pure and 
simple as we find it in the atom, is incapable of independent 
action, but follows an invariable order, which has existed ever 
since matter existed. Development or progress, in material 
