SPONTANEOUS GENERATION 63 



Dead protoplasm can neither grow nor propagate. 

 Every living organism has an individuality and struc- 

 ture, and it performs functions which are beyond the 

 power of the chemist to produce. 



Nor is there any physical science which can throw 

 light upon this subject. Chemistry, Anatomy, Phys- 

 iology, Biology and all the microscopes serve only 

 mechanical purposes — they cannot reveal the origin 

 of life. We will wait in vain for science to speak 

 with authority in this matter. The known facts of 

 science are, I believe, opposed to the theory of spon- 

 taneous generation. 



It is evident that with this state of facts there can 

 be no conflict between science and religion with re- 

 gard to the origin of life. Science admits that she 

 knows nothing on the subject, but at the same time 

 many evolutionists deem it necessary to defend the 

 theory of abiogenesis as being necessary to complete 

 that of evolution. 



Mr. Darwin says, " There is grandeur in this view 

 of life, with its several powers, having been original- 

 ly breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into 

 one." 



The creation of the first living being was an ex- 

 ceptional kind of work which required the exercise of 

 an exceptional kind of power. If, as Mr. Darwin 

 says, life was breathed by the Creator into the first 

 forms, this constitutes a break in the sufficiency of 

 natural causes alone to produce life. If a special 

 fiat was necessary at this point, why may it not have 

 been at others? 



The insufficiency of natural causes makes it neces- 

 sary to assume the exercise of some power that can 

 control nature, and thus produce results that would 

 not otherwise have been produced. The creation of a 



