LIVING GCD OF LIVING NATURE FBOM THE SCIENCE SIDE. 271 



plants, the minute particles of living matter alternate with 

 non-living matter or tissue, which has been formed from and 

 by the living matter, but which in the state of tissue or struc- 

 ture of any kind does not live. 



Tliis distinction between the living and non-living matter of 

 everything in nature, is absolute ; and when we say an 

 organism has ceased to live, or is dead, to be accurate — we 

 should rather say, the once living matter is dead. The tissue or 

 structure died wdien it was formed, and was as dead while it 

 remained in the living body, as it would have been if the 

 whole organism had ceased to live. 



Such structures in fully formed organisms, as hair, feathers, 

 horn, nail, much of the tooth structure, the greater part of the 

 ivory of the adult elephant's tusk, for instance, are lifeless, 

 though they may have been firmly fixed to the living body for 

 years, and, indirectly, may be of great importance to life. All 

 these dry and lifeless structures were moist when formed by 

 the moist living bioplasm or living matter. 



A sharp line of distinction must therefore in all cases be 

 drawn between the living and non-living parts of every living 

 organism in nature. But it must be borne in mind that all the 

 tissues, and all the non-living formed matter of every organism, 

 was first in the state of living matter. 



Of the precise nature of the life-power of living matter, 

 little has yet been ascertained. The power, it must be ad- 

 mitted, belongs to life itself, and originated in previous living 

 matter. I think we must place life-power, if not among 

 spiritual powers, at least consider it as being nearly allied to 

 the spiritual order, and absolutely apart from all physical 

 l^roper ties, forces, energies, or factors of matter. 



The living particles themselves and their action during life, 

 can I think only be reasonably accounted for by attributing 

 them to vital power, created, sustained, and regulated from the 

 be.uinniug, by the living God. 



With regard to living matter, living growth, and the formation 

 of tissue : — In every department of living nature, at all times, 

 and in all ages, in all developmental processes, a great fact for 

 consideration is the universal presence of a large proportion of 

 water, and the faster the growth proceeds whether in health or 

 disease the greater will be the percentage of water. Some 

 vegetable, as well as animal tissues during the very important 

 and earliest stages of development, may contain for a time 

 more than eighty or ninety per cent, of water, and I think it 

 will be found that all living tissues and organs, and abnormal 



