Questions Evolution Does Not Answer 
the essence and origin of life. ? ? 
(“Origin of Species,” p. 96.) Wood¬ 
ruff quotes Derham as saying that 
“spontaneous generation is a doc¬ 
trine so generally exploded that I 
shall not undertake to disprove it. ’ ’ 
Woodruff says: “Indeed, it is diffi¬ 
cult to overestimate the importance 
of [Francesco] Redi’s conclusion 
from either the theoretical or prac¬ 
tical viewpoint, for with it was 
definitely formulated the theory, 
which has gained content and im¬ 
petus as the years have rolled on, 
that matter does not assume the 
living state, at the present time at 
least, except under direct influence 
of pre-existing living matter.” 
(Lull, “Evolution of the Earth,” 
p. 91.) “Thus,” says Woodruff, 
“biologists are at the present time 
absolutely unable, and probably will 
be for all time unable, to obtain 
empirical evidence on any of the 
28 
