The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 89even jolt, in passing over to this new lineof rails prepared for it.Taking these two, Matter and Energy, asdistinct, let us concentrate for a little uponeach of them separately. Let us first turnattention upon MATTER. This form of existenceis most easily contemplated, as mostdirectly presenting itself to observation. Apiece of metal may best serve for illustration,such as the iron out of which we formso many of our industrial implements. Thismetal may be mingled through earth or rock;it may be held in solution in water, or madeto flow out in liquid form from the furnace; itmay be hardened either in the more brittleform of cast iron, or in the more rigid formknown as malleable; but through - all thesechanges the material is the same. Further,suppose we were to receive a quantity of ore,and for the sake of experiment were to havepart presented in each one of these forms, thequantity would continue exactly the sameas was originally received. To quote againfrom the same author:-" The grand test ofthe reality of what we call Matter, the proofthat it has an objective existence, is its indestructibilityand uncreatability-if the ter~