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

130 SCIENCE AND RELIGION.recent times. Accordingly it seems better tobegin with an outline of this theory, and of itshistory as developed by Mr. Darwin, keeping,however, steadily in view the range of problemwith which the theory has to deal.As already remarked the origin of life is aproblem quite dist,inct, and the theory of selectiondoes not entangle itself by maintainingorigin of life by development from unorganizedmatter. Mr. Darwin clearly guardedhimself against responsibility for such a conceptionof its origin." Restricting thus far,we have to keep in view the vast range of theproblem demanding scientific explanation.Animal life manifests itself by spontaneousmovement,-movemelit from within the livingorganism, in contrast with nlovementcaused by energy applied from without. Thisholds true of every living germ, from which amature animal form may be developed. Thisis the test of the presence of life under the microscopein minute germinal structures otherwiseincapable of observation. In its lowestknown form life appears in a minute vesselcontaining so much nourishment, which is withina nucleus or vital centre from which move-* Origin of Species, p. 577.