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

INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 87existence to the most complex organism. Abeginning will, therefore, be ma,la with theinorganic world, after which lower organismsmay be considered, after that the relativeplace of higher organisms, and finally thewhole class of questions concerning the powersand requirements of mind. In each ofthese relations, I desire to inquire into thereasonableness of our acknowledgment of thesupernatural.As the world presents a vast range of inorganicexistence, we have to consider themost prominent scientific conceptions concerninginorganic elements, as these afforda general view of the material structure ofthe earth.Concentrating on this region of observation,and taking no account, meanwhile, ofthe manifold phases of life, there are twoforms of existence to be recognized, Matterand Energy. Matter is solid, visible, tangible;Energy is invisible and intangible, butmeasurable by the work it is capable of doing.The one may be represented as thesolid inert mass, the other as the movingpower whose action is the source of continualchange. This duality we must regard as es-