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

52 SCIENCE AND IPELIGION.believe that minute organic forms could livethrough the boiling process? If this appearedtoo absurd to fancy, then spontaneous generation,or actual origin of life out of non-organizedmatter, must be held to be established.It was only the audacity of prejudice,and hopeless alienation from the " advancedthought " of the time, which could induce anyone to doubt, in face of these experiments,carefully recorded and published.* Scientificobservers of great experience and reputationfelt it needful to express themselveswith caution, leaving results to be tested.A considerable number of investigators beganto turn their attention to the subject, anda period of seven years was occupied beforethe results became so certain as to be practicallyfinal. Pasteur, Pouchet, and Joubertwere at work in France, Crookes, Child,Beale, Roberts, Bastian, Tyndall and othersin England.All experiments concentrated upon certaintyin sterilizing the substance operatedupon. Pasteur pointed out that the chemicalproperties of the infusion affected the* For Dr. Bastian's experiments see Times, April 13, 1870;and Nature, June and July, 1870.