sformed into vital conditions." In this
statement it is well for us to remember that it is not only simple
imagination, but also that vital motions were the cause, bringing about
vital conditions, that is to say, life, before life was, transformed
mechanical conditions into vital conditions. So, in this very singular
imaginary hypothesis touching the origin of life we have the usual
circle suicide of the system. "Vital motions transform mechanical
conditions into vital conditions," and vital conditions fill the world
with "vital motions," and life itself is only a degree "or mode of
motion." _Such_ is their travel around the circle.

* * * * *

Can you believe that _vital motion_ transformed mechanical conditions
into _vital conditions_, without _life_ being the cause of those _vital
motions_?

DIFFICULTY WITH FIRE.

La Place, in his solution of how our planet was made, supposed that the
cooling, and consequently contracting rings of the fire cloud planet,
earth, did not break up into pieces, but retained their continuity; but,
in opposition to all experience and reason, he supposed that the cooling
rings kept contracting and widening out at the same time. According to
the nebular hypothesis--_or guess_--the fire mist was cooling and
shrinking up, while the rings of the same heat and material were cooling
_faster_ and widening out from it: a piece of disorder equal to a
miracle, for it can not be duplicated among solids or fluids in heaven
or earth, or under the earth; for everything narrows down upon
cooling--_contracts_!

* * * * *

THE INFIDEL'S OFFSET.--An unbeliever once said to a man who advocated
the doctrine of total depravity: "The ground for my rejection of all
responsibility for belief is the acknowledged necessitated nature of
belief. Show me," said he, "that it is not necessitated, and I am
answered. When you show me that it is controlled by a will, equally
necessitated, I am not answered. If a necessitated faculty or operation
can not be responsible, then neither will nor volition can be
responsible. You," said the infidel, "go through the whole circle of
mental faculties, and find necessity everywhere and responsibility
nowhere."

* * * * *

Through the kindness of Brother J. M. Mathes we are in possession of a
copy of the life of Brother Elijah Goodwin. It has the merit of being
mainly Brother Goodwin's own p