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can know of what has happened to us； it will move God's heart to
redress our grievance； and will tend to the happiness of those
who come after us； even if not to our own。
The moral government of God over the world is exercised through
us； who are his ministers and persons； and a government of this
description is the only one which can be observed as practically
influencing men's conduct。 God helps those who help themselves；
because in helping themselves they are helping Him。 Again； Vox
Populi vox Dei。 The current feeling of our peers is what we
instinctively turn to when we would know whether such and such a
course of conduct is right or wrong； and so Paul clenches his
list of things that the Philippians were to hold fast with the
words； 〃whatsoever things are of good fame〃…that is to say； he
falls back upon an appeal to the educated conscience of his age。
Certainly the wicked do sometimes appear to escape punishment；
but it must be remembered there are punishments from within which
do not meet the eye。 If these fall on a man； he is sufficiently
punished； if they do not fall on him； it is probable we have been
over hasty in assuming that he is wicked。
CHAPTER IX
GOD THE UNKNOWN
The reader will already have felt that the panzoistic conception
of God…the conception； that is to say； of God as comprising all
living units in His own single person…does not help us to
understand the origin of matter； nor yet that of the primordial
cell which has grown and unfolded itself into the present life of
the world。 How was the world rendered fit for the habitation of
the first germ of Life？ How came it to have air and water；
without which nothing that we know of as living can exist？ Was
the world fashioned and furnished with aqueous and atmospheric
adjuncts with a view to the requirements of the infant monad； and
to his due development？ If so； we have evidence of design； and
if so of a designer； and if so there must be Some far vaster
Person who looms out behind our God； and who stands in the same
relation to him as he to us。 And behind this vaster and more
unknown God there may be yet another； and another； and another。
It is certain that Life did not make the world with a view to its
own future requirements。 For the world was at one time red hot；
and there can have been no living being upon it。 Nor is it
conceivable that matter in which there was no life…inasmuch as it
was infinitely hotter than the hottest infusion which any living
germ can support…could gradually come to be alive without
impregnation from a living parent。 All living things that we know
of have come from other living things with bodies and souls；
whose existence can be satisfactorily established in spite of
their being often too small for our detection。 Since； then； the
world was once without life； and since no analogy points in the
direction of thinking that life can spring up spontaneously； we
are driven to suppose that it was introduced into this world from
some other source extraneous to it altogether； and if so we find
ourselves irresistibly drawn to the inquiry whether the source of
the life that is in the world…the impregnator of this earth…may
not also have prepared the earth for the reception of his
offspring； as a hen makes an egg…shell or a peach a stone for the
protection of the germ within it？ Not only are we drawn to the
inquiry； but we are drawn also to the answer that the earth
was so prepared designedly by a Person with body and soul
who knew beforehand the kind of thing he required； and who took
the necessary steps to bring it about。
If this is so we are members indeed of the God of this world； but
we are not his children； we are children of the Unknown and
Vaster God who called him into existence； and this in a far more
literal sense than we have been in the habit of realising ＇sic＇
to ourselves。 For it may be doubted whether the monads are not as
truly seminal in character as the procreative matter from which
all animals spring。
It must be remembered that if there is any truth in the view put
forward in 〃Life and Habit；〃 and in 〃Evolution Old and New〃 （and
I have met with no serious attempt to upset the line of argument
taken in either of these books）； then no complex animal or plant
can reach its full development without having already gone
through the stages of that development on an infinite number of
past occasions。 An egg makes itself into a hen because it knows
the way to do so； having already made itself into a hen millions
and millions of times over； the ease and unconsciousness with
which it grows being in themselves sufficient demonstration of
this fact。 At each stage in its growth ｛he chicken is reminded；
by a return of the associated ideas； of the next step that it
should take； and it accordingly takes it。
But if this is so； and if also the congeries of all the
living forms in the world must be regarded as a single person；
throughout their long growth from the primordial cell onwards to
the present day； then； by parity of reasoning； the person thus
compounded…that is to say； Life or God…should have already passed
through a growth analogous to that which we find he has taken
upon this earth on an infinite number of past occasions； and the
development of each class of life； with its culmination in the
vertebrate animals and in man； should be due to recollection
by God of his having passed through the same stages； or nearly
so； in worlds and universes； which we know of from personal
recollection； as evidenced in the growth and structure of our
bodies； but concerning which we have no other knowledge
whatsoever。
So small a space remains to me that I cannot pursue further the
reflections which suggest themselves。 A few concluding
considerations are here alone possible。
We know of three great concentric phases of life； and we are not
without reason to suspect a fourth。 If there are so many there
are very likely more； but we do not know whether there are or
not。 The innermost sphere of life we know of is that of our own
cells。 These people live in a world of their own； knowing nothing
of us； nor being known by ourselves until very recently。 Yet they
can be seen under a microscope； they can be taken out of us； and
may then be watched going here and there in perturbation of mind；
endeavouring ＇sic＇ to find something in their new environment
that will suit them； and then dying on finding how hopelessly
different it is from any to which they have been accustomed。 They
live in us； and make us up into the single person which we
conceive ourselves to form； we are to them a world comprising an
organic and an inorganic kingdom； of which they consider
themselves to be the organic； and whatever is not very like
themselve