The word ovum is defined as: “An egg in a broad biological sense; and the proper product of an ovary; the female germ or seed, which, when fertilized by the male sperm, is capable of developing into an individual like the parents.… An ovum consists of a quantity of protoplasm or cell-substance called the vitellus or yolk inclosed in a cell-wall or vitelline membrane, and provided with a nucleus and nucleolus.” (Cent. Dic. 5, p. 4212.)
“The ovum (egg) is extremely small,” says Haeckel, “being a tiny round vesicle about 1/120th of an inch in diameter; it can be seen under favorable circumstances with the naked eye as a tiny particle, but is otherwise quite invisible. This particle is formed in the ovary inside a much larger globule, which takes the name of the Graäfian follicle, from its discoverer, Graäf, and [which] had been previously regarded as the true ovum.” (Evolution of Man, chap. 3, pp. 16-17.)
“Man is developed,” says Darwin, “from anovule (little egg) about the 1/125th of an inch in diameter, which differs in no respect from the ovules of other animals.” (Descent of Man, chap. 1, p. 9.)
“In man,” says Romanes, “as in most mammals, it (the ovum or egg-cell) is about 1/120th of an inch in diameter.” (Romanes,Darwin and After Darwin, 1, p. 120.)
Supposing the human egg to be 1/120th of an inch in diameter and an ordinary pin’s head to be 1/16th of an inch in diameter, which is about its size, the egg would be about 1/7th of the size of a pin’s head.
Haeckel says: “In the lower vertebrates the formation of ova (eggs) in the germ-epithelium of the ovary continues throughout life; but in the higher animals it is restricted to the earlier stages, or even to the period of embryonic development.
“In man it seems to cease in the first year; in the second year we find no new-formed ova (eggs) or chains of ova (Pfluger’s tubes.) However, the number of ova (eggs) in the two ovaries is very large in the young girl. There are calculated to be 72,000 in the sexually mature maiden.” (Evolution of Man, chap. 29, p. 347.)
“The human ovum,” says Haeckel, “whether fertilized, or not, cannot be distinguished from that of most other mammals. It is nearly the same everywhere, in form, size, and composition. When it is fully formed, it has a diameter of (on an average) about 1/120th of an inch. When the mammal ovum (egg) has been carefully isolated and held against the light on a glass-plate, it may be seen as a fine pointeven with the naked eye. The ova (eggs) of most of the higher animals are about the same size. The diameter of the ovum (egg) is almost always between 1/250th and 1/125th of an inch. It has always the same globular shape; the same characteristic membrane; the same transparent germinal vesicle with its dark germinal spot.
“Even when we use the most powerful microscope,” he continues, “with its highest power, we can detect no material difference between the ova (eggs) of man, the ape, dog, and so on. I do not mean to say that there are no differences between the ova (eggs) of these different mammals. On the contrary, we are bound to assume that there are such [differences] at least as regards chemical composition. Even the ova (eggs) of different men must differ from each other; otherwise we should not have a different individual from each ovum (egg). It is true that our crude and imperfect apparatus cannot detect these subtle individual differences which are probably in the molecular (atomic) structure.”—(Evolution of Man,chap. 6, p. 44.)
Each human spermatozoön is formed in the genital organs of a particular man. So each human ovum is formed in the genital organs of a particular woman. Each of them is a new chemical combination, and a new mechanical arrangement, of the atoms of carbon,hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen (protoplasm) of which they are composed; which atoms are now, combined and arranged, for the first and last time, into a spermatozoön or an ovum. The atoms in a spermatozoön are chemically combined according to a prescribed formula, and mechanically arranged according to a specific plan; and the same is true of the atoms in an ovum. Each spermatozoön has the same chemical composition and the same mechanical arrangement, the same form and size, that every other has. So each ovum has the same combination and arrangement, the same form and size that every other has.
The materials, forces and motions employed in making each spermatozoön are similar to those employed in forming every other; but they are wholly different from, and independent of, those employed in making any other; and the same is true of the materials, forces and motions employed in making each ovum.
In other words, each spermatozoön is composed of its own atoms, and these atoms are selected, assembled, combined and arranged by forces and motions, peculiar to itself, independently of and wholly different from, the forces and motions which build up every other. The same is true of each ovum, the necessary changes being made.
It is a well known fact that each human spermatozoön is so adapted to, and correlated with, each human ovum that these two cells will, under suitable conditions, fuse and produce a new human being. It is also true that no other substance, on the earth, will fuse with such an ovum with the same result. Thesame is true of each ovumvice versa. These facts prove that each spermatozoön, and each ovum, has a specific composition, and definite arrangement of its atoms; that each spermatozoön has the same composition, and, substantially the same form, size, and structure that every other has; and that each ovum has the same composition, form, size and structure that every other has.
We cannot doubt that each spermatozoön and each ovum is produced anew, separately and apart from, and independently of every other, the production of each having no relation to the production nor to the existence of any other.
Intellect, memory, will-power, force and motion are necessary to group two or more atoms into a prescribed chemical combination, or into a specified mechanical arrangement. So supernatural, psychic and creative force are necessary to endow the human spermatozoön and ovum, with the vital properties and potentialities which they are known to possess.
Thus it appears that each spermatozoön and each ovum has mysterious and wonderful properties peculiar to itself. We cannot believe that they are produced by accident, nor by chance; nor that the atoms, of which they are composed, assemble and group themselves, automatically, into the form of a spermatozoön or an ovum; nor that they are evolved by the factors of evolution. The man in whose genital organs the spermatozoön is formed, has no conscious part nor voluntary agency in its production; nor has he any control, nor any power over it. His sexual organs “grind it out” as a mill grinds out meal. Nor hasthe woman, in whose ovary the ovum is formed, any part nor agency in its production; nor any control nor any power over it. No man, however wise, scientific and great he may be, can make any combination of atoms with the properties and potentialities of the spermatozoön; nor with those of the ovum.
The atoms in each spermatozoön are unique and peculiar to it, they being similar to, but differing from, those composing any other spermatozoön; and the same is true of the atoms composing each ovum. So, each spermatozoön appears to be endowed with the power to produce a child with a form, features, characteristics and traits resembling those of its father. In like manner it appears that each ovum has the power to produce a child with a form, features, qualities and traits resembling those of its mother.
But the smallest ant is a giant, in comparison with the spermatozoön or the ovum. Neither of them has any brain, nor eyes, ears, nose, touch, nor taste—no brain nor sense-organs. It is impossible to believe that the spermatozoön knows the color of its father’s hair and eyes; his complexion; the length of his nose; the size and form of his head; his facial expression; his characteristics and traits. Nor can we even imagine that the ovum has any knowledge of its mother, nor of her anatomy, organs, form, features or characteristics.
But assuming for argument that the spermatozoön and ovum do know all these things, it would be absurd to suppose that they can, automatically, combine, arrange and differentiate their atoms, and the new daughter-cells, which are produced in the embryobody, in such manner and form as to reproduce the hair, eyes, complexion, form, features, characteristics and traits of the father and mother. The work, which the spermatozoön and ovum appear to do is, in fact, done by the Creator, Himself, He employing them as instruments with which to do the same.
In view of all the facts, we are compelled to infer that the Creator selects the atoms, which form the spermatozoön and the ovum and that he generates, guides and controls the forces, which assemble, group and arrange them into the form of a spermatozoön and ovum.
It follows that each human spermatozoön and ovum is a new, direct and special creation by Almighty God.
The fertilized ovum is variously called, “germ-cell,” “stem-cell,” “first segmentation sphere,” “parent-cell,” “impregnated ovum,” “fertilized egg cell,” and other names of like import, all these phrases meaning the same thing.
Under the head, “Conception,” Haeckel says, among other things:
“The process of fertilization by sexual conception consists, therefore, essentially, in the coälescence and fusing together of two different cells. The lively spermatozoön travels toward the ovum by its serpentinemovements and bores its way into the female cell. The nuclei of both sexual cells attracted by a certain affinity approach each other and melt into one.”—(Haeckel, Ev. Man, p. 53.)
How do they acquire this “affinity?” How do they know each other? Have they intellect, memory and will? Are they not driven toward each other by a supernatural, psychic force?
Continuing he says:
“The fertilized cell is quite another thing from the unfertilized cell. For if we must regard the spermia [spermatozoä] as real cells, no less than the ova, and the process of conception as the coälescence of the two we must consider the resultant cell as a quite new and independent organism. It bears in the cell and nuclear matter of the penetrating spermatozoön a part of the father’s body, and in the protoplasm of the ovum a part of the mother’s body. This is clear from the fact that the child inherits many features from both parents. It inherits from the father by means of the spermatozoön and from the mother by means of the ovum. The actual blending of the two cells produces a third cell, which is the germ of the child, or new organism conceived. One may also say of this sexual coälescence thatthe stem cell is a simple hermaphrodite, it unites both sexual substances in itself.” (Ev. Man, pp. 53-54.)
“The individual development,” he says, “in man and the other animals, commences with the formation of a simple ‘stem-cell,’ of this character, and this then passes by repeated segmentation (or cleavage) into a cluster of cells, known as ‘the segmentationsphere,’ or ‘segmentation cell.’” (Haeckel, Ev. Man, p. 54.)
On another page (56) he says:
“Hence the essential point in the process of sexual reproduction or impregnation is the formation of a new cell, the stem-cell, by the combination of two originally different cells, the female ovum and the male spermatozoön. The process is of the highest importance and merits our closest attention. All that happens in the later development of this first cell, and in the life of the organism that comes of it, is determined from the first by the chemical and morphological composition of the stem-cell, its nucleus and its body.” (Ev. Man, p. 56.)
“Hertwig,” he continues, “puts his theory of conception thus:
‘Conception consists in the copulation of two cell-nuclei, which comes from a male and a female cell.…’
“As the phenomenon of heredity is inseparably connected with the reproductive process we may further conclude that these two copulating nuclei convey the characteristics which are transmitted from parents to offspring.” (Ev. of Man, p. 56.)
“As, moreover, there is a complete coälescence (fusion) of the mutually attracted nuclear substances in conception, and the new nucleus formed (the stem nucleus) is the real starting point for the development of the fresh organism, the further conclusion may be drawn that the male nucleus conveys to the child the qualities of the father, and the female nucleus the features of the mother.
“We must not forget, however, that the protoplastic bodies of the copulating cells also fuse together in the act of impregnation; the cell-body of the invading spermatozoön (the trunk and tail of the ciliated cell) is dissolved in the yelk of the female ovum. This coälescence is not so important as that of the [two] nuclei, but it must not be overlooked; and though the process is not so well known to us, we see clearly at least the formation of the star-like figure, (the radial arrangement of the particles in the plasma) in it.” (Haeckel, Ev. Man, p. 56.)
In another place (p. 57) he says:
“It has been shown that the tiny sperm-cell (spermatozoön) is not subordinated to but co-ordinated with, the large ovum. The nuclei of the two cells, as the vehicle of the hereditary features of the parents, are of equal physiological importance. In some cases we have succeeded in proving that the mass of the active nuclear substance, which combines in the copulation of the two sexual nuclei is originally the same for both.
“These morphological facts are in perfect harmony with the familiar physiological truth that the child inherits from both parents; and that on the average they are equally distributed. I say ‘on the average’ because it is well known that a child may have a greater likeness to the father, or to the mother; that goes without saying, as far as the primary sexual characters (the sexual glands) are concerned. But it is also possible that the determination of the latter—the weighty determination whether the child is to be a boy or a girl—depends on a slight qualitative or quantitativedifference in nuclein or the colored nuclear matter which comes from both parents in the act of conception.” (Ev. Man, p. 57.)
Haeckel continues, (p. 57):
“Quite in harmony with this new conception of the equivalence of the two gonads (ovum and spermatozoön) on the equal physiological importance of the male and female sex-cells and their equal share in the process of heredity, is the important fact established by Hertwig that in normal impregnation only one single spermatozoön copulates with one ovum; the membrane which is raised on the surface of the yelk immediately after one sperm-cell has penetrated, prevents any others from entering. All the rivals of the fortunate penetrator die without.” (Ev. Man, pp. 57-58.)
At this point it should be noted that the stem-cell does not contain any skeleton, model nor other preformed outline of the coming embryo for the following reasons: (1) neither the ovum nor the spermatozoön contains any such skeleton, model nor outline; and if each of them contain such a thing, both would be destroyed when these primary cells fuse and merge into the germ-cell. (2) The germ-cell first divides into two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, and sixty-fourdaughter-cells, and so on into the millions; and this segmentation of the stem-cell and daughter-cells would surely annihilate any skeleton, model or other outline that might exist in the germ-cell; (3) the germ-cell first divides into two daughter-cells and so on, to infinity, as already stated; and these daughter-cells form what are called “germ-layers” or sheets of cells from which the human body and all of its organs and parts are built up. (Haeckel, Ev. Man, pp. 14, 16, 59, 92; Encyc. Brit., (9th ed.) 3, p. 682; 8, pp. 165, 744; 24, p. 631; Cent. Dic. 3, p. 2500, “Germ-layer.”)
This mode of growth, by the segmentation of cells and formation of germ-layers, is called “epigenesis” which Huxley defines as “the successive differentiation of a relatively homogeneous rudiment, into the parts and structures, which characterize the adult.” (Encyc. Brit. 8, p. 744. Cent. Dic. 3, p. 1968, “Epigenesis.”)
According to the theory ofepigenesis, which is now held by all the scientific world, the human body grows anew from the germ-cell, without any skeleton model or any other kind of preformation.
“Every living thing,” says Huxley, “is evolved from a particle of matter, in which no trace of the distinctive characters of the adult form of that living thing is discernible. This particle is termed agerm.” (Encyc. Brit. (9 ed.) 8, p. 746.)
He defines a germ as “matter potentially alive, and having, within itself, the tendency to assume a definite living form;” and says that this definition“appears to meet all the requirements of modern science.” (Encyc. Brit. (9 ed.) 8, p. 746.)
“In all cases,” he says, “the process of evolution [growth] consists in a succession of changes of the form, structure and functions of the germ [fertilized ovum], by which it passes, step by step, from an extreme simplicity, or relative homogeneity, of visible structure to a greater or less degree of complexity or heterogeneity; and the course of progressive differentiation is usually accompanied by growth, which is effected by intussusception.” (Encyc. Brit. 8, p. 746.)
Huxley is surely mistaken in saying that “the process of evolution [development and growth] consists in a succession of changes in the form, structure and functions of the germ,” for the germ (fertilized ovum) immediately divides into two daughter-cells, these into four, these into eight, sixteen and so on to infinity. Thus, it appears that germ (germ-cell) becomes “a drop in the sea,” its identity being wholly lost. Huxley states this fact, in substance, in the quotation below.
“The substance,” he says, “by the addition of which the germ is enlarged is in no case, simply absorbed ready-made form the not-living world, and packed between the elementary constituents of the germ.… The new material is, in a great measure, not only absorbed but assimilated, so that it become part and parcel of the molecular structure of the living body into which it enters. And so far from the fully developed organism’s being simply the germ plus the nutriment which it has absorbed, it is probable that the adult contains neither in form, norin substance, more than an inappreciable fraction of the constituents of the germ; and that it is almost wholly made up of assimilated and metamorphosed nutriment. In the great majority of cases, at any rate, the full grown organism becomes what it is by the absorption of not-living matter, and its conversion into living matter of a specific type.” (Encyc. Brit. (9 ed.) 8, p. 746.)
The substance of these quotations is that the germ (fertilized ovum) has, within itself, a tendency to assume the form of a man or woman. But, as above remarked, this is not true. On the contrary the “germ” divides into two daughter-cells, and these continue to divide until millions of them are produced. These daughter-cells are so distributed, combined, differentiated, grouped and arranged as to produce the embryo body with all its organs and parts. According to Huxley and other materialists the “germ” and its daughter-cells do all this work spontaneously without the aid or guidance of any extraneous psychic or creative force. Is this possible?
The germ-cell (fertilized ovum) has no brain, no eyes, ears, nose, touch, nor taste—no brain nor sense-organs—no organs whatever. It has no knowledge of chemical elements; nor of their affinities; nor of their combinations. It has no knowledge of mechanical arrangement; no knowledge of the human body nor of its organs and parts; nor of their chemical constituents; nor of their mechanical arrangement. It has no idea of time nor space; nor of the adaption of a means to an end; nor of a contrivance.
The germ-cell has no memory of any of these things, for it is impossible for any being to remember a thing that it never knew. This would be a contradiction of terms—an absurdity. I know that Haeckel and other writers speak of “unconscious memory,” “organic memory,” etc. But these are vagaries of the evolutionist and materialist, having no foundation in fact.
So far as our experience goes, there is no such thing as intellect nor memory without and apart from a living physical body. Before there can be intellect or memory, there must be such body to serve as its dwelling place. It is absurd to suppose that the spermatozoön, the ovum or the fertilized ovum hasintellect or memory. But even if any of the three has either of these faculties, it would be preposterous to suppose that the spermatozoön, ovum or fertilized ovum, remembers anything that happened before the atoms, of which it is composed, were grouped together as such. In other words, we cannot even imagine that any living being remembers anything that happened before it came into existence as such being. It is too clear for argument that no parent ever transmits to his or her child the memory of any thing that he or she ever saw, heard, felt or knew. Every man knows that he has no memory of anything that happened to either of his parents. It follows that the memory of each animal is limited to the period of his own existence, as such; and that there is no such thing as “unconscious memory,” or “organic memory,” in the sense in which these terms are used by the evolutionist.
But “unconscious memory,” “organic memory,” etc., if there were any such thing, have no constructive force. I might have a vivid memory of every spring, wheel, and part of a watch and yet have no power to make one. So, an anatomist may know and remember every bone, muscle, artery, vein, nerve and part of the human body; but this knowledge and memory would not enable him to form the chemical combinations and make the mechanical arrangements necessary to construct the human body and impart life to it.
Nor has the germ-cell any will-power to begin and continue the work of building up the embryo body until it is completed. We cannot even imagine thatthe germ-cell has the semblance of a will in any sense of the term.
To construct the embryo body a sufficient number of atoms of the necessary chemical elements, such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, etc., must be selected, assembled at the proper places and there combined, in certain proportions, to form the required chemical combinations; next these combinations must be grouped and mechanically arranged in such a manner as to form the embryo body, with all its organs and parts in their proper places.
Can the germ-cell, and the millions of daughter-cells arising from it, do this miraculous work, automatically, without the aid and guidance of the Creator?
Let us imagine that Edison or some other scientific man should build a tank large enough to hold a brick house with six rooms; that he put into the tank a “magic brick,” composed of silica, aluminum, iron, lime, magnesia, manganese, soda and potash combined in the proper proportions, (Encyc. Brit. 4, p. 280); that he turned a stream of water, charged with these elements, upon the brick; that it absorbed these substances from the water and assimilated them into its own body; that it afterward split into two “daughter-bricks,” these two into four, these into eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, one hundred and twenty-eight, and so on to infinity; that these bricks, automatically, assumed such positions on top of each other as to build up the four walls of the house, without the aid of man or any other psychic force; that the bricks left spaces for doors, windows, etc.; that they also built up the chimneys, fire places, etc.; that some ofthe bricks, spontaneously, metamorphosed themselves into marble slabs for window-sills, door-sills, hearth-stones, etc.; that other bricks were converted into oaken mantels, with mirrors, etc.; that others were converted into slabs of slate and assumed the proper form, size and positions to form a slate roof!
If any such thing should ever happen it would be justly considered a great miracle.
But the development and growth of the embryo are far more mysterious and wonderful than the building of a house in this manner would be; for the embryo is a live miniature model of a man or woman—the work of a supernatural creative force—Almighty God.
Huxley says, in substance, that the germ-cell has “within itself the tendency to assume a definite living form.” He also says “that the great characteristic of the germ is, not so much what is, but what it may, under suitable conditions, become.”—(Encyc. Brit. (9 ed.) 8, p. 746.)
The common belief of mankind, in general, is that the germ-cell, spontaneously and automatically, develops and grows to be a man or woman, without the aid of any extraneous psychic or creative force.
But it is clear that the germ-cell divides into two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two and sixty-four daughter-cells; and so on to infinity. It follows that the germ-cell is annihilated within a few hours after it is formed; and that its identity, as the germ-cell is wholly lost in the myriads of daughter-cells which arise from it, and go to build up the embryo body;each daughter-cell containing, theoretically, a portion of the germ-cell.
It follows that the germ-cell has no tendency “within itself to assume a definite living form;” nor has it any power to become a living form, nor anything else.
Obviously, the microscopic germ-cell, when whole, would be powerless to develop and grow to be a man or woman; and for a much stronger reason the infinitesimal fragments of it would be powerless to do these things.
Apparently, the Creator uses the germ-cell to inaugurate the growth of daughter-cells in the embryo body, in the same manner that a grain of wheat is used to start the growth of a stalk of wheat.
All the phenomena of reproduction may be grouped under the following heads: (1) Production of the spermatozoön, (2) production of the ovum, (3) their fusion into the fertilized ovum, (4) production of daughter-cells, (5) distribution, mechanical arrangement and grouping of cells, (6) differentiation of cells into the different tissues, (7) waste of cells.
The first step toward the reproduction of a man, woman, or any other mammal, (an individual of a species which suckles its young), is the formation ofa spermatozoön in the genital organs of a male. Seeindex, infra, “Spermatozoön.”
The production of an ovum in the genital organs of a female is the second step. It is immaterial which of them is produced first. The essential point is that they shall meet and fuse into the fertilized ovum.
SeeSec. 14, supra;Index, infra, “ovum.”
The third step is the fusion of the spermatozoön and ovum into the germ-cell, stem-cell or fertilized ovum. Seeindex, infra, “germ-cell,” “stem-cell,” “fertilized ovum.”
The fourth step is the production of daughter-cells. The germ-cell (fertilized ovum) is the primordial cell, from which every other cell in the human body is directly or indirectly, produced by fission or self-division. As already stated, the germ-cell divides into two daughter-cells, these into four, these into eight, sixteen, and so on to infinity. Every cell is composed of a vast number of atoms. A portion ofthese atoms is differentiated into “the inner nucleus (caryoplasm)” and “the body of the cell (cytoplasm).” (Haeckel, Ev. Man, p. 38.) Again he says: “In a mesh of the nuclear net-work … there is, as a rule, a dark, very opaque, solid body, called the nucleolus.” (Ev. Man, p. 38.) On another page, he says: “Some cells have a ‘nucleolinus’ in the center of the nucleolus.” (Ev. Man, p. 40, fig. 9.)
We cannot believe that any microscopic cell in the human body has intellect, memory, will-power nor creative force. For a stronger reason, we cannot imagine that any of the atoms of which any cell is composed, has these faculties. Nor can we conceive that a portion of these atoms, automatically, metamorphose themselves into a nucleolus, others into a nucleolinus, while the remainder continue to be a simple cell-body.
How do the cells know when the time has come to divide into two daughter-cells; where the dividing line should run in order to divide the cell-body, nucleus and nucleolus into two equal parts? For further discussion of cells seeIndex, infra, “cell.”
Why does the elephant grow larger than the mouse. Both are mammals and are built of cells. The mouse has identically the same organs and parts that the elephant has. The mode of reproducing each is the same as that of the other. The spermatozoön, ovum and germ-cell are common to both.
How does it happen that all normal adult individuals of each species of animal in a given region and of each sex, have substantially the same form and size, called: “the mode?”
The reader may reply that nature fixes the size and form of every individual of each species. The evolutionist will say that the law of heredity and environment determine the sizes and forms of animals and plants; that the mouse is small because his ancestors were small; that the elephant is large because his were large.
But these replies do not explain the phenomena. Each animal grows anew, for itself. His body is a new combination of the atoms and cells of which it is composed. The forces and motions employed in its construction are new and peculiar to it. When the cells in an embryo body begin to grow there is no apparent reason why they should not continue to grow and multiply, forever. Now, what psychic force or agency ascertains and determines when the work of building up the animal body has been completed? What force or agency equalizes the growth and waste of cells in a mature animal body and keeps it of the same form, size, and weight until the decay of old age comes on?
The size of every animal depends upon the size and number of cells in his body; and its form is determined by the manner in which these cells are grouped together. For example there are more cells in the nose (trunk) and teeth (tusks) of the elephant, in proportion to the size of his body, than there are in those of the mouse in proportion to his. It isclear that a mouse would grow to be as large as an elephant if the cells in his body continued to grow and multiply for a sufficient period of time. Why do the cells cease to multiply when the mouse has attained a certain size? Why do they stop work in the elephant’s body when he gets his normal growth? Do the cells in the mouse and those in the elephant know when their work is done? How do they know it?
The materialist denies the existence of a First Cause and maintains that every animal and plant is the result of “a natural continuous and necessary evolution.” (Haeckel, Evolution of Man, p. 26.) Huxley says, in effect, that “secondary causes” produce all the phenomena of the physical universe; and that man and the rest of the living world “are all co-ordinated terms in nature’s great progression.” (Man’s Place in Nature, pp. 150-151.)
But it appears that the materialist maintains that the law of heredity is fixed and unchangeable, at all events it is proof against secondary causes. For example, no sort of treatment, nor any kind nor quantity of food will make a mouse grow to the size of an elephant nor any larger than his ancestors were. Food and environment are “secondary causes;” but they have no power to change the form nor the size of the animal body.
Since all normal adult individuals of each species of animals, all over the earth, and in every age, have substantially the same form and size; and since each individual is built up, anew, of new cells (or atoms) by new forces and motions, we are compelled to assume that the same psychic force or agency determinesthe number of cells which shall go into each normal body, and the manner in which these cells shall be grouped together. In brief, the same supernatural psychic and creative force, always, determines the form and size of each animal, all over the earth.
As already stated, every man and woman begins life as a germ-cell or fertilized ovum. This cell grows and divides into two daughter-cells; these into four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, and so on. At first these daughter-cells are so distributed and grouped as to form a solid ball called “the morula;” next they take the form of a hollow ball, called “the blastula” with a single layer or sheet of cells and a fluid in the center; next a group of cells with two layers, called “the gastrula;” then they are so distributed or grouped as to form two germ-layers or sheets of cells, then into three layers, then into four. At this point a portion of the cells is so grouped as to begin the formation of the spinal cord and brain; and in course of time, other cells are so distributed and grouped as to form the bones, muscles, nerves, arteries, veins, heart, lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys, intestines, arms, hands, legs, feet and other organs and parts of the body.
The form of any animal body and each organ and part of such a body, depends upon the manner in whichits cells are distributed and grouped. Thus, the form of the whale, elephant, giraffe, camel, lion, tiger, hippopotamus, alligator, python, horse, cow, eagle and humming-bird, is produced by the distribution of the cells or atoms in their bodies. If a man has a very large head, a long nose or big foot we are compelled to infer that these peculiarities are the result of depositing an unusual number of cells (“organic bricks”) in these parts of his body.
Sir Isaac Newton states his first law of motion in the words following:
“Everybody continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, except in so far as it is compelled, by force, to change that state.”—(Encyc. Brit. (9 ed.) 15, p. 676.)
For example, if one should lay a stone on the ground it would remain there forever, unless moved by some sort of force. It would be absurd to suppose that the stone could, automatically, move itself.
There is no such thing as makingany thingout ofnothing. Every thing is made of some other thing. The body of the horse is made of corn, hay and other vegetable and mineral substances. So the human body is made of bread, meat and other food-stuffs, eaten by the mother before birth and by the individual, himself, after birth. The germ-cell is deposited in the womb of its mother. It cannot develop nor grow, unless it receive nourishment from her body. She eats bread, meat and other things, these are converted into blood, and a portion of it is carried, by the force of her heart and arteries, to the germ-cell; it absorbs and assimilates a portion of the blood; produces cells;and these are so distributed and grouped as to form the embryo body with all its organs and parts.
It is obvious that the father has nothing to do with the circulation of the mother’s blood, which conveys nourishment to the embryo; it is equally clear that she has no conscious part in the circulation of her own blood, and that she has no power nor control over the development nor the growth of the embryo, except such as she may exert indirectly by the food which she eats.
The embryo begins life as a germ-cell. Atoms of building material must be conveyed, by the blood of the mother, to this cell, otherwise, it cannot develop nor grow. As new cells are produced, they are so distributed and grouped as to form the several organs and parts of the embryo body; or it may be said that new cells are produced and added to older cells, at such points as to build up the embryo organs and parts. For example, arm-buds and leg-buds appear on the surface of the trunk, as slight swellings or projections; new cells are added to these buds; they grow, in length, by the addition of cells at the distal (outer) ends, until they have attained the proper length, terminating in the fingers and toes. So the arms and legs grow to some extent in diameter by the addition of new cells; but the number of cells, which go to extend the length of the arms and legs, greatly exceeds the number which go to increase the diameter.
Every atom in a cell is a physical body, like a brick, and must be moved by extraneous force, having no power to lift and move itself, automatically. It may be said that the heart and arteries of the motherfurnish the energy, which moves the atoms to the building site of the cells, in the first instance. But the atoms are not only moved; they are carried at the proper time and deposited at the right place to build up the organ or part which is being constructed. We cannot believe that the mother has any knowledge of, nor power over, the distribution of the atoms and cells, which go to build up the embryo body; nor can we even imagine that the embryo itself distributes them. So it would be absurd to suppose that the atoms and cells move and distribute themselves, automatically, in such a manner as to build up the embryo.
How do the cells know when to begin the formation of the morula? How do they know when it has been completed and when to begin the construction of the blastula? How do they know when to take the form of the gastrula, and when to enter the next stage?
The forces and motions required to build up the morula (a solid ball) are different from those required to construct the blastula (a hollow ball) and the gastrula (a two-layered hollow group of cells with an aperture at one end of it); the morula, blastula and gastrula, each, requiring forces and motions peculiar to itself. Now, what psychic force stops the forces and motions, which build up the morula, and sets to work the forces which construct the blastula and afterward the gastrula?
It is obvious that these cells, (if there be enough of them), may be so grouped as to form a sphere, cube, cylinder, plate or any other figure; and that any of these may be solid, hollow or porous. The head, brain,heart, kidneys and some other parts of the embryo, approximate the form of a sphere; the trunk, arms, legs and many bones are approximately cylindrical; other bones take the form of a plate, for example the bones of the skull. The form and shape of the embryo, and of every organ and part of it, depends entirely upon the manner in which its component cells are grouped.
How is it possible for these unthinking microscopic cells to know at what point to begin, and in what direction to grow, and in what manner they shall group themselves, in order to construct the skeleton, brain, spinal cord, heart, lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys, etc.?
The only reasonable hypothesis is that the production and placing of cells in the embryo body are directed and controlled by a supernatural psychic and creative force.
After the formation of a rudimentary head and trunk, two “arm-buds” and two “leg-buds” appear on the surface of the trunk. At first these “buds” are slight swellings or projections, but they soon take the form of a cylinder and continue to grow mainly in length and slightly in diameter, until the man or woman has finished his or her growth. Every embryo that ever existed, grew and behaved in this same manner, thus showing that the same supernatural psychic and creative force directed and controlled the growth and deposit of cells in the body of every man and woman that ever lived.
How could the cells possibly know at what point, on the body of the embryo, to group themselves togetherin order to build up the arms and legs? How could they contrive to give the arms and legs the form of a cylinder, the length being several times as great as the diameter? How could the cells possibly know that there should be only one bone in each arm above the elbow and two below the elbow and the wrist? How could they know the number of bones that should be placed between the wrist and fingers? How could they know that there should be a thumb and four fingers in each hand and the number of joints in each finger? How could it be possible for the blind unthinking cells to build up the two legs and feet, with all their bones, processes, joints, muscles, nerves, arteries, veins, etc., without the aid and direction of a supernatural psychic and creative force?
We are, therefore, compelled to assume that the Creator generates, guides, and controls the forces which distribute and group the atoms and cells in the body of the embryo.
The atoms and cells of which the embryo body is built up, and those of which each organ and part is made, are carried to “the building site” and there grouped by force. This force, whatever it may be, must be sufficient to overcome the force of gravity and the friction, which one atom or cell encounters in moving on the surface of another. This force mustbe guided and controlled by a Being with a conscious intellect, memory and will-power in order to build up the embryo body, or one of its organs, and give it the proper form and size; for the right number of atoms or cells must be carried to “the building site” of each organ and part, or it will be too large or too small, and out of proportion to the other parts of the body; and these atoms or cells must be so grouped as to give the organ or part the correct form—not too long, too wide nor too thick; else it will not fit into its place, nor be in harmony with the other parts of the body. Intellect, memory and judgment are necessary to construct the body or any part of it with atoms or cells, for the builder must know the anatomy of the body; must know the time when each part of the work must be done; must know the relation of each part to every other part; must know the proper form and size of each part, and the present form and size; must compare each part with every other in order to preserve harmony and due proportion among all the parts, in form, size and function.
The atoms of lime, phosphorus, carbon and oxygen, are assembled in the body of the embryo and combined in such manner as to make the rudimentary bones rigid and stable; others are assembled, combined and so grouped as to form the muscles; others to form the brain, spinal cord and nerves; others to form the arteries, veins, etc.; each of these tissues has its own chemical composition and molecular structure, radically different from the composition and structure of every other tissue. Moreover, these chemical and molecular changes (specializations) are made side byside at the same time, all at once, the muscles being attached to the bones, and the nerves, arteries and veins, ramifying through the muscles, bones, etc. Not only so, but the atoms and cells, which form the bones, muscles, nerves, arteries, veins, etc., are assembled, grouped and specialized at the exact points, at which these tissues are needed to build up the embryo body.
What force or agency does this miraculous work? Surely, it is not the father, nor the mother. It is not done by accident nor by chance, for the same things happen in the development and growth of every normal embryo body in every age and country the world over. All this wonderful work is done in every embryo body by the same psychic and creative force, whose work is uniform, continuous and everlasting.
The evolutionist says the development and growth of an embryo results from “heredity;” that the child develops and grows as it does because its father and mother and all their ancestors, for thousands of generations developed and grew in the same manner; and that the embryo develops and grows by “a natural continuous and necessary evolution.”—(Haeckel, Ev. Man, p. 26.)
This is absurd, for the cells which build up the embryo, are new combinations of the atoms of which they are composed; each embryo develops and grows anew for itself; neither the germ-cell nor any of its daughter-cells has any knowledge of the father, nor of the mother; nor of their mode of development and growth; nor of their organs and parts; nor has the embryo any power nor control over its own development and growth, nor to imitate the development andgrowth of its parents, even if it knew how they developed and grew.
A cell is said to be “a simple-cell,” when it is composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, with a possible trace of phosphorus and sulphur,—when it consists of plain protoplasm—and before it has been differentiated into a bone-cell, muscle-cell, nerve-cell or the like. To convert a simple-cell into one of these specialized cells certain atoms must be added to it, or taken from it; or certain atoms must be taken away and others added to it; or the chemical combination of atoms in it must be broken down and new ones formed. There is no change in the properties of the chemical elements, which compose the human body. For example, the nature and properties of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen remain the same whether they are in or out of the body, and the same is true of every other element.
The differentiation of simple-cells into bone-cells, muscle-cells, nerve-cells, vascular-cells, gland-cells, etc., is effected by changing the chemical elements, which enter into their composition; or by changing the proportion of these elements to one another and alteringtheir molecular structure. In fact, it appears that every differentiation and specialization of any animal, or of any organ or part of one, is accomplished by changing its chemical constituents; or by changing their relative proportions to one another and thereby modifying its molecular structure, and by changing the mechanical arrangement of its atoms and cells.
The entire work of building up the embryo body is done by making new chemical combinations and new mechanical arrangements of the atoms and cells of which it is composed.
Referring to the residue of the dry bone, which remains after calcining it (burning away the soft parts of it), Professor Martin says:
“The residue forms a white, very brittle mass, retaining, perfectly the shape and structural details of the original bone. It consists of normal calcium (lime) phosphate orbone-earth(CA₃, 2PO₄); but there is also present a considerable proportion of calcium [lime] carbonate (CaCO₃) and smaller quantities of other salts.” (Martin, Human Body, p. 90.)
Under the head: “The Chemistry of Muscular Tissue,” he says:
“Muscle contains 75 per cent of water; and among other inorganic constituents, phosphates and chlorides of potassium, sodium and magnesium.” (Human Body, p. 123.)
According to this statement there is no lime in the muscles; and we cannot believe there is any of this substance in any tissue of the body except the bones; for every other tissue is soft and flexible. It is clear that the purpose of putting lime into the bones,is to make them rigid and stable in order to support the body and keep all its organs and parts in place.
What force or agency assembles the atoms of lime, phosphorus, carbon and oxygen, and combines them into the phosphate of lime, and the carbonate of lime, to make the bones rigid and stable? Surely, it is not the father, nor the mother, nor the embryo itself. It would be preposterous to suppose that the atoms of lime, phosphorus, carbon and oxygen, of their own motion, and automatically, assemble and combine themselves, chemically, in such proportions as to form the phosphate of lime, and the carbonate of lime in the bones; and that these atoms of the phosphate and carbonate of lime group themselves, automatically, into such mechanical arrangements as to form the bones with all their processes, joints, cavities, perforations, etc., and fit them together in the form of the skeleton.
The formation of bones in the body of a single animal, might, possibly happen by accident or chance. But when bones are formed in the bodies of all animals of the same species for thousands, or millions, of years and when all of them, in the bodies of each species, have the same chemical composition, the same structure, form and size; we are compelled to assume that the same cause, force or agency, which produces bones in each body, also produces them in every other body; in brief that all bones are made by the same supernatural psychic and creative force. The same is true of every other tissue.
But the evolutionist says that “heredity” works this miracle. In other words, that this metamorphosis of simple-cells into bones, muscles, nerves, etc., happensbecause certain similar cells in the bodies of the father and mother were changed in the same manner. He overlooks the fact that the cells, bones, etc., in the embryo body are new and altogether different from those which were metamorphosed in the bodies of its parents and that the forces which did that work were exhausted in doing it. He forgets or ignores the fact that neither the germ-cell nor any of its daughter-cells has any intellect, memory, will-power or creative force; that they have no knowledge of chemistry, nor of lime, phosphorus, carbon, oxygen, nor of their affinities; nor of bones; nor of their forms, sizes and functions.
The differentiation and specialization (metamorphosis) of cells and tissues; and their mechanical arrangement and grouping into the several organs and parts of the embryo body are not the work of blind mechanical forces; nor of chance; nor of accident; nor of unthinking cells; but of the Almighty Creator.
So soon as the embryo begins to grow, the waste of cells begins; and continues until the death of the individual, however long he may live. “The knowledge is wanting,” says the Britannica, “which would tell us, when a certain limit has been attained, the process of income and expenditure balance and growth ceases.”—(Encyc. Brit. 17, p. 686.) “During life,” says Professor Martin, “all the formed elements of thebody are constantly being broken down and removed; either molecularly, (that is bit by bit, while the general size and form of the cell or fibre remains unaltered) or in mass, as when the hairs and the cuticle are shed.” (Martin, Human Body, p. 670.)
See Encyc. Brit. 17, pp. 686-687; Martin, Human Body, pp. 451-476, 670-671; New International Encyc. 9, pp. 312-315.
The waste of cells affects the growth of the body, only so far as it tends to neutralize and offset the increase of the body by the multiplication of cells.
The germ-cell (fertilized ovum) is the physical basis of every human body. Such an ovum is said to be potentially alive because it may, with the aid of the Creator, develop into a living individual. Excepting this tiny bit of flesh-like substance, which is barely visible to the naked eye, and which is not one trillionth part of the infant at birth, every part of the human embryo is built up of inanimate atoms, which are carried and distributed to the growing embryo by the blood of the mother. These dead atoms are then assimilated by the embryo and incorporated into its growing body.
The fertilized ovum is soon split and divided into millions of pieces, by the division of cells, and lost in the general mass of the embryo body like a drop inthe sea. It appears that the chief office of the fertilized ovum is to inaugurate the growth and multiplication of cells, which are, finally, differentiated and specialized into the several organs and parts of the embryo body.
These facts serve to show the extent of the supernatural creative work done in the embryo body. It is a new living body, with all its organs and parts made of inanimate matter, except the germ-cell.
The embryo is built of certain chemical elements, namely: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, etc. Seesec. 3, supra, andindex, infra, “Chemical elements.” It derives its properties and potentialities from certain chemical combinations and mechanical arrangements of these elements, and from life. All of these combinations and arrangements are made after the formation of the fertilized ovum. Even if this ovum and its daughter-cells could build up the embryo body, automatically, yet it must grow anew for itself, independently of the growth of the bodies of its parents, or any other person; for it must have its own body, and not that of its father, mother, nor of any other person. It is composed of new materials, except the fertilized ovum, which is too small to be considered in comparison with the body of the embryo, as a whole.These new materials are derived from the blood of the mother.
No embryo ever takes or uses any organ or part of the body of its father, or mother, except the spermatozoön and the ovum, which form the germ-cell and serve as a germ to start the growth of the body. Each embryo is a new combination and a new arrangement of the atoms and cells of which it is composed. It is produced by new forces and motions peculiar to itself, which are similar to, but different from, those which produce every other embryo body. It is admitted on all sides, that every human being begins life as a fertilized ovum. It is well known that this infinitesimal cell has no organs, whatever, it being a mere atom. In no sense can it be called an embryo body. Each person must have his or her own body. No one ever takes or uses the body of any other person, nor any organ or part of such a body, such a thing being unthinkable. It follows, necessarily, that each embryo body and every organ and part of it, is produced anew, independently of every other human body.
Do the atoms and cells of which the embryo body is built up, spontaneously and automatically, form the chemical combinations and make the mechanical arrangements, which are necessary to build up the embryo body; or is it made by a supernatural psychic and creative force? Which hypothesis is most plausible?
Heredity is defined as: “The influence of parents upon offspring; transmission of qualities or characteristics, mental or physical, from parents to offspring.” (Cent. Dic. 4, p. 2802.)
Intellect, memory, will-power, force and motion are necessary to group two or more atoms into a prescribed chemical combination or into a specified mechanical arrangement. It is a well-known fact that each normal human body is composed of the same chemical elements; has the same chemical combinations and the same mechanical arrangements that are found in every other such body. Therefore, we may well say that the atoms and cells in the body are grouped into prescribed chemical combinations and into specified mechanical arrangements; and that intellect, memory and will-power are necessary to make these combinations and arrangements.
It is also well-known that every human being, begins life as a germ-cell, stem-cell, or fertilized ovum, all of these phrases meaning the same thing; that every such body develops and grows anew for itself. Each body is a new combination of the atoms and cells, of which it is composed. The forces and motions, which assemble and group these atoms and cells into the chemical combinations and mechanical arrangements,which build up a body, are new, unique and peculiar to that body.
The theory of heredity is based on these facts: The father contributes the spermatozoön and the mother the ovum, which form the germ-cell; this cell and its daughter-cells develop and grow to be a man or a woman, who has substantially the same form, size, structure, organs and parts that one of its parents has, and generally has some of their qualities, characteristics and traits.
But these facts do not prove that the child inherits anything from either parent; they do not prove that the parents, or either of them, caused the child to develop, grow and resemble them in any of these particulars. The existence of a fact and the cause of that fact are two different things. Thus, every body knows that a stone falls to the ground; but nobody knows why. The child resembles its father—but why? Do the parents cause this resemblance? Can they, or either of them, cause their child to have blue eyes or black; a long or short nose; a large or small foot?
Neither Darwin, nor any other man has ever shown how it is possible for the bodies of the parents, or any part of either of them, to affect, modify or determine the form, features, size, structure, qualities, characteristics or traits of their children. It is admitted on all sides that the parents have no voluntary control over these things. Darwin, (Origin of Species, 1, p. 15), says: “The laws governing inheritance are for the most part unknown.” Haeckel is voluminous in describing the phenomena of reproduction, heredity,etc. But has nothing to say about the cause, nor the mechanism of heredity.
It is undoubtedly true that the human body is a compound physical structure; that each organ and part of every such body has to be made, anew, of fresh materials, for that body; that the child does not “take over,” bodily, any organ nor part of either parent, but has its own new organs, unique and peculiar to itself; that neither the father nor the mother has any voluntary power to select, assemble nor group the atoms and cells, of which the embryo body is made; nor to generate, guide, nor control the forces and motions by which this work is done. All this being true, how is it possible for the parents, or either of them, to transmit any of their qualities, characteristics or traits to their child?
The notion of mankind in general appears to be the body of the child is a sort of offshoot or branch of the bodies of the parents, as if the child had budded out on the trunk of the mother; and finally dropped off and become a distinct individual. But this view is wholly erroneous. The embryo becomes a separate and distinct entity the moment the germ-cell is formed; and it develops and grows, anew, for itself independently of the bodies of its parents, which have no more to do with its development and growth than the body of any other person has.
If we assume that each human being is a new direct and special creation by Almighty God, we can readily understand the mysterious phenomena called “heredity.”
At first, the germ-cell does not resemble eitherparent nor even a human being, it being too small, even to suggest a human body, at all. An infant at birth, is too rudimentary to resemble either parent more closely than it does any other person of the same sex.
Whether the germ-cell and its daughter-cells are to develop and grow to be a man, resembling its father; or a woman resembling its mother, the same forces and motions are required to assemble and group the necessary atoms and cells into the proper chemical combinations and mechanical arrangements in order to construct its body. The fact that the child may resemble its father or its mother or both of them, does not dispense with the assembling of the atoms and cells; nor with the grouping of them into the necessary combination and arrangements. It is clear that the same or similar forces and motions are necessary to construct any animal body, whatever its form, size or sex may be.
According to the evolutionist and materialist, the fact that the child resembles its parents is adequate to account for, and explain all the phenomena of reproduction. But the existence of this resemblance, and, the cause of it, are two wholly different things. The fact that the child resembles its parents only deepens the mystery; for it would require less knowledge, skill and creative force to construct a body with the qualities and characteristics of mankind in general, than it would to group the atoms and cells of the body in such a manner as to produce a body in the image of a particular man or woman. Thus a portrait painter could make a fancy sketch of an imaginaryperson, without any striking features, more easily than he could paint a particular man with all his peculiarities; as, for example, his bald head, high forehead, blue eyes, long aquiline nose, wide mouth, massive lower jaw and tall, slender body. The closer the resemblance, between the child and its parents, the greater the mystery.
It being a fact that the body of the child has identically the same organs and parts that are formed in the body of its father, or in that of the mother; and that the child closely resembles one or both of them, we naturally inquire: “What force or agency causes the germ-cell and its daughter-cells to develop and grow until they become a man, like its father; or a woman like its mother?” We cannot even imagine that this sameness of organs and parts, of structure, form and size, and this close resemblance happens by chance or accident.
Every man has conscious knowledge that he had no voluntary part in the production of his child, except that he placed the spermatozoön at a point from which it could reach the ovum. The mother knows that she had no voluntary part nor agency in the production of her child except that she permitted the father to place the spermatozoön in reach of the ovum. Neither of them has any voluntary power, nor any control over the formation of the spermatozoön nor of the ovum; nor over the development and growth of the child, nor over its structure, form, size nor over its features.
The spermatozoön is a microscopic cell, 1/500th of an inch in length, (Martin, Human Body, p. 651),the head, which is the largest part of it, being, apparently about 1/10,000th of an inch in diameter, (Haeckel, Evolution of Man, p. 53, fig. 22.) It consists of a homogeneous mass of protoplasm, composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen; and sometimes has a trace of phosphorus and sulphur. (Cent. Dic. 6, p. 4799; Huxley, Anat. Invert. An., pp. 9, 14.) Seeindexinfra, “Spermatozoön.” Although the spermatozoön is not visible to the naked eye, and has certain vital properties and potentialities, yet it is a physical body with all the attributes of a brick or stone.
If any quality, characteristic or trait of the father passes from him to his child, it is transmitted by, and through the spermatozoön, for that is the only thing that passes from the one to the other. So, if any quality, characteristic or trait of the mother passes from her to her child, it is transmitted by and through the ovum, that being the only thing that passes from her to it.
Whatever power or influence the father’s body, or any organ or part of it, may have to affect or modify the body of his child or any part of it, must be effected by and through the spermatozoön before it leaves his genital organs; for it is clear that neither the father’s body, nor any organ nor part of it, has any power to affect, modify or differentiate the spermatozoön, nor any part of it, after it leaves his body.
It is absurd to suppose that the father’s body, or any organ or part of it, can affect, modify or differentiate the spermatozoön, or any part of it, in such a manner that it shall cause the child to have qualities, characteristics and traits resembling those of the father.In fact he could not possibly know whether there is one, many, or none in his genital organs, at any given time, for a stronger reason no single organ nor any part of his body could possibly affect, modify nor differentiate the spermatozoön in such a manner as to cause the child, which arises from it to have organs and parts resembling those of the father. Thus, suppose the father has blue eyes. How could the father, or his eyes, possibly affect the spermatozoön in such a way as to cause the child’s eyes to be blue? How could the father, or his nose, modify the spermatozoön in such a manner as to cause the child’s nose to resemble the father’s nose. It would be absurd to suppose that the father’s brain and his vocal organs can affect the spermatozoön in such a manner as to cause the child to be a notable singer.
Professor Weismann says:
“It is well known that many mental and physical qualities of parents are transmitted to their children, such as the color of the eyes and hair, the shape and size of the finger nails; and not only these, but as everyone knows, even such minute and indefinable physical and mental characteristics as likeness of features, bearing, gait, handwriting, a mild and equable or passionate and irritable temperament.”—(Weismann on Heredity, 2, p. 14.)
The color of the eyes depends on the coloring matter or pigment in the irises. How could the father’s eyes possibly affect the spermatozoön in such a manner as to make the child’s eyes blue? How could the father’s red hair differentiate the spermatozoön so as to give the child red hair? Can we imagine thatthe father’s finger nails can affect the spermatozoön in such a way as to make the child’s nails of the same “shape and size” as those of the father? How could such a thing be? Can we believe that a man’s brain, nerves and muscles, can so affect the spermatozoön that the child’s handwriting shall be like that of the father? How could this be? How could the father’s brain modify the spermatozoön in such sort that the child shall have the same temperament that the father has?
Most of the resemblances between the child and its parents result from education, association and environment. If a child’s parents die when it is six months old; and it be placed in the hands of a stranger and his wife; it is easy to see that many of the child’s qualities, characteristics and traits would be borrowed from the man and his wife with whom the orphan lives.
The infant, at birth, is merely a living creature without any physical qualities, characteristics or traits peculiar to itself; nor has it any mental qualities, characteristics nor traits, whatever. In fact, it has scarcely any intellect, at all. It follows that most of the physical qualities and characteristics of each person are acquired; and that all of the mental qualities, characteristics and traits of every one are acquired, they being the result of education, association and environment. No doubt most of the resemblance between a child and its parents are caused by education, imitation and association.
The evolutionist has invented divers theories to account for, and explain the phenomena of reproductionon material and mechanical principles, without the aid of any supernatural psychic or creative force. For example, Darwin invented the theory of “gemmules” and “pangenesis;” Spencer advanced the hypothesis of “physiological units” or “constitutional units,” “structural proclivity,” or “proclivity towards the organic form of the species;” Cope suggested “bathmism (go-ism)” “simple growth-force,” “grade-growth-force” and “excess-growth;” Weismann invented the “continuity of germ-plasm,” “ids,” “iddants” and “determinants.” But none of these words or phrases explain anything. If there is anything in nature corresponding to these words none of these writers ever saw them, nor did they know anything about them. These “gemmules,” “units,” “proclivities,” “ids,” “bathmisms,” etc., are purely hypothetical—mere figments of the imagination. Every body has rejected Darwin’s theory of “gemmules,” and “pangenesis;” no one but Spencer ever adopted his hypothesis of “physiological units” and “proclivities;” Cope was the only man that over used “bathmism,” etc.; Spencer, Romanes and others gave many reasons why Weismann’s “continuity of germ-plasm,” “ids,” “iddants” and “determinants” were absurd and impossible. No two of them agreed on anything, except the supposed fact of organic evolution. Spencer, somewhere says, in substance, that there is a general belief that organic evolution has occurred; but great diversity of opinion as to the manner in which it has been effected.