by
entering into the composition and fibre of a tree or plant. From thence it
is assimilated and transferred into the kingdom of the animal and finally
by the law and process of composition becomes a part of the body of man.
That is to say, it has traversed the intermediate degrees and stations of
phenomenal existence, entering into the composition of various organisms
in its journey. This motion or transference is progressive and perpetual,
for after disintegration of the human body into which it has entered, it
returns to the mineral kingdom whence it came, and will continue to
traverse the kingdoms of phenomena as before. This is an illustration
designed to show that the constituent elemental atoms of phenomena undergo
progressive transference and motion throughout the material kingdoms.

In its ceaseless progression and journeyings the atom becomes imbued with
the virtues and powers of each degree or kingdom it traverses. In the
degree of the mineral it possessed mineral affinities; in the kingdom of
the vegetable it manifested the virtue augmentative or power of growth; in
the animal organism it reflected the intelligence of that degree, and in
the kingdom of man it was qualified with human attributes or virtues.

Furthermore, the forms and organisms of phenomenal being and existence in
each of the kingdoms of the universe are myriad and numberless. The
vegetable plane or kingdom for instance has its infinite variety of types
and material structures of plant life, each distinct and different within
itself, no two exactly alike in composition and detail, for there are no
repetitions in nature, and the virtue augmentative cannot be confined to
any given image or shape. Each leaf has its own particular identity, so to
speak, its own individuality as a leaf. Therefore each atom of the
innumerable elemental atoms, during its ceaseless motion through the
kingdoms of existence as a constituent of organic composition, not only
becomes imbued with the powers and virtues of the kingdoms it traverses
but also reflects the attributes and qualities of the forms and organisms
of those kingdoms. As each of these forms has its individual and
particular virtue, therefore each elemental atom of the universe has the
opportunity of expressing an infinite variety of those individual virtues.
No atom is bereft or deprived of this opportunity or right of expression.
Nor can it be said of any given atom that it is denied equal opportunitie