ritual
world. To a cursory glance these rudimentary spiritual forms may not
seem to exhibit the phenomena of Life, and therefore the living and the
dead may be often classed as one. But let the appropriate scientific
tests be applied. In the almost amorphous organism, the physiologist
ought already to be able to detect the symptoms of a dawning life. And
further research might even bring to light some faint indication of the
lines along which the future development was to proceed. Now it is not
impossible that among the tests for Life there may be some which may
fitly be applied to the spiritual organism. We may therefore at this
point hand over the problem to Physiology.

The tests for Life are of two kinds. It is remarkable that one of them
was proposed, in the spiritual sphere, by Christ. Foreseeing the
difficulty of determining the characters and functions of rudimentary
organisms, He suggested that the point be decided by a further
evolution. Time for development was to be allowed, during which the
marks of Life, if any, would become more pronounced, while in the
meantime judgment was to be suspended. "Let both grow together," He
said, "until the harvest." This is a thoroughly scientific test.
Obviously, however, it cannot assist us for the present--except in the
way of enforcing extreme caution in attempting any classification at
all.

The second test is at least not so manifestly impracticable. It is to
apply the ordinary methods by which biology attempts to distinguish the
organic from the inorganic. The characteristics of Life, according to
Physiology, are four in number--Assimilation, Waste, Reproduction, and
Spontaneous Action. If an organism is found to exercise these functions,
it is said to be alive. Now these tests, in a spiritual sense, might
fairly be applied to the spiritual man. The experiment would be a
delicate one. It might not be open to every one to attempt it. This is a
scientific question; and the experiment would have to be conducted under
proper conditions and by competent persons. But even on the first
statement it will be plain to all who are familiar with spiritual
diagnosis that the experiment could be made, and especially on one's
self, with some hope of success. Biological considerations, however,
would warn us not to expect too much. Whatever be the inadequacy of
Morphology, Physiology can never be studied apart from it; and the
investigation of function merely as function is a task