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little latitude, so that subjects relating to the Scriptures that would ordinarily have to be
passed by, may be given some consideration. We propose, therefore, in this article, to
seek to learn a little of what is implied by the words of Gen. 2: 7: "And the Lord God
formed man of the dust of the ground."
The word translated "dust" here may also be rendered "ashes" (as of an animal that
has been burnt: Num. 19: 17), "powder" (into which the vessels and the altars of Baal
were stamped: II Kings 23: 4, 6, 12), "rubbish" (that had accumulated on the
broken walls of Jerusalem: Neh. 4: 2), and "earth" (out of which iron can be taken:
Job 28: 2). "The highest part of the dust of the world" in Prov. 8: 26 refers to the
soil, without which neither vegetable nor animal life would be possible.
We often speak of the "ground", but how many of us associate the word with the verb
"to grind"? The "ground" has literally been ground by the action of flood, fire, and frost,
and so made into a comparatively fine powder. From this "dust of the ground" the body
of man was made, and to this at death his body returns. Let us now examine the
composition of this wonderful frame, and see how far the "dust of the earth" enters into
it.
The composition of the body of a man weighing a little over 150 lbs. would be as
follows:
Oxygen 90 lbs., Carbon 36 lbs., Hydrogen 14 lbs., Nitrogen 3 lbs. 8 ozs.,
Calcium 3 lbs. 12 ozs., Phosphorus 1 lb. 14 ozs., Chlorine 4 ozs., Sulphur 3½ ozs.,
Potassium 3 ozs., Sodium 2½ ozs., Flourine 2 ozs., Magnesium 1½ ozs., Silicon ¼ oz.,
Iron 1/6 oz.
These are the main constituents of the human body, but there are other elements also
present in small quantities. In addition to the 150 lbs. detailed above, we have a "trace"
of the following:
Lead, Cerium, Argon, Manganese, Zinc, Vanadium, Beryllium, Aluminum,
Lithium, Chromium, Helium, Iodine, Cobalt, Boron, Neon, Arsenic, Bromine,
Rubidium, Scandium, Nickel, Lanthanum, Strontium, Titanium, Copper,
Neodymium, Molybdenum, Silver and Tin.
It is interesting to note that such gases as Argon, Neon, and Helium, which we
normally associate with electric lamps, electric signs and airships, form part of the human
body, while such unfamiliar elements as Beryllium (which enters into the composition of
the emerald) and Molybdenum (which is employed as an alloy for tool steel), as well as
the more familiar Aluminum, Zinc and Tin, all have their place. What a wonderful
Alchemist "Evolution" must have been to have got all these elements together, of such
bewildering variety, and in such "disproportionate proportions" (90 lbs. of Oxygen to
1/6 oz. of Iron). After all "creation" is simpler and more reasonable.
Before we say anything about the part that these various elements play in the human
mechanism, let us note one other interesting feature. If Gen. 1: 2 is true, then it is also