按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
conception。 It is Atheistic； as offering us a God which is not a
God； inasmuch as we can conceive of no such being； nor of
anything in the least like it。 It is； like Pantheism； an
illusion； which can be believed only by those who repeat a
formula which they have learnt by heart in a foreign language of
which they understand nothing； and yet aver that they believe it。
There are doubtless many who will say that this is possible； but
the majority of my readers will hold that no proposition can be
believed or disbelieved until its nature is understood。
It may perhaps be said that there is another conception of God
possible； and that we may see him as personal； without at the
same time believing that he has any actual tangible existence。
Thus we personify hope； truth； and justice； without intending to
convey to anyone the impression that these qualities are women；
with flesh and blood。 Again； we do not think of Nature as an
actual woman； though we call her one； why may we not conceive of
God； then； as an expression whereby we personify； by a figure of
speech only； the thing that is intended being no person； but our
own highest ideal of power； wisdom； and duration。
There would be no reason to complain of this if this manner of
using the word 〃God〃 were well understood。 Many words have two
meanings； or even three； without any mischievous confusion of
thought following。 There can not only be no objection to the use
of the word God as a manner of expressing the highest ideal of
which our minds can conceive； but on the contrary no better
expression can be found； and it is a pity the word is not thus
more generally used。
Few； however； would be content with any such limitation of God as
that he should be an idea only； an expression for certain
qualities of human thought and action。 Whence； it may be fairly
asked； did our deeply rooted belief in God as a Living Person
originate？ The idea of him as of an inconceivably vast； ancient；
powerful； loving； and yet formidable Person is one which survives
all changes of detail in men's opinion。 I believe there are a
few very savage tribes who are as absolutely without religious
sense as the beasts of the field； but the vast majority for a
long time past have been possessed with an idea that there is
somewhere a Living God who is the Spirit and the Life of all that
is； and who is a true Person with an individuality and self…
consciousness of his own。 It is only natural that we should be
asked how such an idea has remained in the minds of so many … who
differ upon almost every other part of their philosophy…for so
long a time if it was without foundation； and a piece of dreamy
mysticism only。
True； it has generally been declared that this God is an infinite
God； and an infinite God is a God without any bounds or
limitations； and a God without bounds or limitations is an
impersonal God； and an impersonal God is Atheism。 But may not
this be the incoherency of prophecy which precedes the successful
mastering of an idea？ May we not think of this illusory
expression as having arisen from inability to see the whereabouts
of a certain vast but tangible Person as to whose existence men
were nevertheless clear？ If they felt that it existed； and yet
could not say where； nor wherein it was to be laid hands on； they
would be very likely to get out of the difficulty by saying that
it existed as an infinite Spirit； partly from a desire to magnify
what they felt must be so vast and powerful； and partly because
they had as yet only a vague conception of what they were aiming
at； and must； therefore； best express it vaguely。
We must not be surprised that when an idea is still inchoate its
expression should be inconsistent and imperfect…ideas will almost
always during the earlier history of a thought be put together
experimentally so as to see whether or no they will cohere。
Partly out of indolence； partly out of the desire of those who
brought the ideas together to be declared right； and partly out
of joy that the truth should be supposed found； incoherent ideas
will be kept together longer than they should be； nevertheless
they will in the end detach themselves and go； if others present
themselves which fit into their place better。 There is no
consistency which has not once been inconsistent； nor coherency
that has not been incoherent。 The incoherency of our ideas
concerning God is due to the fact that we have not yet truly
found him； but it does not argue that he does not exist and
cannot be found anywhere after more diligent search； on the
contrary； the persistence of the main idea； in spite of the
incoherency of its details； points strongly in the direction of
believing that it rests upon a foundation in fact。
But it must be remembered there can be no God who is not personal
and material： and if personal； then； though inconceivably vast in
comparison with man； still limited in space and time； and capable
of making mistakes concerning his own interests； though as a
general rule right in his estimates concerning them。 Where； then；
is this Being？ He must be on earth； or what folly can be greater
than speaking of him as a person？ What are persons on any other
earth to us； or we to them？ He must have existed and be going to
exist through all time； and he must have a tangible body。 Where；
then； is the body of this God？ And what is the mystery of his
Incarnation？
It will be my business to show this in the following chapter。
CHAPTER VI
THE TREE OF LIFE
Atheism denies knowledge of a God of any kind。 Pantheism and
Theism alike profess to give us a God； but they alike fail to
perform what they have promised。 We can know nothing of the God
they offer us； for not even do they themselves profess that any
of our senses can be cognisant ＇sic＇ of him。 They tell us that he
is a personal God； but that he has no material person。 This is
disguised Atheism。 What we want is a Personal God； the glory of
whose Presence can be made in part evident to our senses； though
what we can realise ＇sic＇ is less than nothing in comparison with
what we must leave for ever unimagined。
And truly such a God is not far from every one of us； for if we
survey the broader and deeper currents of men's thoughts during
the last three thousand years； we may observe two great and
steady sets as having carried away with them the more eligible
races of mankind。 The one is a tendency from Polytheism to
Monotheism； the other from Polytypism to Monotypism of the
earliest forms of life…all animal and vegetable forms having at
length come to be regarded as differentiations of a single
substance…to wit； protoplasm。
No man does well so to kick against the pricks as to set himself
against tendencies of such depth； strength； and permanence as
this。 If he is to be in harmony with the dominant opinion of his
own and of many past ages； he will see a single God…impregnate
substance as having been the parent from which all living forms
have sprung。 One spirit； and one form capable of such
modification as its directing spirit shall think fit； one soul
and one body； one God and one Life。
For the time has come when the two unities so painfully arrived
at must be joined together as body and soul； and be seen not as
two； but one。 There is no living organism untenanted by the
Spirit of God； nor any Spirit of God perceivable by man apart
from organism embodying and expressing it。 God and the Life of
the World are like a mountain； which will present different
aspects as we look at it from different sides； but which； when we
have gone all round it； proves to be one only。 God is the animal
and vegetable world； and the animal and vegetable world is God。
I have repeatedly said that we ought to see all animal and
vegetable life as uniting to form a single personality。 I should
perhaps explain this more fully； for the idea of a compound
person is one which at first is not very easy to grasp； inasmuch
as we are not conscious of any but our more superficial aspects；
and have therefore until lately failed to understand that we are
ourselves compound persons。 I may perhaps be allowed to quote
from an earlier work。
〃Each cell in the human body is now admitted by physiologists to
be a person with an intelligent soul； differing from our own more
complex soul in degree and not in kind； and； like ourselves；
being born； living； and dying。 It would appear； then； as though
'we；' 'our souls；' or 'selves；' or 'personalities；' or by
whatever name we may prefer to be called； are but the
consensus and full… flowing stream of countless sensations
and impulses on the part of our tributary souls or 'selves；' who
probably no more know