New-York tribune., 1874-04-25
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
DOUBTS THROWN UPON AN INCIDENTAL STATEMENT
IN MR. PRoCTOR's LAST LECTURE.

IN MR.. PROCTOR'S LAST LECTURE.
10 me Edttor Of The Trt6une.
SIR In reading Prof. PrOctOr's last very able
lecture delivered the evening before his departure
for England tho writer's attention was particularly at
racted by one statements remarks to the effect
that we accept inconcevabes" The human mind does
not we Think accept" anything that is inconceVaDe
We can conceive OF infny; and only because we can
conceive OF it accept 1t. We conceive OF Infinite
space yet we cannot conceive OF boundaries 10 IT, we
can conceive of inhue time, but we cannot conceive OF
limits to it; of either It's beginning or ending There
fore we accept the quality OF inhntyof which we can
conceive but do not accept OF limitations which are
ipconceiyabe, IL Is not necessary that we should
assign limits boundaries TO our idea or Omnipo-
tence, Omniscience, Omnipresence; yet we mud no
difficulty in entertaining rational conceptions OF
these infinite qualities. We cannot see hear, smell,
TASTE or feel God yet, without exercising ALL or any
one OF these Senses the human mind is capable OF APP
pretending God. If believe in the existence of an
infinite Being, Governor OF infinite universe, we can
no more assign limits to that universe than we can to
an eternal God The one not only implies but necessl-
tates the other nfny. The human mind is them capa-
bic of comprehendlng aud defining that which Is lm'
measurable. Nothing that know can be incOnceiv-
able knowledge Of the fact that we do not under
stand thing no matter what it be, is proof that
We conceive OF it, We think therefore that it is not
quite correct say that eve accept inconceyables"
In one sense there may be "incOnceivables;" :" but
are they not in that sense, imposslbltes, rather
Such as that twice one. We cannot conceive OF
IT, not on account OF any limitation 20 the power OF con-
eepton OF the human mind but because the thing cannot
be- Whatever cannot be is incOnceivable; not merely
by tho human mind, but By mind. IL cannot be ae-
eeptcd We may not understand, be able TO explain
a miracle; yet we can conceive OF it, We may have
distinct conception, whether we believe or do not be-
eye In its performance. We conceive Of contradic
tons yet we accept them The mind rejects one
or both OF two contraries; yet even mpossl6hes and
contradictions are conceivable.
The truth probably is that finite " mind is mis-
nomer and that there is limit whatever TO concep
tons OF mind. We have accustomed ourselves to the
idea that finite creatures In contradstncon 10
an tbe matter Of our bodies and many earthly
actions are concerned for thsse arc ever ehangiing
also constantly changing but how snail we under
take assign limits TO mental concepuonsf We could
as easily set bounds to infinite space. Can by
searching ind out GOtf" OF this idea the Patriarch
says, It is high as heaven; what cans thou doi
deeper than hell: what eanst thou know ~ NeYerthe-
less by searching we find out that which God permits
to know, and we are enabled 10 perceive clearly that
thought Is Infinite IN ITS ASPIRATIONS and competent TO
apprchend Infinite atribdtes yet for this illmtaOle
power cannot accept nconceivaOles 1t lnyaraoly re-
The annhilaton of matter is inconceivable; but
tbe creation OF mater. IL might be claimed that m
Omnipotent Being could annhiate himself but would
be true, any more than that twice two are one
might be true. IL could no more be true than 1t would
be to claim that the OnnipOtent Being created
himself when it Is obvious that God must be ndepend-
ent OF Credi0n' III any reasOndDle appCallOn Oh tue
term.
Notifications OF matter and of mihd must have been
taking place always and must always continue TO take
place There can be end, there was no begin
ming either OF mind matter. Whatever has always
existed Will always exist only Its form may change.
The thing in nature resembling creation ls the cog
tations OF mind. In sense they are creations.
thought t new thing In the universe.
Minds dwelling in world OF progress necessarily have
their thoughts less nodded by the progress OF
events inperceptiby it be- but stil they receive
a bias from that which has gone before through
the minds OF others: yet the imaginative
mind the inventive mind actually ere
ares mentally, although in reality it may be
only making new combinations An object must first
exist before be pictured and IL may exist in the
mind U has other tangible existence, and form its
picture there The mind readily cOncelyes impossible
things. Mechanical perpetual notion on this earth. Is
physical imposi siby yet much brain power has been
exhausted in imagining, inyenting, and constructing
respect to gravity 1t s think the In religious
thought. That in the human mind, whatever IL
be termed, which causes us reject imp0ssbtes,
that twice prevents us from accept
ing, diligently, that which Is nconceivable." We
may subscribe 10 certain dOgmas, and In one sense
accept them without understanding attempting 10
understand them but that proves nothing We accept
hem Them upon the Judgment or statement OF some one
else; vet that which Is really " incOnceivabe" in
religious dogma the human mind does not integeDtly
accept. a mystery. WHAT is that Something not un
derstOod Nothing more. The mind accepts mysteries
in rel gous matters, because 1t has been thus trained
and 1t not yet acquired the means OF unre
yeang them. When IL understands, the stery disap
pears; intelligent mind never really accept
that which s uncomfortable, or that which Is impossible
NeO York, April l6, 1874. II.