The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-01-19

cause, but an experimental knowl-
edge as well. This knowledge
is given in the consciousness he
has of his own active processes OF
thinking, willing and acting. This
is the experience of free, rational,
responsible cause in actual, active,
causal efficiency.
There is an element of agnosticism
in pure idealism; for it assumes that
man has no ability to know the real.
This assumption, which is in conflict
with all human experience. is based
upon a supposed limitation of the hu-
man mind which shuts it up, within
itself, and confines all it's activities
to the limits of an ideal universe.
But if idealism is true the idea
must be a real idea; it must be
the idea of real mind, which de-
mands knowledge of real ideas and
real minds, and this fact destroys
pure idealism, as a denial of mans
ability to know the real; for true
knowledge of ideas is isimpossible with
out the existence Of real persons and
things.
An idea is thought, mental crea-
ton, and there is no thought without
thinker. Therefore, idealism in
wolves the existence of real action
and being. In thinking the mind is
consciously active, = the action is
known as real, and as the action of
real agent, mind or cause; which
gives us knowledge of real being.
An idea. or thought, is real thing
it is an entity. Once created it
has an existence separate and apart
from, and independent of, the mind
which created it. Thoughts are in
carnated in our language, painting,
sculpture, architecture, music, litera-
ture, laws and institutions. They
have a history.
They are endowed with power, ex-
ert mental force, have caused changes,
wrought revolutions, destroyed gov
ernments, builded empires, and crea-
ted civilizations. They are the most
real things in life, experience and
history. We know them better than
we know anything else. We know
all other things as thoughts. Is
matter indistructable7-so is thought;
does force persist $50 does thought;
does energy do work? sodoes thought.
Panthesim has in it an element of
agnosticism. 1t denies to men all
knowledge of the infinite as person.
Personality, it holds, implies limita-
tion,s and the infinite cannot be
limited. But is it true that personal
ity necessarily involves limitation?
Why may there not be a personal in
finite, as well as an impersonal in
finite? If the infinite is the perfect,
and personality is perfection, the
infinite must be person, for by its
very nature it embraces all perfec-
tions. The most perfect form of
finite being that we know is personal.
Created being only reaches perfec-
tion in becoming personal. The at
tributes, the union of which in one
life and character meets and satisfies
mans ideal of perfection, are all per-
sonal attributes. The most perfect
relations known to man are personal
relations. If all the perfections of
which man has any knowledge are
personal, and God is infinitely per-
feet, he must be a person. 1t is there
fore not true that personality involves
limitations and imperfections. This
is only true upon the as umption that
personality implies or involves loca-
ton or locality. But this assumption
is not true. Personality is not prop
erty of matter, but an attribute of
spirit. 1t embraces personal consci-
BUSINESS or consciousness of the Ego
as distinct from all other persons and
things. Personal knowledge, or the
knowledge of the Ego as knowing
and in knowing all other beings.
If the atmosphere, the sunlight, the
law of gravitation, or the universal
ether possessed these powers and
could do these things they would be
personal or persons. The infinite
God does possess these powers, has
done and is doing such things, and,
though omnipresent, is a person,-the
personal Creator and Father who
while he fills his creation, knows him
self as distinct from it.
The revelations of mind in nature,
and the manifestations of will in the
universe as the cause of the forces of
nature and their harmonious move
ments prove the existence, presence,
and action of an infinite person; for
mind and will wherever present and