The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-11
OUR CONCEPTION OF GOD.

O0R A0kNAt-E AAC.N NA w.
And they that worship him must wor-
ship him In spirit and In truth.-rohn
iv.. "a.
In what way shall we conceive Of Cod
as Person or as an all-pervading Infiu-
ence without personality?
Many people seem to think that def
mite answer to this question is necessary
to a vital spiritual experience. How can
we pray. they ask. unless We address
ourselves to a person, and how can God
hear US il He is not person? More
over. is it not OF prime Importance that
We should have clear conception Of
Him in order 10 maintain those relations
to Him which the soul Graves and which
lie at the foundation Of the religious
life? All our other dealings are with
persons-father. mother childretn. friends
and must not the same rule hold good
with regard TO Him who rules the uni
verse, from Whom we ask pardon, waom
we seek that We may obtain consolation
in time of trouble and advice in moments
Of perplexity?
We are so accustomed TO personality
that We hardly know how to get on witn-
cut it. We are under the impression
that unless We attribute personality to
God our conception Of Him will be so
vague and so embarrassed that religion
viii become am unrsality, without definite
duties and composed merely OF glitter
ing generalities.
In this, however, we are mistaken. You
may be a little surprised at the sta-e-
ment that no human being ever yet had
clear conception Of God and that no
human being ever viii have such con-
ception, but 1t is nevertheless true, what
ever We may say to the contrary. II
you win carefully examine your own
mind you will discover that you have
never yourself conceived Of Him as a
person, although you are laboring under
the delusion that you have done so. Try
to think Of Him as a person and you
viii see at once how utterly hopeless is
the task which you have set yourself.
For that matter. you have never had any
clear conception Of God at all II it were
possible for you to DO so. either you
would be God or God would not be Cod
at all II he is infinite and you are finite
He must needs know you perfectly, and
you must needs know Him very imper-
feetly. You may feel His presence as
definitely as you feel the presence Of
your loved ones; you may be aware that
He is in your life. part OF it; that He
is contributing to your happiness; .hat
He is helping you to make your days
sweet and rythmical; that you could not
live for a moment unless He were with
you. and that you depend on His provi-
dence for all you are and all you hope
TO be; but when you attempt to express
that presence in language you have TO
words with which to do it. If He were
small enough to be described He would
not be the ruler Of the universe. Be-
cause He cannot be described He g.
therefore God, for description includes
limitation
As well might the bee who huns his
little tune from the rim Of the great
cathedral bell try TO form some idea of
the architectural beauty Of the cathedral
itself as for you or me to put omnipo-
tence into a formula. But still the bea
can hear the musical vibrations of the
chime and be sub1ued into worship
thereby. He may buzz along the tiles Of
the roof and discover many a wondertyll
fact. He may float in the air above the
assembled worshippers and hear the .,e,i
Of the organ and the voice OF the preach !
er. but what can he really know Of or
gan or congrega ton? For the conduct Of
his little life, however, he knows all he
needs TO know.
In like manner insist that dehaite
conception Of God is not necessary 70 you
or to me. I am glad that I cannot think
Of Him as He IS The Indebtedness Of
nay conception not only proves my little
ness but His greatness. The idea of
power or wisdom or goodness, or even
love. which It is possible for me to form
Is no more commensurate with these at