Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-25
THE NAMES OF GOD.
Al ELOQUENT SERMON nv DIR.
c,IIscu At nETH AHsBA.
FINITE CANNOT GRASP THE INFINITE.
,.,.rrnI striving Of Humanity 10
conceive Of The Character Of God
Language Made 60 show Concep-
tous of the Almighty.


.., mcht
rhe minister's theme was "The Names
. cod" Ills remarks were based on
.bNi. Z. "Canst thou by searching find
M God. canst thou reach the limits Of
. Nmlehy?'
- C1Hsch said the words Of Job sug-
.a "a profound problem-one that has
.. thc heart-study OF the sages and
r.. men Of all ages Can the human
PHI rrasp the fulness OF the thought Of
c can the finite compass the infinite?
I answer is az once apparent that we
..t. because God IS God. and we are
uan. His thoughts are not as our
hts nor His ways as our ways"
more can the pebble essay TO hold the
.rtan. no more can the babbling
l...h.ct gather within its narrow banks
shallow bed the mighty mass OF
waters. than can man grasp the
...fy of the divine being. or compre-
t.. The sublimity OF the essence in
...t.. Dr. Calisch said:
..lt is the peculiar glory Of Israel 10
Lave evolved God says one writer, IN
.aNrc Of the idea OF God. and II IS the
u,s fhis word evolved that claims our
eue, .a.
certain extent it's use is advisa-
5.a While there are given 10 us I'm our
s-,l books the hottest and highest
.s God. while the seers and teach
.--.r prophets Of our people Of old had
attained the mountain tops Of human
t.r Ige yet 10 cannot be said that the
t.. themselves always kept pace with
Pr leaders Abraham. Moses, Samuel
l.l Hosea. Micah. Malachi. and the
- 4 -. .f.fa
r. giants, these aye reached the highest
lands on which human hearts could
h..t. or human souls breathe I'm the rare
ti atmosphere Of the abstract truth of
t.a one God. yet the people at times were
r below them IN the valleys beneath,
where the densor air was thick with the
many gods OF the ancient pagan pam
fneons.
But the people followed their leaders
81 al a slower pace, and by the time that
Israel was ready for It's world mission
every false god and every false concep-
ZION were eliminated. and out Of the ruins
.f the temples Of idolatry there rose that
glorious ideal that enduring and sublime
conception Of the unapproachable incom-
rorable sole. and only one. the God OF
Israel 10 whom the world IS turning as
The highest and ultimate hope of the hui
man heart.
RELIGION N LANGUAGE.
.eThe measure of this progress can be
fairly gagged by the names that are
Inscribed 10 God in the Bible These names
are many and they represent almost
every phase of human sentiment from
the grossest TO the most ideal The Vo-
cabulary OF a people indicates their trehd
of thought. their customs habits ana
civilization. and we find I'm the range or
. Hs.
what was practical pOlytheism to abso-
lite and uncompromisng monOtheism.
The anthrOpomorphic and anthropopa-
..., illusions are very frequent, as must
b.. evident 10 every one who reads the
r.fe. There is one Of these illusions
. which attention may be called ana
.- is I'm Hosea H. where the relations
l.aeen God and Israel are compared TO
t.., that exist between a bctrothed and
bride. There is great beauty in this
leht. for il meant that the same
.altv the same faithfulness and chaste
..votion that "a bride should give unto
her hetrothed should be given by Israel
unto God. The worship Of the Balm
was harlotry, real. as well as tguratVe.
The worship of God was the chastity OF
wedlock-"
IN LATER BOOKS.
DR.. Causch spoke Of the use made by
,rimitive man OF the trOpe and metaphor
and persOnifcation when he approach
cd so vast a theme as dlNlnlty' I@aler
writer's used such substitutes because
the third commandment. Every de-
Vice which the Talmudic ages could de-
us. vas used to prevent the desecra-
.ou OF the name of God. The tetro-
ANIMATION was not pronounced as spell
"a. save by the high priest on Atonemeht
t.v. and by lesser priests when they
.4ve the benedctiOn. "Our rather
rf, art I'm Heaven" "Our Father and
KINGS ..Alost Holy. Blessed be He, 1.-THE
KING of Glory" Master of all the
world and Of all souls The Judge are
of Biblical origin. and sometimes
r..n simply "the Name or me
s...e"-that is, 'the Omnipresent one.
GOD Is JUDGE.
After dwelling upon the significance OF
Clio. Variols names. DR. Calisch, In speak
a- of God as Judge. said:
Good as Judge. does not mean only the
D.I.mniug figure. 81 means no less pro-
lection OF the weak Of the innocent, or
r. righteous 20 give them their rights
..I rewards It means that the World
....f. unon the firm foundation OF JUS
-... that il is ruled by justice; that the
lbs of human destiny hang in eternal
. zee. that truth. however weak tri-
t-phs. that innocence, however impo-
..f prevails: that power and place ana
my have not hairs weight I'm those
.. 80 measurement. Justice. Justice"
.. the cry OF Israel Of Old and there
., ,rander conception of the worlds
I..D-t attainment than that II shail pur-
the paths OF Justice.
And IL means. too, that phrase. SUD-
. faith in the workings OF PROVIDENCE
A. ether may be partial even in ms loVe,
.. r4cob was. as many parents are, Du'
cod metes out equally to an ms
a ren. our weak. human eyes may
... n. but I'm orr faith we do believe
... 70 me there Is no sublimer express
.. r resignation than when we stand
IN t. ..ry presence Of death. when we
PAGAN. ... loved form. stilied forever
r then. with trembling lips. we
.r- "a boz the just Judge.
"Fn purely intellectual or philo-
Sophie ndpoint the highest and
trr, .fon Of deity Is that given
Nv N0. n t.at memorable instance al
Iulel f. .. ... burning bush. 'Eheyeh
asher ll.r.n. + am that l am Here IN
truth Very 9ld-suprem SUBLIME un-
movable M.lmprehensible, Infinitely
DeI aior. human understanding, as 10
-eu.. ani being. yet very near unto
f.l.. who cry in bitterness Of bondage
ana ol grief hearing their cry and send
.e t0e.r delivorance. This conception IS
.s 'ae Russian poet gave IL;
ll Thou eternal one Whose presence
bright
space doth occupy. all motion guide;
'r hanged through times al-deyastating
.hou only God-there Is no God beside