The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-10
|IjI(AL IvI VIEWS vs. On On,
I NATURE OF GOD
|,,f. Foster, University Of Chi
Isgs, Makes Statements That
StartIe Preachers.
lars SUPREME BEING IS
yOT PERFECT OR ETERNAL
|,.1ds That Conception of Divin-
it Is Still in Process OF
Development.

o.co June e.-That God is a con-
s,,n in the process of develop
80 and not an actual being, perfect Tor
,sd eternity. was the startling the
u savsnced by Professor George b.
NJ the University of Chicago In
delivered before the Congress
onIg,oos yesterday afternoon.
a,ot4ssor was sharply called to
~ ~ the Rev. W. II Specs, colored
from Taylorsville. Ill. Mr.
declared that the old definition OF
.,scblsm. God Is being infinite.
and Interchangeable" was the only
~o,rh could be accepted by Chris
:. aInlster, and the only ono which
- With safety be preached from a
cdsaan pulpit
4 'ol.r clergymen present desired TO eS-
| -. themselves on the subject. but the
tsS ~ time made II impossible TO con-
Gas The debate
Launches New Theories.
rrsf.ssor Foster, who was the princi-
ri SPEAKER Of the afternoon, and, IN 1act
u re congress. dealt eNhaustiVely with
= sshisct. and enunclated theories en-
/ ,-ssy neE 10 those present.
A Si,,hough we can speak more or less
rasdcntly of our conception OF the
80 Of man, and of things finate and
. r,.rral." re declared, we cannot speak
LsrNely or with confidence of the God
| Ia Our conception OF Goa is that OF
4 raFsr In the process OF becoming, In
~ of a power that is still developing
"a l. transcendeut In that he can make
flsrs come 10 pass. The universe is his
4 cSutrol God must be a consciousness
A "a col a substance. He must be thought
Is moral above everything else, but
\ ne modern man God is becoming a
tkr Wc cannot have an unfinished ex-
ryree with a finished God. IL God were
ksg, unchanging. OF. ALPHABETICALLY
rs,flne always equal TO A. always
Esal 10 a. always equal to A II
rssl be a stupid life even for God.
Essentials Invisible.
lie kernel of the matter is not the
/ Ia Of God We conceive. but in the eX-
Eislce through which We pass in re-
chsg the idea of God
'AH that Is original and all that is
e,stal Is invisible. What we call life
u teath belongs TO the Invisible and to
g iransitory. Therefore the essence of
& asd death is cternally hidden from
4 The essence of man is the forward
EIths toward lylHS goal,
Daring the discussion which followed
= sddress. the negro preacher took the
iar AID In burst of fervor said.
'Thfn l was at school and had q
ktter whom ] knew to be only a few
eea=s ahead Of me, and who 1 knew
h 10 work as hard as ] did. I had lit
z coahdence In his teaching. but when
y oae ripe In years and learning L felt
nt he knew his subject thoroughly and
ga teach me. And so IT is with God.
u annot believe In Him as only partly
Nto7ed as still unfinished. He must
Ma perfect. complete Creator"
Theology Must Stand Test.
hsseasor Gerald Birney Smith of the
!.tefslty OF Chicago, in discussing The
rGsa Point In Theology Today" said:
IL religious crisis through which we
y rasslng today Is second to no crisis of
past Issues are no longer to be de-
sEirsc BY application TO any authority
u esmand Is that theology apply to
to not texts. Theology is compelled to
sn o the methods of determining truth
tasnoec by science. Its doctrine Is ad-
$50 Il II can Justify itself by an ap-
e 10 scientific analysis. To restate
ssogy In the terms of science lies the
ess Today. No science has ever come
sGe point where 1t is compelled to rec
'1hs God"