Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-27


of whom, through whom and to whom
are all things His knowledge
is infinite, infalliole and independent
upon the creature, so as nothing is tc
him contingent or uncertain. p"
Words could not define more i'm
personal God, If we accept words al
their ordinary meaning. If we give to
the words quoted from the Confession
of Faith their ordinary and rational
meaning we could not imagine better
definition of an impersonal God. May
I not fairly and honestly ask: How can
we think of a God who Is Infinite" as
being composed of flesh, blood and
bones, with all the infrmities ard linz
itations pertaining thereto? How can
we thus think of God who is 'Spirit?'
How can we thus think of a God who
is "eternal?" How can we thus think
of a God who is Almighty" How
can we thus think of a God who is
without body, parts or passions?"
submit these questions in no spirit of
eaptious criticism, but by way of sin
cere and earnest inquiry.
Compared with Methodist
The Methodist Episcopal Church
adopts substantially the Westminster
definition, but leaves out the word
passions" thus describing God as be-
y
our orthodox ministerial friends-rn-
Guiding those of the Methodist church
oppose Christian Science largely upon
the ground that, as they claim, it
teaches that God is not a person. 1t
remains for our orthodox friends. not
for Christian Scientists, to explain how
a God who is infinite who is Spirit, "
who is eternal" who is without a
body, parts or passions" can be per-
tFa fHs. fv,a.
or a merely big man." as he is so
commonly understood to be.
The definition above quoted is found
in the Westminster Confession of Faith
OF the Presbyterian church of the
United States and, as 1 have said, has
been substantially adopted by all the
orthodox Christian churches. 1t does
not appear in what is called the Shorter
Catechism. The book from which |
quote bears date of 1906, so that it
stands as authority now.
1 do not hesitate to say that the
Christian Science definition of God Is
even more personal, in the correct
sense of the term, than is that of the
orthodox churches as set forth in their
creeds or articles of faith. In evidence
of this 1 quote briefly from the Chris
tian Science textbook. (The lecturer
here read from pages 116 and $50 of
The assertion of Gods presence and
power runs through the Old Testament.
How could words express a more i'm
personal Being, viewed from the stand
point of more anthropomorphism, than
the following from the 18th psalm
WHITTIER shall l go from Thy Spirit ?
or whittier shall l fee from Thy
presence? If 1 ascend up into heaven,
Thou art there; If | make my bed in
O tnI aV~A
the wings of the morning, and dwell in
the uttermost parts of the sea; even
there shall Thy hand lead me and Thy
right hand shall hold me-"
God Is Spirit
Jesus plain words are of themselves
sufficient to settle any question as to
Gods anthropomorphism. He distinct
ly declares God to be spirit 0t is
wrongly translated in the old version
as "a spirit'D and adds that those who
worship Him must worship Him in
spirit and in truth. While John, the
beloved disciple, as distinctly says,
God is love-
In further corroboration of the true
conception of God and His power and
presence in His universe and in His
world, 1 desire to call attention to an
other definition of God given by the
Psalmist, in the 103d Psalm: BLESS the
Lord, my soul, and forget not all his
benefits: Who forgiveth all thine in
iquities; who healeth all thy diseases; ;
who redeemeth thy life from destruc-
ton; who crowneth thee with loving
kindness and tender mercies; who sat
isfeth thy mouth with good things, so
that thy youth is renewed like the
eagles" This is either mere abstract
poetical sentiment or else it is a declar-
alton of eternal truth, a definition Of
the eternal God. We accept it as tho
latter.
We believe in just such a God as the
Psalmist here sings of. A God who
possesses the power to forgive and VINO
does forgive all the iniquities of His
children, a God who possesses the
power to heal and who does heal all
the diseases Of His children. who re-
deemeth their life from destruction,
who crowneth them eternally with low
ing kindness and tender mercies. I cite
this definition of God, not because 1t
stands alone; we find just such concep-
tions running all through the Scrip
lures If we look for them. Have we
sufficiently looked for them? Have
we been generally taught of such a
God2 On the contrary, have we not
been too generally taught of a God who
so far from forgiving all the iniquities
of His children, has provided a means
and place of eternal punishment for
such of them as fail to live up to a
prescribed course of conduct? A God
who so far from healing all the dis
eases of His children, sends disease
upon them in order to chasten and
make them better? This manifestly
was not David's conception of God. If
1t was, his own plain words falsify that
conception.
In Immediate connection with the
103d Psalm l now call your attention
to a part of the New Testament record
which we consider as fundamental
Christian doctrine or teaching. I refer
to the great commandment given by
Jesus to his disciples. called by some
Bible commentators his Great Commits
sion to the Twelve If it is true that
this part of the Bible is fundamental
Christian doctrine or teaching then
surely those who desire to live Chris
tian lives cannot too much study nor
too we'll understand it. For the present
purposes, I quote the account con-
tanned in Matthew 10th:
Commanded TO Heal
go not into the way of the Gem
tiles, and into any city of the Samari-
tans enter we not; but go rather to the
lost sheep of the house Of Isreal.
"And as ye go preach, saying the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead cast out devils; freely
ye have received, freely give.
Provide neither gold nor silver, nor
brass in your purses. Nor scrip for
your journey, neither two coats, neither
shoes, nor yet slaves; for the workman
is worthy of his meat" Or of his hire,
or wages, as it is elsewhere rendered.
This commandment is a unit 1t is
not two commandments. There is in
this language no authority to separate