East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-08-05
THE NATURE OF DEITY.
(J. V. Dlttemore.)


cept the time-honored belief that God
is a corporeal personality. His reli-
gious experience has convinced him
that only as he realizes the omnipo-
tence and omnipresence of Diety
qualities which cannot be per-
sonalized or confined within a
finite form-is he able to bring into
his daily life, in some measure, those
definite and satisfying experiences Or
signs" which the Master promised
should be the heritage of those dis
ciples of all ages who believed in, or
understood, the principles of His
teachings.
Throughout all time mortals have
been idolaters. 1t has made little diff
ference whether they have worship
ped images of iron and stone, or i'm
ages conceived by the human mind
and held in thought as enlarged con-
cepts ON mortal and finite PERSONAL
ity. The results in either case have
been to materialize worship and to
disinherit mankind through failure
to worship the Father 'in spirit and
in truth" When we pray to an an
thropomorphic God, our concept of
Him confirms the belief that His
judgment will be based on and in
fluenced by human sense of justice
and of penalty, instead of by divine,
unvarying law, and We expect our re-
lief to come through pardon instead OF
through increased spiritual under
standing.
No through petition and pardon,
but through knowing the truth, as de-
clared by the great Nazarene, are
mortals to be made free from the sin,
disease and woe of human experience.
This knowing the truth" is the pray
er of Christian Science, and it COM
prises the answer as well as the
prayer On pages 8 and II of Science
and Hath, Mrs. Eddy has written:
who would stand before black
board and pray the principle OF
mathematics to solve the problem
The rule is already established, and
it is our task to work out che so!u-
tion. His (God's) work is done,
and we have only to avail ourselves
of Gods rule in order toreceive His
Blessing, which enables US to work
out our own salvation" petitions
bring to mortals only the results of
mortals own faith"
The Master declared that "God is a
Spirit" Christian Science reaffirms
this definition and accepts an addi-
tional synonym, declaring Him to be
infinite, divine Mind, the supreme
creative and governing Principle Of
the universe. From this premise ii
must follow that real existence is
spiritual and permanent. while our
present material sense of existence,
with all the evil and suffering it in
cdules, is of that heaven and earth |
which shall pass away God is in
finite Truth and intelligence; there
fore the normal man, governed Who'll |
ly by his creator can express only |
that which is tue.
Human experience, with its chang |
ing theories and self-imposed penal
ties, defrauds the race through the |
belief that a manlike God, loated in
a place called heaven, is sending dis
ease and suffering on His helpless
children for some inscrutable but wise
purpose. Christian Science utterly
repudiates such scheme. 1t de-
cares that the kingdom of heaven is
not afar off, but is wherever Truth |
abides, even within the consciousness
of all who abide "under the shadow |
of the Almighty" "The spiritual in
tultions" of prophet and apostle
were indeed the words of God, tine
"angels" which Christian Science |
shows us are entertained unawares |
by all who rise above the strife and |
contention of creed and dogma into |
peace, joy and Righteousness which |
come through having but one God, |
good, and loving our neighbor as
ourself.-J. V. Dittemore in Christian |
Science Sentinel