Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-11-05

a
mighty then surely He is correctly
defined by the other terms Omni-
potent, 0mniscient. Supreme and In
finite. He who is all powerful is al
ways all powerful. He who is omni-
present is never absent. He who Is
all wise Is never less than that, could
not be by the very necessity of His
all wisdom.
Objection is sometimes made that
Christian Science is heterodox be-
cause. as the objectors claim, Il de-
clares against Gods personality.
The Christian Science definition of
God does not describe more imper-
sonal God, as that term is commonly
used and understood, than does the
orthodox definition as contained in
the Westminster Confession OF Faith.
This definition is substantially ac
cepted by all churches calling them
selves Evangelical quote II al
most in full;
There is one living and true God,
who is infinite In being and perfeo
tion, most pure spirit, invisible,
without body. parts, or passions, i'm
mutable, immense, eternal. incom-
prehensible, almighty. most wise
most holy, most free, most absolute,
most loving, gracious, long-suffering
abundant in goodness aud truth, for
giving iniquity, transgression and
sin. God hath all life,
glory, goodness. blessedness in and
Of himself, and is alone in and unto
himself all-sufficient. He
is the alone fountain of all being, of
whom, through whom, and to whom
are all things. His
knowledge is infinite, infallible, and
independent upon the creature, so
as nothing is to him contingent or
uncertain"
/ Words could not define a more
impersonai God, II we accept words
at 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 | not fairly
, and honestly ask: How can we think
OF God who is infinite" as being
composed of flesh, blood. and bones,
with all the infirmities and limita-
tions pertaining thereto? How can
we thus think of God who is
"Spirit?" How can we thus think of
God who is without "body, parts,
or passions?" | submit these ques-
! lions In no spirit Of captious critic
ism, but by way of sincere and earn
est inquiry.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
adopts substantially the Westminster
definition, but leaves out the word
passions; thus describing God as
being without body or parts" And
yet our orthodox ministerial friends
Including those Of the Methodist
lchurch-oppose Christian Science
largely upon the ground that as they
claim, 1t teaches that God is not n
person. II remains for our orthodox
friends, not for Christian Scientists,
to explain how God who Is "infin-
ite,' who is Spirit" who Is "etern-
al, who Is without body, parts or
passions, can be person in the or
dinary sense OF the term, or mere
ly big man." as he Is so commonly
understood to be.
The definition above quoted is
found in the Westminster Confession
ot Faith of the Presbyterian church
OF the United States; and, as | have
said, has been substantially adopted
by all the orthodox Christian
churches. II does not appear In what
Is called the Shorter Catechsm. The
book from which I quote bears date
OF 1906, so that It stands as author
/ ity now.
call Your attention to q part OF
the New Testament record which We
consider as fundamental Christian
doctrine or teaching. ! refer to the
great commandment given by Jesu,
to his disciples. called by some Bible
commentators his Great Commission
10 the Twelve. n It is true that this
part OF tho Bible Is Fundamental
Chrlstian doctrine or teaching ther
surely those who desire 10 live
Christian lives cannot too mUcl
study nor too well understand It
For present purposes. uuote the ac
count contained IN Matthew 10th.
Go not into the way OF the Gen
tiles, and into any city OF the Samari
tpns enter We not; but 20 rather I,
the lost sheen OF the house OF Israel
And as vo go preach, saying tn,
kingdom ~ heaven Is at hand.
Heal the sick, cleanse the leDers
raise The dead. cast ont devils; free
ly W have received, freely give.
Provide neither gold nor silver
nor brass IN your purses Nor s"ri
for your journey, neither two coats
neither shoes, nor vet slaves; for tn
workman Is worthy OF his meat
Or Of his hire, or wages, as II is else
where rendered,
This commandment Is a unit
Is not two separate commandments
There is in this language no author
| ity 10 separate or subdivlde H. N
| more authority to do this than ther
is TO reject Il as whole. The word
relating to healing sickness and dc
ing the other works there mentlone
are not only part OF the genera
commandment. but Of part the yer
sentence in which occur the word