Chase.] l^O [Feb. 7, 



some evident phase of truth. However desirable general knowledge may 

 be, it is attainable only through the accumulation, repetition, and com- 

 plete mastery of specific facts, by means of definite practical lessons. 

 This is especially true in the case of religion. Drop everything that is or 

 has been denominational, and you will have little left save a vague philo- 

 sophical abstraction, in which most men may agree, but in which few can 

 find any satisfaction. The "absolute" of the metaphysician ; the " su- 

 preme " of the scientist; the "all "of the pantheist; represent concep- 

 tions towards which the mind is irresistibly driven, but at which all mean- 

 ing is lost. That which is void of relation, cannot be made the object of 

 thought by beings who think only under relations. 



As soon as we admit relativity and attribution, we see that God would 

 cease to be Almighty if He had not the power to reveal himself, in rela- 

 tions of love and sympathy and help, to his intelligent creatures in whom 

 he has himself implanted a wish for love and sympathy and help. Hence 

 arises the metaphysical conception of an "absolute-relative," which ac- 

 cords with the Biblical revelation of an All-wise, Almighty and Ever- 

 living God, who is "not a God afar off," but always and every where near 

 at hand. Under a vague perception of the manifold ties which may sub- 

 sist between man and his Maker, systems of polytheism arise, of which 

 the most philosophical forms are found in the trinities of the Hindoos and 

 Egyptians. The hidden truth, which they represent, rests upon the 

 mathematical necessity that a relative spiritual nature, like that of man, 

 must be triform ; either affected, self-influencing, or affecting ; either 

 emotional, voluntary or intellectual. 



The revealed doctrine, "God said, Let us make man in our own image, 

 after our likeness," is thus in perfect harmony with the highest philo- 

 sophical inference of natural religion, and with the "catholic faith" of 

 the xVthanasian creed, which worships "one God in Trinity and trinity iu 

 unity, neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance." The 

 conception of the dogma, in the old mythologies, was dim, ill-defined, and 

 generally tritheistic ; its deep spiritual meaning was set forth in the Jeho- 

 vah, Adon, and Ruach, of the Hebrews, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 

 of the Christians. 



Religion, as well as science, should always be practical, progressive and 

 aggressive in the adaptation of its unchauging principles to the changing 

 requirements of human progress. Truth is so impregnable that it should 

 court criticism, rather than shun it ; our interpretations of truth may be 

 vacillating, but if they are, we cannot give them stability by refusing to 

 examine them. Religion has nothing to fear, save from its own fearful- 

 ness ; nothing to hope, save in such hopefulness as springs from its own 

 everlasting ground work of truth. Science, resting on reason, asserts its 

 claims with a boldness which almost disarms opposition and carries nearly 

 everything before it ; Religion, resting on faith, timidly clings to its tra- 

 ditions, but shrinks from the inevitable contest which is to give them new 

 life. 



