SOUNDINGS 



gods nor to praise them, neither to do penance nor 

 to offer burnt offerings, but only to take and use 

 wisely the gifts they bestow. 



VII. AN IMPARTIAL DEITY 



What difficulties and contradictions we fall into 

 the moment we identify Nature with God, and 

 what equal or greater difficulties we fall into if we re- 

 fuse to identify Nature with God ! True it is that in 

 the former case we bring God very near and make 

 him very real; we see and feel our direct and con- 

 tinuous dependence upon Him — indeed, that we 

 are a part of Him ; that every breath we draw, and 

 every thought we think, and every pound of en- 

 ergy we put forth is in and through Him; and that 

 we can no more wander or escape from Him than 

 we can escape gravity or chemical affinity. There 

 are no skeptics or atheists in regard to Nature. It 

 alone exists and goes on forever. But here comes the 

 pinch ! God as Nature is not only the author of the 

 good, He is the author of what we call evil also; 

 He is as many-sided as Nature is. The savage and 

 merciless aspects of Nature are of Him also; He 

 is in the jungles of Africa, as well as in the walks 

 of culture and refinement; in the destroying 

 tornado as well as in the gentle summer breeze; 

 in the overwhelming floods as well as in the 

 morning dews. He is as much the author of dis- 

 ease as He is of health; of war, pestilence, famine, 



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