First Causes. 25 



but as an everlasting present, a never-ending day. 

 Stationing ourselves aloft in space, watching from 

 the eyrie of the universe the myriad worlds as they 

 circle on in their endless way, that which we know as 

 yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow is virtually one, for 

 no sun ever sinks beneath the horizon of the infinite. 

 The earth and planets in their torch-light procession 

 round our glorious sun may point out the passing 

 hours to other revolving spheres ; but existence in 

 its essence is only one rotation, one vast now, one 

 eternal present; for time is not where there is neither 

 beginning nor end, and First Causes are superfluous 

 in perpetual motion. 



Section 4. The First Cause as a Deity : — * 

 Perhaps no subject better illustrates the progress of 

 the human intellect than the history of the evolution 

 of the Protestant Nineteenth Century Deity. When 

 men first began to discuss First Causes, the Deity 

 and a First Cause were synonymous ; and this Deity, 

 when not an idol, was a Spirit and a personal Being 

 like unto a man. Instead of man being thus made in 

 the image of God, God was made in the image of 

 man. This conception still holds good with the 

 middle and lower intelligences of the race. The 

 highest intelligences, however, realise its absurdity. 

 For it is preposterous that the inhabitants of such an 



* Mr Edward Clodd in his Pioneers of Evolution has ably shown 

 how religion has been a barrier to progress in knowledge and in- 

 telligence, but he ought to have bracketed metaphysics with it. 



