130 COSMIC PHILOSOPHY. [pt. hi. 



leaving of nothing but "blind force" as a residuum. Trained 

 upon the subjective method, and habitually applying to all 

 propositions the test of metaphysical congruity only, he 

 naturally regards the possibilities of human thought as fairly 

 representative of the possibilities of existence. Accordingly 

 since human intelligence is the highest mode of Being which 

 we know — being in the nature of things the highest mode, 

 since it is the mode in which we ourselves exist, and which 

 we must therefore necessarily employ as a norm by which to 

 estimate all other modes — the theologian infers that any 

 higher mode of Being is not only inconceivable but impos- 

 sible. And so, when a vast extension of our knowledge of 

 nature shows (or seems to show) that the workings of quasi- 

 human intelligence form but an inadequate and misleading 

 symbol of the workings of Divine Power, it naturally seems 

 to the theologian that we are giving up an " intelligent per- 

 sonality " for a " blind force." 



Here, however, as before, the difficulty is one which 

 theology has created for itself. It is not science, but theo- 

 logy, which conjures up a host of phantom terrors by the 

 gratuitous use of the question-begging epithet " blind force." 

 The use of this, and of the kindred epithet '* brute matter," 

 implies that matter and force are real existences, — inde- 

 pendent " data objective to " consciousness. Such a view, 

 however, as already shown, cannot be maintained. To the 

 scientific inquirer, the terms " matter " and " force " are 

 mere symbols which stand tant Men que mal for certain 

 generalized modes of Divine manifestation : they are no 

 more real existences than the x and y of the algebraist are 

 real existences. The question as to identifying Deity with 

 Force is, therefore, simply ruled out. The question which 

 really presents itself is quite different. Theologically 

 phrased, the question is whether the creature is to be taken 

 as a measure of the Creator. Scientifically phrased, the 

 question is whether the highest form of Being as yet sug' 



