64 KEV. CHANCELLOR LIAS, M.A., ON 



Who seeks to produce in each of them the highest develop- 

 ment of which' their natm-e is capable. I believe that the fullest 

 knowledge of His being is to be attained, not by logical 

 demonstration, but by observation of, and reflection on. His 

 works in the realms of matter, of mind, of soul, and of spirit," 

 and by the ulose communion with Him which comes from 

 faith in His Word, and obedience to His Commandments. 

 "And thus," as Bishop Pearson would say, "I believe in God, 

 the Father, the World-Ruler, the Maker of heaven and 

 earth, and of all things visible and invisible." 



Discussion. 



The Chairman. — I am sure we have heard with the deepest 

 interest this most valuable paper, and I shall now welcome 

 remarks that any who are present may desire to make 

 upon it. 



Rev. Canon Girdlestone, M.A. — I think this is a most stimu- 

 lating- and suggestive paper, and we are all, I am sure, under a 

 great obligation to Mr. Lias for having prepared it and read it 

 to us. 



There are only a few points that I desire to call attention to, it 

 I may do so, in the way of criticism. 



There are two sources of the idea of God given by the author, 

 viz., observation and reflection. I think perhaps it is an over- 

 sight that conscience is left out. It seems to me that with the 

 mass of mankind reason and conscience always go hand in hand 

 as concerning the things of God. 



Then farther on I find what can hardly be an oversight, viz., 

 that in the patriarchal age the thought of God Avas one of 

 " illimitable Might." He says, " Of the moral qualities of this 

 Being, conceived of as illimitable Might, we have, again, no 

 information." That is wholly opposed to my own conception of 

 what the thought of God was in the patriarchal age. I will only 

 give one sentence of Abraham's — one of the grandest and one that 

 sticks to us all — " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?" 

 It is a magnificent sentence, and it does not stand alone. The 

 whole idea is included in the idea of the fall, the idea of Cain and 

 Abel and onward, and it seems to be moral teaching concerning 

 cbai'acter and, consequently, concerning God. 



