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existence； so that our bodies are the temples of His spirit； that
it is this which sustains them in their life and growth； who is
one with them； living； moving； and having His being in them； in
whom； also； they live and move； they in Him and He in them； He
being not a Trinity in Unity only； but an Infinity in Unity； and
a Unity in an Infinity； eternal in time past； for so much time at
least that our minds can come no nearer to eternity than this；
eternal for the future as long as the universe shall exist； ever
changing； yet the same yesterday； and to…day； and for ever。 And I
will show this with so little ambiguity that it shall be
perceived not as a phantom or hallucination following upon a
painful straining of the mind and a vain endeavour ＇sic＇ to give
coherency to incoherent and inconsistent ideas； but with the same
ease； comfort； and palpable flesh…and…blood clearness with which
we see those near to us ； whom； though we see them at the best as
through a glass darkly； we still see face to face； even as we are
ourselves seen。
I will also show in what way this Being exercises a moral
government over the world； and rewards and punishes us according
to His own laws。
Having done this I shall proceed to compare this conception of
God with those that are currently accepted； and will endeavour
＇sic＇ to show that the ideas now current are in truth efforts to
grasp the one on which I shall here insist。 Finally； I shall
persuade the reader that the differences between the so…called
atheist and the so…called theist are differences rather about
words than things； inasmuch as not even the most prosaic of
modern scientists will be inclined to deny the existence of this
God； while few theists will feel that this； the natural
conception of God； is a less worthy one than that to which they
have been accustomed。
CHAPTER III
PANTHEISM。 I
THE Rev。 J。 H。 Blunt； in his 〃Dictionary of Sects； Heresies；
etc。；〃 defines Pantheists as 〃those who hold that God is
everything； and everything is God。〃
If it is granted that the value of words lies in the definiteness
and coherency of the ideas that present themselves to us when the
words are heard or spoken…then such a sentence as 〃God is
everything and everything is God〃 is worthless。
For we have so long associated the word 〃God〃 with the idea of a
Living Person； who can see； hear； will； feel pleasure；
displeasure； etc。； that we cannot think of God； and also of
something which we have not been accustomed to think of as a
Living Person； at one and the same time； so as to connect the two
ideas and fuse them into a coherent thought。 While we are
thinking of the one； our minds involuntarily exclude the other；
and vice versa； so that it is as impossible for us to
think of anything as God； or as forming part of God； which we
cannot also think of as a Person； or as a part of a Person； as it
is to produce a hybrid between two widely distinct animals。 If I
am not mistaken； the barrenness of inconsistent ideas； and the
sterility of widely distant species or genera of plants and
animals； are one in principle…sterility of hybrids being due to
barrenness of ideas； and barrenness of ideas arising from
inability to fuse unfamiliar thoughts into a coherent conception。
I have insisted on this at some length in 〃Life and Habit；〃 but
can do so no further here。 （Footnote： Butler returned to this
subject in 〃Luck； or cunning？〃 which was originally published in
1887。
In like manner we have so long associated the word 〃Person〃 with
the idea of a substantial visible body； limited in extent； and
animated by an invisible something which we call Spirit； that we
can think of nothing as a person which does not also bring these
ideas before us。 Any attempt to make us imagine God as a Person
who does not fulfil ＇sic＇ the conditions which our ideas attach
to the word 〃person；〃 is ipso facto atheistic； as
rendering the word God without meaning； and therefore without
reality； and therefore non…existent to us。 Our ideas are like
our organism； they will stand a vast amount of modification if it
is effected slowly and without shock； but the life departs out of
them； leaving the form of an idea without the power thereof； if
they are jarred too rudely。
Any being； then； whom we can imagine as God； must have all the
qualities； capabilities； and also all the limitations which are
implied when the word 〃person〃 is used。
But； again； we cannot conceive of 〃everything〃 as a person。
〃Everything〃 must comprehend all that is to be found on earth； or
outside of it； and we know of no such persons as this。 When we
say 〃persons〃 we intend living people with flesh and blood；
sometimes we extend our conceptions to animals and plants； but we
have not hitherto done so as generally as I hope we shall some
day come to do。 Below animals and plants we have never in any
seriousness gone。 All that we have been able to regard as
personal has had what we can call a living body； even though that
body is vegetable only； and this body has been tangible； and has
been comprised within certain definite limits； or within limits
which have at any rate struck the eye as definite。 And every part
within these limits has been animated by an unseen something
which we call soul or spirit。 A person must be a persona…
that is to say； the living mask and mouthpiece of an energy
saturating it； and speaking through it。 It must be animate in all
its parts。
But 〃everything〃 is not animate。 Animals and plants alone produce
in us those ideas which can make reasonable people call them
〃persons〃 with consistency of intention。 We can conceive of each
animal and of each plant as a person； we can conceive again of a
compound person like the coral polypes ＇sic＇； or like a tree
which is composed of a congeries of subordinate persons；
inasmuch as each bud is a separate and individual plant。 We can
go farther than this； and； as I shall hope to show； we ought to
do so； that is to say； we shall find it easier and more agreeable
with our other ideas to go farther than not； for we should see
all animal and vegetable life as united by a subtle and till
lately invisible ramification； so that all living things are one
tree…like growth； forming a single person。 But we cannot conceive
of oceans； continents； and air as forming parts of a person at
all； much less can we think of them as forming one person with
the living forms that inhabit them。
To ask this of us is like asking us to see the bowl and the water
in which three gold…fish are swimming as part of the gold…fish。
We cannot do it any more than we can do something physically
impossible。 We can see the gold…fish as forming one family； and
therefore as in a way united to the personality of the par