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be written； and glosses on the original text； but this power is
very limited。 As offspring will only； as a general rule； vary
very little from its immediate parents； and as it will fail
either immediately or in the second generation if the parents
differ too widely from one another； so we cannot get our idea of…
we will say a horse…to conjure up to our minds the idea of any
animal more unlike a horse than a pony is； nor can we get a well…
defined idea of a combination between a horse and any animal more
remote from it than an ass； zebra； or giraffe。 We may； indeed；
make a statue of a flying horse； but the idea is one which cannot
be made plausible to any but ignorant people。 So 〃human flesh〃
may vary a little from 〃human flesh〃 without undue violence being
done to our reason and to the right use of language； but it
cannot differ from it so much as not to eat； drink； nor waste and
repair itself。 〃Human flesh；〃 which is without these necessary
adjuncts； is human flesh only to those who can believe in flying
horses with feathered wings and bills like birds…that is to say；
to vulgar and superstitious persons。
Lastly； not only must the 〃perfect man；〃 who is the second person
of the Godhead according to the orthodox faith； and who subsists
of 〃human flesh〃 as well as of a 〃reasonable soul；〃 not only must
this person exist； but he must exist in some place either on this
earth or outside it。 If he exists on earth； he must be in Europe；
Asia； Africa； America； or on some island； and if he were met with
he must be capable of being seen and handled in the same way as
all other things that can be called perfect man are seen；
otherwise he is a perfect man who is not only not a perfect man；
but who does not in any considerable degree resemble one。 It is
not； however； pretended by anyone that God； the 〃perfect man；〃 is
to be looked for in any place upon the surface of the globe。
If； on the other hand； the person of God exists in some sphere
outside the earth； his human flesh again proves to be of an
entirely different kind from all other human flesh； for we know
that such flesh cannot exist except on earth； if in space
unsupported； it must fall to the ground； or into some other
planet； or into a sun； or go on revolving round the earth or some
other heavenly body…or not be personal。 None of those
whose opinions will carry weight will assign a position either in
some country on this earth； or yet again in space； to Jesus
Christ； but this involves the rendering meaningless of all
expressions which involve his personality。
The Christian conception； therefore； of the Deity proves when
examined with any desire to understand our own meaning （and what
lawlessness so great as the attempt to impose words upon our
understandings which have no lawful settlement within them？） to
be no less a contradiction in terms than the Pantheistic
conception。 It is Atheistic； as offering us a God which is not a
God； inasmuch as we can conceive of no such being； nor of
anything in the least like it。 It is； like Pantheism； an
illusion； which can be believed only by those who repeat a
formula which they have learnt by heart in a foreign language of
which they understand nothing； and yet aver that they believe it。
There are doubtless many who will say that this is possible； but
the majority of my readers will hold that no proposition can be
believed or disbelieved until its nature is understood。
It may perhaps be said that there is another conception of God
possible； and that we may see him as personal； without at the
same time believing that he has any actual tangible existence。
Thus we personify hope； truth； and justice； without intending to
convey to anyone the impression that these qualities are women；
with flesh and blood。 Again； we do not think of Nature as an
actual woman； though we call her one； why may we not conceive of
God； then； as an expression whereby we personify； by a figure of
speech only； the thing that is intended being no person； but our
own highest ideal of power； wisdom； and duration。
There would be no reason to complain of this if this manner of
using the word 〃God〃 were well understood。 Many words have two
meanings； or even three； without any mischievous confusion of
thought following。 There can not only be no objection to the use
of the word God as a manner of expressing the highest ideal of
which our minds can conceive； but on the contrary no better
expression can be found； and it is a pity the word is not thus
more generally used。
Few； however； would be content with any such limitation of God as
that he should be an idea only； an expression for certain
qualities of human thought and action。 Whence； it may be fairly
asked； did our deeply rooted belief in God as a Living Person
originate？ The idea of him as of an inconceivably vast； ancient；
powerful； loving； and yet formidable Person is one which survives
all changes of detail in men's opinion。 I believe there are a
few very savage tribes who are as absolutely without religious
sense as the beasts of the field； but the vast majority for a
long time past have been possessed with an idea that there is
somewhere a Living God who is the Spirit and the Life of all that
is； and who is a true Person with an individuality and self…
consciousness of his own。 It is only natural that we should be
asked how such an idea has remained in the minds of so many … who
differ upon almost every other part of their philosophy…for so
long a time if it was without foundation； and a piece of dreamy
mysticism only。
True； it has generally been declared that this God is an infinite
God； and an infinite God is a God without any bounds or
limitations； and a God without bounds or limitations is an
impersonal God； and an impersonal God is Atheism。 But may not
this be the incoherency of prophecy which precedes the successful
mastering of an idea？ May we not think of this illusory
expression as having arisen from inability to see the whereabouts
of a certain vast but tangible Person as to whose existence men
were nevertheless clear？ If they felt that it existed； and yet
could not say where； nor wherein it was to be laid hands on； they
would be very likely to get out of the difficulty by saying that
it existed as an infinite Spirit； partly from a desire to magnify
what they felt must be so vast and powerful； and partly because
they had as yet only a vague conception of what they were aiming
at； and must； therefore； best express it vaguely。
We must not be surprised that when an idea is still inchoate its
expression should be inconsistent and imperfect…ideas will almost
always during the earlier history of a thought be put together
experimentally so as to see whether or no they will cohere。
Partly out of indolence； partly out of the desire of those who
brought th