god the known and god the unknown-µÚ10ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
any¡¡diligence¡£
For¡¡our¡¡forefathers£»¡¡though¡¡they¡¡might¡¡and¡¡did¡¡feel¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡
of¡¡a¡¡Personal¡¡God¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world£»¡¡yet¡¡could¡¡not¡¡demonstrate¡¡this¡¡
existence£»¡¡and¡¡made¡¡mistakes¡¡in¡¡their¡¡endeavour¡¡£§sic£§¡¡to¡¡persuade¡¡
themselves¡¡that¡¡they¡¡understood¡¡thoroughly¡¡a¡¡truth¡¡which¡¡they¡¡had¡¡
as¡¡yet¡¡perceived¡¡only¡¡from¡¡a¡¡long¡¡distance¡£¡¡¡¡Hence¡¡all¡¡the¡¡
dogmatism¡¡and¡¡theology¡¡of¡¡many¡¡centuries¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡impossible¡¡for¡¡
them¡¡to¡¡form¡¡a¡¡clear¡¡or¡¡definite¡¡conception¡¡concerning¡¡God¡¡until¡¡
they¡¡had¡¡studied¡¡His¡¡works¡¡more¡¡deeply£»¡¡so¡¡as¡¡to¡¡grasp¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡
of¡¡many¡¡animals¡¡of¡¡different¡¡kinds¡¡and¡¡with¡¡no¡¡apparent¡¡
connection¡¡between¡¡them£»¡¡being¡¡yet¡¡truly¡¡parts¡¡of¡¡one¡¡and¡¡the¡¡
same¡¡animal¡¡which¡¡comprised¡¡them¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡way¡¡as¡¡a¡¡tree¡¡
comprises¡¡all¡¡its¡¡buds¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡might¡¡speak¡¡of¡¡this¡¡by¡¡a¡¡figure¡¡of¡¡
speech£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡could¡¡not¡¡see¡¡it¡¡as¡¡a¡¡fact¡£¡¡¡¡Before¡¡this¡¡could¡¡be¡¡
intended¡¡literally£»¡¡Evolution¡¡must¡¡be¡¡grasped£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡Evolution¡¡
as¡¡taught¡¡in¡¡what¡¡is¡¡now¡¡commonly¡¡called¡¡Darwinism£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡old¡¡
teleological¡¡Darwinism¡¡of¡¡eighty¡¡years¡¡ago¡£¡¡¡¡Nor¡¡is¡¡this¡¡again¡¡
sufficient£»¡¡for¡¡it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡supplemented¡¡by¡¡a¡¡perception¡¡of¡¡the¡¡
oneness¡¡of¡¡personality¡¡between¡¡parents¡¡and¡¡offspring£»¡¡the¡¡
persistence¡¡of¡¡memory¡¡through¡¡all¡¡generations£»¡¡the¡¡latency¡¡of¡¡
this¡¡memory¡¡until¡¡rekindled¡¡by¡¡the¡¡recurrence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡associated¡¡
ideas£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡unconsciousness¡¡with¡¡which¡¡repeated¡¡acts¡¡come¡¡to¡¡
be¡¡performed¡£¡¡¡¡These¡¡are¡¡modern¡¡ideas¡¡which¡¡might¡¡be¡¡caught¡¡sight¡¡
of¡¡now¡¡and¡¡again¡¡by¡¡prophets¡¡in¡¡time¡¡past£»¡¡but¡¡which¡¡are¡¡even¡¡now¡¡
mastered¡¡and¡¡held¡¡firmly¡¡only¡¡by¡¡the¡¡few¡£
When¡¡once£»¡¡however£»¡¡these¡¡ideas¡¡have¡¡been¡¡accepted£»¡¡the¡¡chief¡¡
difference¡¡between¡¡the¡¡orthodox¡¡God¡¡and¡¡the¡¡God¡¡who¡¡can¡¡be¡¡seen¡¡
of¡¡all¡¡men¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡first¡¡is¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡have¡¡existed¡¡from¡¡
all¡¡time£»¡¡while¡¡the¡¡second¡¡has¡¡only¡¡lived¡¡for¡¡more¡¡millions¡¡of¡¡
years¡¡than¡¡our¡¡minds¡¡can¡¡reckon¡¡intelligently£»¡¡the¡¡first¡¡is¡¡
omnipresent¡¡in¡¡all¡¡space£»¡¡while¡¡the¡¡second¡¡is¡¡only¡¡present¡¡in¡¡the¡¡
living¡¡forms¡¡upon¡¡this¡¡earth¡that¡¡is¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡is¡¡only¡¡more¡¡widely¡¡
present¡¡than¡¡our¡¡minds¡¡can¡¡intelligently¡¡embrace¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡is¡¡
omnipotent¡¡and¡¡all¡wise£»¡¡the¡¡second¡¡is¡¡only¡¡quasi¡omnipotent¡¡and¡¡
quasi¡¡all¡wise¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡true£»¡¡then£»¡¡that¡¡we¡¡deprive¡¡God¡¡of¡¡that¡¡
infinity¡¡which¡¡orthodox¡¡Theologians¡¡have¡¡ascribed¡¡to¡¡Him£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡
bounds¡¡we¡¡leave¡¡Him¡¡are¡¡of¡¡such¡¡incalculable¡¡extent¡¡that¡¡nothing¡¡
can¡¡be¡¡imagined¡¡more¡¡glorious¡¡or¡¡vaster£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡return¡¡for¡¡the¡¡
limitations¡¡we¡¡have¡¡assigned¡¡to¡¡Him£»¡¡we¡¡render¡¡it¡¡possible¡¡for¡¡
men¡¡to¡¡believe¡¡in¡¡Him¡¡£»¡¡and¡¡love¡¡Him£»¡¡not¡¡with¡¡their¡¡lips¡¡only£»¡¡
but¡¡with¡¡their¡¡hearts¡¡and¡¡lives¡£¡¡¡¡
Which£»¡¡I¡¡may¡¡now¡¡venture¡¡to¡¡ask¡¡my¡¡readers£»¡¡is¡¡the¡¡true¡¡God¡the¡¡
God¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Theologian£»¡¡or¡¡He¡¡whom¡¡we¡¡may¡¡see¡¡around¡¡us£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡
whose¡¡presence¡¡we¡¡stand¡¡each¡¡hour¡¡and¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡our¡¡lives£¿¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡CHAPTER¡¡VIII
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡THE¡¡LIFE¡¡EVERLASTING
Let¡¡us¡¡now¡¡consider¡¡the¡¡life¡¡which¡¡we¡¡can¡¡look¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡with¡¡
certainty¡¡after¡¡death£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡moral¡¡government¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world¡¡here¡¡
on¡¡earth¡£
If¡¡we¡¡could¡¡hear¡¡the¡¡leaves¡¡complaining¡¡to¡¡one¡¡another¡¡that¡¡they¡¡
must¡¡die£»¡¡and¡¡commiserating¡¡the¡¡hardness¡¡of¡¡their¡¡lot¡¡in¡¡having¡¡
ever¡¡been¡¡induced¡¡to¡¡bud¡¡forth£»¡¡we¡¡should£»¡¡I¡¡imagine£»¡¡despise¡¡
them¡¡for¡¡their¡¡peevishness¡¡more¡¡than¡¡we¡¡should¡¡pity¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡
should¡¡tell¡¡them¡¡that¡¡though¡¡we¡¡could¡¡not¡¡see¡¡reason¡¡for¡¡thinking¡¡
that¡¡they¡¡would¡¡ever¡¡hang¡¡again¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡same¡or¡¡any¡¡at¡¡all¡¡
similar¡bough¡¡as¡¡the¡¡same¡¡individual¡¡leaves£»¡¡after¡¡they¡¡had¡¡once¡¡
faded¡¡and¡¡fallen¡¡off£»¡¡yet¡¡that¡¡as¡¡they¡¡had¡¡been¡¡changing¡¡
personalities¡¡without¡¡feeling¡¡it¡¡during¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡of¡¡their¡¡
leafhood£»¡¡so¡¡they¡¡would¡¡on¡¡death¡¡continue¡¡to¡¡do¡¡this¡¡selfsame¡¡
thing¡¡by¡¡entering¡¡into¡¡new¡¡phases¡¡of¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡True£»¡¡death¡¡will¡¡
deprive¡¡them¡¡of¡¡conscious¡¡memory¡¡concerning¡¡their¡¡now¡¡current¡¡
life£»¡¡but£»¡¡though¡¡they¡¡die¡¡as¡¡leaves£»¡¡they¡¡live¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tree¡¡whom¡¡
they¡¡have¡¡helped¡¡to¡¡vivify£»¡¡and¡¡whose¡¡growth¡¡and¡¡continued¡¡well¡
being¡¡is¡¡due¡¡solely¡¡to¡¡this¡¡life¡¡and¡¡death¡¡of¡¡its¡¡component¡¡
personalities¡£
We¡¡consider¡¡the¡¡cells¡¡which¡¡are¡¡born¡¡and¡¡die¡¡within¡¡us¡¡yearly¡¡to¡¡
have¡¡been¡¡sufficiently¡¡honoured¡¡£§sic£§¡¡in¡¡having¡¡contributed¡¡their¡¡
quotum¡¡to¡¡our¡¡life£»¡¡why¡¡should¡¡we¡¡have¡¡such¡¡difficulty¡¡in¡¡seeing¡¡
that¡¡a¡¡healthy¡¡enjoyment¡¡and¡¡employment¡¡of¡¡our¡¡life¡¡will¡¡give¡¡us¡¡
a¡¡sufficient¡¡reward¡¡in¡¡that¡¡growth¡¡of¡¡God¡¡wherein¡¡we¡¡may¡¡live¡¡
more¡¡truly¡¡and¡¡effectually¡¡after¡¡death¡¡than¡¡we¡¡have¡¡lived¡¡when¡¡we¡¡
were¡¡conscious¡¡of¡¡existence£¿¡¡¡¡Is¡¡Handel¡¡dead¡¡when¡¡he¡¡influences¡¡
and¡¡sets¡¡in¡¡motion¡¡more¡¡human¡¡beings¡¡in¡¡three¡¡months¡¡now¡¡than¡¡
during¡¡the¡¡whole£»¡¡probably£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡years¡¡in¡¡which¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡that¡¡
he¡¡was¡¡alive£¿¡¡What¡¡is¡¡being¡¡alive¡¡if¡¡the¡¡power¡¡to¡¡draw¡¡men¡¡for¡¡
many¡¡miles¡¡in¡¡order¡¡that¡¡they¡¡may¡¡put¡¡themselves¡¡en¡¡
rapport¡¡with¡¡him¡¡is¡¡not¡¡being¡¡so£¿¡¡True£»¡¡Handel¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡
knows¡¡the¡¡power¡¡which¡¡he¡¡has¡¡over¡¡us£»¡¡but¡¡this¡¡is¡¡a¡¡small¡¡matter£»¡¡
he¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡animates¡¡six¡¡feet¡¡of¡¡flesh¡¡and¡¡blood£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡lives¡¡
in¡¡us¡¡as¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡leaf¡¡lives¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tree¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡is¡¡with¡¡God£»¡¡and¡¡God¡¡
knows¡¡him¡¡though¡¡he¡¡knows¡¡himself¡¡no¡¡more¡£
This¡¡should¡¡suffice£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡observe¡¡in¡¡practice¡¡does¡¡suffice£»¡¡for¡¡
all¡¡reasonable¡¡persons¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡said¡¡that¡¡one¡¡day¡¡the¡¡tree¡¡
itself¡¡must¡¡die£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡leaves¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡live¡¡therein£»¡¡and¡¡so£»¡¡
also£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡very¡¡God¡¡or¡¡Life¡¡of¡¡the¡¡World¡¡will¡¡one¡¡day¡¡perish£»¡¡
as¡¡all¡¡that¡¡is¡¡born¡¡must¡¡surely¡¡in¡¡the¡¡end¡¡die¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡they¡¡who¡¡fret¡¡
upon¡¡such¡¡grounds¡¡as¡¡this¡¡must¡¡be¡¡in¡¡so¡¡much¡¡want¡¡of¡¡a¡¡grievance¡¡
that¡¡it¡¡were¡¡a¡¡cruelty¡¡to¡¡rob¡¡them¡¡of¡¡one£º¡¡if¡¡a¡¡man¡¡who¡¡is¡¡fond¡¡
of¡¡music¡¡tortures¡¡himself¡¡on¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡that¡¡one¡¡day¡¡all¡¡possible¡¡
combinations¡¡and¡¡permutations¡¡of¡¡sounds¡¡will¡¡have¡¡been¡¡exhausted¡¡
so¡¡that¡¡there¡¡can¡¡be¡¡no¡¡more¡¡new¡¡tunes£»¡¡the¡¡only¡¡thing¡¡we¡¡can¡¡do¡¡
with¡¡him¡¡is¡¡to¡¡pity¡¡him¡¡and¡¡leave¡¡him£»¡¡nor¡¡is¡¡there¡¡any¡¡better¡¡
course¡¡than¡¡this¡¡to¡¡take¡¡with¡¡those¡¡idle¡¡people¡¡who¡¡worry¡¡them
selves¡¡and¡¡others¡¡on¡¡the¡¡score¡¡that¡¡they¡¡will¡¡one¡¡day¡¡be¡¡unable¡¡
to¡¡remember¡¡the¡¡small¡¡balance¡¡of¡¡their¡¡lives¡¡that¡¡they¡¡have¡¡not¡¡
already¡¡forgotten¡¡as¡¡unimportant¡¡to¡¡them¡that¡¡they¡¡will¡¡one¡¡day¡¡
die¡¡to¡¡the¡¡balance¡¡of¡¡what¡¡they¡¡have¡¡not¡¡already¡¡died¡¡to¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡never¡¡
knew¡¡a¡¡well¡bred¡¡or¡¡amiable¡¡person¡¡who¡¡complained¡¡seriously¡¡of¡¡
the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡have¡¡to¡¡die¡£¡¡¡¡Granted¡¡we¡¡must¡¡all¡¡some
times¡¡find¡¡ourselves¡¡feeling¡¡sorry¡¡that¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡remain¡¡for¡¡ever¡¡
at¡¡our¡¡present¡¡age£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡we¡¡may¡¡die¡¡so¡¡much¡¡sooner¡¡than¡¡we¡¡
like£»¡¡but¡¡these¡¡regrets¡¡are¡¡passing¡¡with¡¡well¡disposed¡¡people£»¡¡
and¡¡are¡¡a¡¡sine¡¡qua¡¡non¡¡for¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡life¡¡at¡¡all¡£¡¡¡¡
For¡¡if¡¡people¡¡could¡¡live¡¡for¡¡ever¡¡so¡¡as¡¡to¡¡suffer¡¡from¡¡no¡¡such¡¡
regret£»¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡no¡¡growth¡¡nor¡¡development¡¡in¡¡life£»¡¡if£»¡¡on¡¡
the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡there¡¡were¡¡no¡¡unwillingness¡¡to¡¡die£»¡¡people¡¡would¡¡
commit¡¡suicide¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡smallest¡¡contradiction£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡race¡¡
would¡¡end¡¡in¡¡a¡¡twelvemonth¡£
We¡¡then¡¡offer¡¡immortality£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡do¡¡not¡¡offer¡¡resurrection¡¡from¡¡
the¡¡dead£»¡¡we¡¡say¡¡that¡¡those¡¡who¡¡die¡¡live¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Lord¡¡whether¡¡they¡¡
be¡¡just¡¡or¡¡unjust£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡present¡¡growth¡¡of¡¡God¡¡is¡¡the¡¡
outcome¡¡of¡¡all¡¡past¡¡lives£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡believe¡¡that¡¡as¡¡they¡¡live¡¡in¡¡
God¡in¡¡the¡¡effect¡¡they¡¡have¡¡produced¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡universal¡¡life¡when¡¡
once¡¡their¡¡individual¡¡life¡¡is¡¡ended£»¡¡so¡¡it¡¡is¡¡God¡¡who¡¡knows¡¡of¡¡
their¡¡life¡¡thenceforward¡¡and¡¡not¡¡themselves£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡urge¡¡that¡¡
this¡¡immortality£»¡¡this¡¡entrance¡¡into¡¡the¡¡joy¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Lord£»¡¡this¡¡
being¡¡ever¡¡with¡¡God£»¡¡is¡¡true£»¡¡and¡¡can¡¡be¡¡apprehended¡¡by¡¡all¡¡men£»¡¡
and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡perception¡¡of¡¡it¡¡should¡¡and¡¡will¡¡tend¡¡to¡¡make¡¡them¡¡
lead¡¡happier£»¡¡healthier¡¡lives£»¡¡whereas¡¡the¡¡commonly¡¡received¡¡
opinion¡¡is¡¡true¡¡with¡¡a¡¡stage¡¡truth¡¡only£»¡¡and¡¡has¡¡little¡¡permanent¡¡
effect¡¡upon¡¡those¡¡who¡¡are¡¡best¡¡worth¡¡considering¡£¡¡¡¡Nevertheless¡¡
the¡¡expressions¡¡in¡¡common¡¡use¡¡among¡¡the¡¡orthodox¡¡fit¡¡in¡¡so¡¡
perfectly¡¡with¡¡facts£»¡¡which¡¡we¡¡must¡¡all¡¡acknowledge£»¡¡that¡¡it¡¡is¡¡
impossible¡¡not¡¡to¡¡regard¡¡the¡¡expressions¡¡as¡¡founded¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡
prophetic¡¡perception¡¡of¡¡the¡¡facts¡£
Two¡¡things¡¡stand¡¡out¡¡with¡¡sufficient¡¡clearness¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡is¡¡the¡¡
rarity¡¡of¡¡suicide¡¡even¡¡among¡¡those¡¡who¡¡rail¡¡at¡¡life¡¡most¡¡
bitterly¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡other¡¡is¡¡th