The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

CONDITIONS OR THE: INQUIRY. 29precluded from assigning value to the loftierand purer thought of ancient civilization tes-. tifying against l' the gods many and lordsmany " of the popular religion; nor do we refuseto make acknowledgment of those ruderand baser examples of religious observanceappearing among tribes of uncivilized men inmodern times. In defending religion, we areupholding the lofty conceptions of the Greekphilosopher, who said that " God is not theauthor of evil, but of good only;" who declaredthat God "is one and the same, immutablyfixed in his own proper nature," andthat " God and his attributes are absolutelyperfect." * On the other hand, we can notescape the serious entanglement found amongheathen idolatries, for even while such idolatriesare utterly condemned, we are ready tomaintain that the most irrational idolatrieshave more of reason in them than the lifewhich has been emptied of religious faith andexercise.In view of the wide range of natural religion,and the defence of it here implied, wemay define religion, as the recognition of aSovereign Intelligence originating and gov-*Plato's Republic 11. 380, 381.