That is our only path to
something higher, if higher there shall ever be. But if we find that
the God of our environment is a God of something higher than love
and righteousness, will these cease to be characteristics of his
nature and essence? Not at all.
I have learned, perhaps, to know my father as a plain citizen. If I
later find that he is a king and statesman, with powers and mental
capacities of which I have never dreamed, do I therefore from that
time cease to think of him as wise and kind and good? Not in the
least. I only trust his love and wisdom as guide of my little life
all the more. And shall not the same be true of God though he be
king of all worlds and ages? It becomes unwise and wrong to worship
God as the God of might only when we have found that he is a God
also of something higher and nobler, of love; and after we have
perceived this fully and worship him as love, we rest in the arms of
his infinite power.
But now that the work has gone thus far, we can see that all
development must take place along personal, spiritual lines; and are
compelled to believe in a spiritual cause who knew the end from the
beginning. And man's farther progress depends upon his conformity to
this spiritual environment. And what is conformity to the personal
element in our environment but likeness to him? This is my only
possible mode of conformity to a person--to become like him in word,
action, thought, and purpose, and finally in all my being.
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