To be near unto God - pagina 68

Asiatic countries, and upon their return imitate in Europe or America what they have seen in Asia, and in which they took part while there. This is but a little flaw on the surface of things and has no significance in the great movement of spirits.

The modern pagan movement, on the other hand, is driven by an entirely impersonal object. It has no thought of setting up idolatrous images. It scorns idolatry proper which is still perpetuated in India, China and Japan. But it is negatively impelled by the denial of a living, personal God and positively by doting on vague ideals, or else on pleasure and money. This makes warfare against modern paganism far more difficult than that which Bible prophets and apostles waged against the idolatry of anti"quit3^ Then name was contrasted with name, person with person, image with image. Not Baal, but Jehovah. Not Jupiter, but the Lord of hosts. Not the image of the great Diana, but Christ, the image of the Invisible God. The personal character which paganism

derived from visible idolatrj^ made it imperative to set up by the side of it an equally personal object of worship. Thus Si on was contrasted with Basan, Jerusalem with Gerizim; priest with priest. And the living, eternal and adorable Jehovah was Hence the contrasted with Moloch and Baal. scornful description of idols. Ears have they, but thej" hear not. Eyes have they, but they see not. Mouths have they, but they speak not. They who made them are like unto them. 0, Israel, trust thou in the Lord (Ps. 115:6). There is nothing of this now. In our times a man dotes on humanity. Another man has a zeal G4

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