To be near unto God - pagina 175

God is great, and we know him not. The most we can do is to kneel in worship before the unknown God." This is what the doubters meant, who at Athens had reared an altar to the "Unknown God." They did not mean that besides the manygods, whose altars had been reared, there was still another God, whose name they did not know and to whom they brought their offerings as to an unknown god. No, that altar to the unknown God stood for a system and a viewpoint. By altar they meant to say, ''Our fellowcitizens in Athens, who kneel before Minerva or

that

are mistaken when they accept the about the gods. All that is said to be known of God is founded upon self-deception. Of the Infinite himself nothing can be known. There is an Infinite One, or at least there is something Infinite. Who or what it is, is an impenetrable mystery. Worship this Infinite as

Jupiter

stories

the great Unknown. Do it with the confession of ignorance. Candidly confess that all knowledge of God is withheld. And then mysticism will work wholesome effects. But let us not confess to have what we have not. Let us not pretend that we are introduced and initiated into the

knowledge of God.

For

It will only priest-craft.

others and

deceive

this

is

self-deception. is

the

key to

This was the thought of that small group of in Athens. And among the ablest and noblest of our race there are many who think so now. From choice they call themselves "Agnostics," Their aim and purpose is to have it imderstood that they are by no means godless,

men

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