MAN IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD.
By L. M.
The following is an abstract view of a discourse preached on the Sabbath to a Christian church, an extract of which appeared in a religious paper. The subject was, "Man in the image and likeness of God." It was explained, I should judge, in accordance with heathen philosophy, traditions of men, and Romish superstition, in substance as follows: "What is the image and likeness of God, after which man was created? Is it a physical, or a spiritual image and likeness, or a combination of the two? The being created in his image and after his likeness, refers not to any physical attribute or appearance whatever, but a causative power, a creative energy—a being the same in kind as his Creator, differing only in degree. Such was the original condition and attributes of man. "The attributes of matter are extension, size, density, figure. The attributes of spirit are life, activity, thinking, feeling, memory, intuition. We cannot conceive of dead spirit, or living matter. By no process of thought can we pass the attribute of one over into the other. To speak of matter as possessing life, thought, feeling, action, is to use words not only without meaning, but contradictory to all true meaning. So to talk about spirit having form, size, taste, is not only to use words without meaning, but utter nonsense. For the truthfulness of these statements we appeal (where? to the Bible? O, no!) to the intuitive affirmation of universal intelligence!" Our theological philosopher, or lecturer, did not tell us whether the brute creation, such as the horse, dog, and others, were material or spiritual beings, or creatures; they appear to possess some of the attributes of both as described above, such as size, figure, form, ascribed to the material; and such as life, activity, thinking, feeling, ascribed to the spiritual.