IN their first approaches to the subject of Christian Science, many people find themselves baffled and annoyed, if not at times utterly amazed, by the Christian Scientist's evident familiarity with the terms and attributes of Deity, and his repeated attempts at definition of his idea of God. "Sheer impertinence and wholly unprofitable," they say, "are all such efforts to comprehend by definition the Infinite."
Superficially taken, such objection has possibly a show of reason. In its strict etymology "to define" means simply "to place the limits or determine the boundaries of a subject." As applied to the Infinite, this is a task manifestly impossible. But let us remember that definition, to be effective, quite as surely implies the "settling of a thing in its compass and characteristics, as well as in its extent." To do this exhaustively with regard to the Infinite, is for the finite understanding as clearly impossible as is the other task. But, even though its full realization be remote, to define God in an ever increasing measure is not impossible; and this a fuller determination of the attributes and characteristics of Deity —is the task which Christian Scientists are chiefly concerned to accomplish and to establish in human consciousness.
Taking the word in this latter sense, it is evident that a man's definition of God measures his comprehension of God. To the fearful and ignorant worshiper, He is ever but the unknown power. To the mediaeval Christian, He was little more than the capricious and irresponsible supreme will. To the philosopher, He is often but pure reason, to the physicist, force, and to the infidel, blank darkness. But to the thought reaching out beyond all such limited conception, and yearning to know as much of the Infinite as is possible, it is plain, though the task in its entirety be life-long, that the constant effort to define God to one's self more completely is increasingly rich in result and in reward. This is true, not only because of the ends thereby attained, but as well, for the steps involved.
