If matter, so-called, is substance, then Spirit, matter's
unlikeness, must be shadow; and shadow cannot produce
257:6 substance. The theory that Spirit is not the
only substance and creator is pantheistic het-
erodoxy, which ultimates in sickness, sin, and death; it is
257:9 the belief in a bodily soul and a material mind, a soul
governed by the body and a mind in matter. This be-
lief is shallow pantheism.
257:12 Mind creates His own likeness in ideas, and the sub-
stance of an idea is very far from being the supposed sub-
stance of non-intelligent matter. Hence the Father Mind
257:15 is not the father of matter. The material senses and
human conceptions would translate spiritual ideas into
material beliefs, and would say that an anthropomorphic
257:18 God, instead of infinite Principle, - in other words, divine
Love, - is the father of the rain, "who hath begotten the
drops of dew," who bringeth "forth Mazzaroth in his sea-
257:21 son," and guideth "Arcturus with his sons."
Inexhaustible divine Love
Finite mind manifests all sorts of errors, and thus
proves the material theory of mind in matter to be the
257:24 antipode of Mind. Who hath found finite life
or love sufficient to meet the demands of human
want and woe, - to still the desires, to satisfy the aspira-
257:27 tions? Infinite Mind cannot be limited to a finite form,
or Mind would lose its infinite character as inexhaustible
Love, eternal Life, omnipotent Truth.
Infinite physique impossible
257:30 It would require an infinite form to contain infinite
Mind. Indeed, the phrase /infinite form/ involves a con-
tradiction of terms. Finite man cannot be the image and
258:1 likeness of the infinite God. A mortal, corporeal, or
finite conception of God cannot embrace the glories of
258:3 limitless, incorporeal Life and Love. Hence
the unsatisfied human craving for something
better, higher, holier, than is afforded by a
258:6 material belief in a physical God and man. The insuffi-
ciency of this belief to supply the true idea proves the
falsity of material belief.
Infinity's reflection
258:9 Man is more than a material form with a mind inside,
which must escape from its environments in
order to be immortal. Man reflects infinity,
258:12 and this reflection is the true idea of God.
God expresses in man the infinite idea forever develop-
ing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from
258:15 a boundless basis. Mind manifests all that exists in
the infinitude of Truth. We know no more of man as
the true divine image and likeness, than we know of
258:18 God.
The infinite Principle is reflected by the infinite idea
and spiritual individuality, but the material so-called senses
258:21 have no cognizance of either Principle or its idea. The
human capacities are enlarged and perfected in propor-
tion as humanity gains the true conception of man and
258:24 God.