n could there have been a king and ruler? For these things are
essential to a king.

Consequently just as the reality of divinity never had a beginning,--that
is, God has ever been a creator, God has ever been a provider, God has
ever been a quickener, God has ever been a bestower,--so there never has
been a time when the attributes of God have not had expression. The sun is
the sun because of its rays, because of its heat. Were we to conceive of a
time when there was a sun without heat and light, it would imply that
there had been no sun at all and that it became the sun afterward. So
likewise if we say there was a time when God had no creation or created
beings, a time when there were no recipients of His bounties and that His
names and attributes had not been manifested, this would be equivalent to
a complete denial of divinity, for it would mean that divinity is
accidental. To explain it still more clearly, if we think that fifty
thousand years ago or one hundred thousand years ago there was no
creation, that there were then no worlds, no human beings, no animals,
this thought of ours would mean that previous to that period there was no
divinity. If we should say that there was a time when there was a king but
there were no subjects, no army, no country for him to rule over, it would
really be asserting that there was a time when no king existed and that
the king is accidental. It is therefore evident that inasmuch as the
reality of divinity is without a beginning, creation is also without a
beginning. This is as clear as the sun. When we contemplate this vast
machinery of omnipresent power, perceive this illimitable space and its
innumerable worlds it will become evident to us that the lifetime of this
infinite creation is more than six thousand years; nay, it is very, very
ancient.

Notwithstanding this, we read in Genesis in the Old Testament that the
lifetime of creation is but six thousand years. This has an inner meaning
and significance; it is not to be taken literally. For instance it is said
in the Old Testament that certain things were created in the first day.
The narrative shows that at that time the sun was not yet created. How
could we conceive of a day if no sun existed in the heavens; for the day
depends upon the light of the sun? Inasmuch as the sun had not been made,
how could the first day be realized? Therefore these statements have
significances other than literal.

To be brief; our purpose is