which seems to me to underlie this magnificent
parable of creation is the truth that this great God has created the
universe and that he cares for his people. Gods before had been
objects of terror. Gods before had lived lives such as the people
themselves would not have respected among their companions. Gods
before were to be shunned. If one could but escape the attention of
the gods it was his greatest good fortune. Now we have the conception
of an all-knowing, ever-present God to whom his people are dear. The
terms in which it was stated in those days matter but little. To
modern psychologists even the idea that people are dear to God seems
speaking too humanly. Yet the truth involved must come in terms that
the people of to-day understand. We can best comprehend God if we
think of Him as loving and chastening, even though down in our hearts
we know that these terms are not high enough, are too human to apply
to an Eternal God. But we know no better and they tell us the truth
even though the terms may in time pass completely away.

Last of all and perhaps most characteristic of the Hebrew people is
the great lesson that this Eternal God, who created the universe and
cares for his people, demands righteousness of his people. To the
nations round about religion was not a matter of righteousness. For
them religion had nothing to do with morality. Thieves might have gods
favorable to them quite as well as righteous men. The worship of Diana
of the Ephesians or of Astarte in the groves of the Asia Minor coast
could be so unspeakably licentious and vile as not to admit of
description to-day. Yet this was all religion. To the Hebrew came the
inspired, exalted conception of a God who demanded righteousness of
his people. Beside this wonderful revelation to the human mind details
of serpents, and of apples, of names of men and of women, of gardens
and of swords are absolutely but the transitory clothing. This brought
them to the minds of the times. The value of the form is evidenced by
the fact that it brought the conception. But we must not lose the
glory of the conception in an over regard for the clothing in which
the idea came.

Does this mean that Genesis has served its purpose and is to-day to be
conceived of as a beautiful relic of the past, to be reverently
enshrined but not seriously accepted? Far from it. The glory of the
Genesis story lies in its wonderful power to grow. It strengthened
the minds of a persecuted