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II

GOD IN ACTION

What thought and feeling rises unbidden in us when we
hear some one speak of the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit ?

In some it is a sort of wondering, half-respectful
derision, such as we all feel when we come upon belief
in creeds that we hold to be outworn. In others it is
the simple boredom always experienced by the inferior
mind when confronted with what is great in poetry or
music or painting. In others, again, who do not doubt
that the term signifies a great reality, the thought of
holiness rouses only a sense of repulsion. For them
the adjective u holy " is synonymous with " forbidding "
— a perfection which imperfection, however well-
intentioned, may not touch without being " thrust
through with a dart."

Yet to spirit in all living creatures belong such
life, hope, health, enterprise, curiosity, joy, kindness,
love, as they may know. Stones or corpses do not
know these affections ; therefore it is to the spirit in
the universe that life and love belong. The associations
of the word " spirit," therefore, ought not to be dulness
or fear. It will be said that to spirit belong also
animosities, pride, scorn, cruelty. True ; and these
also have been, and are still, attributed to such invisible
power or powers as many worship. Hence the notion
of "holiness" as "taboo" — a notion compact of the
unapproachable, the irrational, the terrible. The early
Christians, whatever their mistakes, sins, and ignorances,
did this interesting thing — they took the word "holy"

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26 THE SPIRIT



ii



— which, originally having its roots in taboo, had
been elevated by the Old Testament prophets to
mean goodness, awful and exclusive, — they took this
word and appropriated it to the Divine Spirit which
made for fellowship. 1 It was a new use of the word.
