The idea that Nature is to be worshipped, either as God, the unknown, or
the incomprehensible, is being seriously questioned. We wish first to know
what good such worship does. It cannot be of any benefit to Nature. Is it
of any benefit to man? This is the only question to be answered.
Almost everybody is ready to say that man should not worship the sun, the
moon, the stars, or any earthly thing; but a great many still think that
man should worship the mysterious something of which everything is a
manifestation. We have outgrown the worship of objects. We look upon the
person who sees a God in any natural object as an idolater; as one whose
mental vision is unillumined by any true idea of the universe. But there
is a demand that man shall worship God, or the unknown force or power in
Nature that is the source of all things.
We admit the unknown quantity of the universe; but we do not see the
necessity of worshiping it. We do not see any good in praying to it, or in
singing to it. Nature is all a mystery and all the mystery there is, but
why do we need to keep saying so in prayer and praise when the silent fact
is ever before our eyes? We do not need to go down on our knees to every
mysterious thing, and stay there. Let us freely and frankly confess that
Nature is incomprehensible, and then go about our business like men, and
try to learn what will help ourselves and our fellow-beings.