Note 6 — Chapter III · BELIEFS ABOUT GOD.

This principle in human nature is fully recognised in philosophy. Butler in his ‘Analogy of Religion’ speaks of it as the principle of continuance, remarking “that we believe a thing remains as we left it, except where we have any reason to think it is changed”. Dr. Bain recognises the same belief in our postulate that “nature is uniform,” although he holds that the tendency in question gets its great value from “experience.”

Beyond this there is a tendency to find a place, as we have assumed above, for anything that has passed beyond our ken. We saw this in the case of a little child that was separated from youthful playmates. When asked “Where’s Nyama?” at first he pointed in a definite direction. As the journey proceeded he became quite at a loss, and shook his head over the question in sadness. Much farther on it was asked whether Nyama was not in yonder steamer, and the suggestion gave intense satisfaction, and ever after instead of shewing despair over the question he would brighten up and say, “She is in another steamer”.