Page:The Philosophy of Creation.djvu/260



Having ascertained what mineral sulphur is as to its qualities, we may now inquire as to what is sulphur itself; or, in a general form, what is matter itself. The proper answer to this question involves a prior conception of the process of creation.

It has been observed that the Creator is a substantial being whose substance is self-existing, and therefore uncreate. The first created substance was formed, as only it could be, from the uncreated substance of the Creator by being put forth from Him. Thereby life itself, or activity in the first degree, was withdrawn, and it became discreted from the uncreated substance of the Creator, yet remaining perpetually dependent upon Him for its existence or standing forth. The uncreate substance of the Creator is self-active and life itself, while the highest created substance depends upon the uncreated for its activity, and has the capacity for activity in the highest degree withdrawn. From the highest created substance the next lower is formed, being derived from it by more simple composition, compression, and devitalization, thus forming a lower discrete degree. In like manner the successive discrete degrees of spiritual substances were