too petty a scale. If God is so great, we must approach Him in a
spirit of greatness. He is not interested in trivialities--
trivialities of ritual, of creed, of ceremony. We have imagined a
vain thing--a God of our own species; merely adding to the
conception, to gild and consecrate, a futile fuzbuz of
supernaturalism. My friends, the God I imagine is something more
than a formula on Sundays and an oath during the week."

Those sitting in the rear of the Chapel were startled to hear a
low rumbling sound proceeding from the diaphragm of the Bishop,
who half rose from his seat and then, by a great effort of will,
contained himself. But Gissing, rapt in his honourable
speculations, continued with growing happiness.

"I ask you, though probably in vain, to lay aside for the moment
your inherited timidities and conventions. I ask you to lay aside
pride, which is the devil itself and the cause of most
unhappiness. I ask you to rise to the height of a great
conception. To 'magnify' God is a common phrase in our
observances. Then let us truly magnify Him--not minify, as the
theologians do. If God is anything more than a social fetich,
then He must be so much more that He includes and explains
everything. It may sound inconceivable to you, it may sound
sacrilegious, but I suggest to you that it is even possible God
may be a biped--"

The Bishop could restrain himself no longer. He rose with flaming
eyes and stood in the aisle. Mr. Airedale, Mr.
Dobermann-Pinscher, and several other prominent members of the
Church burst into threatening growls. A wild bark and clamour