1850.
Remarks on the Words Shin and Ti.
91
beings to whom the Chinese offer religious worship." The other is endeavoring to find "the name of the being, or class of beings, to whom the Chinese ascribe the highest attributes." With these views of the nature of the term to be sought, it is not probable that they will ever be able to fix upon the same word. They must first agree as to the meaning to be attached to the phrase, "the generic name of God." To determine the meaning of this phrase, it is necessary to fix the sense in which the word god is used. It may be used for God by way of eminence, or the true God. The phrase would then mean— the generic name of the true God." But this expression has no intelligible meaning, and this sense of the word god in the phrase in question, must therefore be rejected. There can be no such thing as the generic name of an individual, unless the expression be construed to mean the name of the class or genus to which the individual be- longs.
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There is but one other sense in which the word can be used. If it is not here used by way of eminence, it must be generic, and may be regarded as the translation of Elohim and Osos. The generic name for God, is the same as the generic name for Elohim, or for @sos. A generic name is the name of a genus, that is, of a class all the in- dividuals of which possess certain properties or qualities in common. Every individual possessing these common properties may be designat- ed by the generic name, whatever differences there may be in other respects. The generic name of God, or Elohim, or sos, in the Chi- nese language is the name by which the Chinese designate that genus or class of beings which in English is designated by the word God, and in the sacred Scriptures, by the words and sog. Now nothing is easier than to ascertain what class of beings is thus de- signated, or in other words, what those common qualities are on account of which the individuals composing this genus are classed together under the same appellation. We find that by the usage of the holy Scriptures, the words Elohim and so are applied to any object to which men offer religious worship. The English word god is constantly used in the same way. An English writer does not stop to inquire what are the attributes ascribed to a being, in order to know whether the word god is applicable or not. He is satisfied if it appear that religious worship is offered to the being in question. If men offer to any being that worship which is due to Jehovah alone, that object is properly called their god, whatever attributes it may possess, or whatever attributes it may lack. The attributes common to this class of beings are not divine attributes, if by divine be meant