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only wish to be considered honest, and if that be not conceded to us-we will e'en go on without it, being certain at last to prove it, Mr. Mackintosh concludes as follows:

We have many instances of professing Atheists, who in their individual and private capacity have been very good and amiable men; yet we have no instance either in ancient or modern times of a nation professing atheistical opinions, who have occupied a high position upon the scale of moral and intellectual advancement. If atheism will furnish a basis whereon to erect a moral system of high value it has yet to be proved. I, for one, do not think it will.

Morals are derived from an observation of nature's modes, and can have no foundation but facts. The speculations of atheism or goddism, or any other doctrine, can never be made the foundation for truths, and morals are truths, forming the science of life. To talk, then, of erecting morals upon atheism or goddism is rank nonsense. The grossest immorality may subsist with atheism, and we know it does with goddism and ever has. The questions then are, can morality subsist with atheism, and can it subsist with goddism? But these, of course, are questions distinct from the existence or non- existence of a god, and not to be jumbled with it.

Mr. M. is a Social Missionary, the defender of communities of co-operation. Can he point to one successfully carried out, producing the happiness which he predicts will arise from the adoption of the social schemes? If he cannot, how can he with any face deny the probability of a moral system of high value being connected with atheism because it has not been proved, at the very same time that he is contending for the absolute necessity of the social system, as promulgated by the party he serves, producing the utmost happiness and plenty-when that has never been tried? Why, the paltry objection to atheism here noticed is the hacknied one of almost all the opposers of socialism, and belongs to Brindley, Barker, & Co. I myself heard R. Owen abused by Brindley and his gang at Bristol, upon this very point, for half an hour, and the meeting declared against the truth of Owen's views because they had not been tried. The value of socialism is as deficient of proof as the value of atheism. Men have co-operated with advantage, and Atheists have lived who have been virtuous men--but neither an improved social community or a nation of Atheists has yet been known. Where or when has god belief produced a "moral system of high value?" Echo answers-" Where?"

With whom does the charge of the puerility of the discussion lie, if not with the advancer of such contemptible, broken down objections as those I have noticed? The

fault is not with Mr. M. but with his subject,
and I would seriously advise him, for the sake
of his well-earned credit in the field of physi
cal science, to leave the god-mongers to fight
their own battles, and not sully his hands
with their foul and paltry weapons which he
has not nor ever will have the address to
use, with any chance of success.
W. C.

CORRESPONDENCE.

GOD AND ANTI-GOD IN INDIA. (From a Correspondent.)

THE interpreter to our forces in China is a missionary, the Rev. Mr. Gutzlaff. He once preached god, christ, holy-ghost, and co, to the Chinese, and may probably continue the same ministry now, as nothing incompatible with his present profession, which is to announce to the Chinese that they are to pay for the poison they have destroyed, and which christians so kindly goaded them with, and that they are in future to allow its free entrance into their country. These benevolent intentions he generally publishes to them on the eve of action, when, if they do not surrender, and agree to the condi tions, he leaves them to the alternative— destruction by fire and sword, the loss of their property, and the violation of their families who may survive. In the war against Affghanistan. the Bishop of Calcutta ex pounds the views of god, christ, holy-ghost, and co. While the military and the diplo. matists thought of retreating, the bishop, on the 28th of February last, thus declared the resolutions of goddism at the end of an address to Lord Auckland: "The season will break, the passes will be open, and then, only let us get at them!" The Friend to India, the organ of the clergy in India, is the newspaper, which urges the prosecution of the war against the Affghanistans. Thus does the christian company of god, christ, and co. exhibit themselves abroad! But the Atheists are at work there. The Friend to India, June 9, speaking of the death of a Mr. Hare at Calcutta, who was formerly a watch-maker, says, "He established a school, which he is said long to have supported from his own resources; and he was one of the chief instruments in promoting the esta blishment of the Hindoo College. Thus he gradually became identified with the cause of native education as conducted on the principle of excluding religion, and acquired the confidence, we might almost add, the affection of the native youth of the metro polis to a degree never known before. At the same time it must be confessed with deep regret, that his inveterate hostility to

the gospel produced an unhappy effect on the native youths, who were so largely under his influence, by indisposing their minds to all inquiry after religious truth, and inducing a general scepticism, the melancholy consequences of which will long continue to be apparent in the opinions and conduct of the present generation of enlightened natives." Atheists have still more encouraging notices from the Wesleyan Circular.

We may anticipate therefore, amongst other failures at this commercial crisis, the awful failure of god, christ, holy-ghost, and co. in Calcutta. We therefore suggest, as a good commercial speculation, to send out all the Infidel publications of the day to Calcutta, and the other presidencies of India. The sterling gold of truth will take the place of the flimsy credit of falsehood, whose notes, according to the bankrupts' own account, are rapidly passing out of circulation. There are persons willing to send out Infidel publications gratis, if others better acquainted with India would kindly let them know to whom they might entrust them for distribution.

"The happiness of the elect in heaven, will, in part, consist in witnessing the torments of the damned in hell; and among these may be THEIR OWN CHILDREN, PARENTS, HUSBANDS, WIVES, and FRIENDS. Every time they look upon the damned it will excite in them a lively and admiring sense of the grace of god in MAKING them so to DIFFER. One part of the business of the blessed is to celebrate the doctrine of reprobation. While the decree of reprobation is eternally executing on the vessels of wrath, the smoke of their torments will be eternally ascending in the view of the vessels of mercy, who, instead of taking the part of those miserable objects, will say, amen, hallelujah, praise the lord." -Emmon's Sermons.

"The saints in glory will be far more sensible how dreadful the wrath of god is, and will understand how terrible the sufferings of the damned are; yet this will be no occasion of grief to them, BUT rejoicing. They will not be sorry for the damned. All sympathy destroyed-it will cause no uneasiness or dissatisfaction to them, but on the contrary, when they see this sight, it will occasion rejoicings, and excite them to joyful praise." - Edwards's Practical Sermons.

JOHN RANSOM.

Brighton, October, 1842.

To the Editor of the Oracle of Reason. SIR. A fair question, in your No. 47, under the signature of James Monk, shall have a fair answer. I wish all my ignorant and unprincipled abusers would thus deal with me. James Monk is to me an incognito; but that is nothing in the case of fair and free inquiry. I am asked to reconcile the "Dedication" of the ninth volume of the Republican with what I now say respecting the bible. An honest man will meet and bear any questioning.

I then described the bible as the most mischievous

of all mischievous books. In the use that has been made of it, I still think so; and in my most recent lectures, my auditors have heard me so describe it, as the greatest curse that has been presented to the human race. But this, be it remembered, applies to the abuse, and not to the best use that may be made of the book.

To the Editor of the Oracle of Reason. SIR. As to the question, ought the truth at all times to be spoken ? there are two opinions. To write and to express at all times the truth without mystery, mixture of error, or the fear of man, is the advice of the venerable patriarch of socialism, but that refers to a rational state of society; for in the case of Southwell and Holyoake, we find that it is unsafe to write or to speak what may appear to be truth in the seeing or hearing of some parties. In the cruel persecution they are now suffering their feelings may be hurt and their health injured, but the satisfaction of having scorned the hypocrite's crooked path abundantly pays for all. Who covets the reflections of the pious spy Maitland in Holyoake's case? It will be well for him before he becomes the cat's paw to any faction, to consider the misery he may inflict on the friends and dependants of the persecuted party. To reflect that for six months Mrs. Holyoake and her two infant children are to be deprived of the protection of one of the best of husbands and fathers. Such was the confidence I felt in the honesty and morality of Mr Holyoake (and it is now more than ever confirmed), that I had placed my son under his care for tuition, and for twelve months would he have had the advantage of receiving instruction from one of the best of tutors but for this shameful affair.cally to discover that Jesus Christ never existed as After reading the following extracts, you will see what infinite pleasure Maitland has yet to experience when he gets with the "saints in glory."

Up to the ninth volume of the Republican I had travelled no farther in theological inquiry, than to apply common sense and historical investigation against the prevailing superstition. The first number of that volume, addressed to the late Dr. En

gland, then Archdeacon of Dorset, and the seventh

number addressed to the late Dr. Herschel, the high-priest of the Jews, present my then accumula

tion of evidence, that neither Jewish nor christian religion had any accurately stated historical origination. I was the first, of modern times, histori

flesh, in the first or any other century, in Palestine or elsewhere; as I have also been the first to say of late, that the Jews were not known to inhabit Palestine of Syria under the name of Israelites, or any

other name, before the time of Alexander of Macedon, who brought them there in his expeditionary return from India.

This, then, was my state of mind, in concluding and dedicating the ninth volume of the Republican. With the tenth volume, or in its course of publication, it may be seen that I entered upon a new course of theological inquiry, to which my former researches had gradually brought me it was the identity of the christian with all former mythologies. Assisted by the Rev. Robert Taylor, I asserted the mythological sameness of Jesus Christ and Prometheus, and discovered generally, of which I am now elaborating and making so good a nse, that Jesus Christ is the name of spirit, or mental principle, of wisdom, science, virtue, love, combined for human salvation, and not the name of any mere flesh, blood, and bones that ever existed.

Every subsequent volume of my periodical has more or less embraced this subject, until, in The Isis, I attempted to make a system of theological interpretation from it, and am about to renew the attempt in a new periodical entitled "The Christian Warrior," &c.

Ignorant men may find contradiction in all this; but wiser ones will see it to be the fair and honestly stated progress of an inquiring mind, faithful to

truth alone.

I have several volumes of the Republican unsold; but not perfect sets. Have been selling them of late at the low price of half a crown a volume, which is less than a fifth of the original price. I will place some of them with my son, Alfred, at 1, Bouveriestreet, Fleet-street; but no lower trade price will be taken. Young political and theological inquirers

To

will find in these volumes some of the boldest and best essays on almost every subject ever printed. They are clearly the origination of that style which Mr. Williams, as Publicola, has introduced into the Weekly Dispatch Free discussion had its birth in the Republican Beyond that publication it can nowhere be traced on record as having been in prac. tice. The words were scarcely associated. superstition all discussion is horrible; but more than this, there is neither political party nor religious sect, yet in the country, that can bear free discussion. The ridiculous new-move Chartists in Holborn, have said no religious discussion in their hall. They want music; but no religious discussions! They want anything but truth and political wisdom, with honesty. There must be many other moves, before we reform the parliament, or repeal the corn laws. At present, and for and twenty years five past, nobody has moved, but your humble servant, RICHARD CARLILE.

Enfield Highway, November 12, 1842.

ANTI-PERSECUTION UNION. All Collectors are requested to forward the amounts of subscription to the office, 8, Holywell Street, by Monday, November 28. And the London Collectors are specially required to attend with their books at the committee meeting, at Eight p.m. of the same date.

The Public Meeting in connection with the AntiPersecution Union will take place at John-street Institution, on Monday, Dec. 5, half-past eight, p.m. London. M. RYALL, Sec.

THE ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF
ENGLAND PARAPHRASED,
For the benefit of those Clergymen who swear to them.
That three are one, and one is three,
I hold a sacred verity:

That Jesus Christ went down to hell,
But what for, the devil must tell :
And then he winged his way above,
To join the father and the dove.
That Mary, veneranda mater,
Gave being to her own creator,
Married, but neither wife nor maid,
As by no nat'ral impulse swayed;
Her husband, Joe, for very shame sake,
Acting just like his sheepish namesake.
We've no free will that we can trust to,
But die, for doing what we must do.
Good works, like rags, are of no use,
But our damnation will produce:
But if we've faith, and show docility,
God will reward our gullibility.
I do believe the creeds, and thence
Conclude all damned, who've common sense;
That ev'ry knave and ev'ry doxy,

In Eve and Adam, sinned by proxy;
What time the serpent chose to cram 'em
With golden pipins stol'n (god damn him!),
And that all infants, for their sin,
Who die, without a christening,
Are justly doomed, as parsons tell,
To creep and crawl, like toads in hell!
The ancient testament is true,
Though so contrary to the new.
All this is from inspired pen:
Let every jackass bray AMEN.

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ORACLE. OF REASONH

Or, Philosophy Vindicated.

"FAITH'S EMPIRE IS THE WORLD; ITS MONARCH, GOD; ITS MINISTERS, THE

No. 50.]

"" ITS SLAVES, THE PEOPLE

EDITED BY THOMAS PATERSON.

Originally Edited by CHARLES SOUTHWELL, sentenced, on January 15, 1842,

PRIESTS UNION

to Twelve Months' Imprisonment in Bristol Gaol, and to pay a fine of 100, [PRICE ID.
for Blasphemy contained in No. 4.

Second Editor, G. J. HOLYOAKE, sentenced, on August 15, 1812, to Six Months'
Imprisonment in Gloucester Gaol, for Blasphemy, at Cheltenham.

PSEUDO-ATHEISM.

are not, on this account to be blinded to the
fact that there are not only sceptics but Athe-
ists whose opinions, instead of being deter-
mined by ratiocination, have been embraced
through impulse or prejudice. It is a useful
office to point out these cases. Herein lies
an essential difference between us and the

What strengthens us would
weaken them. They could not afford to lose
their credal parrots, their cages would be
empty and the perches deserted. We would
gain by every withdrawal of this kind. Not
only is the proportion of reasoners vastly in
our favour, but we are altogether fearless of
the consequences of investigation, convinced
that the more of error we expose, even in our
own ranks the stronger we become.

SINCE it has become fashionable for the press
to notice atheism, and of course abuse it, and
misrepresent its professors a word of advice to
those of them who deign to consult common sense,
may stimulate investigation into the ground-religionists.
work of their opinions. And who ever feared
such investigation but those who dreaded the
exposure of some enigmatical imposture?
None! for truth is simple; error complex,
uncertain, and delusive. Free inquiry leads
to truth, prejudice is the portal to falsehood.
Those Atheists only who can give a reason
for their opinions, and not such as are im-
pelled to an opposition to religion through
mere dislike to religionists, are alone service-
able to our cause. To distinguish the as-
sumed or unreal, from the well grounded,
rational, and conscientious adherents to
atheism, is the object of this paper.

There are many Atheists in the world, as there are many bigots, who have been cast upon the party with which they now mingle, by a concurrence of circumstances. I would endeavor to persuade all such to examine well the ground on which they stand, and acquire better reasons for remaining than those which led them there.

To proceed then with the discussion of pseudo-atheism. Some Atheists there are, who have adopted the name of Atheist through residence in a particular place, the mixing with a certain class, or other local influences. Of some points they are convinced, others they take for granted. When detached from their circle and their neighbourhood and from those on whom they depended for information, and plied with unaccustomed arguments, they are perplexed and brought to a stand still, and jeered at by their opponents for ignorance and arrogance, they possibly conclude by either Professors of religion have little or nothing bigotry or conversion. Others, and I am into fall back upon, depending only, or mainly, clined to think a more numerous portion, conon both the dicta and interpretation of others, sists of those who were excited to a sympathy set forth in certain prescribed forms of words, or admiration of an individual or individuals, which suggest no corresponding ideas, they and who once disappointed in their particular cannot refer to principle, if they would. affection, rejected their creed along with their Their leaders have a doctrine in which self-idol. Had such persons been well grounded abasement forms a leading feature, and an in first principles, they would have known aim in which rapacity is most prominently that persons may change, but principles are developed-how appropriately one leads to ever the same. Another party, more nuthe other is seen in the practical workings of merous, but less honourable, than the former all religious systems. The leaders can ob- two, are those, whether individually or colfuscate and mystify, but their followers labour lectively, who having scraped together a few under the moral incapacity of intense igno- hundreds, have made and are making it the rance, and it is only necessary to fan their chief object of their lives, and, being of acdelusions and flatter their prejudices to keep cumulating dispositions, feel the utmost disthem in willing subserviency. With the like to every thing which seems in the least redist the above are necessary and unavoid-degree likely to shake the security of their able consequences, with the Atheist, blind already acquired property, or retard their adherence is a fortuitous occurrence, not accumulation of more. Themselves Atheists, characteristic of his general conduct. We or with atheistic predilections, they entertain

the deepest horror at the imprudences of those who wantonly style themselves Atheists, and have a gentle leaning to the parties who possess wealth, but who turn up their noses at every thing true in principle or correct in practice.

Now my object is simply to stir up all these parties, and set them on an examination of their aims and conduct. It will give strength and boldness to their tone, and enable them clearly to examine and follow principles, which alone can give security to correct moral practice.

A society of Atheists could not exist if their ranks were filled by such parties as those now described. With the first, a change of locality-with the second, the death of an individual might reverse their notions and carry them over to the side they now oppose, or render them apathetic-as for the third, their policy is an entire mistake, all history proves that a consistent advocacy of truth, and denunciation of error of every kind best promotes general and particular interests -and, as further proof, I would refer to the Oracle itself, and its publishing depot, when, after four months' seige by the clerical press, backed by numbers of the daily and weekly metropolitan press, saying nothing of the thousand and one inventions of priestly ingenuity to destroy the citadel, the defenders have stood their ground, and have elicited from one of the misleading journals that--they must be left alone!! Thus honesty is the best policy," is as true as it is neglected, away then with all false pretences! a hard contest is to be sustained with great odds, and we must have better materials for the conflict, than half-and-half adherents. How then should there be difficulty in finding such materials ? Atheists have distinct and fixed principles, an advantage unpossessed in the religious world. Twice within ten months has it been confessed by judges and counsel that christianity knows no safety but in persecution no principle but selfishness -no rule of conduct but unjust usurpation. These confessions show us what we ought to avoid, from their converse, too, we may learn what to adopt.

The adoption of atheism ought not to be swayed by considerations of pecuniary or social advantages. However desirable it may be to promote the principles by wealth or influence, such a course is less effective in the long run than one of severe and unbending integrity.

Such strictures are of course superfluous with those who having made the laws of nature their study, have adopted atheism as the strict process of ratiocination. To the few before mentioned, more than any other classes, are these remarks particularly addressed, with the idea of their appropriateness to such persons and at such a juncture as the present.

Now, when one declares himself an Atheist, what should be his meaning and object? This is important to be understood, and in tracing the question closely I shall first define what he does not mean.

An Atheist does not mean one who believes in a chimerical idea, mechanically or otherwise acquired; it does not mean one who announces to others what he himself cannot account for, either the nature or the essence of a deified phantom, or of the nature or essence of matter; it does not mean one who prostrates himself, or causes others to prostrate themselves before the absurd fictions of his own or others brains, looking with indifference on this visible world, and being amused with the fiction of an invisible world-none of these are implied by the word or term Atheist.

The next step is to show clearly what the term Atheist does mean. The Atheist is one guided by "experience and the evidence of his senses, who sees nothing in nature but that which he finds really to have existence, or which he is capacitated to know; who does not perceive anything but matter, essentially active and moveable, diversely combined, enjoying from itself various properties, and capacities of producing all the beings which display themselves to our visiual faculties;" or, as Southwell says, "not believing in any designing principle, mind, intelligence, cause, or what you will, distinct from the ma terial world; believing, on the contrary, that something must have been from all eternity, therefore uncaused, and that uncaused something the universe."

The edifice is now reared, and all that is comprehended within it contains its sole foundation, Building upon it we feel at no loss and suffer no apprehension. We are now freed from all uncertainty, our system commences. We can now assign a reason for every step we take. We can proceed without doubt or hesitation, having immutable truth for our guide, and universal good for

our aim.

Our grand object, the uprooting religion from the world, thence loosing the artificial bonds that hold society together, and creating a moral atmosphere that will preserve the moral life of the community, is the object of our labours. In foreign god-governed lands we find men devouring one another bodily, under the influence of religion; destroying their infants, drowning their parents, burning their wives, and perpetrating other enormities too revolting and too shocking for enumera. tion. In our god-led land, too, where religion is at a premium, we find christians clinging to the last vestiges of barbarism, handed dowr from remote centuries. Always cleaving to old tyrannies, reluctantly compelled to give up the old cherished machinery of cruelty an persecution-whether the stake, the prison, r the inquisition-we find them continually

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