whether the strength of the material had been fairly tested. If on slight and casual grounds of presumption, without an honest trial, this opinion had been given, the carelessness in coming to a conclusion would have amounted to a crime, not only punishable at law, but receiving the strong moral condemnation of the whole community. This does not suppose that all men are bound to arrive at a true conclusion, but that they are morally bound to take the likeliest known means for securing truth; should they be found mistaken after the fair use of these means, their duty would be honourably fulfilled.

"If the captain of a vessel should mistake a light, and guide his vessel on this mistaken sign, so as to endanger his crew, he would be acquitted, if no better means of information were at hand; but if he lazily follows a signal, without considering his charts, or consulting others in case of doubt, he would be morally responsible and culpable for this opinion and its consequences. If he, whose business it is to examine the fitness of any machinery, the sufficiency of any supports of buildings or embankments, should, to please one party in the bargain, to avoid immediate expense, or for any other purpose, declare that sufficient, which his experience might prove to him to be doubtful, he would be guilty of all the mischief consequent on the adoption of this opinion. It is not merely as an intellectual process, or an involuntary belief, that men are responsible, but as involving right and honest dispositions, fairly to enquire and honestly to speak.

There may be as much dishonesty in the matter of opinions as in any other question of conduct: he who should commend a speculation or business of which he is not competent to form an opinion, starting any land scheme or whatever else, which experience does not justify, though he might himself (from want of enquiry and honourable prudence) imagine the undertaking feasible, would still be guilty of forming an opinion that deludes, ensnares, and ruins others: and his guilt would be increased, if, on the strength of his own imagination, and overweening conceit in his ideas, he should give flaming promises to decoy men into his utopia. If a man seeing some appearance of smoke in a crowded public building, should suddenly cry out "fire," thereby creating confusion, terror, and severe accidents, by a false alarm, though he believed what he said, it would be no sufficient excuse, since he might have satisfied himself by a quieter and safer method. All the relations of human life are full of illustrations of this idea, the duty of using our senses, honestly endeavouring to think rightly, to form our beliefs and expressions on the best evidence within our reach: indeed, on this very point lies the main stress of all duty, since most of our actions result from our notions or beliefs, or as Tucker calls them, ideal causes.

He whose duty it is to see that all lights are put out, and all things secure, in any important establishment, store-house, or manufactory, would find it an ill-defence in case of a conflagration, to say, I thought the lights were extinguished by such an one, since he ought not to think or dream, but to go and see, and form his opinion on honest grounds.

Perhaps the most forcible form of the objection to our responsibility for belief, is in the statement, that men cannot help believing according to the evidence before their minds: and there are a few cases of no prac

tical importance in which persons are obliged to believe; as a man with his eyes open, knows when the sun shines: but in the majority of cases, perhaps, in all those of any consequence, the evidence is not before our minds, and our duty is to seek it.

In mathematics we have demonstration, and those who read Euclid with attention, are obliged to believe his propositions; but even here, where evidence is proverbially cogent, a man is not obliged to believe; since very few give themselves the trouble to get the evidence in their thoughts; for it is a matter of study and labour, to arrive at an intelligent belief even of a demonstration; so that there is responsibility in our belief of mathematical theorems.

A school-boy is obliged to believe according to the evidence before his mind, but if the facts in his lesson-book are not introduced faithfully into his mind, his mistaken beliefs of history, would be set down for idleness; and he would be a very bold scholar, who in reply to rebuke should say, that he answered "to the best of his knowledge and belief," since his knowledge ought to have been sounder.

We think the same kind of blame belongs to Mrs. Martin's belief about Christianity; (as, indeed, we proved respecting Mr. Holyoake's autobiography of an atheist,*) this lady might not belie her conviction, but she traduced Christianity, when she declared respecting it, that it "has anathemas for the bitter hearted," is "all things to all men," "led the ascetic to the convent," "the chivalrous to the crusade," and "the cruel to the star-chamber."

There is no excuse for such amazing contradictions of the entire nature of that religion, when we consider that it is contained in the New Testament, and translated into plain English.

To give such an account of Christianity, was to deceive her readers on an important question, respecting which she could have been better informed by the slightest examination, and without which examination she ought not to have written: and if it is wrong to delude men into any temporal schemes, by false representations, the sin is greater when we speak with such extraordinary prejudice and perversion of the most momentous neglects. We again ask all the infidel pens in England, to prove any such things respecting Christianity; and will give them space for all the passages, proofs, or inferences, that can give the least pretence for such assertions.

Surely it is vain to follow up this misrepresentation of the gospel, with the sanctified aspiration,-"men wanted a less equivocal morality;"-for these aspirations on the doctrines of the gospel are unequivocal immorality. We cannot allow this to pass as the statement of an ardent lover of truth; and so far from these being the best "credentials that can be carried into the inscrutable kingdom of the future," they will not pass here; the ignorance that could believe such things is disgraceful, the presumption of teaching them demands a severer rebuke.

We have no desire to "caluminate the last hours of the free-thinker, nor to utter the pious fraud over that narrow bed," but we may examine a life, so ostentatiously obtruded on the world, as one of great excellence,

VOL. II.

• "The Bible and the People." Vol. I.

T

and to which we are under obligation for its devotedness to our enlightenment: nor do the living, who quote such things with eulogy, escape the blame of misleading those whom they profess to teach. If our "creed does not teach us courtesy," it enforces justice, and requires truth and honesty in all our dealings.

The specious and false analogy with which Mr. Holyoake adorned his funeral oration, that as at death men lay aside their enmities, so God the judge of all will enter into no retribution; is a poor comfort, drawn from the excitements and varieties of human emotions.

The argument is immediately nullified by the assertion, that since infidel and Christian struggle for one morality, if there be a judge, he will discern the motive and pardon the means: for this implies, that if the motive be bad, and the persons were not struggling for one morality, the judge might consistently punish. But on what ground can a professed atheist make any such protestations, and if blame or punishment, after death, be so unjust, where is the ground for eulogies;-since one is based on the same principle as the other?

Not only is the argument destroyed by this reference, but the analogy is spoiled by the fact of Mrs. Martin's death; for what man of feeling would not, if possible, have prevented this calamity—that she should "sink just as the first rays of prosperity begun to break on her life?" But if there be a God, he has not acted as our impulses would lead us to, and, therefore, the method of reasoning is dangerous, and contrary to the actual facts of our condition. Nor is the assertion true of all men that, at death, hostilities are laid aside, since this which is Mr. Holyoake's analogy for a "God of love," is violated in the character of his heroine; who distinctly stipulated with her biographer, that her likes and dislikes should be carried out in her funeral: and thus an occasion which, according to Mr. Holyoake, does, and should, soften the most hardened, give a momentary gentleness to tyranny, and drive all feuds away,-this very occasion is chosen by Mrs. Martin, in her last illness, as the scene for exhibiting her likes and dislikes, and revenging, when dead, the neglects she received when living.

Nor does Mr. Holyoake object to this inexorable conduct, since, in a parenthesis, he applauds it, saying-thus "her courage and independence never forsook her: that is, her aversions (sometimes called revenge) were not to be softened by the solemnity of the grave.

We do not wish to enter upon the domestic history of Mrs. Martin, though this also is offered to us; and we are expressly told that she lived without marriage, with her second husband, whilst her first was living. The example is dangerous, and she who, whilst living, was "the terror of the timid and the bold," will be so still; in the history of a life, that is a "tragedy and a moral."

She advocated communism, and " saw that it would lead to the healthy despotism of the affections." Surely, we "require a less equivocal morality," than such despotism as this; and a less equivocal heroine to gain the respect of the women of England.

We write not thus to reproach the dead, but to warn the living, and to reprove such as offer a life of this kind for the admiration and guidance of others: we do not doubt Mrs. Martin's ability, we heard her in her best

estate, confounded her, and silenced her companion, Mr. Owen; we could only pity her, that she had fallen into such hands; nor does Mr. Holyoake's account of her acquaintances enhance our respect for them.

For whilst she advocated "the healthy despotism of the affections," she disappointed a certain class, becanse she drew an austere line between liberty and licentiousness: so that even her austerity made her repulsive "to a rather large class, in (the) new party."

But when we turn from her life to her death, there is nothing to brighten the picture: true, there happened to be a beautiful sunset, but her sun was to rise no more; her creed had declared that the "inscru table future was scrutinized, and contained nothing :-it was "the last dark day of nothingness."

She was "able to die, in the principles in which she had lived;" but if this is to prove their truth, there will be too great a majority on the other side. Yet we are not quite sure that she was "too wise to murmur, and too brave to fear;" or, why should the sight of Mr. Holyoake make her weep? Had he no consolation to offer her? Do the departing Christians weep at the approach of their spiritual advisers? Do they not rather brighten up with a life instinct with immortality?

How then had she shortened the reign of that retaliative theology, which, like a dark cloud, spreads itself over existence"? There was no light in the new revelation, and, hence, she concealed her approaching end from her attendants, that she might postpone their grief-it was the only alleviation they could obtain: but though she had "renounced her creed," she had not renounced " her lot "—this was beyond her power; nor could her friends afford any relief-" agony was the eloquent and fitting requiem" for the close of this dreadful tragedy.

The death scene of a Christian is a very different picture, the voice of the clergyman that mingled with Mr. Holyoake's, would speak of a brighter prospect, and those mourners might return with chastened sorrow, with devout resignation, and, as the setting sun shone on them, they would return with the assurance that it would rise again to-morrow, and shine upon a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Vainly does infidelity seek to win the affections, by its death-bed scenes; we know not the meaning of Mrs. Martin's deprecatory signs, it is Mr. Holyoake's interpretation, that she thus intimated that they should moderate their grief: it might signify something else; and be but the mournful echo of those heart-sickening words,-"IT'S ALL OVER."

an

Is this the best life and death you have wherewith to captivate the world? Are these last words the grand triumph and consummation to which, by pamphlets, lectures, and discussions, you would elevate the world? Truly it is cold comfort: a forbidding prospect, a "tragedy, example, and a moral;" and how, if IT IS NOT ALL OVER, if there should be a judge, and the Saviour rejected? Consider the two gospels: the Christian dies, and says it IS ALL BEGINNING; the atheist hopes IT'S ALL OVER!

"DIVINE SOCIALISM; OR, THE MAN CHRIST

JESUS."*

THIS is a very important and useful little book, deserving extensive circulation; it is especially adapted to present the gospel in an attractive form to the minds of the suspicious and sceptical.

The human element in our Lord's character, its fitness to our human condition, is, perhaps, too much overlooked in modern theology. We shall let Mr. Hall speak for himself, by some characteristic passages, such as will convey an idea of the leading principles of the work.

To our taste, the introduction is rather too ornate, but there is no lack of vigour and directness as he proceeds with the important theme. The reason for the failure of all other schemes is well put :

"Is there no truth in philosophy, and abstract principles, and just laws, and constitutional governments? Far otherwise! But they possess no inward life. We must look to a higher source than earth. The ruin cannot raise itself. He who first planted the garden must restore it. He who first reared the temple must rebuild it. The attempts of philosophers, politicians, philanthropists, have always ended in disappointment. But God has instituted a plan of reformation, and this, in proportion as men have believed it and developed it, has never failed. This and this alone, when fully carried out, will bind up that which is broken, will gather together the sundered sections of the great human family, and bring about a Divine Socialism, that golden age, that promised Millenium, when love and happiness shall reign through the wide world! The founder of this Divine Socialism, the framer and first link in this bond of universal brotherhood, is the 'MAN CHRIST JESUS!'

"The object of this book is to direct attention to Jesus as the only effectual regenerator of society, who, in order to purify, gladden, and save mankind, to soothe our sorrows and sanctify our trials, and effect a true socialism which in time shall make earth resemble heaven, laid aside his heavenly glory, assumed our nature, encountered our foes, and endured our trials,-who, in order thoroughly to identify himself with us, became 'partaker of our flesh and blood,' was 'in all points tried like as we are,' and 'was not ashamed to call us brethren.'

"God in his compassion reaches down to us. "The word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Behold the tabernacle of God is with men! Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.' As Deity, he was too far off for our conception and our love, and so he came to us in our own nature, revealing in a manner we could comprehend, the greatness of his mercy, drawing us to himself with the cords of a man, with bands of love.'

"That Jesus was Divine, is a truth that lies at the foundation of Christianity, giving meaning and power to the whole system. But the real humanity of Christ, is a truth equally important, though one which in the zealous maintainance of his Divinity, has been sometimes too much

"Divine Socialism; or, "The Man Christ Jesus."" By Rev. Newman Hall, B.A. London: John Snow, 35, Paternoster-row.