cause that name is as good as any other, but I have no desire to take up the cause of the strange character described in the bible under the name of Jehovah. I leave that task to those who worship him. There are plenty of them, both Jews and Christians, As wild as Mohamedans. I should be willing to enter into a friendly controversy with any Atheist who loves to battle with the idea of "the governing principle, power or being contended for by philosophers," and who will keep strictly to that idea without mixing it up with extraneous ideas derived from other sources; but if all the extravagant notions of superstitionists, ancient and modern, foreign and domestic, are to be jumbled together and mixed with the philosophic idea of a governing principle called god, then I would beg to decline entering upon the question, inasmuch, as from the nature of the case, the controversy must end in a inere wrangle, leading to no profitable result.

T. S. MACKINTOSH.
• Priestly.

CHRISTIAN IGNORANCE OF THE
CONTENTS OF THE BIBLE.
To the Editor of the Oracle of Reason.
(Concluded.)

IT is time for Christians to abandon the "witch burner" as an authority in matters of religion, if they wish their system to be respected in the nineteenth entury. Certainly no one with a grain of sense will place confidence in Sir Matthew Hale's stateinent, That there is no book like the bible for wisdom, learning, and use." This statement is positively absurd; what portion of modern knowledge has been drawn from the bible? None, absolutely none; on the other hand, it has been the greatest obstacle to the diffusion of knowledge, and is so at the present moment; in the hands of the priests it has ever been the means of keeping the people in a state of ignorance. They well know that as the empire of knowledge extends the empire of faith will decline, and therefore oppose the diffusion of the one to preserve the existence of the other.

The fifth author quoted is that of Boyle; his statement as to the value of the bible may pass for what it is worth; none but a mind religiously insane could have uttered or penned such a sentence, and those who have quoted it in the tract could be but little better, for if they knew anything about the matter they must know that it is absurdly false.

The respectable authority of Locke is next on the list, who informs us that, it has god for its author, Falvation for its end," &c. The law has said in the case of SOUTHWELL that we must not consider it the outponrings of some devil;" it is fortunate for the gospel that the law has said so, or truth might tell a different tale. Had Locke said it had damnation for its end, he would have been much nearer the truth, for the doctrine of dainnation for the majority of the human race, is one of the leading features of the system. If the bible is " truth without any mixture of error," it is somewhat strange that its doctrines have had to struggle with science for so many hundred years; and it is somewhat strange too that Christians have not yet decided what is truth among themselves; after several hundred years of controversy, they have not yet decided what the bible teaches. The understanding of the author of the Essay on the human understanding," must have been in a very sorry state when he could say of the Jew-Book "it is all pure, all sincere, nothing too much, nothing wanting. Christians themselves can

not believe this, if they have thought upon its co tents. Oh yes, the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Lot, Onan, David, Solomon, and a host of others, are all pure, all sincere!" what dolts Infidels must be not to have discovered the purity of these things before now! Nothing too much, nothing wanting," forsooth! and everyone who understands the subject admitting that the translation is disfigured by blunders from beginning to end, and whilst a new edition of the bible is advertised as containing two thousand emendations, yes, two thousand emendations. This is what ROBERT TAYLOR would call the god-help-me-plight of divine revelation. Locke was a Unitarian, and according to the orthodox creeds is at this moment in hell for his rejection of the trinity; how then can the orthodox quote him as an authority in religious matters? the idea is absurd.

his language should ran thus: I am of opinion that I entirely dissent from the opinion of Sir W. Jones, the volume, independent of its doubtful origin, contains less sublimity, less pure morality, and more than can be found in any book of the same size in unimportant history, and fewer struins of eloquence, whatever language it may have been written. Well might Dr. Watt's write that the major part of the Christian world can scarce give any reason why they believe the bible to b the word of god, except that they always did believe it, and had been taught so from their infancy; well might the poet exclaim:

Many a one owes to his country his religion,
And in another would as strongly grow,
Had but his nurse or mother taught him so.
The priest continues what the nurse began,
And thus the child imposes on the man.

The three authors above quoted are in the right and will be so till human beings dare to think for themselves.

Now, Mr. Editor, if such men as Bacon, Selden, Milton, Hale, Boyle, Locke, and Jones could believe the Christian religion on such slender grounds I have shown they did, what must be the case with the vast majority of that 180,000,000 who are said to believe in the Christian system? The fact is, they know little more of the real origin, history, and evidences of christianity, than the African savages; they know little more of their own system than young children; and not half so much as Infidels generally do, and yet they have the effrontery to talk of the ignorance of the Infidel portion of society of the contents of the bible. Infidels reject the Jew-Book because they have thought on its contents; the Christians believe in it with an unthinking belief It is impossible for any one to read the old book with a philosophic mind, and not discover its gross defects, both in principle and detail, and yet it is taught as containing a system capable of removing all our evils in the present, and protecting us against others in the future; those who oppose it are considered the worst enemies of society, as individuals worthy of any amount of slander and persecution in this world, and in the world which is always to come damnation everlasting. If Christians could prove the truth of their system by argument, they would not resort to the devil to help them out of the dilemma; they ought to know that suggesting motives to the will can never carry conviction to the understanding; that the fear of hell may succeed in crushing the activity of timid minds, but never make them efficient defenders of their system. There is one great consolation for those who oppose Christian theology that its progress in this country has ceased; nay more, that it is in a declining state, Christians themselves being the judges. Let us then, one and all, continue our exertions, and our efforts will be crowned with success; truth is mighty and will prevail. Yours, in the cause, J. C. F.

ANTI-PERSECUTION UNION.

8, Holywe l-street, Strand.

THE SUBSCRIPTIONS now proceed with much greater vigour, but have not sufficed to meet the recent heavy expenses; a very slight contribution from each of the friends of the canse, with a little increased exertion from our active supporters will secure an amount adequate to the occasion. It will be recollected that assistance, in order to be effectual, Must be permanent, or continued as long as the occasion shall subsist, or the unjust laws shall continue to operate. We must be fortified against future assaults, by preconcerted measures, not remain unprepared till the moment of attack. With this view the periodical subscriptions were determined on; the collectors organised; and the books, &c. arranged accordingly.

The LONDON COLLECTORS may now have copies

of the address of the Union for distribution.

Those Collectors who are willing to employ themselves actively in other circles than those of their immediate friends, may, by applying at the office, receive the addresses of New Subscribers. If they write, let them send name, address, and district in which they collect, or which best suits their convenience.

Those DESIROUS of ASSISTING by periodical subscriptions, to whom application has not been made, will please to transmit name (or initial) and address to the secretary. They can be called on annually, quarterly, monthly, or weekly, as most convenient, and for any sum as small as a penny a week.

COUNTRY COLLECTORS are requested to remit immediately all sums by post-office order, amounting to 10s. or upwards.

An urgent request is made to the Collectors and all friends of the cause, to remit, without delay all the funds they can command. Now is the time when assistance is most needed. The poor friends of liberty have come forward with alacrity to the extent of their means. The Committee, and indeed the most active working friends have greatly drained their purses. The comfortable advocates of free-discussion, those who approve of us from their easy chairs, are expected to "put themselves about" to the extent of a few remittances. It is too bad for the bold and free both to fight and pay. London.

M. RYALL, Gen. Sec.

NOTICE.-The Collectors are requested to attend at the Rotunda Coffee-room, Blackfriars road, on Sunday evening next, the 21st inst., after the Lecture, to pay in what sums they may have collected. The Secretary and one of the Committee will be in attendance from 8 till 10 o'clock. Those who cannot conveniently attend on Sunday, the 21st, will take notice the same parties will be in attendance at the same time and place on the following Sunday, the 28th inst.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The Author of the "YAHOO" is thanked for his kindness, his wishes shall be complied with. He is also informed that the " additions" to his work have been placed in the hands of the publisher, who will pay every attention to them. Would there be any objection to the "Squib" being published at the end of the "Yahoo?

THETA. The last few months have witnessed changes of so much importance in the society complained of, and the eyes of the blind therein having been opened to the fallibility of parties hitherto considered otherwise, that to attack it as formerly when its disease was at its height, would savour more of malice than love, which latter has hitherto been the ruling principle with us. I have reasons for believing that the heads of the body give us every credit for our efforts-we never expected to convince the multitude, that must be the work of after ages; we shall plough, our children will reap. "Theta," in the following extract, having placed the question of

the disproof of the affirmative in a clear light, I quote it:-"There is or is not a being in the moon formed of cheese, who sometimes doth carry his head under his arm, and at another with it doth play at foot-ball. Mr. Goddite do you believe in the existence of such a being merely because I have said that he exists; and do you, according to the rules of logic, feel bound to prove there is no such being; do you intend taking the first opportunity of a trip to the moon, and placing yourself still further under it influence, to prove the negation? If you do, you are the most wonderful logician, I ever heard of, and quite, I grant you, beyond my comprehension; and if you do not mean to attempt the proof of this ne gation, what effrontery you must have to request me to prove the negation to an affirmative of yours. You can revel amid your syllogisms and sophisms, but pure induction, the only idol an Atheist logician has, is neither with you nor of you."

T. P. in type, shall appear in our next.

SUBSCRIPTIONS.

W.C.

OLAR UNI

THE "JEW BOOK."

II.

"What inspiration glows in every line; Aby 'gat Iky! isn't that divine? Then Iky begat Jacob; Jacob Joe; And Joe begat-read scripture and you'll know."-YAHOO.

SUCH is a fair summary of no inconsiderable portion of that sacred fustian, which because called divine, inspired, &c. is gulphed down by the unthinking and priestridden multitude as the most sublime and wonderful truth that eye can see, ear hear, or mind

conceive.

A doctor has been defined as a man who writes prescriptions until the patient either dies or is cured by nature. So of the bible, it supplies rules of thought and conduct until reason sinks, utterly sinks under its influence or rises in rebellion against it.

If without common-place hyperbole one circumstance may be called more extravagant than another in these godly times, it is that all sorts of men join in eulogising this book as a paragon of, truly, "god knows what," for unless he does no one else can tell. Is it from policy, to hold the vulgar in priestly chains? Is it from expediency, to curry favor with respectables? Is it from cant, to cover guilt? Can it be from the intrinsic excellence of this ever-blessed Jew-Book? Take the following, as a small minute fractional, doubly diluted, diminished, refined, and distilled specimen of the intellectual and invaluable facts evolved from it by that sagacious genius the Bishop of Alexandria :

For which piece of practical information, the lord in his mercy be praised.

Please to remember that Arius was

guilty of blasphemy for denying this, as likely enough I am for doubting it.

Is the book loved for its morality? Its moral teaching? Its salutary advice to the young? I venture to say, and hope the attorney-general will not dispute it with me, that "Jolly Nose was a saint to Solomon, and "Nix my dolly pals fake away," a moral composition compared with his songs.

I can understand why bishops call this holy; can comprehend why lawyers affect a sacred reverence for its contents; and why Socialists sometimes talk of the true christianity it contains; but why such a man as W. J. Fox, who reasons so peerlessly on human sentiments and character, who profoundly analyses the springs of the loftiest morality, and stands alone the "Socrates of his age," how such a man can call the bible a "glorious book," I never could comprehend. Such ways to me, like the almighty's, are past finding out.

But has not the time arrived when the matter touching this said book may be duly investigated, and its heavenly beauties fairly revelled in? The ancient Gnostics were, history records, as free in their strictures on