plotting fresh schemes of plunder, domination, and misery. In both cases we see men worshipping god or devil, for they are convertible terms, and debasing themselves by their adoration of god-fiends and fiend gods, till by their paganish christianity and christian-like paganism, they now stand equi-distant between savageism and civilization. If such things be, and they defy contradiction, it is clearly our course to endeavour by argument and every means in our power to destroy the main sophisms of the religious leaders. As long as their dogmas continue to prevail, man must remain enslaved to man-so long shall we be cursed with kings and queens, with the heavy curse of lordships-crownlords, and landlords, and moneylords, and shoplords, and cottonlords, and all sorts of lords and lordlings to consume the wealth produced and fashioned by their toil-worn dupes. While religion exists will the atrocious trinity of lawyer brigands, soldier brigands, and parson brigands, only equalled in enormity by the sanguinary trinity of the god miscreant, and christ miscreant, and ghost miscreant, continue to fatten in the vitals of the down trodden handworker. Onward then with the atheistical movement undauntedly, uncorruptably, unwaveringly, neither cheated by cajolery, diverted by treachery, alarmed by threats, swerved by interest, or paralised by apathy. T. P. All WHAT IS GOD? LET us constantly repeat useful truths. men are Atheists or Idolaters-Atheists in deed and Idolaters by profession. Nor is there any exemption to this general rule. For as no man hath seen god at any time," and as "his ways are past finding out,' we cannot know him, cannot entertain any idea of him. He cannot exist to us in any form or mode, because all existences are seen or felt. Till man can discover in, or append to, bis organisation a sixth spiritual sense, he must put up with the inconvenience of living without god in the world, or content himself with the worship of stocks and stones. Who then is this much lauded being, with such a wealthy retinue of professed servants, numerous temples, and millions of votaries? whose sanction is necessary to render oaths and compacts binding, and to ordain the powers that be. What is it that man has always thought necessary to his happiness-has always fought for, persecuted for, and been victimised to satiate? What, but a chimera of the imagination that changes with the age, varies with the clime, and differs with each individual! What but a reflex of man's self. seen as it were through a glass darkly, while the haze of ignorance and credulity overspread the land! When, therefore, the bigot would denounce against me the vengeance of his god, and feast in prospective on the torments of the damned, I see in this description of his god and religion a true picture of his own misanthropy, and blush for the honour of my species entrusted to such a brute. Hence the religious man is one who, like the fop, is constantly engaged in worshipping a distorted image of himself in a false mirror, portraying him as a being "bad by nature." For this, grave duties are neglected and high callings unheeded. While by twisting the features into the most hideous expression, and degrading the body to the most debasing attitudes, the distorted image, and reputed standard of orthodoxy, become in time imitated, and the hell scarce imagined become fearfully realised. A retrograde movement ensues, and of the people it may be said with truth, "there are none good, no not one." Here then comes the question, should a people be bound by the distorted images and relations of a former generation or compelled to worship its own shadow? Truth, mercy, and justice forbid! All that man has suffered for religion forbid it! blood, sighs, and treasure incalculable. The love of truth and beauty scouts the hideous monster, and selfesteem, independence, reason, and all that constitutes the man revolts at so grovelling a practice. Cease then fanatics to frighten with your hideous grimaces and fearful contortions. Let obscurity throw its veil round ye, and compel not others to dance attendance at your orgies. Be thankful that others can be found willing to perform the duties you so much neglect. Leave them a peaceful life and revenge yourselves only by feasting on their eternal damnation. But if this will not content you, let bigots denounce and fanatics pursue with the utmost vengeance of the law. Society will soon learn to despise the cant of the one and render the other harmless. It will value too highly the powers of a man to allow him to be incarcerated and supported in idleness for his scepticism on a mere metaphysical quibble, and it is to be hoped will soon compel all to be just, moral, or useful, whether Theist, Atheist, Christian, Hindoo, or Turk. Jos. B. LEAR. SEVERAL correspondents are referred to the articles headed "Is there a god?" They will find by this series, as well as by the contributions not disclaimed by the editor, that the Oracle is not set up to denounce priests personally, but to examine, expose, and overthrow that by which priests live, namely religion, "not forms of worship but worship itself, not the attributes but the existence of deity." Any able theistical paper might obtain insertion as controversive, not as expository, of the Oracle's views. SYMBOL WORSHIP. THIS paper not to frighten the timid nor upset the weak-stomached, is intended to be "exceeding proper;" argumentative, investigative, inquisitive, very critical and philosophical, warranted not to blow up with a loud explosion, nor pour a heavy "broadside" into an opponent's powder magazine-may be read at the fire-side of any of Southwell's "shabby genteelers," without throwing them into convulsions. considered by a less doughty champion of Judaic and christian revelation, to be fatal to the pretensions of christianity. This theological hero, finding the facts too obvious to be overlooked, yet too unmanageable to be used in the approved way, got out of the old track of error, and made a new path for himself. Finding that there was a trinity and cross of the gentiles as well as of the christianised Jews, and the priority of these symbols among the Indians being established beyond all doubt, he changed his tactics, and cut the gordian knot by boldly declaring that the trinity-notion was first shadowed forth by god himself to the old Jew patriarchs, and from thence descended to the Brahmins! This is as good as the argument in a circle reason proves scripture, and scripture proves reason." Common sense defend us from getting out of one scrape into another with such fatally ingenious facility. Nevertheless, as already stated, the discarding one error is in itself beneficial, and succeeding investigators would thank the learned theologian for helping them to one bit of truth. We may then draw most important conclusions from negative proofs. The disproof of the cross and the trinity taking its origin from the Galilean sect is fraught with interest and will become a prominent topic in the course of the proposed series. 66 A I HAVE been at very considerable pains, by still further researches, to methodise this interesting subject. Two purposes were present to induce me to enter upon still further and more recondite inquiry. One was to establish as nearly as possible the priority or chronological order of the various leading notions connected with religious symbols; the other to elucidate the mode in which these notions may have originated and progressed. The first branch of inquiry it may be recollected, has been already treated in Mr. SOUTHWELL's early papers, but rather slightly touched upon than investigated. He observed in the third number: "It is now generally conceded, that in point of antiquity India admits of no competitor; though when civilisation first spread amongst its As to the first-named department of inpeople, in how far they were indebted for quiry, though the most profound modern their laws, customs, religion, and general researches have not yet determined satisfacpolity, to nations yet more remote, is a torily the first introduction of even the known question not easily determinable in our pre- systems of religion, the investigation is simsent state of knowledge, and perhaps will plified by getting nearer to the truth. ever remain involved in obscurity." The well- informed historian has broached the general concession that India in point of opinion, and contended for it very ably, that antiquity admits of no competitor," of the origin of all the symbolic observances of course falls to the ground if she was indebted the eastern nations was derived from the for anything to "nations yet more remote." black nations of the interior of Africa, and The question is not one of mere idle curi- this will no doubt form a very interesting osity, but bears most materially upon the field of inquiry when we shall have penetrated leading inquiry. When, where, and how further into this comparatively unknown was such a mode of worship introduced-region. Meantime we are clearly warranted how was it promulgated? are questions, the answers to which will form the key to the inquiry. And, although such information may be still unattainable, there are several useful grades or steps which help us on, and become sign-posts as it were to future investigators. To carry the origin of a custom a step further back, economises our time by removing us from a wrong direction. If we should again flounder, into a wrong path, at any rate, we shall not be groping about in the same, and we can put up a sign "dangerous," for the adventurous who come after. 66 A notable example of this sort was afforded in an elaborate article in an early volume of Fraser, which treated of the "Trinity of the Gentiles." The very title admits a point, which would have been in drawing these conclusions: that the follow- the more boldly and confidently to plunge into the intricacies of historical theology. The second department alluded to above, the tracing out the course of progression of the symbol notions, being a distinct inquiry from that of the nature of the mysteries themselves, is peculiarly interesting as exhibiting the steps and gradations of civilization and the successive phases of national intelligence. The original purity of mankind with some, even his original perfection -has so strongly interwoven itself with the popular faith, that shrewd investigators have hardly seemed to escape its influence. From this fundamental idea has originated the supposition of the original purity and the subsequent corruption of all leading religions. The fables of the golden, bronze, and iron ages partake of this character. The traditions of most nations point the same way, and it is taken for granted in most modern disquisitions. Thus the commonly received mode of setting out is, not whether a given system was originally more or less gross or absurd, but how did the religion in question become corrupted. While alluding to the widelyspread and almost unperceived influence of early god impressions, a slight digression may be excused for the sake of its great value as suggestive to other students. It was a shrewd and penetrating remark of a philosophical friend, who has contributed largely to develop and strengthen the reasoning powers of his political pupils; that the majority of those who have congratulated themselves as emancipated from theological errors are yet, unperceived by themselves, influenced by religious dogmas, or the god-notion. Strongly illustrative of this are the floating and confused notions still prevalent among reformers concerning rights. On this topic Southwell and "Investigator" may be referred to with advantage in the early numbers. Paine, acute as he was in detecting the fallacies of an opponent, and powerful as a reasoner, illustrates the above position in the following passage: "if we proceed on, we shall, at last, come out right; we shall come to the time when man came from the hand of his maker." And in the same page, "the illuminating and divine principle of the equal rights of man (for it has its origin from the maker of man), relates, not only to the living individuals, but to generations of men succeeding each other." It is true he says, further on, "natural rights are those which appertain to man in right of his existence," which is infinitely more worthy of his strong plain sense, and which it is but doing him justice to quote; yet the admission of the former passages in such an able and admirable essay as the "Rights of Man," sufficiently shows the undercurrent of influence exercised over even the strongest minds by the god-basis having been adopted as a matter of course from the cradle. Men dont think or know, or when they think and know, dont care, how they deprive the non-theist of a foundation of right or of any principle they think worth contending for, when they present him with none and will hear of none but the god-basis. Of this sort, too, is the following-" All are equal before god," a phrase which the philosophic Guizot has strongly insisted on as a leading tenet of christianity; now this means, when dissected and analysed, all may be unequal among men. The practical bearing of these remarks is more obviously perceived in the manner of conducting theological inquiry, even by avowed sceptics. In no other range of topics do they take for granted that purity, grandeur, and refinement of sentiment and conception characterised the earliest efforts of a people. In science and art the crude, inelegant, and blockish productions of early attempts are universally predicated. In religion a people is expected to begin at the end and to end at the beginning. The remote and unfelt influence is derived from the early imbibition of the god-idea. The proximate and linking cause is the supposed inspiration from or visitation of a god. Thus the reasoner who would be ashamed to own that in a free inquiry he took for granted a particular position which prejudiced the whole case, is yet governed by an influence which, unknown to him, insinuates itself into every stage of his investigations. I will admit that the taking for granted of the contrary position, namely, that all religions begin in grossness, absurdity, and brutality, and refine as the intellect advances, may be held as an assumption by opposite thinkers. Is it not however more in accordance with analogy? The true method is to steer clear of assumption of any kind, and this will be the endeavour in the following articles. Let as great a number of clearly stated and appropriate facts be arranged as can be brought to bear upon the subject and let the deduction flow obviously and easily from an analysis and comparison of them. We shall then see gradually unfolded, I hope, in the course of these lucubrations, or at any rate sowewhat advanced, the important considerations with which I set out, that of priority of chronological order of the leading systems of symbolic worship, and an elucidation of the mode in which such notions may have originated and progressed. NOTICE. M. Q. R. A Meeting will take place on Saturday evening, Nov. 19th, at half-past eight, at No. 8, Holywellstreet, to Inquire into Mythological Systems and Overthrow Religious Error. THE FREE INQUIRER'S WHY AND WRITTEN BY CHARLES SOUTHWELL. Why are laws necessary to the well being of society ? Because regulations or rules of action, more or less stringent and severe, must exist in all societies or bodies of men, but as it is an undeniable truth that "liberty ends where law begins," they should be reduced to the smallest possible number compatible with the interest of the commonwealth, and then be so clear and well defined that all might see and appreciate their usefulness. A complicated system requires complicated laws to uphold it; whenever or wherever property is unequally distributed, then will law-makers, the source and fountain of all law, become corrupt, so that the morality of a people may be accurately judged of by a study of the laws which govern them. In our own country nothing but severe laws could hold together the jarring atoms which compose the tottering fabric now called society, and yet we plume ourselves upon our knowledge and civilisation. Draco, one of the earliest Athenian law-givers, held that all offenders should suffer death, as he contended that the least of criminal acts deserved death, whilst the greatest could have no harsher punishment. But his laws, at once both savage and silly, were found too odiously revolting to the feelings of the people, and were speedily repealed; hence the expression, Draconian code, or code of blood. With all our boasted civilisation, the criminal code of England is disgustingly severe, and almost altogether inoperative as a cure for crime; and prisons, hulks, &c., instead of being schools of reform, are schools of infamy, where young vice, which could hardly spread its wings, learns to take bolder flights, so that unfortunate creatures who for some petty crime once become enmeshed by the law, rarely obtain sufficient strength to release themselves they are caught like the poor fly, which has just tried its wings, in the web of the spider --so that the law which should prevent crime becomes the fruitful parent of criminals. Observe what is the condition of the miserables, who are sent to our penal colonies, note well what kind of reformatory process is then adopted. We are informed by parliamentary documents that the average population of our penal colonies does not exceed 90,000, out of which number the annual convictions for murder or attempt at murder are about 34; for rape 7; for highway robbery and bushranging 66; for burglary 50; for forgery 13; for sheep and cattle stealing 53; for larceny and receiving stolen goods 367. The average number of sentences of death were 132; of executions 52; and of sentences of transportation 369. Thus in seven years, in communities whose population did not exceed one half that of Westminster, 923 persons were condemned to death, 362 executed, and 2586 transported. The account does not include the convicts who were summarily transported, or their sentences commuted, and who probably amounted to as many more. The Rev. R. Styles, the resident chaplain, thus reports to Lord Glenelg, then Colonial Secretary, touching the state of the convict population of Norfolk Island, a dependency of New South Wales, "that blasphemy, rage, mutual hatred, and the unrestrained indulgence of unnatural lust, are the things with which a short residence in the prison wards of Norfolk Island must necessarily familiarize us." Another officer, Mr. Arnold, states that "it is much to be feared that the horrible crime which brought down fire from heaven on those devoted cities mentioned in scripture, exists and is practised here to a great extent, indeed I have been informed by one who has the best opportunity of judging of the truth of the information (the colonial surgeon) that actually, incredible as it may appear, feelings of jealousy are exhibited by those depraved wretches, if they see a boy or young man with whom they carry on this abominable intercourse speak to another person. Crimes too of a bestial nature it is also to be feared are too frequent; the dying confession of a young man lately executed seems to prove the truth of this." We may add, that the transportation scheme, of which the above are some of the fruits, has been in operation somewhere about fifty years, and has cost the nation more than £8,000 000 sterling, a sum which, had it been wisely used, would have well educated every child in the three kingdoms, and given full employment to all those willing to obtain work, thus nipping the causes of crime, error, and poverty in the bud, and laying the foundation upon which to build up the virtue and lasting happiness of the people. TO RICHARD CARLILE. DEAR SIR.-My residence on the banks of the Severn has one convenience, I enjoy such a happy propinquity to dock bells, basin bells, cathedral bells, and gaol bells, that should I rebel, it might easily chime in with the others. But my residence has this disadvantage, it makes me to resemble Homer in that unenviable particular, in which nothing but "rumour reached him." Hence, I have but recently been made acquainted with the letter you have done me the honour to address to my name. As seeing the Oracle is out of the question, I know you will excuse I am aware you may suppose me rather cavalier, than discreet, in rejecting the title of christian, you may also be of opinion that in objecting to your views, I fall into the popular error of decrying what I do not understand. But if I understand myself this is not the case. I know with Sidrophel It is no part Of prudence to cry down an act, And what it may perform deny, Because I understand not why. upon examination, I found many excellent me replying to what I can but vaguely I grant that christianity may be a good, but, As you persist in calling me a christian, I will only say, that a lover of the gnomologue, should be found on the side of public order. As you visited me in prison," I might, according to Matthew, call you a christian. But those who put in prison are also christians. Therefore, to give you their name would be to confound two orders of men, who have very different characters, and whom, permit me to say, I very differently esteem; and, if the common term be proper, the tree of christianity must be one producing most incongruous fruit. I have no wish to multiply names, but think it better to increase our nomenclature, than our confusion. I need not tell you that men pardon tedium more readily than obscurity. Always feeling how narrow is the data from which youth must judge, I differ with reluctance from those of greater experience and more extended observation. But however great my diffidence, it is still my duty to speak my convictions, though it be my fate to be but "flippantly vulgar, to bully, insult, pain, and ridicule," with the additional disaster that you "pass my point and I do not pass yours," I will content myself with remembering, that though it is the perquisite of age to censure, it is the province of youth to re-examine and to weigh, and that if youth is oftener guided by passion than by reason, adolescence is not always in the wrong. Sacred socialism clothed itself in phraseology very repugnant to my taste, but, 415 But to return from my wanderings, you will agree with me that few things have made so much noise in the world, have been produced so abundantly and cherished with so much care, as sacred nothings. Mankind pursue the gleams of religious fancy, and the meteors of theological delusion, and never find out their mistake until they fall into the grave. And perhaps their mortification there is one of the reasons why, from that "bourne, no traveller returns." As far as Europe is concerned, christianity may be taken as the true philosopher's stone, by which certain theological alchymists, if they do not turn metals, at least, turn men's fancies, into gold. 24 |