be withheld from publication; and the author reluctantly prints so much as is here presented. If this book be regarded, as it might with some truth, as a species of despatch from the field of battle, the reader will tolerate the absence of art and arrangement in it. The plan contemplated —that of taking the authors on the side of Theism, who represented chronological phases of thought, required more time than the writer could command. From these pages, as they stand, some unfamiliar with the present state of Theistical discussion, may obtain partial direction in untrodden paths. Hope of leisure, in which to complete anything systematic, has long delayed the appearance of this book after the writer had seen that many might be served even by so slender a performance. At length he confesses, in a literary sense (if he may so use words which bear a spiritual meaning)

Time was he shrank from what was right,

From fear of what was wrong:

He would not brave the sacred fight,
Because the foe was strong.

'But now he casts that finer sense

And sorer shame aside;

Such dread of sin was indolence,

Such aim at Heaven was pride."

Though these pages do not pretend to fulfil metaphysical conditions, yet it may be possible to make in them some practical contribution to popular speculation. Indeed, metaphysics is not yet in so clear a state as to be able to command a writer to pause, until he has won its warranty. To abstract speculation, or close logical reasoning, Addison had no pretensions. The structure of his mind, not less than the character of his taste, excluded him from the region of metaphysics,'† nevertheless, he left many pages of literature, which a second generation perused. The present writer will count himself sufficiently fortunate if this generation cares to peruse these.

G. J. H.

147, Fleet Street, London, E.C.

June, 1858.

* Dr. John Henry Newman-Activity.' Lyra Apostolica.

† Hogg's Weekly Instructor. No. 46, p. 306.

THE TRIAL OF THEISM.

CHAPTER I.

THEISTICAL WITNESSES.

If thought passes slowly and solemnly from the marvels and mysteries of Nature, and endeavours to realise the conception of an Infinite Personality over all, an awe, tremulous in speech, is the permanent feeling which results; criticism seems an impertinence, and confident assertion impious. Even if unconvinced of the existence of Deity, a meditative spectator, with any capacity for reverence, will form an idea of the reserve and respect with which the conception should be treated, and he will be disposed to defend it against the familiarities, grossness, and presumption professed believers so commonly display. This is the key to the criticism of this book. It is not the Supreme subject of belief itself, but the inadequate belief of believers about it, which is criticised. Very few adverse readers will understand this, or remember it if they do. Very few Theists appear to have discerned that the principal sceptical criticism extant has proceeded from a jealousy of opinions which are totally misleading if God does not exist, and derogatory to Him if He does. This, I do not expect, will be believed, but the proof of it is ample.

'If God has spoken, why is not the Universe convinced?' If He has not spoken, does the Theist think that. by putting Nature on the rack of theology, he will be able to extort the secret God has hidden? Will he trick Omnipotence by the evolutions of design, or pluck forth the hidden mystery with the pincers of a syllogism? It is legitimate to review these attempts. There is an impertinence that pines after God, as well as a self-sufficiency which contemns Him. Some men seek God that they may honour Him-more that they may quote Him as an authority on their side, to grace their wrong, or supplement their weakness.

The reader will find in these pages some exposition of views ascribed to us, free from the distortions with which quoting opponents and imaginative rumour have so often endowed them-perhaps more carefully expressed than the haste of periodical writing permits. Written however as they are in the scant intervals of many duties, incompleteness and faults will be found; yet as proper leisure is impossible, it seems useful, under all disadvantages, to offer a few chapters on topics where wide misunderstanding is an impediment to the acceptance of more Secular work to which attention is due.

These words truly describe the object of this book. In its execution, the writer will think himself very happy should he win but a portion of that praise which Sir James Mackintosh gives to Luther; the praise of having 'little of the temerity of those intellectual adventurers who,

The 'Trial' less a form than a mode of thought. Conversions real and unreal.

often at the expense of truth, and almost always at the cost of immediate usefulness, affect singularity in all things, and are more solicitous to appear original, than to make certain additions to the stock of knowledge and well being.'*

The most dispassionate form in which opinion can be tested, is the judicial. In listening to the depositions of Theists, the hearer hearkens to evidence, which, if conclusive, amounts to a revelation of the secret of nature. The safest spirit in which inquiry can be conducted is, perhaps, that of anxiety to learn the truth, and a determination not to be imposed upon by its counterfeit. A resolution to own what appears, not to find what we wish, is indispensable, if we would neither mislead nor be misled. On questions deeply moving the feelings, as Theism does, an inquirer is much more likely to err from the bias of prepossession, than from defect of judgment. On this ground the phrase Trial of Theism' has been adopted in the title of these pages, to keep both before writer and reader the mental disposition in which the subject may be usefully pursued.

We do not often hear of conversions from Scepticism to Christianism. The cases given by the Religious Tract Society and by preachers are mostly spurious, imaginary, or ambiguous. An atheistical tinker, whom nobody ever heard of before, is suddenly converted by a minister, whom nobody has heard of since. Now and then, some worn out debauchee, ending a disgraceful life, has ascribed to Freethought' all that profligacy which was due to his unbridled passions; profligacy which many, who would resent as an insult the imputation of 'Freethinking,' have frightfully exhibited. Sir John Dean Paul, William Palmer, Hugh Innes Cameron, and others, are examples. Men who have spent their lives immorally, are often held up by the clergy as ' reclaimed,' because in their crowning act they have tried to transfer the weight of their infamy to the critics of the Church: Many reputed conversions are unreal. Again, that social persecution, that insulting denial of civil equality and public respect, which Sir James Stephens has honourably denounced, and which meet all who reject the errors of Christianism, force many into hypocrisy. So long as a public opinion exists, in which hypocrisy is more readily pardoned than heresy, it will act as a premium to dissimulation, and place every convert to the popular faith under suspicion of having been influenced by interest rather than by truth. A real convert undergoes a second martyrdom to conscience. He has long expiatory years to pass in zeal which will be suspected, and in sacrifices which will be disallowed, before he can take an equal place amid men who never knew the dignity of doubt nor the courage of dissent, and who therefore know not how to forgive a fault they never had the grace to commit. The truth also is, that the mind of one, once trained in Freethought, grows taller than that of the superstitious, and its stature is always obvious. The foot of the Chinese girl, accidentally released from the cramping shoe of custom, betrays ever after the expansion of nature, and is detected among ten thousand whenever she steps amid the cramped-footed faithful.

* History of England, vol. ii., p. 141, Lard. Cab. Cyclop.

Voices weighed not counted. The Socratical questioner not absolved from decision.

When a fact is deposed to, the point usually first looked to is the credibility of the witness. With respect to the witnesses on behalf of Theism, it is to be assumed that they are always credible, but not always capable; that they testify truly, as far as they know, but that they do not always know what they do testify. The power of seeing accurately and reporting strictly and truly is not common, and Theists are less likely than Ne-theists to possess it; because they are taught to examine one side only. Men who hold doubt to be guilt will never dare to inquire boldly, and men who never inquire boldly, will often be imposed upon by appearances. Dr. Watts, and since his day many eminent divines, have admitted and deplored that multitudes of believers have no better reason for their opinions than that their parents held them, and, in this respect, the majority of preachers are not much before the people.

6

It was said by Voltaire, if God did not exist, we should have to invent him.* It may as truly be said, that if Scepticism did not exist, we ought to invent it as a means of quickening proof, and stimulating independent thought. Paley's University experience taught him that his students never felt the force of a solution until he had pressed them with difficulties which no other explanation would remove. If Theism be true, sceptical questioning will develop its truths. Believers need not frown on legitimate doubt. If Scepticism were not a fact, it might be a policy. Professor Newman has somewhere remarked that Soc ates had a peculiarity (a very disagree able one) of always asking questions, and never answering: for when, after he had brought objections to another, he was asked what he thought himself, he always pleaded ignorance.' There are too many persons who imitate Socrates in this objectionable respect. It is better to incur any amount of obloquy for frankly avowing what one thinks, than the contempt all men feel for those who, from fear or finesse, keep back an honest and relevant expression of their own thoughts.

The witnesses most likely to be capable are those who have once been sc ptics, who have, therefore, known both sides. When one who has been honest leaves the side of Freethought, he should be credited at least by his former colleagues with that veracity to which his character has entitled him. It is a fact worth noticing, that a man who has done good service to the people in a particular way, and for any reason ceases to work, or changes his mode of working, often gets worse treated than those who never did, and never mean to do anything. This is surely wrong. Many persons are induced, by witnessing this treatment, to avoid altogether identification with progressionists. Regret, if you please, that a known publicist retires, but honour him frankly and liberally for what he has done. Let him always feel that he is remembered with regard for past services, and he will be pleased to reflect on his alliance with his former party, and to be ready at least to give it his good word if he can no longer render it personal help. Whereas if a man be assailed with harsh reproaches, because he withdraws from

*This has been variously ascribed to Voltaire, to Robespierre, and Talleyr ind. I have never traced it. It is most likely to have been a saying of Voltaire; it bear, the mark of his sharp and impertinentene ration.

Perverts not renegades. A true advocacy independent.

active labour for his principles; if he be treated with more disrespect, and censured, and pointed at with an acrimony from which he would have been exempt had he never joined the cause or avowed himself on its behalf, he will regret that he ever did so, and warn all his friends against committing themselves in the same way. No man of sense and self-respect will join any orthodox church, well knowing that if his views should change, he will be cried down as an apostate, a hypocrite, or a backslider. True Freethinkers offer better inducements to adherents. They will honour those who stand by Freethought principles, and reason with those who relinquish them-but they will never persecute, even by epithets, those who change, nor reproach those who retire. They will have too much gratitude to forget those who have served them, too much pride to supplicate adhesion, too much dignity to resent defection, and too much justice to brand honest change of opinion.*

If a knave stand on the side of truth, every partisan is relieved when he is gone. An undecided ally is company, but no one can rely upon him; but an earnest coadjutor all should honour and serve. If he retires, regret him and respect him. Assume that he intends to give his name and influence to the new party he has seen fit to join, and treat him as an honest and earnest man, too wise for caprice, too serious to dissemble, and too brave to act the part of a hanger-on. If a cause be just, it is a man's duty not to hang on, but to help on its renown. Accordingly, a manly party is quite ready to publish the choice a former colleague has made. Respecting his own cause, a true man will stand by it. He can stand by it if need be alone, and he is far too proud in his duty to supplicate any man to stand with him. His conviction is in no way disturbed by another's defection. The frankest honour is due to every earnest colleague, but a high cause should know how to command, never implore support. It is in this spirit that we shall endeavour to estimate the conduct of those who have ceased to belong to us. And first among these, we will allude to the recent secession of Mr. Thomas Cooper, the author of the 'Purgatory of Suicides.'

Reasoner, No. 521.