Transcribed from the [c1840’s] Religious Tract Societyedition ,
SOCIALISM EXPOSED.
BY THE REV. JOSEPH MATHER.
THERELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY, INSTITUTED 1799.
56, PATERNOSTER ROW, AND 65, ST. PAULS CHURCHYARD.
Mr. Owen professes to be seekingthe happiness of his species: he imagines he has discovered thespecific, which, if believed and applied, will produce it; and heis using all the means in his power to convince the world thatsuch is the fact, and to induce the men of it to receive, andfollow his prescriptions.
We must confess that we are not a little startled at the meansby which he proposes to accomplish this desirable object. And here we quote his own language: “The religions foundedunder the name of Jewish, Budh, Jehovah, God or Christ, Mohammed,or any other, are all composed of human laws in opposition tonature’s eternal laws.” (Book of the New MoralWorld, p. 68.) From which it appears that all other systemshave been wrong, founded on error, and productive of nothing butmisery and crime: and before his can be established they must berenounced, and overturned, and abolished. Now, Mr. Owenprofesses to have found out something better than what I and theworld are in possession of; but I do not wish to be like the dogin the fable, which, when he had a piece of meat, dropped it,because, from seeing its shadow in the water, he fancied therewas another and a larger within his reach, and so lost themboth. Before I give up what I know and feel to be valuable,the source of comfort and the source of happiness, let me notonly be convinced that it is a superior good which is held outbefore me, but let me have the possession of it.
Then let me ask, What evidence does Mr. Owen furnish, that thesystem and principles of the New Moral World p. 2are so muchsuperior to those of the Christian system? Let us contrastthe two a little, and see how far we shall be acting wisely inrejecting all that we have been accustomed to believe andreverence as Divine in favour of these new principles.
And first, as to the evidence of their authority. Thewriters of the Bible, while they come to us claiming ourattention, and demanding our regard, tell us that they are onlymessengers sent from God; they come in his name and speak what hehas put into their minds and their mouths; and, as a proof oftheir being what they profess, as credentials, they work miracleswhich none but a Divine power could work; they deliver propheciesand predictions of events, many of which have since come to pass,and others are in course of accomplishment; and they announcetruths, doctrines, and principles which, for their originalityand yet beautiful simplicity, for their importance, and at thesame time their universal adaptation to the wants and thecircumstances of the whole human race, and for their purity andinvariable tendency to good, speak for themselves, and declarethat they are Divine. Yet a book resting on such authority,and supported by such testimonials, is to be rejected, and thrownaside, and its principles are pronounced to be evil and unsound,on the authority of—whom think you? Mr. RobertOwen!!
Is it not a fearful responsibility which such an individualassumes, to tell me tha