and render powerless, every attack that may be directed against them.

If any evidence were wanting to prove the deranging, weakening, and destroying power which the perversion and falsification of religion have been made to exercise over the human mind and over human interests, this evidence would be supplied by the literary labours of a man whose writings, having been composed, professedly and especially, for the purpose of opening a new way for the application of social knowledge to the demands of modern civilisation, and for promoting an improved composition and construction of general society, are beginning to receive public attention. The writings I allude to are those of Auguste Comte. This writer, on professing to undertake the work of clearing and preparing the ground of human knowledge and literature for the establishment of that which he has called a system of Positive Philosophy, has declared it to be evident that all those principles, and that matter, which are held by man under the name of religion, have failed to fulfil the object required; and, hence, that all reliance on them as comprehensive and enduring knowledge must be renounced; that they possess only a narrow, time-serving character, the era of human interests having passed to which they were applicable; that this which is called religion having been suited only to a primitive stage of human society, so, its efficacy, of whatever kind it may have been, having departed, it behoves men now to emancipate themselves, as quickly as possible, from all the prejudices connected with it, and to receive, instead of it, a system of social philosophy derived by means of evidence supplied by the large volume of social matter, — that social matter recorded within the province of history, as well as that which exists and prevails with us, all this being factual evidence to which we have access. That it is within this state of things, and this only, that truth is to be discovered;

and that from this state of social facts, truth is to be educed, and a system of society sustained and expanded. By the application of that method of investigation, and of reasoning, which was especially recommended by Lord Bacon, to the static compilation thus transmitted to us and present with us, we, as well as the people of all nations, are to derive that which, in the language of the schools, is called "Static Induction." Instead of commencing with a principle of truth, and, by means of it, or, by its light and guidance, working upwards, man is recommended to reject all idea of having at command a principle of truth, and to employ himself in searching for a principle of truth within the wide surface of all social facts, both present and historically recorded. We are advised to relinquish the solid, safe, and noble course of beginning, both action and reasoning, upon small and incontrovertible premises; and from these, proceeding forwards through inductions to conclusions, by means of the method of synthesis, and then, of bringing our conclusions to be tried by the method of analysis; the conjoined action of the two processes constituting a course by which the admission of error is not possible; and we are advised to adopt the weaker course, that of proceeding by analysis only. The results thus issuing are denominated by M. Comte- Positivity, which, in old common language, means factual or statistical demonstration. A weaker and more confused and confusing compilation of words than the work of M. Comte presents, could hardly be put together by the persevering ingenuity of man.

The unscholastic and simple reader of the system of Positive Philosophy, who reads for information and instruction, will find himself involved in a most perplexing labyrinth, within which all the ways are alike, leading to no end, and from which he can accomplish only one way of escape, that is, a forcible one, by breaking down all the barriers by which

he is surrounded. In the simplicity of his mind, and in the confidence of his nature, he may feel inclined to think, and to infer, that M. Comte has ascended far too high in the region of learning and of truth for him to follow, and that it would require a genius as exalted, and a mind as learned and instructed, as that of the compiler of the work, to be able to unravel, to combine, and to understand, its meaning. But this simple veneration and confidence would evince excessive simplicity indeed. Here it would be useful to call to recollection, and to aid, Dr. Johnson's definition of the efforts of two sciolistic men assuming themselves to be learned in metaphysics. His definition is "Two men conversingthe one talking about what he does not understand - the other listening to what he cannot comprehend."

A reader who has taken pains to follow schoolmen through those unconnected and tortuous courses to which so many of this order of men have committed themselves, will be well acquainted with the convenient custom they adopt of entering the region of mystification and darkness whenever they are not able to acquire a knowledge of the subject-matter of which they profess to treat. Being in darkness themselves, they know that it is wise policy to involve their readers in the same darkness. The shibboleth being here continued, the weak, credulous, and confiding reader is so worked upon as to adopt the notion that the master in science, whose work he is reading, is a wonderful man, an acute reasoner, a most learned philosopher; for he continues to treat largely of that which he, the simple reader, knows nothing about, and about which he feels that he never will and never can know anything -about that which is above him-that which is far too high for his common mind to apprehend. Poor weak and deluded mortal! he has not been admitted behind the scenes the scientific scenes. Being young, and modest, he has not had the courage to go of himself boldly behind these scenes,

and to see for himself how the actors employ their faculties, and what they are doing.

When the perceptive reader has carefully examined the work of M. Comte, he will discover that he cannot extract from it any substantial or affirmative philosophy; he will discover that it is almost wholly composed of worthless husks; and if, here and there, a solid and nutritive grain is to be found, it is not so used as to connect and to combine. It is shown to be there by accident merely. The incident being, that such matter shall not be there; the accident being, that it is there.

Poor, miserable, and abortive, as are the attempts of M. Comte, and other men, thus to develope and to build up this philosophy of social action, yet it is this philosophy, Positive Philosophy, as it is called, that is now being advanced as fit to supply the place of all that we know and hold under this sacred name of Religion. The inventors and propounders of this philosophy have been under the necessity of coining for it a new scientific term, which is, Sociology. By the adoption of this term, proof is given that the adopter of it is in total ignorance of the true character of Religion. If the term, Sociology, be wanted, then Religion can have no substantial meaning. If Sociology be the entity, then Religion must be the non-entity. If, on the other hand, Religion be the entity, then Sociology must be the non-entity. The two cannot exist as separate and distinct terms.

Almost all thinkers and readers who do not pay very close attention to the progress of that knowledge which is received amongst us under the ample cloak of science, will hold the opinion that the philosophy just referred to is very far off from being accepted by us, and that little apprehension of its influence need be entertained. But this, I contend, is the offspring of blindness. It is this very philosophy, though

clothed in much simpler terms than those of "statics-statical induction — positive philosophy — and sociology”—that is being constantly brought into the homes of the people in general, and, being approved and accepted by them, prevails around. If proof of this were demanded, no stronger proof need be advanced than that which is specially supplied by the principles and system of Political Economy which are accepted and which prevail; for, from these all religious principle and truth have been specially and carefully excluded; and yet the people in general have yielded assent; few, indeed, know anything of the theory involved, because they have not understood this theory; but almost all have given assent to the practical character and courses involved.

To render the proof now advanced complete, we have the astonishing fact of all the more public professors of theology and religion, taken as an aggregate body, basely deserting the great social battle-field, having permitted the writers on Political Economy to drive them from every part. Thus, they exhibit to the world the fact of an army of soldiers, composed for one great purpose and object, yet at variance amongst themselves, contending and fighting one with another within their own camp. How can men do God's work of love and peace, whilst they are almost wholly absorbed in contention, and in conducting acrimonious controversies and spiritual battles amongst themselves? They cannot meet in union, and will not even honestly endeavour to discover and eradicate the causes of dissension, and so promote the cause of truth and union. As I have before declared, all this shows the necessity for the exertions of honourable and faithful men, men who will take good care that religion shall not be denominated an intruder within the province of Social and Political Economy and general practical Science; and, as such, suffer that extrusion which has hitherto been permitted, and which now prevails.