as the changeful sand" (_Ib._ p. 24), and not
adapted "to the wants or requirements of the nineteenth century," _Ib._ p.
26. They reject Him, whom they style "the cruel and capricious God
generally worshipped by the Bible Christians," _Ib._ p. 47. "The Jewish
God," says Davis, "is cruel, capricious and tyrannical," whose "kingdom is
more despotic, and more contracted in principle, than the present
government of the Russian empire," _Ib._ p. 61. He adds, "The Old
Testament idea of a Deity is the outgrowth of the despotic stage of human
mental development," and "a superannuated monotheistic conception," _Ib._
p. 62. In their opinion, "the developments of republicanism, and of mental
happiness among men, depend very much upon the _absence_ of these
dogmatical compilations, or fossil relics, of an old Hebrew and Chaldean
theology," _Ib._ p. 70. With them "the Bible account of creation is a very
interesting _myth_,--mainly a plagiarism from the early traditions and
cosmological doctrines of the ancient Persians and Chaldeans;" and,
instead of being "a divine revelation of truth," is "a pagan relic, which
should no more command serious respect than the ancient doctrines of
Fetichism," _Ib._ p. 90.

These "Harmonial Philosophers" are antagonistic to the teachings of
Jehovah in nearly all their theological notions. They scout the idea that
any actual evil exists in the universe. They deny the existence of the
devil, and of evil spirits. "Everything," says Davis, "is forever
progressing in goodness and perfection," _Ib._ p. 180. The salvation of
all men, is with them as certain as the operation of fixed laws. They
recognize no Saviour and no atonement in their system of faith. The
teachings of spirits, and "a certain organization of labor, capital and
talent," they fancy, "will effect the desired cure" for all actual or
supposed ills, _Ib._ p. 178. They recognize no responsibility in the
sinner, but attribute his wrong-doings to ignorance and accident; and
their laws of right, are the dictates of their own wisdom.

Their system is essentially Pantheistic, all things being regarded by them
as a part and parcel of Deity. They argue that "every object which has an
existence in the universe must be in its nature good and pure, on the
principle that the effect must partake of the nature of the cause, and the
stream must be the corresponding emanation of the fountain from which it
flows."--_Elements of Spiritual Philosophy_, p. 55. T