p together
of the different elements of human life. It is, in the grand words of
the New Testament, which we were told Socialists did not believe in,
'No man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself.'"[978] A
third clergyman tells us that "The ethics of Socialism are identical
with the ethics of Christianity."[979]

Some British Socialist leaders explain that Socialists are good
Christians, and that Socialism attacks only the Church and professed
Christians, but not religion. "Much of what is regarded as
anti-Christian Socialist doctrine is only an attack upon the Churches
and professed Christians, and, so far from being anti-Christian, is,
as a matter of fact, inspired by the ethics of Christ's
teaching."[980] Other British Socialist leaders say that Socialism,
not being a religious doctrine, has no concern with religion and does
not meddle with it. "A charge against Socialists is that they are
Atheists whose aim is to destroy all religion and all morality. This
is not true. It is true that many Socialists are Agnostics, and some
are Atheists. But Atheism is no more a part of Socialism than it is a
part of Toryism, or of Radicalism, or of Liberalism."[981] "Socialism
has no more to do with a man's religion than it has with the colour of
his hair. Socialism deals with secular things, not with ultimate
beliefs."[982]

It is quite true that "there is at present no consensus of Socialist
opinion on religious questions,"[983] but it is hardly honest on the
part of Socialist leaders to assert that Socialism has nothing to do
with religion. The leading journal of the Fabian Society frankly
confesses: "There is the argument that Socialism has nothing whatever
to do with subjects such as religion and marriage. But if Socialism is
a theory of the State, nothing human is alien to it. It may be true
that no one of the specific theories of religion or marriage so far
put forward by Socialists has any claim to be regarded as the
Socialist view; but there is all the difference in the world between
such an admission and the denial that Socialism has any concern with
the questions at all."[984]

Some Socialists proclaim that Socialism will carry out the will of
Christ upon earth. Mr. Keir Hardie, for instance, says: "Christ laid
down no elaborate system of either economics or theology. No great
teacher ever did. His heart beat in sympathy with the great human
heart of the race. His words are simple and not to be misunders