not," and ventures to think others are equally ignorant. Now, this
was Comte's own position. He wished to "reorganise Society, without God
or King, by the systematic cultus of Humanity," and if warning God off
from human affairs is not Atheism, we should like to know what is. Mr.
Harrison lustily sings the praises of religion, but he is remarkably
silent about Comte's opposition to Theism, and in this he is throwing
dust in the eyes of English readers.

In "militant Atheism" Mr. Harrison says that "all who have substantive
beliefs of their own find nothing but mischief." But this is only Mr.
Harrison's sweeping style of writing. He is always vivid, and nearly
always superlative. We venture to think that his "all" merely includes
his own circle. At the same time, however, we admit that militant
Atheism is still, as of old, an offence to the superfine sceptics who
desire to stand well with the great firm of Bumble and Grundy, as well
as to the vast army of priests and preachers who have a professional
interest in keeping heresy "dark," and to the ruling and privileged
classes, who feel that militant Atheism is a great disturber of the
peace which is founded on popular superstition and injustice.

Mr. Harrison seems to imagine that Atheists have no ideal beyond that
of attacking theology, but a moment's calm reflection would show him the
absurdity of this fancy. He might as well suppose that the pioneers of
civilisation who hew down virgin forests have no conception of the happy
homesteads they are making room for. We go farther and assert that
all this talk about negative and positive work is _cant_. To call the
destroyer of superstition a negationist is as senseless as to call a
doctor a negationist. Both strive to expel disease, the one bodily and
the other mental. Both, therefore, are working for health, and no more
positive work is conceivable.

SAVE THE BIBLE! *

* March 26,1893.

Thirty-eight clergymen, a year or two ago, gave the Bible a fresh
certificate of inspiration and infallibility. They signed a "round
robin," if we may apply such a vulgar description to their holy
document. But somehow the Bible is in as bad a position as ever. It
seems, indeed, in deadly peril; and if something strong and decisive be
not done for its protection, it will soon be doomed. Such, at any
rate, seems the view of a large number of clergymen, who have signed a
Petition, prepared by the Rev. E. S. Ffoulkes, of St. M