Orbiston.

of his inclination, for the sake of the System; because I believe that such sacrifice would be as injurious to the community as it would be painful to the individual that made it. It should always be borne in mind, that the community is composed of individuals, all of whom stand upon an equal footing; and that these individuals may have their views or inclinations changed, and consequently may occasionally be changing their abodes. It should also be borne in mind, that all the individuals who come together have been trained to seek their own interest at the expense of the community; and that therefore it would be imprudent not to calculate upon similar manifestations being evinced in their conduct. Though we may be sorry to entertain such apprehensions, still we cannot be injured by being prepared for them. There is nothing in use at present, that I am aware of, that bears any resemblance to our plan, or that deserves to be compared with it.

55

at the outset. This is all that was meant by them "acting upon their own account.' Union and Mutual Co-operation is the fundamental principle of the system; and there will be abundance of labour for alk, who are able and willing to labour. I can easily fancy a dozen of modes by which I could make my own labour productive in the Community. But as each individual must be best acquainted with his own powers, I cannot see how much difficulty should arise in this way. At least, if any individual should feel puzzled how to render his own services productive, I should consider it a much more puzzling business, for any other individual to do this for a whole community, whose occupations and capacities may be altogether unknown to him.

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"How many persons there are in Lon"don, who would be glad to join us, but "who inquire, what could we do if we were to come?'-Now if agriculture, tan“ning, power weaving, calico printing, letter-press printing, iron work, or any "other trade, formed a staple manufacture, " a man with a willing mind would become a useful and productive member at once, "and would in consequence at once feel "himself comfortable.-Let me instance myself; I see many ways in which 'perhaps I might make myself useful, but I "wish to be a productive member also; and that, too, before I introduce any new ma"nufacture, and I am willing to put my "hand to any thing the community may "direct ; now what will you do with me?"

66

66 None of the precautionary measures have been proposed without a cause. The first objection, to the maintenance of the children at the general expense, came from a friend, whom both you and I considered farthest advanced in the principles of the System, and I felt much indebted to him for making his inclinations known, as the knowledge is exceedingly useful. It is probable that we may err in taking too rapid strides to the accomplishment of our desires; but there is little danger of material or permanent injury from excess of caution.

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86

"But now to the most serious part of "the business, viz. the employment of the Members of the Community.-You appear to me, to have made working on account of the Community' a mere contingency, instead of making it the very "foundation of our success-for you state, "that at the outset, each class will act "entirely on their own account, until experience shall show the propriety and "safety of a more general union. That "no private speculation should be adopted "till proved advantageous, is most proper, "but should there not be some employ "ment either in agriculture or manufac ture, in which a new member might be "engaged on the very day of his entrance?" It certainly would be advantageous if an individual could be found capable of directing all the parties in the best way of managing their various departments, and of finding the best markets for purchasing their raw articles, and for disposing of their manufactures, &c.; but it was the fear of not finding an individual, qualified to accomplish this duty, that made me propose, as the best alternative, “that each party should take the charge of their own affairs"

66

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The New System differs from the old in this material principle-that the members of the Old System provide supplies, and then go in search of customers, in competition with one another; while the New System provides and unites the customers, who themselves go in search of supplies. In the latter case, Union is exceedingly beneficial, while in the former, it could not possibly exist. To those who put the question, "what could we do if we were to come?" I would state the simple fact, "Here are a thousand individuals. The children want training and instruction, and the adults wish to acquire knowledge, and the necessaries, comforts, and beneficial luxuries of life. Can you (with such assistance as the whole are inclined to give) furnish, to the general stock, an equivalent corresponding with what your own wants require? Here are a sufficiency of fertile. land-commodious workshops and machinery-cheap and comfortable dwellings. Here are hundreds of individuals, whose interest is united with yours-who wish to procure supplies in unison with you. Could you, under such circumstances,

bear your own burden?' Could you, either "by restricting your expenditure, or by in

creasing your productive powers, keep the
one within the limits of the other If you
can do this, nothing more is requisite."
By the fundamental principles of the
system, you can only receive the produce
of the labour and capital of others, in re-
turn for your own labour and capital.
There is no such thing as "profit" taken
by one individual member of the Commu-
nity from another. It appears to me, that
we should not put it in the power of any
individual, to say what he will do with us
-for we all are as independent of him, as
he is of us, and have as much to do with him,
as he has to do with us; and perhaps he
might send us to dig, when, by other means,
we could convey ten times the value to
the general fund, by the same expenditure
of labour, but more judiciously expended
under our own direction. Let us act in
unison with our fellows; but let all retain
their independence, and let all be on an
equal footing.

probation; and every pang, in the same way, is a mark of Divine displeasure. Though the imagination may persuade its votaries to disregard this Divine Revelation, yet they can only do it to their own hurt. The Laws of God are as inflexible as they are just; and if man should disregard them for a thousand years, the same duration of suffering is the necessary consequence.

How different does the picture become, when Individuals, instead of asking another "what he will do with them," unite to do for themselves. Divine Revelation teaches them to respect individuals in proportion as their efforts tend to promote the general welfare. Here, in the first place, is a legitimate object for the most unbounded ambition. No one who follows this object can fail of meeting his reward; and his efforts will be stamped with the seal of Divine Approbation as certainly as all other objects of ambition have led to vexation of When a set of individuals go to another, spirit. The same authority directs us to ask, what he "will do with them," if" to do unto others as we would that they he take their case in hand, it generally turns out that their condition is not much

improved in the end. Their liberty is taken from them in the first place, which, though of no value to him who takes it, is nevertheless a great loss to them. A portion of the produce of their labour is also taken from them without an equivalent. This portion he risks upon uncertain speculation, and then he makes this risk a cause of further claim upon their industry. His body is pampered with excess, and weakened by indolence, while his mind is distracted by a thousand cares and fears, which render his life a scene of continual anxiety. Their bodies are jaded by excessive labour, and often injured by dissipation, while their minds are degraded by bondage, perverted by erroneous notions, and enslaved by igno

rance.

Every painful sensation that human beings suffer, is, as it were," the voice of God" telling them that they have departed from the right road. Every scene of misery that they witness, is, as it were, the finger of God pointing to the cause. Every agreeable feeling we experience conveys to our minds a sense of Divine ap

should do unto us." Here, again, is a law of conduct as simple and intelligible, as it is just and practicable: it shews us that no one can break this law without injuring his own happiness, or keep it without meeting a reward in the natural consequences. The general introduction of this Divine Law will convert those who are now in the unhappy situation of pampered and care-worn tyrants, or jaded and degraded slaves, into societies of Union and Mutual Co-operation, without any other distinction than that which unavoidably attends superior habits and attainments.

In a few months those who are inclined to act upon these principles will begin to congregate at Orbiston. They will unite from the first in procuring supplies, and in assisting each other to the utmost of their inclination or abilities. There will 'be immediate employment for masons, quarriers, labourers, sawyers, joiners, agriculturists, gardeners, shoemakers, tailors, teachers, &c., besides the means of affording employment for the labour of other occupations in a variety of ways. But in no case will private interest be allowed to remain opposed to the interest of the community.

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In preceding Number, at page 44, read" definite" for "different"-and “ matter” for "water"-and insert " no," after may be."

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Edited by ABRAM COMBE.-Sold in Edinburgh by J. Forbes, Horse-wynd, (to whom all Orders from the Country may be addressed) and C. Campbell, North College-street; J. Kay, Smith's Place, Leith Walk; at the Orbiston Store; Co-operative Society, 36, Red Lion Square, London; W. R. M Phun, Glasgow; and 4. Millar, Hamilton. -Price 2d, each Number; delivered to Subscribers, 2s. 2d. quarterly.

J. & J. GRAY, Printers, Edinburgh.

Nothing ought to be called "injurious," the knowledge of them is considered vi

unless its tendency be to produce painful sensations. If no individual can be found to state, from his own experience, that knowledge has had this tendency in his own case, he has no just title to suppose, that it will be different in the case of others. If this notion, therefore, constitutes one of the articles of our Creed, our minds ought to be prepared to part with it, because we have the best authority for believing that every plant which God has not planted will be rooted out; and we also know, that heaven and earth may pass away, but the words of the Gospel of Truth will not pass away. We may fancy that we may benefit ourselves by shutting our eyes and our ears against what the Lord is doing around us; but, if we should be so unwisely directed, most assuredly the loss will be our own, for no human being can attempt to resist the decrees of God with impunity.

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We said, that Knowledge" comprehends an acquaintance with all the facts and truths which God has revealed to the senses and to the understanding; and, as no individual can be found to state, from his own experience, that Ignorance, on any point, is superior to knowledge, we have inferred, that this notion is one of those which God has not planted, and consequently, which sooner or later must be rooted out; and, we have also said, -if it belongs to our Creed, that our minds ought to be prepared to part with it. Our object shall now be to inquire whether or not our Creed contains any such article.

The Human Imagination, from long experience, has become exceedingly expert in every act of deceit; consequently, it was not to be expected, that this question would be laid before the human judgment in its simplest form. The absurdity of the device would, by such a measure, have become too apparent; and so successful has the mode of deceit been, that we have no doubt but ALL imagine that there exists no fact or truth of which they should remain ignorant. But our object shall now be to shew where the subject appears to us in a different light; and we shall keep to one definite point, as this appears to us to be the most effectual mode of separating Truth from Error. For instance, then, it is an undisputed fact, that Thomas Paine published certain statements, and we put the question, "Is not the notion almost general, that ignorance of these statements is preferable to knowledge.' We say that this notion, if not general, is at least common; so much the case, that it is customary for those who are ignorant of these statements to boast of their ignorance, while

cious. Yet all who entertain this notion believe that Ignorance, on this point at least, is preferable to knowledge; and we shall now endeavour to discover from what cause this inconsistency has proceeded.

It has been the fate of Divine Revelation to suffer injury from both friends and foes. Being in its very nature the essence of all wisdom and truth, it courts the keenest scrutiny and investigation. It fears neither falsehood nor slander; for if all be made known, the evidence of a false witness will advance its cause almost as much as evidence of another kind. But there is some reason to fear, that its friends have drought forward "hearsay" evidence in support of it, which it did not require,— evidence which has been generated in the Human Imagination, and which is wholly unconnected with the Divine truths which it is meant to support. This was an error which the enemy of mankind had too much cunning to overlook, and he greedily received this testimony of the Human Imagination, and held it up as constituting an essential portion of the facts and truths which were revealed by God to the Human senses or to the Human Understanding. Though the one and the other have always been as opposite in their nature as darkness and light, and as easily distinguished as dross from gold, yet the device has been hitherto but too successful. It was soon discovered that the enemy had sown tares among the wheat, but as God had decreed that both should grow together till the harvest,-lest in taking up the tares the wheat also might be destroyed, the human race had no choice but to submit. But now that the harvest is at hand, the work of separation may be safely begun.

The attacks of Paine were all pointed at the testimony of the Human Imagination, which the friends of Divine Revelation had brought forward in support of it. He, being unable to perceive the distinction betwixt this evidence and the truth it was meant to support, vainly imagined, that in demolishing the one, he was destroying the other; while, in truth, his attempts were only calculated to remove the rubbish which concealed the rock of ages, upon which it was founded. The friends of Divine Revelation have been seduced by the same delusion. The Human Imagination has painted the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, with attributes and features, as much at variance with those which are made known to us by Divine Revelation, as darkness is with light; and it is those only, who believe in the correctness of this infamous caricature, that can

Is Ignorance ever superior to Knowledge

feel offended with the well-meant efforts of ignorance.

A father having a daughter, who was really possessed of consummate beauty, and every personal accomplishment which the human mind could feel pleasure in contemplating-would not feel pain in having this daughter represented as the picture of deformity, while he had power to bring confusion on the author of this misrepresentation, by merely producing the original. But with very different feelings would he listen to such reports, if he felt that the picture

was too correct.

So is it with those who feel pain when they hear slander or blasphemy poured upon the Author of Nature, or upon the divine laws. It is impossible that they can be aware, that the most conclusive and triumphant evidence is at hand, to cover with confusion all who could resort to such impious profanity. If they were aware of this, they would feel nothing but compassion for their deluded brethren.

Those who have been present at Jury Trials, may have perceived the minds of the audience led first to the one side by a statement of all that was favourable to the case, and afterwards led as far on the other side by a statement of all that was unfavourable, and, finally, brought back to the centre of truth, by an impartial statement from the bench.

This is something like the course which the Human Mind has to undergo in the acquisition of a correct acquaintance with Divine Revelation. As the counsel who pleads a case sometimes injures a good cause by introducing matter of his own, which has no real connexion with the subject in dispute, so some well-meaning individuals, who have wished to befriend the cause of Divine Revelation, have acted in a similar way; and as the opposite counsel does not fail to seize hold of this matter-especially if he can find no other flaw in the case, so those who have written or spoken against Divine Revelation (as they imagined), having been wasting their efforts upon extraneous evidence, which has no more necessary connexion with the facts and truths which God has revealed to Man, than the imaginary assertions of an inexperienced advocate have to do with the facts which are supported by a host of witnesses. If nothing could be more unfair to a good cause, than to unite the mere gratuitous assertions of such an advocate with the cause itself, and to insist, that if the former could not be established, that the latter should fall, then we may ask, why should an attempt be made to pull down Divine Revelation, because the testimony of the Human Imagination is unable to bear its own weight? In what esti

39

mation could we hold the intellect of a juryman, who, when he had heard the first statement, would declare himself convinced, and refuse to listen to the other statement, lest his conviction should be shaken; or who, when he heard the second statement, would declare himself so completely satisfied of the falsehood of the first statement, that he would refuse to listen to an impartial summing up of the whole? Would not this very refusal be of itself the most convincing proof, that neither of the two were so completely convinced, or satisfied, as they would lead us to believe? Would it not be most conclusive evidence, that both were under the influence of prejudice ; for prejudice means nothing, but an act of judgment in opposition to adducible evidence?

Yet how do those act, who shut out evidence of any kind, that can be brought to bear upon the subject? Is the individual who hears only one side of the question, more capable of forming a correct estimation of the merits of the case, than he is who hears the whole? To adduce the weakness of the intellectual faculties as a reason why the individual should listen only to one side of the question, is a glaring inconsistency; because it furnishes a strong reason on the opposite side. The weaker the mind, the more need is there to know and to hear all that relates to the case in question.

When Paul tells us to prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good, the adherents to Divine Revelation have no difficulty in comprehending the extent of the injunction; and, indeed, it is altogether in unison with the truths which God reveals The way to the Human Understanding. to "prove" a thing, is also a matter with which we are daily familiar. It consists in hearing patiently all the evidence that can be produced, either for or against the matter in question, and then letting our judgment be swayed by the strongest evi dence. No one who believes that ignorance superior to knowledge on any point, can follow the counsel of Paul. To hear only a partial statement, and to shut out the remaining evidence, is not the way to "prove" a thing. It shews a great want of faith in Divine Revelation; for no truth is more clearly revealed to man, than that which teaches us that Divine Revelation cannot be rooted from the human mind.

Of all the plants which the Human Imagination has planted and nourished, in opposition to Divine Revelation, no one ean possibly have a tendency more injurious to the welfare of the human species, than the notion, which is now so generally acted upon, "that ignorance, upon some points, is preferable to knowledge." This