TO THE EDITOR OF THE GAZETTE:
Sir:
I see you have a Mrs. Grundy in trousers on the growl and a Puritan on the prowl, prancing through your columns under the verdant name of “F. Green.” This individual seems to me to be a reincarnation of “Praise God Barebones,” tinctured with the spirit of the Inquisitors of Spain. If such men as F. Green ruled England all freedom-loving creatures would hasten away to other lands, or be compelled to commit suicide to escape from the misery and monotony of “Merrie England.” Happily, however, such men have little power to day even in this country, outside the jails, the workhouses, and the insane asylums, and I hope and trust that men like F. Green — dominated by the furies of fanaticism — will never have an opportunity to exhibit their atavistic tendencies to the disadvantage of saner and more humane men and women.
There appears to be much misunderstanding the minds of the “Great Unhatched” among the “Great Unwashed” concerning Christianity and Socialism. Christianity and Socialism are distinct and separate from each other. No true Christian can be a Socialist if he accepts the Bible as his standard of duty, and is content to remain in the position it has pleased God to put him.
Socialism teaches the reverse of this. The Socialist glorifies discontent, and yearns to reconstruct Government, and through Government, thus relegating God to the background and displaying his belief that environment — plus natal influence — is the moulder of man. No sane Socialist, therefore, can be a Christian. The reason why there is so much difference in the definitions of Socialism is because some are dominated by dogma, some by emotion, and a few by reason. There are three big battalions in the army of Socialists. The first is the Social Democratic Party, which advocates the Gospel according to Karl Marx — plus politics. The second is the Independent Labour Party, which is dominated by Keir Hardie and Co. and politics — plus Socialism. The third is the Christian Social Union — or Christian Socialist — who is dominated by sentiment — plus heavenly hallucinations. The first two owe their origin and present position to the labour of Atheists.
The S.D.F. is founded on the teachings of two Atheists (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), fostered and sustained by the work of two propagandists, H. M. Hyndman and Harry Quench, Editor of “Justice,” the organ of Social Democracy. The I.L.P. is practically the outcome of the writings of Robert Blatchford, the Atheistic author of “Not Guilty” and “God and my Neighbour”; and Keir Hardie.
The Christian Socialists are merely sentimental yearnists and municipal moanists, who have entered the Socialist arena since Socialism became popular among the working classes.
This demonstrates beyond peradventure that Socialism owes nothing to Christianity or Christians, and reconciles some people to the belief that no honest-minded thinker can truthfully say he is a Socialist and a Christian.
MALFEW SEKLEW.
President of the Society of Social Aristocrats.
