ON INFIDELITY; ITS ASPECTS, CAUSES, AND AGENCIES. Ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς.-The Master. PEOPLE'S EDITION. LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY; Instituted 1799. DEPOSITORIES, 56, PATERNOSTER ROW, 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, AND SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS. 1863. ·P314 ADJUDICATORS' NOTICE. In 1852, the Evangelical Alliance offered three prizes of £100 each for Essays upon Infidelity, Popery, and the Sabbath: the Infidelity Prize Essay was taken under the patronage of THOMAS FARMER, Esq., who generously presented the Alliance with One Hundred Pounds to be given as a prize. The following is the award of the Adjudicators : "As adjudicators of the Essays on Infidelity which have been sent in to the Council of the Evangelical Alliance, we have to state, that the Essays submitted to our inspection have been thirteen in number, and that of these we are unanimous in pronouncing the best to be that bearing the two mottoes 'Pensantur trutina. Ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται πρὸς το φῶς. It is a production marked by distinguished talent, by high mental culture, and by extensive research on the important subject which is brought under discussion. We have had no difficulty in assigning to it decidedly the highest place; and we are of opinion that its publication would confer a valuable service upon the cause of Evangelical Christianity in our age and country, especially among that portion of the educated classes who are disposed to view with favour the more recent phases of speculative Infidelity. (Signed) "THOS. R. BROOKE, B.A. THOS. W. JENKYN, D.D., F.G.S. CONTENTS. :: INFIDELITY IN ITS VARIOUS ASPECTS CHAP. I. Atheism; or, the Denial of the Divine Existence II. Pantheism; or, the Denial of the Divine Personality III. Naturalism; or, the Denial of the Divine Providential Govern- IV. Spiritualism; or, the Denial of the Bible Redemption.. Introduction to the People's Edition. I ESTEEM it no slight privilege to be permitted to take a part, however humble, in the publication of such a work as this, both because it is itself a noble one, and because this edition of it is designed for the benefit of a class of persons with whom I have had the gratification on another subject, that of the Sabbath Prize Essays, of holding a very extensive and interesting correspondence. The class alluded to is that of our working men, and the large intercourse I had with them, both through their Essays and their letters, enables me to form a judgment of the adaptation of the present work to them. Many might be disposed to think it too learned for such persons, judging them by their rough exterior at the loom or the forge, in the work-shed or the mine; but in doing so they would be altogether mistaken. The hardy sons of toil, however uncouth they may seem when engaged in labour, are not so indifferent to their own mental culture as to be unable to understand and appreciate the arguments and the reasoning which this volume contains. In the full persuasion of their capability for doing so, I rejoice in having the privilege of introducing this work to them, by giving them some information respecting its origin and publication, and thus renewing once more that large acquaintance with them I have before had, and which only within the last few months I have enjoyed several instances of in private correspondence. It is a fortunate circumstance that the first publication of this Essay passed into the hands of Messrs. Partridge, Oakey, and Co., the well known publishers of the Evangelical Alliance, because one of these gentlemen, Mr. Oakey, having taken part in adjudicating upon the Sabbath Prize Essays, had thereby acquired so b |