There is unquestionably a vast outlying class in every European country, and espe cially in our Indian territories, who are without the pale of Christianity. They reject it, they dislike it, or they do not understand it. Secularism is intended for these, and for all who find theology indefinite, or inadequate, or deem it unreliable. The object of secularism is to afford these classes a knowledge of principles addressed to their com mon reason and intelligence, by an appeal to principles of a secular nature, common to humanity in every state and clime. It may be a misfortune that the principles of the ism, or the acceptance of the Bible, cannot be rendered promptly acceptable to them. Since, however, this is not the case, it must be of advantage to interest them in rules calculated for the moral guidance of their conduct. Upon these, Christianity maybe, if shown to be tenable, subsequently superinduced. The principles of secularism are intended to constitute an education of the working classes, which begins with their reason, grows with their intelligence, and ends only with death.
Secularism is not an argument against Christianity, it is one independent of it. It does not question the pretensions of Christianity; it advances others. Secularism does not say there is no light or guidance elsewhere, but maintains that there is light and guidance in secular truth, whose conditions and sanctions exist independently, act inde pendently, and act forever. Secular knowledge is manifestly that kind of knowledge which is founded in this life, which relates to the conduct of this life, conduces to the welfare of this life, and is capable of being tested by the experience of this life. Geom etry. algebra, botany, chemistry, navigation, political economy, ethics, me secular sub jects of instruclion (distinct albeit from secularism, which includes the education of the conscience). They are founded in nature, they relate to the uses of this life, promote the enjoyment of this life, and can be tested by personal experience. That ivhich is secular can be tested in time; that which is theological is only provable after death. If a sum In arithmetic is wrong, it can be proved by a new way of W-orking it; if a medical recipe is wrong the effect is discoverable on the health; if a political law is wrong, it is sooner or later apparent in the disaster it brings with it; if a theorem in navigation is erroneous, delay or shipwreck warns the mariner of the mistake; if an insane moralist teaches that adherence to the truth is wrong, men can try the effects of lying, when the disgrace and distrust which ensue soon convince them of the fallacy; but if a theolog ical belief is wrong, we must die to find it out.
The standard of secularism is utilitarian. Utility is made the test of right, not the utility which is sensual and selfish, but that which takes into account the highest attri butes and noblest aspirations of humanity (see UTILITARIAXISM). It is not the agent's own happiness, but the happiness of others which the utilitarian is bound to promote. The adoption of this rule makes intelligence a necessity. Secularism is no t skeptical. It seeks everywhere poSitive truth, and regards doubt as a difficulty and a danger. It is not infidel, for that is a state of mind treacherous to the truth, and truth is the first thing to which secularism teaches allegiance. It is not atheistic, atheism being alien to secularism, which concerns bself with the affirmative. Secularism might call itself religious, if it were allowable to use the term without including some distinctive theory of theism, which is equally excluded from the subject-matter of secularism, as not com ing within the region of positive knowledge. Nothing in secular morals can be insisted upon with effect, save those statements which appeal to the common experience, and wills which you can dare the judgment of mankind; but if that may be called religious, which appeals to demonstrative intelligence, which addresses itself to the conscience, which inculcates love, and truth, and justice; which claims service and endurance from all men; which places happiness in duty, and makes the service of humanity the one object of life, and the source of consolation in death, then secularism maybe so defined, and in this sense it has been described in the following definitions: Secularism is the religion of the present life: it teaches men to seek morality in nature, and happiness in 'duty; guiding the conduct and educating the conscience of those who do not know, or who, from conscientious conviction, stand apart from Chris tianity. Secularism teaches a man to acquit himself swell in this world as the purest act of worship. to study the truth, to judge by reason, to regulate human interests by considerations purely human, and to act on that rule of utility which conduces to the greater-t: good of others; thus endeavoring to deserve another life by the unhastipg, unresting pursuit of duty in this.