NEW CHRISTIANITY.
DIALOGUES
BETWEEN A
CONSERVATIVE AND AN INNOVATOR
FIRST DIALOGUE.
Conservative. Do you believe in God?
Innovator. Yes, I believe in God.
Con. Do you believe that the Christian religion is of divine origin?
Inn. Yes, I believe it is.
Con. If the Christian religion be of divine origin, then it is not perfectible; however, you endeavour by your writings to persuade the artists, the working classes, and the men of science, to perfect this religion; you are therefore guilty of self-contradiction, since your opinion and your creed are in direct opposition.
Inn. The opposition which you imagine between my opinion and my creed is only apparent. It is necessary to distinguish between that which God has said personally, and that which the clergy have said in his name.
That which God has said is certainly not perfectible; but that which the clergy have said in his name composes a science, which is susceptible of being perfected, as well as all other human sciences. The
