New-York daily tribune., 1842-10-04
Religion and Association.

|
Religion and Association.
We have devoted our articles for some weeks pas:
to the explanation of the religious and scientific
foundation upon which Association the Com
bined Order is based, and its relation To Chris
tianty. What have said upon these subjects
is we think, sufficient, and shall, after the
present article, turn our attention again TO the
practical part of our Doctrine.
From what has been said in our preceding arti-
cles, the reader must see that Fourier proposes
system of his own, no scheme which is the result
OF his individual reason. He says that God, be-
fore creating and gtriag him passions,
must hare adapted them Is some system Of So
ciety, in aehich they 'sould produce order, har-
mony and justice. The task of human reason is
to discover this Social Order prc,lestined Cor man.
and establish it upon the carh-instead of setting
up false societies of lis devising.
| Fourier says that be has discovered the Divine
Social O,dcr-the result of a patient and humble
study Of man and his passions, so long traduced
The reason why that order has not been discov
ered before, is because Philosophers and Moral
lists, having condemned human nature or those
| mpellng powers called sentiments, attractions
passions instincts &c. which compose it, missed
the guide which would have led them TO it, for it
is only from knowledge of the passions and their
tendencies that the system of society suited to
them, can be deduced.
What we-the disciples Of Fourier-wish to do
is to make practical trial Of the social principles
which he has discovered If they realize in prac
tcc the great results which we expect from them
they will demonstrate the folly and absurdity of
our present societies, and soon replace them If
they prove false in practice-what shall We then
dol Abandon all search for better system of Sc
ciety! No we must commence anew the search
| for the Divine Social Order, and be animated by
f~m faiih in tile UslvERsALlTY of Gods Pro
vidence-which if it be universal must extend to
! the moral and social as well as 10 the material
world. God has adapted our stomachs to the pro-
ducts of the earth, our beings to its atmosphere
our bodies to its temperature; how could lie have
given Us attractions and passions without adapt
ing them Social Order-which would de-
velope ,hem tremendously and secure US our hap
pincss
We must abandon all fragmental reforms
all halfway measures, and seek to discover
the principles of true Social Order, and carry
of reformars, says Fourier, is attack such or
such an abuse OF socety-instead of attacking
the system of society itself, which is circle of
abuses lhroug ghout." We should not strive to
| perfect system which is in itself radically false,
but endeavor to get out OF 1t.
! The system of Association discovered by Fou--
ricr is the only religious SYSTEM of society," which
has been proposed to the world, for it is based
upon the great reig gious idea that God must have
com posed for the Human Race Social System
for the regulation of their social relations and pas
sions. ALI past societies have been the product OF
human reason-at work in kings, tyrants, legis-
ators, and now and then in the masses. Fourier
makes known to the wsrd Social Order based
upon divine Providence and Wisdom.
The great question is has Fourier discovered
this true and sacred Social Order predestined for
man? If he has, then hold to it with all
enthusiasm, and can have unlimited faith IN It's
goodness, as it comes from God; if he has not dis
covered it, but has given US system OF his own,
then we reject it, for we have no faith in the plans
! and devices Of human reason, although they are
the product of powerful mind Fourier himself
declares on all occasions that he gives no System
| of his own: he says that he has discovered the
laws by which God governs the Universe, that
these laws are universal, that they are OF i've or
ders-some of which regulate the higher and seme
| the lower harmoneS OF creatlun-tliat the same
system of laws regulate the harmonies OF music,
the sidcreal harlponic the harmones of the pas-
sions, &c. &c. If man discover these laws,
| land tue discovery is not more difficult than those
made by keper and Newton, and will base So
cial order upon them, they will produce Or
der Unity and Harmony upon this earth as they
do in the sidereal universe.
This divine Social Order, based upon the Pro-
,;1.pca of ,ha Creator and his Laws of Harmony
is the Kingdom Of God and his Justice, which
Christ exhorted US 50 strong to establish on this
earth. and which would be an image reflex OF
the Celestial Kingdom. Christ promises US for
mally (St. Matt chap. vi:3l, 80, 33) that if we
will seek the Kingdom of God, all temporal goods
AS food raiment, &c.-should be given TO us
Christ knew that in the other world we should
not want these temporal goods; ne does not
therefore prophecy ins this instance for the
other world but for this. Christ conceives the
Klngdom of God in double sense,-in this world
and in the next. He wishes Us obtain both
hence hi. strong exhortations to do Gods will on
| earth a. il is done in heaven,-to establish his
| KINGDOM here. All these in functions point TO
rreat practical reform, to radical change IN the
social condition of mankind, and, as conse-
ouepce. to reform of our false societies.
The Church should advocate and promote this
great practical and social reform; it now breaches
bur one half of Christss doctrine-lhe obtaining
the kingdom of God in the other world-lt should
preached the realization Of it also in this. but 1t
looks upon this earth as the enemy's land; as
nlace under ths dominion OF the principle of Evil,
and on which the Kingdom of Ged-or Kingdom OF
HARMONY ris htecus and Justice-cannot be es-
tablished. Here is the error which the Catholic
! Church committed and which the Protestant
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