fetishistic propitiations God is supposed to interfere with the normal
course of causation in their favour. He becomes a celestial log-roller.
He remedies unfavourable accidents, cures petty ailments, contrives
unexpected gifts of medicine, money, or the like, he averts
bankruptcies, arranges profitable transactions, and does a thousand
such services for his little clique of faithful people. The pious are
represented as being constantly delighted by these little surprises,
these bouquets and chocolate boxes from the divinity. Or contrawise
he contrives spiteful turns for those who fail in their religious
attentions. He murders Sabbath-breaking children, or disorganises the
careful business schemes of the ungodly. He is represented as going
Sabbath-breakering on Sunday morning as a Staffordshire worker
goes ratting. Ordinary everyday Christianity is saturated with this
fetishistic conception of God. It may be disowned in THE HIBBERT
JOURNAL, but it is unblushingly advocated in the parish magazine. It is
an idea taken over by Christianity with the rest of the qualities of
the Hebrew God. It is natural enough in minds so self-centred that their
recognition of weakness and need brings with it no real self-surrender,
but it is entirely inconsistent with the modern conception of the true
God.

There has dropped upon the table as I write a modest periodical called
THE NORTHERN BRITISH ISRAEL REVIEW, illustrated with portraits of
various clergymen of the Church of England, and of ladies and gentlemen
who belong to the little school of thought which this magazine
represents; it is, I should judge, a sub-sect entirely within the
Established Church of England, that is to say within the Anglican
communion of the Trinitarian Christians. It contains among other papers
a very entertaining summary by a gentleman entitled--I cite the unusual
title-page of the periodical--"Landseer Mackenzie, Esq.," of the views