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of man, than tlie mere correction of his intellectual errors. If I may say so, 
the polarity of the human spirit must be reversed. 
Luther says, that whilst he lived a holy and blameless monk, his feelings 
toward God were those of hatred. “ I secretly and in earnest felt incensed 
against Him.” 
It scarcely needs to read between the lines of autobiographies of agnostics 
(one celebrated name occurs to me) to see that this is the real state of things 
which has to be set right ; and which is set right (in a few such cases as at 
Athens), by testimony rather to the Word of God made flesh than to the 
word of God printed, except as far as the latter is an instrument in leading 
to the knowledge of the former. 
Canon Smith inquires, “ to what extent can the incapability of communion 
with God be predicated ? ” 
To this, I answer that ap 2 orehension of God is one thing, communion with 
God is another. I believe in the existence of agnosticism^ but I do not, 
as at present informed, believe in that of atheism. The devils believe and 
tremble — the atheist believes and hates."^ 
The reversed attitude of the spirit — the reversed polarity — is beautifully 
shown in Heb. xi. He that cometh to God must believe that He exists, and 
that He becomes a re warder of those that diligently seek Him. I suppose 
this to be a truth applicable to all time. 
This being presupposed, the education of men’s faculties is not only 
rendered possible, but is the subject of direct scriptural teaching. Did not 
Linnjeus take for his motto, “ the works of the Lord are great, sought out of 
all them that have pleasure therein.” My attention was early directed by 
my father to a passage in perhaps the earliest book in the Bible, where 
Elihu commends to the attention of Job “ the balancing of the clouds, the 
wondrous works of Him that is perfect in knowledge.” It would be strange 
that I should disparage science, when I remember that the author of the 
“ Essay on the Modifications of Clouds ”f (in which he attached the current 
names to the different shapes manifest in this loorld of study) delighted in 
teaching me what he knew of electricity, and watched with the feeling of a 
devout Christian its changeful effects as there displayed for our admiration. 
With the last sentences of the letter I most entirely concur. I am 
surprised that our instructors do not more frequently adopt the course 
indicated, and grasp with firmness this many-headed and variously-named 
nettle, from whose poisonous touch so many are suffering. 
My sympathies go with every effort to uproot it altogether ; but we must 
remember that the roots strike very deep, and that the task is not an easy 
one. I must, however, again thank Canon Saumarez Smith for his con- 
tribution of many valuable thoughts, tending towards this much to be 
desired result. 
* See Recollections of William Hone, thirty years an atheist, afterwards 
a happy Christian, lately published. 
t By my Father, Luke Howard, F.ll.S. (first published in 1603). 
