Communism and Christianism: Analyzed and Contrasted from the Marxian and Darwinian Points of View

In Short

This polemical work serves as a manifesto for "industrial communism," rejecting traditional religious dogma in favor of a synthesis of Darwinian naturalism and Marxian economics. Written by an American bishop who underwent a profound ideological transformation, the text argues that supernatural religion and capitalist private property are intertwined systems of oppression. By framing the struggle for economic equality as a scientific necessity rather than a moral choice, the author seeks to mobilize the global proletariat to dismantle current social hierarchies and build a classless, cooperative society.

The Story

The narrative begins as a direct challenge to the status quo, announcing that the time of "robbing capitalism" and "lying supernaturalism" is drawing to a close. The author adopts a tone of urgent, revolutionary optimism, positioning the book as a necessary guide for "wage slaves" to understand their true condition. From the outset, the argument relies on the premise that human society is governed by material forces—specifically, the systems used for the production and distribution of necessities—rather than the will of any divinity.

As the text progresses, the author methodically deconstructs the foundations of traditional Christianism. He argues that the concept of a personal, interventionist god is an evolutionary and historical fiction, created by the dominant class to keep the masses docile. By citing scientific developments from the Enlightenment to the modern era, the author asserts that the universe is self-governing and governed by physical laws, rendering religious prayer and celestial hope obsolete. He reframes the "Lord’s Supper" not as a sacred sacrament, but as a symbolic act of human fellowship, stripping away the supernatural veneer that he believes obscures the true purpose of communal action.

The argument then shifts to the economic domain. Using the framework of Marxian socialism, the author identifies the "diabolical trinity" of war, poverty, and slavery as the direct consequences of private property. He maintains that capitalist systems are inherently predatory, requiring the exploitation of laborers to generate wealth for the few. He posits that the "historic mission" of the working class is to seize control of the political state to abolish private ownership of production tools. Throughout this section, the author looks toward the Russian experience as the first, albeit embattled, attempt to reorganize society along these cooperative, classless lines.

The arc concludes with a call to action. The author rejects the idea that reformist or philanthropic gestures can bridge the gap between classes, insisting that conflict is an unavoidable byproduct of competing economic interests. He characterizes the "strike-weapon" as the necessary tool for the proletariat to secure its future. The final pages move toward a vision of a "classless heaven" on earth, where the elimination of private profit allows for the full development of human potential. The author reaffirms his commitment to this "scientific gospel," framing the total displacement of capitalism as the only path forward for a world facing the existential threat of unnecessary, systemic suffering.

How It Unfolds

The rejection of supernaturalism The author sets the stage by dismissing traditional faith as a tool for control, asserting that modern scientific understanding leaves no room for arbitrary gods. He argues that the "fear of God" is merely one of the chains binding the working class to their oppressors.

The Marxian lens Economic systems are identified as the primary drivers of human history, with the "materialistic interpretation" replacing the religious one. This beat establishes the core conflict: the struggle between a class that works and a class that accumulates wealth through that labor.

The critique of property The text defines modern bourgeois property as a social power that must be dismantled to achieve true independence. The author argues that because capital is a collective product, it should naturally become the common property of all society.

The failure of conciliation The author argues that boards of mediation and philanthropic efforts are "wolves in sheep's clothing" that only serve to delay the inevitable revolution. He insists that the struggle between labor and capital is a natural, irreconcilable antagonism.

The call for global revolution The concluding sections draw upon the example of Soviet Russia as the megaphone for a new epoch. The author asserts that the "industrial army" must organize to build a new world within the shell of the old, effectively ringing out the "hell" of competitive capitalism.

The People

The book is driven by the voice of the author, William Montgomery Brown, who situates himself as a former minister who has abandoned theological dogma for the "scientific gospel" of Marx and Darwin. He characterizes himself as a man who finally awakened to the reality that his life in the church was spent teaching "lies." His desire is to convert his readers into missionaries for the proletarian revolution, using his remaining time to advocate for a "classless levelism."

Opposing him are the "parasitic profiteers"—the capitalists—who act as the architects of current societal misery. The author paints them not as inherently evil individuals, but as beneficiaries of a system that requires the exploitation of the "giant" known as labor.

The "Proletariat" emerges as the central protagonist. The author treats the working class as a sleeping giant, capable of achieving absolute salvation if only they shed their ignorance. He identifies them as the true creators of wealth who are currently robbed of the fruits of their labor.

Finally, the "divine Jesus" is treated as a historical and religious construct that the author seeks to demystify. He repurposes the figure as a "poetic symbol" of human unity, effectively stripping the divine authority from the character to make him a relatable, if purely human, representative of the oppressed.

In Its Own Voice

"Banish the Gods from the Skies and Capitalists from the Earth and make the world safe for Industrial Communism."

The author establishes this blunt, dual mandate as the central thesis and goal of his entire socio-economic philosophy.

"The churches were the dormitories in which the slaves slept through the night of the dark ages of traditionalism, but the light of the age of scientism is breaking upon the world."

In this passage, the author criticizes the role of religious institutions in maintaining class docility, contrasting it with the perceived awakening caused by scientific and materialist thought.

What It's Really About

The book explores the contention that human suffering is not an inherent condition of existence, but a consequence of specific, replaceable systems. The central argument is that the "supernatural" and the "capitalist" are two sides of the same coin, each functioning to maintain a status quo that favors the few at the expense of the many. It asks whether humanity can survive the "competitive structure" of its current society or if it must fully transition to a cooperative, labor-owned model. Ultimately, it is a work about the power of knowledge, arguing that when individuals understand the material laws of nature and history, they are empowered to stop looking to the "skies" for salvation and instead begin the work of engineering a just, earthly society.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of Christian socialism and the early 20th-century American radicalism will find this a fascinating, if challenging, historical document. The prose is urgent and unapologetic, carrying the fervor of a convert who has cast off a lifetime of traditional belief. Reading it feels like stepping directly into the heated labor debates of the 1920s; the author’s voice is remarkably direct, occasionally abrasive, and entirely unburdened by modern diplomatic sensibilities.

However, the book requires patience. Its reliance on the specific, often rigid, terminology of Marxism and the mid-turn-of-the-century "scientism" can feel dated. The author’s aggressive stance against religion is likely to be polarizing, and his uncritical embrace of the early Soviet experiment reflects a political optimism that has been heavily scrutinized by history. Despite these difficulties, the book remains a powerful testament to the intensity of the ideological divides that defined the era. It offers a rare, unfiltered look at how a high-ranking religious figure attempted to reconcile the radical economic theory of the time with his own spiritual heritage, creating a document that is as much a psychological record of a personal awakening as it is a political polemic.