survival of this in the reversion to a
more primitive state of things that takes place during a war. In some
circumstances hatred of the whole of a people with whom a nation is at
war becomes a duty, and all are responsible for the offences of each. So
in primitive times an offence against the gods became an act of treason
against the tribe. It might expose the whole of the tribe to disaster.

It is not, it must be noted, that primitive man is fond of the gods, or
jealous of their honour; he is not any more fond of them than is the
modern citizen of the tax-collector. And no one will ever really
understand the question of religion until he rids himself of the notion
that primitive man spends his time _looking_ for gods or that he is
happy in their company. He is simply afraid that a single unruly member
may get the whole tribe into a serious difficulty. The savage is
severely practical; his conduct rests upon grounds of, to him, the most
obvious utility, and his treatment of the heretic leaves little to be
desired on the score of effectiveness. The unbeliever is a dangerous
person, and he is promptly suppressed. The first heretic died a martyr
to the tribe; the last heretic will die a martyr to the race.

Primitive conditions die out, but primitive feelings linger, and
although in theory we have reached the stage of believing that each
person must bear the consequences of his own religious opinions, the
deeply rooted dislike to the man who rejects the rule of the gods
remains.

Historically we have also to reckon with the operations of an interested
priesthood, but leaving that on one side as a secondary development it
would seem that one must trace to some such cause as the one above
indicated the deep and widespread dislike to such a term as atheism,
even by many who to all intents and purposes are atheist in their
opinion. Certainly in this country, where compromise is more fashionable
than in many other places, the dislike to the word is partly due to its
uncompromising character. It is clear cut and definite. Its connotations
cannot be misunderstood by any one who takes the word in its literal
meaning. The Theist is one who believes in a personal God. The Atheist
is one who is without belief in a personal God. The meaning is clear,
and the implied mental attitude is plain. It is opposed to theism, and
has no significance apart from Theism. And, as will be seen, when
non-theists quarrel with it, it is only becaus