Communism, for some of the higher species have already reached
it, and all are tending towards it."[1048] The assertion, "We know"
(who are we?) "that Nature's aim is Communism," can hardly be called a
sufficient scientific proof of the foregoing proposition. Other
Socialists assert that Communism is in accordance with the Bible:
"Christ's teaching is often said to be Socialistic. It is not
Socialistic, but it is Communistic, and Communism is the most advanced
form of the policy generally known as Socialism."[1049]

A Socialist Bible student and very prolific writer says: "Can anything
be conceived more diametrically opposed to the principle laid down by
Christ than the present system, based as it is on the principle of
competition? 'You are all brothers,' says Christ, and if all are
brothers, then it needs no philosopher to tell us that all should work
together for the common good."[1050] In support of this doctrine that
Communism is in accordance with the Bible, the said writer quotes Acts
iv. 32-35, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart
and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things
which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were
possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the
things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."[1051]
The Socialist can quote Scripture for his purpose--and misquote it
too. Therefore the pious Socialist writer leaves out the lines which
follow: "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold
a possession, and kept back part of the price."[1052] Will there be no
Ananiases in the Socialist Commonwealth? Besides, the early Christian
Communism was voluntary and dictated only by charity. It certainly was
not enjoined as a religious duty.[1053] Lastly, the first Christian
experiment in Communism proved immediately a failure, probably because
there were many Ananiases, and because Communism is opposed to human
nature and leads to poverty and strife, not to prosperity and peace.
Hence, St. Paul founded no more Communist settlements, but collected
everywhere for the "poor saints at Jerusalem" in order to relieve them
in their "deep poverty," as may be seen in Romans xv. 26-27, 1
Corinthians xvi. 1-3, 2 Corinthians viii. and ix. To misquote
Scripture in suppo