The General Synod of the Church of Ireland has adopted,
—not, however, without opposition,—a resolution petitioning Parliament against any Bill which will have the effect of -admitting Atheists to either House. Why, then, do they not accept the logic of their position, and ask at once for a Theistic -test to be imposed on Members, one defining the sense in which the word " Goa- is used, and pledging the Member taking it to a belief in God in that sense P The present oath no more excludes Atheists from Parliament, than it excludes Agnostics o' Pan- theists. It does not even exclude avowed Atheists from Parlia- ment. It excludes only Atheists who happen to have avowed their Atheism to either House. In other words, it is a premium on hypocrisy, not a prohibition of unbelief. Which is it moat nn-Christian to do, to put a premium on hypocrisy, or to remove a barrier against unbelief P
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