“Theoretically, the idea we endeavored to spread was the conception of workers as brethren—of work as coming from a brotherhood of men associated for their common benefit—who therefore rejected any notion of competition with each other as inconsistent with the true form of society, and, without formally preaching communism, sought to found industrial establishments communistic in feeling, of which it should be the aim, while paying ordinary wages and interest at the rate I have mentioned, to apply the profits of the business in ways conducive to the common advantage of the body whose work produced them. “The Christian element about this teaching was rather a something floating over it than definitely embodied in it. No attempt was made to formulate any religious creed which should be professed even by those who formed the central body—‘The Council of Promoters of Workingmen’s Societies,’ as it was called. Still less was there any attempt to limit the men employed in any of the societies to those professing Christianity. There was a general understanding that the tone of any writings put forth by the council or any of its members should be such as Maurice and Kingsley would approve. But this was all. Of the freedom of opinion in the council a striking proof is Mr. Lloyd Jones, who had been one of R. Owen’s missionaries, and never professed any form of Christianity, and who was one of the most active members.