CHAPTER XL.
BROOK FARM PROPAGATING FOURIERISM.[ToC]
Brook Farm having attained the dignity of incorporation and assumed the title of Phalanx, was ready to undertake the enterprise of propagating Fourierism. Accordingly, in the same number of the Phalanx that published the appeal recited at the close of our last chapter, appeared the prospectus of a new paper to be called the Harbinger, with the following editorial notice:
"Our subscribers will see by the prospectus that the name of the Phalanx is to be changed for that of the Harbinger, and that the paper is to be printed in future by the Brook Farm Phalanx."
From this time the main function of Brook Farm was propagandism. It published the Harbinger weekly, with a zeal and ability of which our readers have seen plenty of specimens. It also instituted a missionary society and a lecturing system, of which we will now give some account.
New York had hitherto been the head-quarters of Fourierism. Brisbane, Greeley and Godwin, the primary men of the cause, lived and published there; the Phalanx was issued there; the National Conventions had been held there; and there was the seat of the Executive Committee that made several abortive attempts to institute a confederation of Associations and a national organization of Socialists. But after the conversion of Brook Farm, the center of operations was removed from New York to Massachusetts. As the Harbinger succeeded to the subscription-list and propagandism of the Phalanx, so a new National Union of Socialists, having its head-quarters nominally at Boston, but really at Brook Farm, took the place of the old New York Conventions. Of this organization, William H. Channing was the chief-engineer; and his zeal and eloquence in that capacity for a short time, well entitled him to the honors of the chief Apostle of Fourierism. In fact he succeeded to the post of Brisbane. This will be seen in the following selections from the Harbinger:
[From William H. Channing's Appeal to Associationists.]
"Brethren: