A FREETHINKER'S ABJURATION.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 4783, 21 January 1884, Page 4

A FREETHINKER'S ABJURATION.

Mr Joseph Braithwaito, the Vice-Presi-dent of the Freethought Association, has resigned his position and membership in the Association. He has written a long letter, giving his reasons for the retirement, the principal of which is that no g&od can be accomplished by mere negation, while positive teaching is impossible on the basis of the Association, In concluding his letter he says, "lam ■ not disposed to ignore the claims < f traditional teachings — they have their value ; nor do I see the utility of rushing into extreme scepticism because one leaves the Church. Religion, that is, a belief in God and immortality, and the influences connected therewith, is natural to man, whatever his intellect may say. This is so because it is based upon his higher neces-' sities, which like everything else in nature must have some corresponding reality. My opinion is, you might as well try to drive back the waves from the sea-shore as to eradicate religion altogether. Creeds and religious systems may change ; religion, never. Tear down the churches to-day, to-morrow they would be up again. lam satisfied the Association will never make headway among the people until it can present a motive power for good higher

than the one they have got already, and to do this it must have a religious basis, or it will never reach their higher aspirations. I have adopted these views after years of (I hope) serious study and reflection, and a degree of anxiety known only to my most intimate friends. Hence it will be seen that I cannot co-operate any longer with the Association, nor with the Children's Lyceum, which I specially regret. Nevertheless, I shall ever be found standing up for civil and religious liberty, and the completest toleration one to another."