A FREETHINKER'S ABJURATION.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 4785, 24 January 1884, Page 4

A FREETHINKER'S ABJURATION.

Mr Joseph Braithwaite, 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 good 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 of traditional teachings — they have their value ; nor do I see the utility of rushing into extreme scepticism because one leaves the Church. Religion, i:.:v: ij, a belief in God and immortality, and the influences connected therewith, is natural to man, whatever his intellect may say. Tlus is so because it is based upon his higher necessities, 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."