Evenings from Home.

Observer, Volume II, Issue 47, 6 August 1881, Page 534

Evenings from Home.

No. 9. — An Hour with the Freethinkers,

Strolling listlessly along Hobson-street on Sunday evening, I observed that .the old Carlton Academy was lighted up, and, wondering what could be going on within, I entered. I found some twenty respectable-looking persons assembled in a small, unpretending room, in the centre of which was a table, and at the upper end a platform and desk. Two bookcases flanked the platform, and on my examining them proved to be fairly stored with between 400 and 500 volumes, mostly on spiritualistic and freethought subjects. I found here the works of Strauss, Kant, Kenan, Paine, Holyoake, Bradlaugh, Besant, Andrew Jackson Davis, and other rationalists and freethinkers. After a few minutes spent in conversation, during which I had time to notice these things, a respectable-looking middle-aged man mounted the platform, and in a few brief words introduced Mr J. C. Wilkes as the lecturer for the evening. The subject of the discourse, which was fairly well read from a written or printed paper, was "Unbelief," and the main object of the writer appeared to be to show the superiority of morality, truth, justice, reason and conscience over creeds, dogmas, ceremonies and faiths. He drew a broad distinction between unbelief and disbelief, the first being defined as a state of unconviction, indifference, or unreadiness to examine a principle ; the other, absolute rejection of it after

examination. The lecturer indulged in the usual sanguine anticipations as to the future condition of mankind under the influence of an ideal type of morality based on innate conscience, apart from the formulated teachings of creeds, unfortunately, however, the poor man suffered from a severe cold, and his delivery was difficult and painful. He was followed by a tall, {esthetic-looking young person in "black, who prefaced a brief biography of Thomas Paine with a eulogy on his character and writings, which he said were misrepresented by Sectarians. He showed that Paine was not an atheist, but a believer "in one God, and no more," and held him up as a model of philanthrophy and friend of liberty. Both speakers were listened to with respectful attention, and were frequently applauded ; but at one' stage of the proceedings a young man in the body of the hall invited his neighbour, in a stage whisper, to "go out and have a smoke, "and immediately the pair got up and retired from the hall. The tone of the address was unobjectionable. No harsh or uncomplimentary names were applied to Christians. They were referred to more in terms of sorrow than of anger. The Freethinkers occupied a lofty platform, from which they professed to look down upon the benighted sects with compassion and regret. There were no long prayers, no hymns, and no dry sermon. The addresses possessed the quality of originality and force There was no collection at the conclusion, but a "Contribution Box" was placed near the door, and I noticed that almost everyone present put a coin into it. lam told that the Auckland Freethought Association comprises a large and respectable membership. It is rapidly increasing, and has formed the nucleus of a library, which is constantly being added to by donations and books provided by subscriptions. The Association rents the hall, holds its meetings weekly, and is altogether quite a happy family, y Didymus.