Passing Notes.

Freethought Review, Volume II, Issue 21, 1 June 1885, Page 3

Passing Notes.

The * National Reformer ’ does not like the idea of losing Mr. W. W. Collins, one of the special lecturers of the N.S.S., who has had a splendid offer from Australia. In a letter to Mr. Gladstone, on the Affirmation Bill, Mr. Bradlaugh recently alluded to the passing of the N.Z. Act, and also to the prominent Freethinkers in our Cabinet. The able article by J.W.K., on the Hon. Robert Stout, which appeared in the Freethought Review, we are pleased to see reprinted in the ‘ National Reformer.’ Freethinkers in all English-speaking lands will regret to hear that Mrs. Besant has lately been seriously ill, but by last advices this valiant worker in our cause was recovering. The Washington correspondent of the ‘Chicago Tribune ’ quotes Speaker Carlisle as saying that “ he thinks there never was a case tried in any Court where there was not perjury of some kind on both sides,” and this notwithstanding the oath. At Patea (a small town north of Wanganui) a Church Fair was recently held under the guidance of the Rev. Mr. Whitehouse, who runs down Freethought. In aid of the Lord, gambling for (please say raffling, Ed.) goods, and for drinks was indulged in, and a Fancy Dress Ball was also made the means of hauling in the bawbees. In a newspaper correspondence on the subject the rev. gentleman named states that the gambling escaped his notice ! Strange but (?) true. “ Ivo ” has been very successful in his lectures at Auckland, and Dr. York equally so in the South Island. Of Mar. Selby we have not heard lately. Some of the newspapers state that Mr C. Bright is to take up the running at Auckland when “Ivo” leaves, but this is not likely as he is engaged on a daily paper in Sydney. Miss Ada Campbell had an audience of 1200 people recently in Tasmania, when she spoke on “ Freethought v. Christianity.” _ At New Plymouth recently, a juror refused to take either the oath or affirmation, and was properly committed for contempt of Court. There can surely be no reasonable objection to making an affirmation, unless it be that the officials of the Court use the old form and make those affirming state that the taking of any religious oathps against their conscientious belief.” There is no evidence in this case that this was done, but we may safely presume it was not, as a Judge of the Supreme Court would know better than allow it. Opinions differ as to the best method of fighting for Freethought and the right to free expression, and we (while not at all allowing the right of the State to punish for the expression of heretical opinions) have always felt sorry that Mr. Foote has taken to the method of pictorial caricature as the means by which he chooses to fight. Still more do we regret to see, in a country like Australia, that these pictures should have been republished—they can do no possible good, but do great harm with moderate-minded people, who are led to look on the cause with disfavour. We are indebted to Dr. York for the ‘ Truthseeker’s Annual for 1885.” It is, without exception, the best Freethought Annual we have seen. Besides containing an almanac for the year, it has a history of the past year’s work in the United States, an account of the National Liberal League, a description of the Bennett Memorial, well-written articles by eminent American Freethinkers, and last not by any means least, excellent portraits of all the leading workers in the field. It starts | with Thomas Paine, Ingersoll, Bennett, Leland, Wakeman, Kemsberg, Watts, Putnam, Leaver, Dr. York, Mendurn, Macdonald, H. L. Green, Denton, “ Elmina,” Susan Wixon, and others. We can cordially recommend it to Freethinkers everywhere. The price is only 25 cents, published at the ‘ Truth seeker ’ Office, 35, Clinton Place, New York. J

A true believer has at last found out an infallible cure for sea sickness from which he used to suffer. He keeps “ looking to Him [{i.e., God) all the time” and God keeps the sickness away. The ‘ Rock ’ in speaking of George Eliot’s abandonment of religion, acknowledges that “ there is no proof, but every indication to the contrary, that she ever regretted her lost faith.” In London the Wesleyans are seriously considering the idea of starting a Salvation Army of their own. In London itself the “ ordinary circuit arrangements have completely broken down,” and chapels in the midst of crowded populations are almost deserted. The ‘ Freethinker,’ of March 15th, says :— Dr. Temple having been appointed a month ago to the Bishopric of London by Mr Gladstone, the Dean and Chapter ot St. Paul’s on Monday last assembled “ to elect ” a Bishop, we presume with the aid of the Holy Ghost. Of course their choice unanimously fell on Dr. Temple. This proceeding is an apt type of the relation of Christianity to Secularism. The world advances, and when the advance has been definitely made religion steps in and says, “ That’s exactly what I say.” Freethought is spreading in Canada. The ‘ Canadian Independent,’ speaking of Alton, says : “ Infidelity is rampant. ... In the most open and persistent manner Christianity is opposed. Balls and public amusements are carried on upon the Lord’s day. Blaspheming infidels from Toronto visit here, and under the patronage of a few families of means and influence find a congenial atmosphere in which to undermine the faith of the young.” Mr. Bradlaugh is so frequently held up to view as all that is ultra-Radical that it may interest some to know his views on the land question. When addressing the electors at Finsbury he was asked his opinion in reference to Restoration of the land to the people, he said that the land had never belonged to the people, and so could not be “ restored ” to them ; he advocated very radical reform of land laws, but if “ restoration ” implied wholesale confiscation, it involved dealing with the rights of others in a fashion that he could not approve. This is in direct opposition to the views of “ George the Fifth,” which are said to be gaining ground amongst certain classes. Although not Spiritualists, we can see no reason for the torrents of abuse which fall from Atheists, as well as Christians, regarding this system of belief. The age of shams is far from having passed away, and doubtless the peculiar power of mystifying people,which tricksters possess, leads them to copy feats which those who could not perform a trick to save their lives, do by some unknown means, of which they are the mediums. Having seen “ phenomena,” which did did not result from trickery, and having some very estimable and upright friends who have seen these things, and who believe in “ spirit force,” we should feel ashamed to put the whole thing down as a fraud, and call Spiritualists by hard names ; nevertheless we feel pleased when arrant rogues, who trade on the weaknesses and credulities of the public in this respect, are caught red-handed, as has recently been the case in America with some “ materialising ” mediums. There is plenty of room yet, we think, for investigation in this matter, but while assisting in this, the mind should very carefully weigh the pros, and cons, before accepting, as true, the doctrine of spirit force, &c. The feeling regarding Atheism exhibited by Freemasonry in France and in England are, as most of our readers know, different. From an article recently published by Mr. Bradlaugh the stand taken up by the Grand Orient of France is made very clear. In 1877 the Assembly General of French Freemasons modified their constitution, the result of the modification being that the Ist article of the constitution, instead of affirming the existence of Deity a fundamental principle, eliminated the assertion, and maintained silence on the point, neither affirming nor denying anything. The English Grand Lodge treated this as a declaration of Atheism, and excluded members of the Grand Orient

from their lodges. In 1877, the Grand Master of the Grand Orient issued a circular in which he stated, that, in their lodge, nothing essential to Masonry had been changed, French Freemasonry remaining what it had always been, a fraternal and tolerant association. It worked for intellectual and moral improvement, but respecting religious and political convictions, all of its members had full liberty of conscience on these points. The same circular pointed out the language used by the Rev. Bro. Desmond at the time of the vote. He thought that Masonry should be an institution open to all progress, that it should not descend into the heated arena of theological controversey, that it should keep itself from acting as a Church, and that it should “ be the vast refuge always open to all generous and courageous minds, to all conscientious and disinterested searchers for the truth, to all the victims of despotism and intolerance.” While the reformed constitution did not trouble itself with creeds, it asked each of its members, “ Do you love your fellow-man ? will you work for his enfranchisement and redemption from ignorance and misery ?” In 1884 the Grand Orient endeavoured to secure the reversion of the English order against them, but failed, and now we wait a further development of the discussion.