Part 3 (2/2)

The policy of Secular controversy is to distinguish and a.s.sert its own affirmative propositions. It is the policy of Secularism not so much to say to error ”It is false,” as to say of truth ”This is true.” Thus, instead of leaving to the popular theology the prestige of exclusive affirmation accorded to it by the world, although it is solely employed in the incessant re-a.s.sertion of error, Secularism causes it to own and publish its denial of positive principle; when the popular theology proves itself to be but an organized negation of the moral guidance of nature and its tendencies to progress. A Secularist sees clearly upon what he relies as a Secularist. To him the teaching of Nature is as clear as the teaching of the Bible: and since, if G.o.d exists, Nature is certainly His work, While it is not so clear that the Bible is--the teaching of Nature will be preferred and followed where the teaching of the Bible appears to conflict with it. A Secular Society, contemplating intellectual and moral progress, must provide for the freest expression of opinion on all subjects which its members may deem conducive to their common objects. Christianism, Theism, Materialism, and Atheism will be regarded as open questions, subject to unreserved discussion. But these occasions will be the opportunity of the members, not the business of the society. All public proceedings accredited by the society should relate to topics consistent with the common principles of Secularism.

”In necessary things, unity: in doubtful things, liberty: in all things, charity.”* The destruction of religious servitude may be attempted in two ways. It may be denounced, which will irritate it, or it may be superseded by the servitude of humanity. Attacking it by denunciation, generally inflames and precipitates the persecution of the many upon the few; when the weak are liable to be scattered, the cowardly to recant, and the brave to perish.

VIII.

The essential rule upon which personal a.s.sociation can be permanent, or controversy be maintained in the spirit in which truth can be evolved, is that of never imputing evil motives nor putting the worst construction on any act. Free Inquiry has no limits but truth, Free Speech no limits but exactness, Policy (here the law of speech) no limits but usefulness. Unfettered and uncompromising are they who pursue free inquiry throughout--measured and impa.s.sable may those become, who hold to a generous veracity. Far both from outrage or servility--too proud to court and too strong to hate--are those who learn to discard all arts but that of the austere service of others, exacting no thanks and pausing at no curse. Wise words of counsel to Theological controversialists have been addressed in a powerful quarter of public opinion: ”Religious controversy has already lost much of its bitterness.

Open abuse and exchange of foul names are exploded, and even the indirect imputation of unworthy motives is falling-into disuse.

Another step will be made when theologians have learnt to extend their intellectual as well as their moral sympathies, to feel that most truths are double edged, and not to wage an unnecessary war against opinion which, strange, incongruous, and unlovely as they may at first appear, are built, perhaps, on as firm a foundation, and are held with equal sincerity and good faith, as their own.”** This is advice which both sides should remember.

* Maxim (much unused) of the Roman Catholic Church.

** Times Leader of November 8, 1855.

IX.

”No society can be in a healthy state in which eccentricity is a matter of reproach.” Conventionality is the tyranny of the average man, and a despicable tyranny it is. The tyranny of genius is hard to be borne--that of mediocrity is humiliating. That idea of freedom which consists in the absence of all government is either mere lawlessness, or refers to the distant period when each man having attained perfection will be a law unto himself. Just rule is indispensable rule, and none other. The fewer laws consistent with the public preservation the better--there is, then, as Mr. Mill has shown in his ”Liberty,” the more room for that ever-recurring originality which keeps intellect alive in the world. Towards law kept within the limits of reason, obedience is the first of virtues. ”Order and Progress,” says Comte, which we should express thus:--Order, without which Progress is impossible; Progress, without which Order, is Tyranny. The world is clogged with men of dead principles. Principles that cannot be acted upon are probably either obsolete or false. One certain way to improvement is to exact consistency between profession and practice; and the way to bring this about is to teach that the highest merit consists in having earnest views and in endeavouring to realize them--and this whether the convictions be contained within or without accredited creeds. There will be no progress except within the stereotyped limits of creeds, unless means are found to justify independent convictions to the conscience.

To the philosopher you have merely to show that a thing is true, to the statesman, that it is useful, but to a Christian, that it is safe. The grace of service lies in its patience. To promote the welfare of others, irrespective of their grat.i.tude or claims, is to reach the nature of the G.o.ds. It is a higher sentiment than is ascribed to the Deity of the Bible. The abiding disposition to serve others is the end of all philosophy. The vow of principle is always one of poverty and obedience, and few are they who take it--and fewer who keep it. If hate obscure for a period the path of duty, let us remember nothing should shake our attachment to that supreme thought, which at once stills human anger and educates human endeavour--the perception that ”the sufferings and errors of mankind arise out of want of knowledge rather than defect of goodness.”

X.

A leading object of Secularism is the promotion of the material purity of the present life--”material purity,” which includes personal as well as external condition. The question of Spiritualism (without employing it and without disparaging it) it regards as a distinct question, and hence the methods by which Secularists attempt ”improvement” will be ”material” as being the most reliable. The tacit or expressed aim of all Freethinking, has ever been true thinking and pure thinking. It has been a continued protest against the errors Theology has introduced, and the vicious relations it has conserved and sanctified. It is necessary to mark this, and it can be done by insisting and keeping distinctly evident that the aim of Secularism is the purity of material influences.

This precludes the possibility of Secularism being charged either with conscious grossness or intentional sin. Secularism concerns itself with the work of to-day. ”It is always yesterday or to-morrow, and never to-day,”* is a fair description of life according to theologies.

Secularism, on the contrary, concerns itself with the things of ”to-day.”

To know That which before us lies in daily life Is the prime wisdom.

* Story of Boots, by d.i.c.kens.

The cardinal idea of the ”popular Theology” is the necessity of Revelation. It believes that the light of Nature is darkness, that Reason affords no guidance, that the Scriptures are the true chart, the sole chart, and the sufficient chart of man, and it regards all attempts to delineate a chart of Nature as impious, as impracticable, and as a covert attack upon the Biblical chart in possession of the churches.

Knowing no other guidance than that of the Bible, and disbelieving the possibility of any other, theology denounces Doubt, which inspires it with a sense of insecurity--it fears Inquiry, which may invalidate its trust--and deprecates Criticism, which may expose it, if deficient.

Having nothing to gain, it is reluctant to incur risk--having all to lose, it dreads to be disturbed-having no strength but in Faith, it fears those who Reason--and less from ill-will than from the tenderness of its position, it persecutes in self-defence. Such are the restrictions and the logic of Theology.

XI.

On the other hand, Rationalism (which is the logic of Nature) is in att.i.tude and spirit quite the reverse. It observes that numbers are unconvinced of the fact of Revelation, and feel the insufficiency, for their guidance, of that offered to them. To them the pages of Nature seem clearer than those of the Apostles. Reason, which existed before all Religions and decides upon all--else the false can never be distinguished from the true--seems self-dependent and capable of furnis.h.i.+ng personal direction. Hence Rationalism instructed by facts, winning secrets by experiments, establis.h.i.+ng principles by reflection, is a.s.sured of a morality founded upon the laws of Nature. Without the advantage of inductive science to a.s.sist discoveries, or the printing press to record corroborations of them, the Pre-Christian world created ethics, and Socrates and Epictetus, and Zoroaster and Confucius, delivered precepts, to which this age accords a high place. Modern Rationalists therefore sought, with their new advantages, to augment and systematize these conquests. They tested the claims of the Church by the truths of Nature. That Freethought which had won these truths applied them to creeds, and criticism became its weapon of Propagandism. Its consciousness of new truth stimulated its aggression on old error. The pretensions of reason being denied as false, and rationalists themselves persecuted as dangerous, they had no alternative but to criticise in order to vindicate their own principles, and weaken the credit and power of their opponents. To attack the misleading dogmas of Theology was to the early Freethinkers well understood self-defence. In some hands and under the provocations of vindictive bigotry, this work, no doubt, became wholly antagonistic, but the main aspiration of the majority was the determination of teaching the people ”to be a law unto themselves.”

They found prevailing a religion of unreasoning faith. They sought to create a religion of intelligent conviction, whose uniformity consisted in sincerity. Its believers did not all hold the same tenets, but they all sought the same truth and pursued it with the same earnestness.

It was this inspiration which sustained Vanini, Hamont, Lewes, Kett, Legate, and Wightman at the stake, and which armed Servetus to prefer the fires of Calvin to the creed of Calvin, which supported Annet in the pillory, and Woolston and Carlile in their imprisonments. It was no capricious taste for negations which dictated these deliberate sacrifices, but a sentiment purer than interest and stronger than self-love--it was the generous pa.s.sion for unfriended truth.

XII.

The intellectual, no less than the heroic characteristics of Freethought have presented features of obvious unity. Tindal, Shaftesbury, Voltaire, Paine, aad Bentham, all vindicated principles of Natural Morality.

Sh.e.l.ley struggled that a pure and lofty ideal of life should prevail, and Byron had pa.s.sionate words of reverence for the human character of Christ.*

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