13 



a meeting of Socialists while he was there, and the feeling which pervaded 

 that meeting was one of bitter hatred against all classes possessing property, 

 and that the idea of civil war was hailed with cheers, I am told also that the 

 employes in Paris will not now recognise their employers, or hold any inter- 

 course with them. They have received instructions from their societies that 

 the employers are to be kept at arms' length, and that no intercourse is to 

 be held with them. The doctrine widely preached is that the only way to 

 treat the employer of labour and the capitalist is to put him out of the way 

 as soon as possible. This is a matter which is worthy the attention of all 

 thoughtful men, and I think that those who are dallying with these 

 doctrines are little aware of the state of things they are helping forward, 

 and of what would be the consequences if such doctrines were commonly 

 held by the people. This Society is one of the various means of combating 

 such views. Of course, I do not lose sight of the work accomplished by the 

 Christian Church, which is the great means of preserving in this world all 

 the elements of peace, prosperity, and true social welfare ; but it has various 

 auxiliaries, and I think this Society and other associations, are very valuable 

 aids to the more direct religious work of the Christian Church. I think also 

 we require to recognise more clearly the terrible condition in which a large por- 

 tion of the population exists. I am convinced that the extreme degradation in 

 which certain portions of our large populations live is a seed-bed in which 

 these dreadful infidel anarchical doctrines will take root and bear the most 

 bitter fruit, and it becomes those who value the future of the country to con- 

 sider what they can do to improve the condition of these degraded masses. 

 Are we sufficiently alive to the fearful elements of danger that lie near our 

 doors ? These people have kept very quiet, all things considered. They have 

 not yet been much influenced by infidel lecturers and agitators ; but they 

 will be drawn more and more in this direction. Education is spreading. 

 The children of these degraded masses are being taught to read. The first 

 literature that will come into their hands is this infidel literature of which 

 Mr. Ayrton has been speaking, filled, as it is, with the most dangerous 

 doctrines ; and when a few years have elapsed, we may expect a crop of 

 Atheism and Communism, with all its attendant evils, in this country, such 

 as is now being produced in Paris. We see it in America, and I am sorry 

 to say that the same thing is spreading in India, where the educated natives 

 are to a great extent becoming adherents of the doctrines of Mr. Bradlaugh.* 

 AU these things fill one with considerable dread of the future. I apprehend 

 that the great battle of the future will be with unbelief in all its most 

 daring forms, and it behoves all who love their country to do all they can 

 to counteract these dangerous agencies. This society is one of the means 

 well adapted for that purpose. I wish it aU prosperity, and hope its publi- 

 cations will prove a great success. (Applause.) 

 The motion was carried unanimously. 



* The natives of India welcome England's effort to educate tlieni ; Mr. 

 Bradiaugh and the Secularist societies have taken advantage of this feeling 

 to very largely introduce literature containing their doctrines, whicli are the 

 more readily accepted as true, because they also come from England. — Ed. 



