318 



APPENDIX B. 



It has been remarked by many that they have found the Journal of much 

 use when preparing lectures to show the falsity of the theory so often pro- 

 pounded, "that science and philosophy were alike opposed to religious 

 belief." This idea has its advocates both at home, abroad, and in some 

 of our colonies ; and in many places the members of this Institute have 

 made strong efforts, especially in Australia and New Zealand, to oppose it, 

 by lectures, the circulation of the Institute's Journal, and the republication 

 of portions thereof. 



That the use thus made of the Journal may not have been in vain, the 

 following extract from a Dunedin (New Zealand) newspaper shows. 



It is entitled "The Abjuration of the Vice-President of the Free Thought 

 Association." 



" Mr. Joseph Braithwaite, the Vice-President of the Free Thought Asso- 

 ciation, has (1884) resigned his position and membership in the Associa- 

 tion. 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 nega- 

 tion, while positive teaching is impossible on the basis of the Association. 

 In concluding his letter, he says : — ' I am not disposed to ignore the claims 

 of traditional teachings— they have their value ; nor do I see the utUity 

 of rushing into extreme scepticism because one leaves the Church. 

 Keligion, that is, a belief in God and immortality, and the influences con- 

 nected therewith, is natural, to man, whatever his intellect may say. This 

 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 seashore 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, I am 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 tliis 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 

 icnown only to my most intimate friends. Hence it will be seen that I 

 cannot co-operate any longer with the Association, nor with the C^hiklren'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.' " 



