Freethought Lecture by a Lady.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1666, 24 March 1886, Page 2

Freethought Lecture by a La dy .

, Miss Ada Campbell, a - freethought lejiturer, deliveredi oh Sunday tnight her firgi lecture' before aWellingtop andience, her subject being " Sunday m ,th? light of reason ; its .uaa. and nbuso," ' Ther* was a very large, ; downstairs audience. MiPßtCainpbell, after a Jew words with reference to -her future .nnoyfliiietiti m •Wellirigtonv at once. -plungedXinjto,. her -subject. She cited, iw^o^ases m "which men had been, fined m for working on Sujuday — the one (•'Chin»manbeing fltfed "£10 r .with- costs to a similar amount, for watering^hifcrplantß on tbfcSabbath day ; and Jfieaother a (barber) "was/frhedWrflhavrnga man on the Sabbath. With, reference to tlietc two cl&e8 t 'MiBB Campbell said that th« acts ;tbeC l iin«man. was givinglo plant life", that sustenance whichjtvaa as necei,#iu',y to it.a^Vaß"fso(i"and drink to aniija&Olf^^ii^HoJb^rbefwaß performing an act of cleanliness^" Cleanliness/ ran the old saying, '■ is next to godliness," biit that- wes' wrong — cleanliness came before godliness,- " Show me," BaidjMisß Campbell j !' ; a. man vvith. a good hrfajthyjbodyj »>d; rn^howfydajiVman with a good ffealthy" Boni:^'"'Shl mii Btanced another casein which a farmer had been' fined t^for fathering his hay on a Sunday, and severely commented on the laws which enacted these things. With regard to Sunday the lecturer contended that th'etnovements *>f .(he earth itself prohibited the observance of. on* holy day put : 6f-Bevehj' and . : pointed to the circumstance that 1 ship's.. sailed on Sunday and consequently; men were obliged to work bH' r thos4 days.; The word " holy" must be applied "to ! deeds. For instance, itjwas a holy day when Australia was first discovered. Sunday lvadjfir stbeen- called a- J 1 )io.ly r dar" by people v^hp iVad .wrong; of ths world and its movementsr^ Slif^dwelt at length on the. rigid observance of a Sabbath' diy \ .% the old Scottish Kirk, and was very severe m her condemnation of the Presbyterian religion. She contended that Sunday -wiiS". not^a-icreation.i^f -,.G,pd,,r r but an institution -="-in . ; answer .to i the ..laws of ; huinanity.".; Tired riatureicriedoult for rest, and Sunday bscaine , m ; answ.er to that demand. She ridiculed theiiargument that if observance of Sabbath were abolished . "the- working man would ..lo.|o his day of resl,*' and pointed to New Year's Day asTa' ebliday^-yet-toot • sacred day— whrch had not been taken if rora : the worti.ng; map; The .working man it was now who ruled the roast, and if he allb wed'h'is hdlidays^to bo taken .from.) ;himrrr-yerdict, serve him right. Sunday was -the; working man's day-^t.lie'cfiirt.e.j^f^lij&^freedom from the'toiL^jE4^ad|i?ip^fcS coniraercn . She agreed jß^t^helt«jsh6.uid^be a day of rest, b9i?^h|^|^;.it^i6puld be compulswy' tpfk'ee^i^i-ii'ißry day. Trains and steamVs •sh^Mi^CJ^ to sllovr to, gpjntb'lhe^jcountry, or short lir'ipii.rinsteaif''^f \%p^airijr|tueTday m■> words^and p/ayflj^to^ago^oTtnoir own crealidn.^ A's-tS^prayirfg^he best way ■Io;"»)ray; vifaß by^team; ongines^ ..ploughs, "and harrows ; tb;pfay by the jforces-of. Nature and , making, them our Baryai).tß.?-ministering 'to 'pur^cSrnforts and wants. Th'e' lecturerWa's frequently ja^p^i^l^d^ jSryf at.p-th.B close^f her Bpeecn invited discusiion.* No one responded; iirid-Misß'l.Canipbell remarked that a gentleman- who had signified bis intention : of Breaking ■fhad^r, evidently been .-cxmviilced : . : |ier 'arguments. Questions being, invitea I ', a gentleman a«ked whether Misa Campbell had not made an error m sayitlg 7fhlit;ou'iS?hiirsday .was observed: by the Turks as Sun- ' day. Miss Cambell replied that she •'obtained her information; froraitjhistory, and : the meeUng , cloßed.-r-sVe]lipgton