A FREETHOUGHT CHRISTENING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2106, 28 September 1885, Page 2

A FREETHOUGHT CHRISTENING.

What was termed the " rationalistic" naming of a child, took place at the weekly meeting of the Masterton Freethought Society at the Theatre Royal last night. There was a large number of members and friends present, and the President, Mr A. W. Renall, occupied the chair. The stage had been as carefully prepared as if a drawing room scene in a drama were about to be enacted. It was occupied by several adults and two little girla, who were very tastefully drea a ed. The President delivered an address, which, to a certain extent, bore upon the subject, and went into the history of witchoraft and superstition at considerable length, referring particularly to incidents in his younger days. He gave particular emphasis to that portion of his speech in whioh ho explained that the registration of a child was quite sufficient to give it all the civil rightß of the country. Having come to the oereniony," two lads m pink and white, and wearing skin tights, entered from the wings,oarrying a banner bearing the wordß " For humanity, love, and truth." They were followed by the mother of the subject .of the ceremony, who bore the child, which was about two years old, in her armß, and also by its father and maternal grandmother. The child was very prettily dressed, and the mother wore a rich and becoming robe of blue quilted'satin, with a Queen Elizabeth collar, a oloak of pompadour being

thrown over it, The President then proceeded to read a freethought text prepared for the occasion, and on coming to' the part where the name was to be formally bestowed on the child, asked that it should be brought tn him so that he might take it by the hand. Thejittle one toddled forward a few steps, but on seeing a stranger, became imbued with the idea of all children ivhen such a ceremony is pending. We have nothing in history to show whether the children of Jews or Heathens objected to figure so prominently, but it may be supposed that they did, At any rate, children usually protest most vigorously against being baptised. One of Byron's heroes tried his hand at it, and it is reported that

No matter how lie rayed and stormed, The little Turk refused to be reformed.

So on this occasion. The little imp swung back on its mother's hand, and showed that she was already a freethinker on.her own account, The protest against being brought into further prominence was vigorously enforced by a threat to shed tears, and the President thereupon contented himself by stating what was to be the nanio of the child. This-conclu-ded the proceedings. The. dresses worn by the party were the handiwork of the grandmother, and looked exceedingly pretty.

In other respects the meeting of the Society differed little others thathave from taken place. The Vice-Chairman gave an address, and there were a number of vocal and instrumental items that were greatly enjoyed by the audience.