"IVO" AND DR GILBERT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2405, 21 September 1886, Page 2

"IVO" AND DR GILBERT.

" Ivo" having challenged Dr Gilbert to a diucussiuii, the doctor replied as lows: —Sin, —On my arrival from raka lust night the foregoing lotter from "Ivo" was handed me. As there has been a good deal of interest felt on the part of a portion at least of the Giaborne people in a prospective dobate .between Mr "lvo" and myself I think it but just to him and the public to publish his letter, so that his friends may kiwaftat ho is game at least. As lam a locture in Pariiell's Hall thiß .evening, and as" Ivo" mußfc leave to-iimi'iow, of course it will bo impossible for uif to meet in debato here, but I think I have hit upon a plan by whicli we may have, a debate, say at Wellington or any other town in New Zealand—provided of course that wo can agree 011 certain preliminaries. " Ivo's" suggestion that I ahoukPbc' 1 put forward" as the champion of some denomination, churoli or minister, ib, I think, a, (/uod ono—it i 8 only fair—for of course " lvo," like lugoraull, does not want to " waste any time killing flees,"- lie wants to "kill the whole dogatonco."- That is quite right, and what is " sauce for the guilder" ought to be "sauce for-the gooso." 1 presume "Ivo" will 'pot. object to being "put forward" champion of Secularism. Nowmpug. gestion is tlua—Sir Hubert Stout is the recognised leader of the Secularists iu New Zealand. " Ivo" shall be " put forward" by Sir Robert Stout as his champion, and us Sir Robert is a kuight and lias been honored by the Qiieen, in order to make the thing topical, I will undertake to be "put forward," by at lcaattfmo of the recognised ministers,, of Wfd standing, of each of the Christian churcnes as their champion. Now is not. that fair ? Well, Sir Robert calling to hig assistance as many leading Secularists as I have ministers to represent, shall with them and the ministers, agree on the terms of discussion, viz., they shall agree as to what Secularism is and what Christianity is, and we shall discuss which is the best for the world—Secularism or Christianity. Wo will charge admission to tho discussion, the proceeds to go to publishing the discussion, Sir Robert to take half and the ministers I represent half,-and these to be sold for the benefit of the Secular Societies and the churches respectively. "Ivo" and I to sign a written agreement' .before we begin to fight fair, and not call each othor" liars," nor throw mud. Now if J seems to me this ought to be fair—as fan for one as the other. lam not at present the recognised champion of tho church, nor of any church. " lvo" is not tho recognised champion of Secularism, unless his having edited a Secularist paper which is defunct is evidence, K would suppose if " Ivo" had been "put forward" as the champion of Secularists they would have supported his paper. So we will now say that "Ivo" and I stand on the same footing —we must both be ''put forward." As lvo does not see anything to discuss in my pamphlet I presume he is ready to admit, as I claim, that "Freethought" is properly charaoterisod as "Atheism and loonoclaam," that Frcethinking is right thinking," that life is iwt simply a "mechanical problem" as the Materialists claim, and that" Evolution," does not account for all the phonomena of the universe:—so thore is nothing for ub to discuss in these propositions—it just remains, if we discuss at all, for us to discuss the relative claims of the theories we respectively advocate. " Ivo" does not want to throw mud at me, nor the Chrißtir.ll Religion, he is too muoli a gontleman for that—so let us arrango for a discussion on thai above plan. If "Ivo" has any reply tH mako 1 beg to suggest that 110 addresses it to my friend and brother Rev, A. H. Wallace, Gisborne, who will arrango all preliminaries with him. If this does not meet 11 Ivo's" views lam afraid we shall' not have any discussion. 1 shall be very sorry to part ivitli hira for really tho chastness of his diction, and the friendly way In which he mistook my language in a former letter and called me a "IiAJ. 1 has quito attached me to him. Hows»> the best of friends must part. And now begging your pardon for trespassing so far on your valuablo space, —I am, &c„ Dr. Gilbert,"—From tho Napier Telegraph