"THE RIGHT AND DUTY OF FREETHOUGHT." BY G. J. HOLYOAKE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1590, 12 September 1882, Page 2

"THE RIGHT AND DUTY OF FREETHOUGHT ." BY G. J. HOLYOAKE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir. — The teaching of Mr Holyoake and other apostles of what is mis-called (l •Preethought," instead of Shallow, thought," is that man has a right to think freely, which must mean that he has a right to think as he pleases. If he has a right to think as he pleases then he has a right to act as he pleases, for thought is the basis of action. If there is no law to which thought is to be in subjection then there ought to be no law to which action, the offspring of thought, is to be in subjection ; and every man is at liberty, and, according to Mr Holyoake, it is every man's duty to think and act freely, or, in plain words, to think and do as he pleases without regard to either moral or civil laws. Mr Holyoake's arguments are specious fallacies, garnished with a host of irrelevant illustrations from Nature. If Nature, as Mr Holyoake says, displays freedom and variety, it as unmistakably proclaims the supreme dominion of law and order. Man has to be trained to think correctly with reference to an eternal moral law, and has to bear the penalty of wrong thinking as he has to bear the penalty of wrong doing. Those whose special duty it is to give this training to thought in moral subjects, are the ministers of religion, and they no more necessarily trammel or fetter thought in the execution of their office, than does a professor of logic, metaphysics or mathematics, in training the mind to think correctly with reference to those subjects. The moral law exists and will exist in spite of the Apostles of Freethought, and the training of the mind to think in unison with that law is quite as legitimate a process in training as in any other department of mental culture. Man, think or do as he will, is under law. Wrong thinking begets wrong acting, and wrong acting brings it penalty. I am, &c. A Freethinker, but not of the Holyoake School. Pukerimu, Bth Sept. 1882.

Tenders are required by the Newcastle Highway Board for the lease of the Run for the current > ear. The heavy draught entire, Young Wellington, is announced to travel the district this season. Mr J. S. Buckland will sell at the Cambridge Yards, on Tuesday next 19th inst., fat, store and dairy cattle, fat sheep, &c. The thoroughbred entire Tattler, and the heavy draught stallion Duke of Buccleugh, will serve this season at the Tamahere estate. Attention is drawn to a very important announcement which Messrs T. and S. Morrin and Co. have inserted in our advertising columns. Mr Arthur jßach announces that he has taken over the' Royal Hotel, Hamilton. None but the best brands of ales, wines, and spirits will be kept, and, first-class stabling and paddocking will be proyided. - Y . . The right place to furnish your houae from is. where you can see a great variety of styles, and at prices to suit you. Ladies and gentlemen, just .starting housekeeping should procure one of Gaf lick ..and J Cranwell's book catalogues, it contains a»lot of,, information, en- - abling them to form a pretty correct estimate of "the 'cost of furnishing and suggesting ( the articles necessary for^each-'room.-. At th© City Hal t>ou canVee'tKe variety -of iron bedstead! In Auckland. • Bedding kept ready for 'delivery,- as also' all kinds of bedroom furm-f ttturo/ drawing and jljnlnf -room suites,; carpets; flo'or^clofts/ anlVßiche^%ui«rtes; J »Houses f^rnished{tfapugho%at'afihor>VnbHceranajcasH