OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

Freethought Review, Volume I, Issue 2, 1 November 1883, Page 13

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

The Review is well got up and cleverly written. —N.Z. Times. An exceedingly well written periodical, devoted to the literature of Freethought, now hails from Wanganui. It is called “ The Freethought Review,” and is published by Mr. A. D. Willis, of \ ictona Avenue.Taranaki News. .. . Men are naturally superstitious, if our friends will have it —they seek an object to worship— is a human instinct distinguishing our race from the lower creation, which neither makes to itself a god nor sets up an idol ; and freethought fails to satisfy their instinct : it makes no revelations, rears no altar, indites no psalm.”—Wairarapa Standard. We cannot say that we welcome our newly-fledged contemporary into the ranks of literature, for we regard its aims as being distinctly pernicious to the welfare of society. The whole object of its articles seems to us to sap the faith of men in the Bible, and by this means to destroy Christianity, for take away men’s belief in the Bible as an inspired work, and the very foundations of religion must immediately collapse. The writers pretend to be actuated by philanthropy, but instead of being the friends of mankind they are its deadly enemies.Rangitikei Advocate. The Freethought journal, the Echo, hitherto the only one published in the colony, has now a contemporary in its own —The Freethought Review, published at Wanganui, of which we have received the first number. It is a well got up foolscap folio of 16 pages. The tone of the opening article is moderate, and the conductors claim that the existence of their journal is due to a growing want on the part of the non-sectarian class of an organ in which they may ventilate their opinions with the freedom denied by ordinary journals.—Southland Times. The first issue of the Freethought Review, a monthly newspaper published by Mr. A. D. Willis, of Wanganui, has reached us. Asa specimen of typography, it is certainly very creditable ; but we are inclined to doubt whether there are enough people on the Coast belonging to what is at present regarded as the “advanced school” to support such a large publication, consisting as it does, of sixteen pages, similar in size to the New Zealand Tablet— journal of very opposite opinions. As might have been expected from its title, Biblical subjects are freely criticised in the pages of the Review. Amongst the local contributions we notice one from Dr Curl on the “Antiquity of the Races of Men.”Egmont Courier. The Freethought Review is the latest addition to the press of New Zealand. It is a neatly printed paper of sixteen foolscap pages, and issued from the office of Mr. A. D. Willis, Wanganui. According to the introductory article, the aim of the paper is the happiness of mankind in this life, and, therefore, whatsoever may tend to hinder advancement towards this ideal it will be the duty of the editor to assail. The paper is started for the purpose of diffusing Freethought principles, and will therefore from time to time “illustrate the positive side of the system, as illuminated by knowledge and science.” The articles are well written, and show considerable erudition. Mr. John Gilmour is the New Plymouth agent.—Taranaki Herald. This is the first number of a new monthly of sixteen pages, and we are agreeably surprised at its contents. We do not think we are stating anything more than the simple truth, when we say that there has not yet appeared in all Australasia an abler Freethought paper. The notes are vigorously written, the articles are broad and able, and the extracts given are such as must interest all who are engaged in the struggle for freedom. There are three short reviews of books, science notes, notes and queries, besides local news of the doings of Freethought societies. We hope that having such a magazine Freethinkers will be ready to aid it, and to make it a financial success. Its literary ability is undoubted ; what is wanted is a big circulation,—Dunedin Echo. And still they come! The small army of newspapers and periodicals already existing in the enlightened Colony of New Zealand has received another recruit within its ranks. We allude to The Freethought Review, the first number of which has reached us. This new journal appears in Wanganui and will be issued monthly. Its title reveals its aims and objects, and a perusal of the pages before us leaves no doubt upon our mind, that our new contemporary will make his mark among the adherents to the cause which he advocates. We may add that the paper is carefully and neatly printed, and that its literary contents are well worth perusing, no matter what creed the reader may belong to.— Inangahua Herald, Reef ton.

The first number of "The Freethought Review," a sixteen-page publication issued by Mr A. D. Willis is now before us. Into the controversial element, which forms the mainstay of the literary department, we do not intend to enter, but the original contributions are marked by a fairness and moderation of tone to which the public arc quite unaccustomed in the productions of modern Freethinkers. It is positively refreshing to take up a Freethought newspaper in which the reign of pure reason is not ushered in by flippant jocularity or course ribaldry. There is nothing of either in Mr Willis's Review, and there is, on the contrary, a good deal of information which cannot but be useful, however we may detest the conclusions erroneously drawn from it. The various departments of the journal are well compiled, and it is printed and got up in a style in which it has few rivals in the Australasian colonies. Mr Willis lias, at any rate, done his part of the work very well.Wanganui Chronicle.