NELSON FREETHOUGHT ASSOCIATION.

Freethought Review, Volume I, Issue 9, 1 June 1884, Page 6

NELSON FREETHOUGHT ASSOCIATION.

The Secretary of this Association kindly sends us the following particulars : Nelson, 22nd May, 1884. Sir, —Since my last communication we have had readings, addresses, and lectures 'from several of our members on Sunday evenings. Our President has been from Nelson visiting his family at New Plymouth, but during his absence a Mr. Dixon, of Dunedin, happening to be in Nelson, on Sunday evening, he kindly gave us an address, I may say a most interesting and instructive lecture of an hour and a quarter, and the Association regret they had no opportunity to advertise it; also, that his business would not allow his making but a very short stay of a couple of days. In fact, such a one residing among us would be a most valuable acquisition to our Association. We have also had Mr. Charles Bright, who has given two lectures, one, Reply to question, What will you give us in its place?" and one, “ Is the God of the Bible worthy of reverence ?” Mr. C. Bright is so well known to your readers that I need say but little of them further than that his lectures were as usual very good, and were thoroughly appreciated by two large audiences, and, as the , following will show, woke up the orthodox. On the following I Sunday it was publicly announced in the papers that the Rev. Dr. - Taylor, at Christ Church in this city, would preach on the two ! lectures of Mr, Bright, under the title “ The God of the Bible— ; what will you give us in his place." As I did not hear the reverend doctor preach I can say nothing more than hearsay, which was that he made hash of it—not at all surprising considering he did not hear a word of either lecture. It was also publicly announced that the Rev. J. H. Lewis, of the Congregational Church here, would reply to Mr. Bright's second lecture, the reverend gentleman being present throughout the lecture. The members of the Association wished to hear it, and to give all the members an opportunity, the meeting at the Freethought Hall was postponed until 8.30 instead of 7 p.m. Myself and many others attended the Rev. J. H. Lewis’s Church, which was well attended. The Rev. Mr. Lewis’s discourse was much above an hour, and '

I with many others cannot speak too highly of it, his boldness of speech and liberality fairly astonishing his hearers. The manner in which he said from his very heart he fully endorsed many of Mr. Bright's allusions (quoting the same) and the praise he gave him for his mild, temperate, and gentlemanly speaking, I am sure was gratifying to his congregation. He entreated all to search the Scriptures for themselves, and not to take his or any man’s opinion let him be who or what he may, but with their own common sense and reason form their own belief and seek to discover the truths therein contained. As I hear his sermon is to be published, and think in time for your next issue, I will send it, that you may, if space will allow you, make some extracts. In conclusion, I can only say had I heard the sermon from a Frcethought platform I should have considered I had listened to a very beautiful Freethought lecture. The reverend gentleman is going to give a series of lectures at his Church on Sunday evenings, and I feel confident he will have very full congregations. I am thankful to say our Association is progressing satisfactorily. I am, &c., Edward Player, Hon. Secretary Nelson F.A.

[We fail to discover anything in the lecture as reported to warrant the assertion of our correspondent, that it might have been delivered by a Freethinker. It seems a very common-place specimen of Christian apologetics ; the excuses for Jehovah, however, rather tending to bring this member of the Syrian Pantheon into ridicule. Is it in this respect that our correspondent finds a vein of freethought in the lecture ? —Ed. F. R. j