WHO HE WAS.

Freethought Review, Volume I, Issue 11, 1 August 1884, Page 8

WHO HE WAS.

Mr. Reade, in his " Martyrdom of Man," gives the following brief criticism of Jesus : "A young man named Joshua, or Jesus, a carpenter by trade, believdd that the world belonged to the devil, and that God would shortly take it from him, and that he, the Christ or anointed one, would be appointed by Clod to

judge the souls of men, and to reign over them upon the earth. In politics Jesus was a leveller and communist in morals he was a monk. He believed that only the poor and the despised would inherit the kingdom of God. All men who had riches or reputation would follow their dethroned master into everlasting pain. He attacked the church-going Sabbatarian, ever-praying Pharisees ; he declared that piety was worthless if it were praised upon earth. It was his belief that earthly happiness was a gift from Satan, and should therefore be refused. If a man were poor in this world, that was good; he would be rich in the world to come. If he were miserable and despised, he had reason to rejoice; he was out of favour with the ruler of this world, and therefore he would be favored by the new dynasty.”