Star.
London, England, 1830-12-16 00:00:00

possible degradation, his intellectual and moral faculties. He is, then.
with all his qualities perverted from their natural state, trained to ac-
knowledge that he is depraved by nature, although, by a strange incoh.
sistencv, he is taught at the same time to say that he is the work of an
infinite wise and benevolent being. He is surrounded from his birth
by the most vicious and injurious circumstances, eminently calculated to
render hid' bad and to become the most irrational and miserable animal
u;ton earth ; while, by the simple and natural mode of proceeding wlrch
I have d. scribed, he might easily be rendered the most rational and the
happiest of created beings.
As, therefore, the errors and evils of society arise from man's nature
being entirely misunderstood, on account of which he has been made to
criee the grossest falsehoods, for truths, from his birth, and to have
all his thoughts and his feelings misdirected, the first step to be adopted
by the people of all countries, who desire permanently to improve their
condition, is to aid their Governments to emancipate themselves from
the thraldom of that religion, which has brought man into this wretched
state of physical and mental degradation. Without this being effected,
as a preliminary measure, no Government can possess the power to be-
nefit the population, whose interests are committed to its tare. And,
until it shall be rendered practicable for men to be honest, and to give
utterance to their genuine thoughts and feelings, at the same time that
they lie under no fear of being deemed irreligious, when they do so ex-
press those thoughts and feelings, it will be vain to expect that the
members of any government, can benefit either themselves or the people
over whom they rule.
The reason is obvious: not one really useful institution can be es-
tablished, or one rational law passed, until governments and people
shall stand in a natural relation towards each other. To effect this, the
people, as I have said, must delegate to their governments power to
emancipate them from the greatest of all evils, with which they could be
afflicted, vis.—the influence of artificial religion- With the people
the measure originate, which will alone enable their rulers
to lay the foundation of a good or rational government. Let public
opinion pronounce the verdict, and who will gainsay or resist its ova-
whelrning authority ?
The religion of the world is founded on the supposition that man
has the power, by nature, to think and to feel as he pleases. Now, u
I have before sufficiently demonstrated, no superstructure of religion
raised upon such a basis, can produce aught except folly and misery.
It follow,' that all codes of law., founded on the self-same error. must
partake, in a like degree, of absurdity and gross injustice. And, as all
governments devise their institutions in conformity with the religion
and the laws which that religion directly, oe indirectly, compels the go-
vernment to adopt, the acts and proceedings of all governments must, of
necessity, be a compound of the folly and injustice which the nature of
its fundamental principles thus imposes upon It; there is no escape
from the misery, which so much error in its consequences, cannot fail
to inflict. It will, also, be readily perceived, that the education, or the
forming of the character of eves individual, must be in accordance
with this religion, the code of laws emanating from it, and oldie govern-
ment, the result of both ; and, that any education proceeding from such
a source, can only train the population of any country to be inconsistent
animals, without reason or judgment, on those subjects on which their
permanent well-being anti happiness depend. It is also evident, t 6 t
any education, given either in schools or universities, under these cir-
cumstances, would be more injurious than beneficial; as it would train
the mind to error, and imbue it with the most horrid and absurd pre-
judices. These, the human being is taught to hold sacred, and to con-
sider worthy of being defended with his life. Hence religious contests, ,
wars, and massacres ; and the universal disunion and want of affection
and charity among mankind.
No one who is competent, accurately to true cause and effect, can now
mistake the source of all the professions now practised in the civilised
world ; they are necessary to the support of religion. and to extract the
labour from the industrious without any solid equivalent.
Thus has religion made the world one great theatre of folly and hypo-
crisy, or, perhaps, more correctly speaking, one great lunatic asylum, in
which each individual, to his own deep injury, is endeavouring to de-
ceive his neighbour ; and thus all ate grossly deceived.
The spell is about to be broken; the reign of Satan, or of ignorance
and hypocrisy, is rapidly approaching its termination: truth will now
speedly govern the world; and all governments will be constrained to
remodel their institutions on that base alone, or they will be forcibly
remodelled, by those, whom they will no longer attempt in vain, to
govern. through a system of deception and falsehood.
If any of the governing powers expect to escape this change they
will be deceived. as Charles the Xth has been; to the abstraction
of himself and his family from the government and throne of France.
The most powerful governments are, to-day, paralyzed in all their
measures by, ea they imagine, three days fighting in Paris. They may,
indeed, be paralysed ; for every step they take upon the old notions of the
world, will involve them in more inextricable difficulties. The three
days of contest in Paris, with the old system, was but the spark which
has set the public mind over the world in a fame that cannot be again
quenched, nntil the religions of the world and its utter abominations
shall be utterly consumed, to give place to the religion of nature, and
to make way for the commencement, in practice, of a superior state of
society continually Increasing in real knowledge and in general hap
pine's.
What has become of the armies of the world ? They are vanished ;
and will no more exist, but as conservators of peace. and creators
of valuable weatlh, rot the general benefit; instead of being
horrid murderen of their fellow beings, and the de-
vastators and destroyers of their bard-earned property. No !
the time for man to murder man, in order to gratify the
whim or caprice of some furious bigot, or half-idiot, is passing, and
will soon be passed. Truth, with all its high attributes, union, industry,
wealth, charity, and affection, not for this sect, or for that country, but
for all mankind, will henceforward aloes reign upon earth, directing
men to all that is good, and teaching them to avoid all that is evil.
proWcelets is the government of France now at fault ? Why does it not
In unison with the feelings and knowledge of the people ? Be-
cause those who administer it Insilco° much of the old leaven; because,
with all power at their control, they know not how to lay the founda-
tion for the now order of things, being stupified by old laws and prrce
dents, and prejudices, generated by religion, for its support; not per-
caving that these are, now. mere lumber of no value whatever, and
that, root and branch, they must be consumed by the revolution.
It is not a change of men that is now deserving a moment's coeside-
ration : it is an entire breaking up of the false fundamental notions, on
which alone the world has been hitherto governed. It is a total anal-
hilation of all old errors, and their consequent practice, for true prin-
ciples and a new practice, which only can now satisfy the popu'alon of
France, and of the civilized world.
Let not the governments of Europe and America, blame any one for
the present feelings and conduct of those whom they govern ; for in
the year 1818 they were distinctly apprised of the great causes which
were then in active and extensive progress, to predate the existing re-
sults ; they were then told, that these results were inevitable, and the
reasons were explained, at length, why they were inevitable, unless
remedies to avoid the evils were immediately adopted. These remedies
Were neglected at the proper period ; and measures of fraud and force
were preferred. The present state of Europe proves the error of the
choice these made by the advisers of crowned heads.
Slay what has passed prove valuable experience to all statesmen foe
the future! But, .ny friends, what is the government of this country
to do, in the altered and changing state of men's minds ? Is it to be
left at sea, to be tossed about in the whirlwind of men's prejudices and
petitions ; and, perhaps, stranded, or wrecked, by being forced into a
civil war ? No ! it is the duty end interest of all men to lend their
best aid, to enable the government to extricate itself from the dill-
cultist, by which, on all sides, it is sow surrounded. Fee who will
gain by a civil war, or by the success of any faction. attaining its end
through violence? Not one single individual.
All that is really gold, can be best attained by knowledge, union,
and moral courage. These are the only legitimate weapons of new
I suite of society, about to become universaL And when a sulkiest
number of men shall know what is true, and shall perseveringly plate
that truth in plain language before the public, all met must give way
before them, and no government can resist their infuses. It is sow
tinkly owing to the ignorance of the man, that poverty and misery ex-
ists; and it is solely owing to religion, es U hoe hoes hitherto taught
over the world, that a single hums* being is, at this oroomor, la ig-
norance.

I Le. us, then, enable those who govern these kingdoms. so adopt de-
cisive and ethanol MOMIIICO N educate the rising en ration, in an the
truths which prove themselves AO be such, by ask undevistiag
sisttncy with all known facts; while ester, the mom of evil and as-
otryt will be for ever withdrawn from among the whole population.
Let us, also, aid our rulers In forming masseres N mate general
habits of healthy and beneficial industry in 'hi% nsiventelly, good
dispritiens, or a right direction a the slings of the prides and in
devising a taw arrangement of archoutsaces. all in MOOS with the
laws of oar nature, to supersede the tteletiag %latrines, vitiate, and
unnatural circumstances, which ales* soneund the population of thin.
and 'thee esentries. Let 1111 do tile be meow and in geed faith,'
and not luseently ammo thew irrational plotless and
which the religious instesedon of this mean hie 4m r,z4nre
jingle to vasive ; an& whim they ma be mode N nndesNaad the or-

comity for, and the benefits if this change, they will a lops it ; and 41
rudes will be beneflued.
Nor, let any one fear that this result will not soon be obtained ; for
the advocates of truth, pure, unmingled truth, possess a moral power
which sets all physical fume at naught; a power which, until thi• d qt.
has been unknown to the world, except by anticipation. The deeply
reflecting, through post ages, have had it impressed upon their noir
that the time would, at some future period, arrive, when truth should
obtain the victory over error ; or, when the religion of a distorted in a-
gination, should be made to give place to the religion of nature ;
when rature'a laws should prevail over the unnatural laws, which a false
religion has compelled man to adopt.
This period, my friends, if it has not already arrived, is immediately
at hand ' • and no human power can now arrest its Forests. We are
prepared openly to oppose all error, and to contend againat
parlous prejudice ; and all prejudices are injurious. Further : we are
prepared to render all the benefits in our power. to all our
beings, who have been made the victims of those prejudices and of those
error..

Having now shown the disadvantages of religion, in go. 'mine the
world, it is requisite, according to the terms by which this meting was
called, to consider what are the advantages to bz derived. be governing
the world under the influence of the only religion which has yet been
taught to mankind.
The real object of this religion has been to keep man ignorant of him.
self, and of his nature, that men may be governed in the mass, by toe
few, with the least trouble and hazard to those few. And, as lope as
it has been possible to keep a knowledge of facts from men, or to pre.
vent them from comparing one fact with another, and erecting upon
the consequences which necessarily follow from those comparisons. re-
ligion. as it has been hitherto taught, did aid and assist the gneerniti;:
few, to keep the many in as much order as the ignorance of the mull
would admit. Their imaginary hopes and fears, from the promised re-
wards and threatened punishments, through all eternity, bowed the
neck of the multitude to the yoke of the directing few ; however galli•tg
that yoke was made, by the priests of the respective sects or parties into
which those professing a belief in religion, are divided.
This is the sole good, If good it may be termed, that religion, as it
Las been taught, has effected for mankind ; in exchange for all the
crimes which it has eugesdered, and for the endless miseries with whicit,
since its invention, it has *flitted the human tau. And this lured
has continued during all the ages of which we hare received any ac-
count, however imperfect, of the proceedings of our ignorant and abused
ancestors. Its evils have been, and are, beyond the power of number.
to estimate; its benefits will be more than expressed by the lowest
terms that an be applied to them.
Let us, then, act like men who have detected, not sonic common er.
roes, in common society; but who have discovered the fundamental
errors of human laws and institutions, the very cause of all the evils of
human life. Let us act upon the knowledge of these new and superior
circumstances, as men attaining succhoesht aprivileges, are called upon to
act. Let every minor feeling andconsideration give way to those nettle
and enlarged sentiments, while our conduct is that, which belongs alone,
to the advocates of truth and of real knowledge.
Let us, then, place truth and knowledge in the most conspicuous war.
ner before the world. Let us address his Majesty, and petition hot ti
Houses of Parliament to take these high and important subjects into
their immediate consideration ; that a new order of society may he,
without delay, established throughout the whole of the British dominions.
lot us, then, now address his Majesty, and petition the new Parlia-
ment to take into consideration the advantages and disadvantages of re.
ligion, as it has been hitherto taught, in forming the character of man,
and in governing the world. And that, if, upon such investigation. it
shall appear palpable to all who can reflect, that the disadvantages tx.
ceed, beyond all estimate, the advantages, that the religion of truth and
nature be immediately substituted for this false and unnatural
religion, which has heretofore destroyed the rational faculties 01111411.
and thehappiness of the human race.
I, therefore, move, that this meeting address his Majesty, and peti.
don both Houses of Parliament, to take into consideration the advan-
tages and disadvantages of religion, as it has been taught, in forming the
character of man, and in governing the world ; and that, if the disad.
vantages shall be found to exceed the advantages, that the religien of
truth and nature shall be immediately introduced throughout the tiri.
Rah dominion. in order to supersede the present unnatural relipton nY
the world. And, also, that the teachers of the present unnatural telt.
(ion shall receive double the encouragement, to instruct the people in
the natural and true religion, that they have, heretofore, enjoyed. tor
opposing its
VT/
ADDRESS TO HIS MAJESTY.
Sutzo—We are deeply impressed with the conviction, that your Ma.
jesty has a sincere desire to aid your subjects, throughout the whole of
the British dominions, in improving their condition.
We believe, that it is not possible, by any d..vice of man, to improea
the condition of this population, more effectually, than by changieg the
unnatural in which they have unfortunately been educated,
from Infancy, or religion,
religion of truth and of nature, which may now,
for the first time in the history of mankind, be taught to them, without
danger, or more evil, than a very temporary ineonven'ence.
We, theiefore, entreat your Majesty. to afford all the aid and assist.
*nee of your high station, to induce your Ilinist r-, to take into their
immediate consideration, the advantages and disadvantages of religion,
as it has been hitherto taught, in forming thk character of man, and in
governing the world. And, by thus attending to our wishes, you will
acquire higher, and more lasting glory, than all the Monarchs who have
preceded you, in the past history of the world.
THE PETITION TO BOTH HOUSES (IF PARLIAMENT
HUMBLY SRZWETH :
That your petitioners desire that the'ainelioration in the condition f
the people of this country,now rendered so necessary, as to be no longer,
with safety to the S:ate, withheld from them, should be effected through
the wisdom of the new parliament, now assembhd; aided by the cordial
assis•ance of his Majesty.
That your petitioners are convinced, (rein all i a t ex:trience. tiaot to
effectual permanent initnovenient can be mad • in he contittitta of toe
people of this country, so long as they shall be fereed 'o c...ve, from
childhood, the unnatural doctrines of the religion of the world, which.
heretofore, all children have been compelled to receive; to tile almost
entire destruction of their rational faculties tied moral feelinge.
That your petitioners being most deeply impressed with the para-
mount importance of this subject, over every other that can come befme
the Imperial Parliament, pray ye ur Honourable, (or Right Honour.
able,) House, to take into your immediate consideration, the subject of
religion, as it has been hitherto taught in these realnis, and to man-
kind ; and that you will devise 'newtons: to relieve the population
of Great Britain and Ireland, and the British dominions sbroad, r,'ut
the incalculable evils which that religion has accumu'ated upon the u,
through so many past ages of misery.
And your petitioners shall ever pray,
I have now to propose measures of deep interest to the pumice.—lt
does not appear to me to be practicable fur the legislature o thou
try, to dfect such a reform, under the present state of public quoits:, .31
will admit of any other representation in the House of l'ommons than
of wealth and of long established errors, on subjects the most vitatig
important to the well-doing, and well-being, of the people and of toe
permanent prosperity of the state.
It is perhaps not desirable that a univenial representation of the people
take place, until they shall be better educated and more correctly
informed; but it is most desirable, that measurs should be instnediaaly
adopted to better educate—and more correctly inform the great niass of
the people—urn those subjects on whish permanent prosperity
happiness del sod.
l'o effect these objects in a manner constitutional and beneficial tit all
classes, I propose that public meetings shall be recasionally held le di 1
metrop ales; meetings that shall cover their expenses, and yet be °pm
to the public; meetings at which the interests of the producing classes
shall be calmly and temperately investigated; meetings that atoll ad
I the authorities of the country to effect. without producing evil to any
class. such changes as the Fogless of knowledge render necessary
meetings in which the most valuable truths hidden, during past ages,
from the public mind shall be brought to light, not factiously, but to
inform all, for the permanent benefit of all ; meetings, in short, bt re-
move the cease of the irritations sad anger which now divide mankind,
and prevent the creation of that charity for the unavoidable convictions
and feelings of their fellows, which can alone establish among the pope.
'scion of the world, the peace and good will which Christians have been
taught to expect w ll some day rereads all nations
To accomplish these most important objects, it bas occurred to me
that the beet mode will be to bolds public meeting every Wednesday at
nom, in this room. That it shall be divided into sections. Is Bs x, and
4 ; that shoes admitted to stage No. 1, pay k 6d. to division No. 2,
Is. to Nee 3,6 d. that the fourth be free; sad that every shilling so
received shall be applied, by a committee appointed for that purpose,
to pay the rent, pring, and advertisements; sad that no Individual
connected with these preetediogs, receive from this fund any strailarnert
whatever.

It appurs to me, that malls meetings of thin character oat the beet
mode of enlightesing the public, peaceably sad eadefacterily to all par-
ties, spat those subjects is which ail now require to be well lammed.
I say well informed, becalm., heretofore, there has lees no real know.
ledge given to the public apes these subjects, as the right wadetrand.
lag of which, the mamas weraoleg of the people, awl the yeeeperity
of nations depend. Hitherto the moat valuable truths relative to the Li.
tionsi government of society bare bees most casefsUy hidden frost the
people of all countries; while this knowledge will peeve to be the only
real protection and safeguard, of those who sow govern the nAlifliS vt
Rampss—Allt yes I say all: producers and sestrodows, rich gad
poor, governors and governed, will one their relief to eziging dill.
eulties and their im improvement and safety to the rapid *pit ad
of this invalu t:owittige. WeU de 1 know—mosluil d
Owes—that all men of the *ld system of the weld wool 4 he, for •
short season amid, because of my poblle proatiliogo. Nottoinit be
*muse of their ilmilago. their same will sot Abed cue ; hot the Lillie
cosset be ier 04 when they will dlisome, that ee fu from boas of.
Mailed as my peeomeseme, is No hozai sdsses4.g system • gown leg
moil* et shermme eleeseshet • boot any that hoe 7;4
tabu* dim I shell, mower se in receive their hale. sal
moommiellow. >r imisocies Is whams& any.wm, ay plum mime.
mimosa William be belt! to remove wee, Midst* and
totasileti ham the pales mid le etlebilst b7lll sad the methleadeteat
ipeestiee ist who auswisoor with it.

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