New-York tribune., 1901-01-16


best history of free thought in the language. In
accuracy Of statement, in wealth of quotation
and reference in conprehensfveness of view and
clearness of style ii leaves little to be desired;
while its conciseness makes 1t easily accessible to
the busiest reader. The words free thinking
and free thought first came into use at the end
of the seventeenth century. Previously the
terms deists naturalists and libertines had been
employed TO describe those who rejected Christi
anity the third of these words being fastened
on them as a term Of reproach. Before deism
appeared all forms of dissent from the dogmas
of the Church were referred TO ''infdelity
and atheism" and throughout the history Of
the Church it was usual to identify every kind
Of heresy with infidelity. The first recorded in
stance of the of the term 'freethinker' Is
found in letter of Moyneux to Locke. dated
April g. 1867, in which Toland is spoken OF as a
candid freethinker." Later, in 170S, Swift
speaks of 'the atheists, libertines despisers OF
religion. that is 70 say, all those VINO usually
pass under the name of freeth;nkers" The
odium thus attached to the WORD did not, now
ever, prevent its adoption ey those whom II de-
scribed and to-day free thought may be taken
simply to mean the reaction against some phase
or phases Of conventional religion, not necessar-
lily offensive discreditable.
But il the word is modern he thing itself is as
old as religion. The rational critical spirit has
Igious creeds and traditions, not as the theolos-
ians often assume, from an antagonsm of feeling
which wishes revelation untrue hut from desire
in itself wholly praiseworthy, 10 apply to such
assumptions and traditions the test of truth. 1t
is fallacious 10 say that free thought leads TO
and rests on negation. In point Of fact, the be-
lever is driven TO negation quite as inevitably
as the freethinker; that is to say, many OF his
intellectual processes consist of disbeliefs in GER
saTn relating religion. The free-
thinker may reject the old belief, not for a
negation, but fer something which he can be-
Heve in a more positive and vital way And'he
may Go this after process OF reasoning. so that
he has an Intellectual if not a theological. war
rant for his belief As the orthodox Christian
is a believer 10 a certain set of propositions,
so it may lie said that the freethnker is be-
liever as TO certain other propositions. The at
titude of pure scepticism is rare, and the earn
est and honest freethinker never sets out to
destroy a dogma without at the same time try
ing to establish some constructive belief in Its
place We are not concerned here with the
question whether his belief is better or truer
than that which he assails. But ne thinks that
it is. and he should not therefore be accused or
wantonly destroying cherished beliefs because
he hates them, or prefers the coldness and dark
ness of negation.
It is equally unjust to accuse freethinkers OF
assailing religious dogmas because they find
such dogmas troublesome moral restraint. In
the first place, they are too honest to take such
a course and in the second place, it is deplor-
able fact that men can easily follow their i'm
moral tendencies within the bosom of the
Church Why, therefore, should they take the
trouble to become freethinkers in order to break
the moral law and thus advertise TO the world
their evil lives? Doubtless unbelief has fire.
ouentIy been associated with moral license, but
for that matter so has belief. In each case the
association has been purely accidental and su-
perficial, and argument can be founded on it,
Says Mr.. Robertson:
The Christian Gospels. broadly considered,
stand for a certain measure OF free thinking re-
action against the Jewish religion and are ac-
cordingly to be reckoned within the present in
quiry, albeit their practical outcome was only
addition to the worlds supernaturalism and
traditional dogma.
From the point OF view Of Judaism the pro-
tests Of Jesus against ceremonialism the favor
ing of the outcast and the poor. the extension
of future life non-Israelites and the Limitation
of prayer to a simple expression Of religious
feeling were rationalistic assaults the faith.
and had the word been invented then, the
Pharisees would certainly have called Jesus
freethinker. In effect, they did fasten on Him
the opprobrious name Of libertine. when they ac
cused Him Of being glutton and a wine bibber.
because He disregarded some of their laws Of
diet and ceremonial purity Nevertheless, the
Church soon came TO reprobate free thought, al
though It was never able wholly to suppress 1t.
For the most part the free thought Of the early
heretical sects was mingled with credulous and
superstitious ideas. and in some cases with gross
immortality Within the Church, Arius. in the
fourth century and Pelagius and Celestius, in
the fifth, attempted TO test the Christian creed
by the reason. but the fact is to be noted that
even the men who recognized the rights OF the
reason did not hesitate when in power to perse-
cute those who arrived at a different conclusion
by the use of the reason.
Mr. Robertson names among the early free
thinkers of America Washington, Franklin,
Thomas Paine and jefferson Many educated
men, indeed, deists, and historians
have held that DR.. James Madison, the first
Protestant Episcopal Bishop Of Virginia did
not believe in the divinity Of Christ. But deism
generally held esoteric opinion those
who professed it despsing the orthodox
ngionists too much to think it worth while to
argue with them. Nor were they disposed to
endure the social and business ostracism that
would surely have resulted from an open avowal
OF their disbelief
1t was during the nineteenth century that
free thought finally conquered a place of social
and political liberation for itself. and found a
Judgement even in the Church: for the great
Biblical critics in the Church who attack the
doctrines of Biblical infallibility and inerrancy
rationalists far they go. In England
George Jacob Holyoke evolved the propaganda
Of secularisnl, receiving much of his inspiration
from his teacher, Robert Owen. Charles Brad
laugh, though not a scholar, gave free thinking
a great impetus among the workingmen of Eng
land. In a measure the same was true of the late
Robert @. Ingersoll in this country But IL cannot