Charles Bradlaugh: a Record of His Life and Work, Volume 2 (of 2): With an Account of his Parliamentary Struggle, Politics and Teachings. Seventh EditionRobertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Religion
Charles Bradlaugh: a Record of His Life and Work, Volume 2 (of 2): With an Account of his Parliamentary Struggle, Politics and Teachings. Seventh Edition
Robertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Bradlaugh, Charles, 1833-1891
a requisition, in which clergymen had joined, asking them to put an end
to the debate.
[Footnote 11: _Eastern Post._]
On the fifth night the North London Railway Company, to whom the
Institute belonged, stepped in and closed the hall just as the people
were assembling to go in. As there was no proper legal agreement for
the hire of the hall, there was no redress. There had been no notice
of the closing of the hall, hence Mr Bradlaugh and Mr Grant, the
chairman and the committees, were all in attendance at the Bow and
Bromley Institute, as well as the audience who had paid their money to
hear the debate. It was decided, on taking a vote of those present, to
adjourn to the nearest available place and finish the debate there.
The Clay Hall grounds were suggested, and there is an amusing account
of Mr Bradlaugh proceeding to this place followed by the audience,
who were considerably added to from the general public _en route_.
The proprietor was at first rather alarmed at the advent of such a
besieging party, but a reassurance from Mr Bradlaugh and a payment in
advance soon calmed his fears. Mr Grant, however, for reasons best
known to himself, did not come to Clay Hall, although the Revs. A.
Mursell, W. Schnadhorst, S. Bardsley, and W. Loveridge came, as well
as other friends of Mr Grant. Mr M. D. Conway, who was to have taken
the chair, also followed the party to the Clay Hall grounds, where
he presided at the informal meeting then held. The whole matter was
discussed, and the kindly words on both sides cleared away much of the
ill feeling which had grown up during the debate; and at the conclusion
of the meeting, in replying to the vote of thanks, Mr Conway said:--
"GENTLEMEN,--I must say that I came to-night with a good
deal of pain and apprehension. Though I accepted the invitation to
preside at this discussion, I did so in the interests of truth, and
from my desire to promote anything like honest discussion. When I
read the debate as reported in the _National Reformer_ for the first
time, I thought that Mr Bradlaugh seemed to resemble St Paul--that is,
that he was fighting with beasts; and I came down with a great deal
of apprehension that there might be scenes that were not decorous.
I quite felicitate you and myself that instead of that, and instead
of such recriminations, we happen to be in the presence of gentlemen
on both sides who have indicated so much fairness and so much fine
spirit. I will say for Christians, that if what has been levelled at
Mr Bradlaugh, as it seems to me, has conveyed any impression against
the Christian religion, as perhaps it has to some minds, the extremely
gentlemanly discourse of some of the Christians we have had here
to-night is calculated to recall that."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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