Prisoner for BlasphemyFoote, G. W. (George William)
Religion
Prisoner for Blasphemy
Foote, G. W. (George William)
Blasphemy; Trials (Blasphemy) -- Great Britain
Mr. Duffeld mounted the pulpit to read his sermon. His text was Matthew
vii., 21: "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is
in heaven." This text caused me a pleasant surprise. I had heard of Mr.
Duffeld as a member of, or a sympathiser with, the Guild of St. Matthew;
and I fancied that he meant to condemn our prosecution, not directly, so
as to offend his employers, but indirectly, so as to justify himself and
satisfy us. I was, however, greviously mistaken. Mr. Duffeld's sermon
was directed against the large order of "professing Christians," who
manage a pretty easy compromise between God and Mammon, between
Jesus Christ and the world and the flesh, if not the Devil. It had no
reference to us, and it was entirely inappropriate to the rest of the
congregation, who, I must say, from the casual glimpses I caught of
them, were glancing about aimless as monkeys, or staring listless like
melancholy monomaniacs.
When the benediction was pronounced, Mr. Duffeld marched swiftly away;
the tall Governor strode after him, and the prisoners filed in silence
through the doorway back to their cells. What a commentary it was on
"Our Father!" It was a ghastly mockery, a blasphemous farce, a satire on
Christianity infinitely more sardonic and mordant than anything I ever
wrote or published. Soon after returning to my cell I was glad of the
substantial dinner and drowsy ale to deaden the bitter edge of my scorn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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