The Trial of Henry Hetherington, on an Indictment for BlasphemyHetherington, H. (Henry)
Religion
The Trial of Henry Hetherington, on an Indictment for Blasphemy
Hetherington, H. (Henry)
Hetherington, H. (Henry), 1792-1849 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Blasphemy) -- England -- London
Gentlemen, the Founder of Christianity, in his parable of the Last
Judgment, tells us distinctly that men are to be judged by their
_actions_ and not by their _opinions_; for he describes himself as
inviting the righteous to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the
foundation of the world: "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I
was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in
prison, and ye came unto me." He then represents the righteous as
saying, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee I or thirsty,
and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or
naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and
came unto thee? And the King shall answer, Inasmuch AS YE HAVE DONE IT
UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, ye have done it unto me." He
then represents himself as denouncing the unrighteous for giving him no
meat, nor drink; for not clothing him when naked, nor visiting him when
sick; and when they desire to know when he required these things, and
they did not minister unto him, he replies, "Inasmuch as ye did it not
to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it not to me." Here,
you perceive, there is no particular belief enjoined, none condemned.
All men are to be judged by their actions--not by their belief.
Gentlemen, I have now urged all that I deem necessary to ensure an
acquittal. I hope you will consider well the consequences of your
verdict, and reflect upon the wickedness and impolicy of tearing a man
from his family, for selling a book in the ordinary course of his
business. If I have said anything in the course of my address to raise a
prejudice in your minds, I hope you will discard it, and do justice by
pronouncing an acquittal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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