Ο Mustrative Notices. AMONG the notices of motion for the next Session of Parliament we find the following by Mr. W. J. Fox:-1. Select Committee to inquire into and report upon the existing relations between the Church of England and the State, with a view to their revision. 2. That the House resolve itself into a Committee on the state of education in England and Wales, and the means of rendering it efficient and National. By Mr. Heywood:-Address to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to issue Her Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, with a view to the extension and improvement of National Education. [This notice was placed on the books early last Session, but it never stood a chance of coming before the House-except, we believe, once, and then, as usual, it was thought better to postpone it than to interfere with public business-i. e., Whig measures.] Mr. Campbell's Citizen of the World was discontinued a short time ago, Mr. Thomas Cooper has ceased to be editor of the Plain Speaker, but is to appear occasionally in its columns. On September 2nd a public meeting was held on Watford Field, Watford. Mr. A. Campbell presided. The meeting was addressed by Messrs. G. J. Holyoake, W. Cooper, T. Shorter, Adkins, and Dixon, of the Chartist Executive. About 1500 persons were on the field. Not only has the Spectator protested against the proposed Fast Day to avert the Cholera as unphilosophical, but the Nonconformist has, in an article of considerable ability, taken the same view, arguing that prayer may change us but cannot alter Nature, or change the God of Nature. The Morning Chronicle of Saturday expressed its satisfaction that the Coventry candle clergyman had been compelled to resign his place, and treated with derision his attempted defence of his conduct which he has offered to the Secretary of State. Mr. Owen's new work, which is got up with great taste and written with unusual vigour, has been forwarded to us, but we have not yet been able to review it. F. Douglas, the coloured slave that was, relates that when twelve years old he had experienced religion, and was therefore afraid to steal, but he was often very hungry; his unjust master feeding well his friends in the parlour, while those in the kitchen were half starved. On the plantation was a slave named Sandy Figgins, to whom he applied for advice in his hunger. Well,' said Sandy, 'you must take something to eat (they calling it taking, and not stealing, among the southern slaves); you mustn't be hungry-aye, I could steal a pig-blessed be God-and shout hallelujah!' 'How do you justify that, Sandy?' asked he. 'Well,' answered he, see that pig? Yes.' 'Well, that pig is master's property.' 'Yes.' 'Well, you master's property too.' 'Yes.' Well, then, suppose you put some of that master's property into this-it would only, in the language of General Jackson, be a question of removal !' And ever after he had plenty of pig. A newspaper paragraph says that in Canton there are 123 temples dedicated to the three heathen deities, Tacu, Buddh, and Ju-kea-sic, or Confucius--with 2000 priests, 1000 nuns, and an annual revenue exceeding £108,000. Two thousand six hundred pounds and upwards were lately received on four subscription days by the Freehold Land Society of Newhall Street, Birmingham. Nineteen thousand pounds' worth of land-freehold land, by this one society has already been purchased for its members; and almost sixty acres will, in a few weeks, be in possession of working men, conferring county votes upon each. Who despairs of winning counties' now? Between eight hundred and nine hundred allotments will, in the course of the next two months, have been effected by this institution. The estate at Bloomsbury, belonging to this society, is now completed, and the commissioners have approved of the streets, and declared the public highways.' G. J. H. THE WEEK'S LECTURES. LITERARY & SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION, John Street, Fitzroy Square.-Sept. 7, [8] Mr. Bronterre O'Brien, Progress of Democracy at Home and Abroad.' Sept. 9, (7) Thomas Cooper, 'The Administration of Pitt, and its Influence on our own Times.' ECLECTIC INSTITUTE, 72, Newman Street, Oxford Street.-September 9, (8) J. B. O'Brien, B.A., "The Application of Scriptural Truths to the Prac tical Business of Life.' SOUTH LONDON HALL, Webber Street, Blackfriars Road.-Sept. 9, (8) a Lecture. HALL OF SCIENCE, City Road.-Sept. 9, (74) Mr. G. J. Holyoake,' Hired Orators: who are they?' Institution, Carlisle Street, Edgeware Road.— Sept. 10, (8) Dr. G. Sexton, On the Philosophy of WESTERN LIFE ASSURANCE & ANNUITY Ghosts, Apparitions, &c.' SOUTH PLACE, Moorfields.-1st and 3rd Sundays of every month, W. J. Fox, M.P. will lecture; other Sundays, Mr. Travers. BISHOP OF LINCOLN ON COMMUNISM. The Bishop of Lincoln, at his late Triennial Visitation, delivered himself of an admission which will be valued by the religious advocates of Communism. He said-we quote the Lincoln Mercury, No. 8046- It seemed to be imagined that a community of goods like that which existed for a short time in the countries of Jerusalein would extinguish men's passions, and the various evils they produced in society. A community of goods there was in the early days of the Apostles; but it was the consequence of the subjugation of the evil passions, and not the cause: it was voluntary, and did not exist long, and it never existed in any other of the Christian churches. A voluntary system of Communism could not long continue, and a compulsory system would lead to frightful consequences. These dangerous theories arose from mistakenly looking up to the Legislature for remedies for every evil, which would be cured only by the exertions of the People. The Apostles meddled not with the distinctions of rank or fortune: they laboured at their divine mission till the people gradually became leavened with the spirit of the gospel; and it was by this that the Church achieved the abolition of domestic slavery.' INFIDELITY IN OXFORD. It is said that in Oxford-where one cannot pass the streets without being constantly reminded of the presence of the learned and religious, so far as those ideas are connected with academical gowns, caps, tassels, and bands-infidelity prevails to a great extent; that many young men throw off the yoke of all religion, pride themselves in freedom of thought, and yet, when pressed on the subject, avow themselves Churchmen-while it appears they care as little for the prayer-book as they do for the Koran. See pp. 25-6 of the Oxford Citizen, a record of progress, justice, and humanity;' a monthly publication in 4to, price 2d., of which only four numbers-namely, for January, February, March, and April, 1848-were published, by H. Aldon, 42, High Street, Oxford. From what cause discontinued, I know not. A VOLNEYAN THEIST. 'PUBLIC SPEAKING AND DEBATE.' We hardly know why Mr. Holyoake should call his work 'Rudiments;' though a small it is a very full book, and certainly presents more than rudiments in its argument, explanation, and fitness of illustrative citations. Nothing relating to the SOCIETY, 3, Parliament Street, London. BANKERS: Messrs. Cocks, Biddulph, and Co., Charing Cross. VALUABLE NEW PRINCIPLE.-Payment of Premiums may be occasionally omitted without forfeiting the Policy, on a new and valuable plan, adopted by this society only, as fully detailed in the Prospectus. Every information, free of expense, can be obtained at the office, from A. SCRATCHLEY, Actuary and Secretary. Now ready, Price 6s., 8vo. (Copyright), A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON BENEFIT BUILDING SOCIETIES, with Rules and Tables, ntended for the use of Officers and Members. By A. SCRATCHLEY, M.A., Actuary to the Western Life Assurance Society, 3, Parliament Street, Westminster. RECEIVED.-Hugo. (Thanks for enclosures.)-N. S.- Dublin Commercial Journal. - Spectator, No. 1104.-Irishman, No. 34.-W. C., Bristol. (One was not able to do more at the time.)Playground Duty,' by Kappa.-' England and America Compared.'-Important letter on the Will of Mr. Hetherington.-Democratic Review, for September.-Cheltenham Examiner.-Operatives' Free Press, No. 1.- The Moral Lunacy of our Class Legislators Demonstrated,' by Arthur Trevelyan.-Common Sense,' by Richard Snelling. Willis Knowles.-R. Rider. (His most serviceable and generous letter shall receive our best attention.) London:-Printed by A. Holyoake, 54, Exmouth Street, Clerkenwell, and Published by J. Watson, 3, Queen's Head Passage, Paternoster Row. Wednesday, September 5, 1849. THE REASONER No. 11.-NEW SERIES.] EDITED BY G. J. HOLYOAKE. [PRICE 2d. THE LAST HOURS OF HETHERINGTON, & NARRATIVE OF HIS BURIAL. 'We, the Directors of the Poor of the parish of St. Pancras, at present assembled, sincerely deplore the loss of our much-respected friend, Mr. Henry Hetherington; and cannot allow the earliest opportunity to pass without offering this poor tribute to his worth, talent, energy, urbanity, and zeal. In him the poor, and more especially the infant, have lost a powerful advocate, the Directors a valuable coadjutor, the ratepayers an economical distributor of their funds, and mankind a sincere philanthropist.' -Passed, unanimously, at a meeting of the Board of Directors, on Friday, Aug. 24th, 1849. A COMMITTEE of the Directors of the Literary and Scientific Institution, John Street, Fitzroy Square, have issued a Memorial of their late esteemed colleague, for the benefit of his survivors. They entrusted its compilation to me. The various matter is extracted from the Reasoner, where Hetherington was gratified to think that all relating to him would appear. The chief abridgment for which I have to apologise is that of Mr. Cooper's Eloge, which could not be retained entire without greatly exceeding the limits prescribed for the Memento. Its condensation has been a task of difficulty and delicacy. But I have, I believe, preserved its spirit entire; and if it has lost anything in effect, Mr. Cooper's reputation can bear it; and I trust-the cause being considered-his generosity will forgive it. I now complete the narrative of Hetherington's last hours, as promised last week. EARLY on Tuesday morning, August 21, I was apprised that Hetherington was ill. Knowing his anti-medicinal views I took medicine with me, and gave him some instantly. I found that he had been suffering a fortnight from premonitory symptoms of cholerine. It is attributable to his temperate habits that he had had so long a warning. After receiving some relief, he wanted to rise and finish the arrangement of his books, as he seemed to think his malady might terminate fatally. His rising I positively forbade, and had by gentle force to prevent it. (On the preceding day he left my daily paper at my door himself.) While this was occuring, his favourite physician, Dr. Richard Quain, was sent for. He was unfortunately out of town. Next, Dr. Epps was summoned, who promptly sent medicine. But as he was unable to come, Dr. Jones was called upon, when, as fatality would have it, he was out. I immediately put on my hat and fetched Mr. Pearse, Surgeon of Argyle Square. The next morning Mr. Kenny took a note from me to Dr. Ashburner, of Grosvenor Street, who generously attended and saw him twice, though at great inconvenience to himself. Mr. George Bird, Surgeon, of Osnaburg Street, Regent's Park, paid friendly visits, and rendered his usual able, and unwearied assistance. Mrs. Martin, whose courageous nursing and intelligent resources might have saved our patient at an earlier period, also attended till a late hour on Wednesday night. Most of this day he was unconscious. On Thursday morning, August 24, 1849, about 4 o'clock, he expired. His age was 57. He left the following document, which speaks for itself. [No. 172, Vol. VII.] O LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF HENRY HETHERINGTON. As life is uncertain, it behoves every one to make preparations for death; I deem it therefore a duty incumbent on me, ere I quit this life, to express in writing, for the satisfaction and guidance of esteemed friends, my feelings and opinions in reference to our common principles. I adopt this course that no mistake or misapprehension may arise through the false reports of those who officiously and obtrusively obtain access to the death-beds of avowed Infidels to priestcraft and superstition; and who, by their annoying importunities, labour to extort from an opponent, whose intellect is already worn out and subdued by protracted physical suffering, some trifling admission, that they may blazon it forth to the world as a Death-bed Confession, and a triumph of Christianity over Infidelity. In the first place, then-I calmly and deliberately declare that I do not believe in the popular notion of the existence of an Almighty, All-wise, and Benevolent GOD-possessing intelligence, and conscious of his own operations; because these attributes involve such a mass of absurdities and contradictions, so much cruelty and injustice on His part to the poor and destitute portion of His creatures-that, in my opinion, no rational reflecting mind can, after disinterested investigation, give credence to the existence of such a Being. 2nd. I believe death to be an eternal sleep-that I shall never live again in this world, or another, with a consciousness that I am the same identical person that once lived, performed the duties, and exercised the functions of a human being, 3rd. I consider priestcraft and superstition the greatest obstacle to human improvement and happiness. During my life I have, to the best of my ability, sincerely and strenuously exposed and opposed them, and die with a firm conviction that Truth, Justice, and Liberty will never be permanently established on earth till every vestige of priestcraft and superstition shall be utterly destroyed. 4th. I have ever considered that the only religion useful to man consists exclusively of the practice of morality, and in the mutual interchange of kind actions. In such a religion there is no room for priests-and when I see* them interfering at our births, marriages, and deaths, pretending to conduct us safely through this state of being to another and happier world, any disinterested person of the least shrewdness and discernment must perceive that their sole aim is to stultify the minds of the people by their incomprehensible doctrines, that they may the more effectually fleece the poor deluded sheep who listen to their empty babblings and mystifications. 5th. As I have lived so I die, a determined opponent to their nefarious and plundering system. I wish my friends, therefore, to deposit my remains in unconsecrated ground, and trust they will allow no priest, or clergyman of any denomination, to interfere in any way whatever at my funeral. My earnest desire is, that no relation or friend shall wear black or any kind of mourning, as I consider it contrary to our rational principles to indicate respect for a departed friend by complying with a hypocritical custom. 6th. I wish those who respect me, and who have laboured in our common cause, to attend my remains to their last resting place, not so much in consideration of the individual, as to do honour to our just, benevolent, and rational principles. I hope all true Rationalists will leave pompous displays to the tools of priestcraft and superstition. If I could have my desire, the occasion of my death and burial should be turned to the advantage of the living. I would have my kind and good friend, WATSON, who knew me intimately for many years-or any other friend well acquainted with my character-to address to those assembled such observations as he may deem pertinent and useful; holding up the good points of my character as an example worthy of imitation, and pointing out my defects with equal fidelity, that none may avow just and rational principles without endeavouring to purge themselves of those errors that result from bad habits previously contracted, and which tarnish the lustre of their benign and glorious principles. * This phrase, 'when I see,' should be when they are seen, as it does not follow that 'any disinterested person,' &c. must perceive the stultifying aim of the priests in the way the remainder of the sentence states, because Hetherington saw it. It was this non sequitur to which allusion is made farther on within brackets. This is the first literal copy of this Will' which has appeared. These are my views and feelings in quitting an existence that has been chequered with the plagues and pleasures of a competitive, scrambling, selfish system; a system by which the moral and social aspirations of the noblest human being are nullified by incessant toil and physical deprivations; by which, indeed, all men are trained to be either slaves, hypocrites, or criminals. Hence my ardent attachment to the principles of that great and good man-ROBERT OWEN. I quit this world with a firm conviction that his system is the only true road to human emancipation: that it is, indeed, the only just system for regulating the affairs of honest, intelligent human beings-the only one yet made known to the world, that is based on truth, justice, and equality. While the land, machines, tools, implements of production, and the produce of man's toil, are exclusively in possession of the do-nothings; and labour is the sole possession of the wealth producers-a marketable commodity, bought up and directed by wealthy idlersnever-ending misery must be their inevitable lot. ROBERT OWEN's system, if rightly understood and faithfully carried out, rectifies all these anomalies. It makes man the proprietor of his own labour and of the elements of production -it places him in a condition to enjoy the entire fruits of his labour, and surrounds him with circumstances that will make him intelligent, rational, and happy. Grateful to Mr. OWEN for the happiness I have experienced in contemplating the superiority of his system, I could not die happy without recommending my fellow-countrymen to study its principles and earnestly strive to establish them in practice. Though I ardently desired to acquire that benign spirit, and to attain that self-control, which was so conspicuous in the character of the founder of the Rational System, I am aware I fell immeasurably short of my bright exemplar; but as I never in thought, word, or deed, wilfully injured any human being, I hope that I shall be forgiven by those whom I may have inadvertently or unconsciously jostled in this world's scramble. I have indefatigably, sincerely, and disinterestedly laboured to improve the condition of humanity-believing it to be the duty of every man to leave the world better than he found it; and if I have not pursued this object with that wisdom and discretion that should mark at all times the conduct of a rational man, I have zealously maintained what appeared to me to be right, and paid the penalty of what my opponents may term my indiscretions in many cruel persecutions. I freely forgive all who have injured me in the struggle; and die in the hope and consolation that a time is approaching when the spirit of antagonism will give place to fraternal affection and universal co-operation to promote the happiness of mankind. (Signed) HENRY HETHERINGTON. August 21, 1849. [Hetherington, it may be necessary to explain, composed this document himself. A year and half, or more, before his death, he gave the original in his own handwriting to me and Mr. Watson to read, saying, that if he died in his then opinions, he intended to leave that behind him as his testimony. He had copies made to distribute to a few friends. On the Tuesday (August 21) on which I was called to him he ordered a copy to be given into my charge. On the evening of the same day he signed the will of his personal property. On taking it away I handed to him the Testament of his Opinions,' saying Will you sign this also? I spoke in that inquiring tone which implied 'If you still see fit do so.' He at once readjusted his glasses, looked at the paper with an air of perfect recognition, and wrote his name with a firin hand. The copy which I received, and which he signed, I believe to be an exact copy of the original in his own hand-writing which he formerly gave to me, as it contains (in the 4th' paragraph) even a grammatical error, involving a logical absurdity, which I pointed out, and at which he laughed heartily at the time, and said he should correct it. But I found it still there. The document is incontestably Hetherington's. Messrs. Kenny and Ivory are too young to be able to draw up a declaration in the same maturity of tone; and it contains some passages which I should express very differently, and others (those relating to the priests) which I should not express at all, in any way. But Ì give |