we breathe which baffles all the powers of the microscope to force its way through massy gold, to be organized; that is to be formed into a body resembling the human frame: with a head, arms, legs, eyes, tongue, in a word, to have every sense, and faculty, possessed by a living man? I know what your answer will be, because I have it in your letter which lies now before me. You say that such things may seem impossible to me, but to God all things are not only possible, but easy. Now it is this very assertion which is quoted from the New Testament, and which is in the mouth of every theologian, and which they think forms an impenetrable shield against all the shafts of their opponents, that lays their bosoms bare to every philosophic assailant. For instance; if you admit that it is possible for God to destroy himself, you him of his immortality, and reduce him to a finite being, And by the same parity of reasoning, ghosts, it may be supposed, have power to destroy themselves also; and souls in hell may shrink from their torments by committing a soulicide. rob But there are other things which God cannot do. He cannot recall past time. He may strike the world from its orbit, crumble nature into powder, and destroy the universe; but he cannot recall one single moment of past time. Neither can he make darkness and light reign at the same moment, and at the same point. Neither can God make something out of nothing. ex nihilo nihili fit, but you my friend must perform a miracle very little short of making something out of nothing, if you can make a ghost, with feet to walk, eyes to see, a tongue to speak and with hands to carry a candle or dagger, out of the materials that can fly through a plate of gold an inch thick. (To be continued.) NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. SEVERAL good Christians are not satisfied with the god alone which I have had drawn, engraved and coloured for them to worship. They say, that religion is nothing without a devil. I am positively pressed to publish a devil. But as I do nothing of the kind without the authority of the Holy Bible, I cannot find a description there that is at all reducible to a design on paper. By the book of Job, we learn, that he is not unlike, if not one of, the sons of God and one of the brightest of them too. By this description, we can only describe him as a godling or younger god. By the book of Genesis, we must draw him as a serpent. The horns, tail and cloven feet are nothing more than a caricature by the malicions christians. I do not deal in caricatures, dislike them, so as I have not the pleasure of knowing the chief devil, I know not where to get his likeness, nor from what sketch I can fairly and faithfully copy. R. C. REPORT OF PROGRESS. ABOUT three years ago, a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Chesterfield, pleased with Voltaire's description of the Christian Mysteries, as published in Vol. 1, of the Deist, got a printer to strike of a few for circulation among his friends. No sale was ⚫ made of them. The clergy of Chesterfield, thinking there was some money to be dealt with, consulted the Attorney General and started a prosecution. The trial was fixed for the Derby Assizes, and every thing carried to the verge of the Court. The gentleman, knowing that imprisonment would seriously affect his interests, was anxious not to risk it, and made overtures through his attorney to have the prosecution stayed. This was consented to on the condition that the defendent should cover all costs. never heard the precise sum, but I understood, that a hundred pounds did not cover it. Since that time, I have never lost sight of these Chesterfield Priests; and to their prosecution of this gentlemen may be attributed the residence of W. V. Holmes at Sheffield, now makes a point of a frequent attendance at the Chesterfield Market not only to sell the improved edition of the Christian Mysteries openly but the the Age of Reason and all other prosecuted books of the kind. Holmes having no property to be played with by these priestly gents, they do not molest him: and if they did he would but enjoy it. During the period that the prosecution was pending, à Reverend David Jones of the Baptist Sect at Chesterfield addressed five letters "to a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Chesterfield" on the subject of his infidelity, or rather of his publishing this discription of the Christian Mysteries. Those letters would have been immediately answered, had certain circumstances left it prudent. But Holmes, who is trying fairly to beat me as a dread-nought warrior against the Christicoles, or against the God of all the Colists, would not leave the thing undone at this point, and has fully answered the five letters in five addressed to their author. These letters cannot fail to do great good in Chesterfield and its neighbourhood; particularly, as Mr. Jones is answered in a temper superior to that which is commonly Christian. In point of price, the letters are given away, 96 duodecimo pages selling for a shilling. The object is to call forth the Reverend writer again, now he can be answered in his own neighbourhood. These letters may be had from the publisher 92 Fargate Shef I ! field, at 135 Fleet Street London, or ordered from any one who supplies the Republican, or through any other bookseller. The circulation is more particularly desired for Chesterfield and its neighbourhood; but the pamphlet cannot fail to do good among all children in the school of free enquiry. The only moral way to deter men from doing wrong is to shew them that they defeat their own purposes by it. To the Clergy of this country it is most galling to find themselves challenged to discussion on points where they find silence to be the greatest prudence, and this principle stimulated all to acts of persecution. But they have been taught that it galls more to prosecute such publications when fairly defended than to let them alone; so now they desist and let them take their course. Had the corrupt blockheads done so from the first, they would have extended the existence of their mummeries by a century. R. C. NEWGATE MAGAZINE. THE first volume of the Newgate Magazine is completed and may be had in Bds. at 12s. 6d. It does great credit to the editors; Messrs. Campion, Perry, and Hassell, who stick by it, though it affords them no profits. In the preface to the volume, one of the editors, Hassell, I suppose, says; that but for his residence in Newgate, as a result of the prosecutions for discussions, he might have been handling a plough instead of a pen. In one year, he has not only acquired the ability to write upon almost any subject, alike logically and grammatically; but he has mastered the French Language, and is competent to translate it from any author. But this makes no part of good Gaol conduct; there is no villainy in it; and he and his companions must doubtless, fill out the periods of Little Jef's sentences. I must not forget to acknowledge the compliment of the dedication of this volume to me. I make no scruples about saying. that if I have not deserved it, I will try to deserve it. I look upon the volume as a limb of "The Republican," and as I know, that though young, I must wear out, I am very glad to see, that, happen what will, my situation will be well filled. There will never be a cessation of attacks upon the Christian Religion in this country until that religion be expelled. CLARKE'S LETTERS. THESE are a peculiar publication exciting great interest. Every sheet printed will speedily go off and a new edition be called for. The persevering industry of the writer, combined with that which is the most agreeable point in any writer a little of eccentric originality, will be sure to procure him that encouragement to proceed, which promises, from the last year's improvement, to make him take a place among the most useful public writers. HALEY! HALEY has genais, but is fickle, if we can but keep him in the right path and give him a persevering solidity, he will take the shine out of some of us. MACKEY. MACKEY has published a new work as a theory of the earth, which is now on sale at 135 Fleet Street price four Shillings. He makes a planet as easily as ever he made a pair of shoes. There is nothing but what we Materialists can do. Gods! Gods are fools to us! And they who want Gods! whilst they have Materialists to reveal to them, must be pitiably blind. R. C. ERRATA IN SUBSCRIPTIONS. THESE are particularly unpleasant, as they lead to suspicions against those who are trusted to transmit them. But I have never yet been able to put a head to my printing office. The body is good; but there is no head. I shall endeavour to get the head finished by Christmas, and to keep out all those painful errors, always like little daggers to me. In the late North Shields' subscription, A. O. should have been 2s. 6d. instead of 6d. And in the last Portsea subscription, J. R. should have been 3s. instead of one. Less offensive errors I never attempt to correct; but I can assure both subscribers and correspondents, that as far as I can do it they have justice done to them. R. C. SUBSCRIPTION. Anonymous, quarterly subscription for Mr. Carlile £3. Os. Od. Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 135, Fleet Street.-All Correspordences for "The Republican" to be left at the place of publication. The Republican. No.6, VOL. 12.] LONDON, Friday, August 12, 1825. [PRICE 6d. TO WILLIAM WILLIAMS, ESQ., M. P. PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FREE MASONS FOR THE COUNTY OF DORSET. LETTER V. SIR, Dorchester Gaol, July 30, As I shall address my description of the Royal Arch and other higher degrees of Masonry, to some persons whose titles and assumed rank in society are nominally higher and more appropriate than yours, nothing now remains for me to do with you, but to review my four letters, to complete the developement of the history and the mystery of the first three and only real degrees of masonry. Thus far I have been serious; after this, I must necessarily be satirical, to notice the subsequent frivolities with any good effect. Zerubbabel, Haggai, and Joshua, Priests, Prophets, Scribes, Sojourners and Knights, and Perfect Master Harodim, do not form a subject for philosophical or moral gravity. In my first letter, I noticed Mr. Paine's Essay on Free Masonry, as an erroneous account of its origin. I am still assured, that it is erroneous on the ground of origin; but I have since learnt, that Mr. Paine was not far wrong in the purpose for which he wrote that essay. It was not written to be published, as it has been published; but as a chapter in bis unpublished reply to Bishop Watson. His executrix, who published it, also, maugled its references to the Christian Religion. I have now a perfect copy of it. In his reply to the Bishop, Mr. Paine has a chapter to shew, that the Christian Religion was a mere corruption of sunworship and he wrote this chapter on Masonry to corroborate his arguments. I cannot say, if he has reached the Printed and Published by R. Carlile, 135, Fleet Street. |