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Mr . W . Smiti * could not see the pertinency of the Honourable Member ' s question . The petition was , hQwever , signed , he could assure him , by persons whose religious opinions were as perfectly opposed to each other as possible .
The petition was ordered to be printed . Mr . Hume then rose for the purpose of making the motion of which he had given notice . His object was to obtain the admission of that principle which he had always thought to be part of the law of this country—namely , that every individual was entitled to freedom of
discussion on all subjects , whether controversial or religious . At Edinburgh , where he was brought up , it was held that any man might entertain and express his opinions , unless they became a nuisance to society , when , perhaps , they might be
brought uuder the operation of the common law . Since the year 1817 a disposition had been manifested to prosecute persons for the publication of old as well as new works , the object of which was to impugn the authenticity of the Christian faith . He was aware that since the
period to which he had referred , the number of such publications had increased ; but he thought , also , that the progress which had been made in knowledge , and the extent of education to all classes of persons , had brought with it a remedy for this evil . Looking at the advantages which resulted from the freedom of
discussion , and the part which able men were always ready to take in behalf of true religion , he thought it would be doing equal injustice to that religion and to the community to adopt any other means of arriving at the truth than by fair discussion . He had always been led to believe that the greatest blessing which
Englishmen enjoyed was the complete freedom with which they were permitted to express their religious opinions , and to follow whatever sect or persuasion their own opinions coincided with . Recollecting , too , that we enjoyed the blessiugs of a religion which had been
established by means of discussion , and by differing from those which had preceded it , he thought the House would act unr justly , and with bad policy , if it should now turn a round upon those who differed from , us , as we differed from those who had preceded us , and exercise a rigour which in our own case we had been the
first to deprecate . Such a course he was convinced was more likely to generate doubts and ignorance than to give any stability to the reljgioa . It was quite evident that persons who wished to investigate regions subjects must meet with a great variety of opinions ; some of these might confirm * be 4 r belief , while others might give rise to doubts . Now , he
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wished to ask , whether it w ^ opt pro ^ per that they should be allowed to state those doubts , for the purpose of having them refuted if they were erron eous ? In Christian charity such an indul gence ought not to be refused to any individual . When he observed thirty or forty sects in this country differing from the Church of England , and differing equally from each other , be thought it was not at all surprising that amongst those who engaged in what might be termed periodical discussion on the subject of religion , many
were found who dissented entirely from the great body of sectarians of every description . There was nothing wonderful in such a circumstance ; but it was indeed wonderful that they should be prosecuted and punished for promulgating their
opinions in the way of controversy . What right had any set of individuals to set themselves up as following exclusively the true religion ? Religion , very different from ours , was preached and adopted in other countries ; and those who pursued such religion proclaimed it to be the true
one . Where there was such a diversity of opinion , they taking the Scriptures as the rule of their conduct and actions , ought to extend to all persons that merciful toleration which The New Testament so forcibly inculcated in every page . They ought not to proceed , in the manner
which was now too common , against individuals who differed conscientiously from them on points of religious belief . The perpetration of acts of a physical nature might be prevented by force ; but no power , however harshly applied , could controul opinions , or make a man receive doctrines which he did not
believe to be correct . The Government of this country had been tolerant to the Jews . To that race of people who denied altogether the Christian religion ^ who disbelieved in the divinity of its great Founder , the most complete toleration was extended . No one attempted to interfere with their opinions . The Quakers , who differed on many essential points from the Established Church , were
tolerated ; and the wfcole body of J ) issenters , various as were their doctrines , were suffered to preach then ? without molestation . This was highly to the honour of this country ; and he wished , very sincerely , that every species of disability , whether in the nature of a test or otherwise , which applied to the Dissenters , sh ould
be wholly removed . He should be happy to see emy human . bej # g ptecp 4 ?** that situation in whifA he would be enable , withpttt any fear of the civil timgist *?* ' to « ntertajn whatsoever religious op inions he pleased ; a « d to &n < fo » vour obtj * w > , t > y Mr a # a ca » did idBspiissJon , Jo fpn »» - iion on those points whicb . might wot 3 # -
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486 Intelligence . —Christian ? Petition against the Prpsecutiptn ^ f Unbelie ^ r ^
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1823, page 486, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1787/page/54/
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