People say you must not try to abolish Christianity until you have
something better to put in its place. They might as well say we must not
take away turnpikes and corn laws till we have some other hindrances to
put in their place. Besides no one wants to abolish Christianity—all we
want is not to be snubbed and bullied if we reject the miraculous part of
it for ourselves.
At Biella an English clergyman asked if I was a Roman Catholic. I said,
quite civilly, that I was not a Catholic.
He replied that he had asked me not if I was a Catholic but if I was a
Roman Catholic. What was I? Was I an Anglican Catholic? So, seeing
that he meant to argue, I replied:
“I do not know. I am a Londoner and of the same religion as people
generally are in London.”
This made him angry. He snorted:
“Oh, that’s nothing at all;” and almost immediately left the table.
As much as possible I keep away from English-frequented hotels in Italy
and Switzerland because I find that if I do not go to service on Sunday I
am made uncomfortable. It is this bullying that I want to do away with.
As regards Christianity I should hope and think that I am more Christian
than not.
People ought to be allowed to leave their cards at church, instead of
going inside. I have half a mind to try this next time I am in a foreign
hotel among English people.