It is a great relief to a Freethinker to find a man among the clergy
like Mr. Bray, in point of religious liberality. It is like coming upon
an oasis in the waste desert of orthodox bigotry and intolerance.
Mr. Bray is the able editor of the _Canadian Spectator_, of Montreal;
and also preaches, I believe, every Sunday in Zion Church in that city.
Unlike his clerical brethren generally, when Mr. Ingersoll lectured in
Montreal, in April last, Mr. Bray went to hear him, and answered him
from his pulpit the two following Sundays. These "Discourses" were
published in the succeeding numbers of his paper, the _Spectator_. Hear
him on free speech:--
"In a free country all kinds of freedom must be allowed, and Mr.
Ingersoll had just as much right to come here and say his say in his own
manner, and according to his own discretion, as Mr. Hammond has to come
and preach and teach in his way. If men are free to agree with us, they
are also free to differ with us; to differ a little, to differ much,
to differ altogether. If the Mayor had found a law by which he could
prohibit Ingersoll from lecturing against our religious beliefs, I would
have started an agitation at once for the repeal of that absurd and
antiquated law. If hearing arguments against our faith is likely to
unsettle us, then we had better be unsettled. We are badly off with all
our religious literature and preaching, if we cannot endure any kind of
criticism, and witticism, and argument."
These are brave words, and every fair-minded man in this Dominion will
agree with Mr. Bray in his liberal and courageous utterances. They are
timely words to go forth in that city where the war of sects has waxed
so hot and virulent of late. Montreal needs more men like Bray in her
churches, to mollify the bigotry, and stamp out the bitter feuds, and
fierce antagonism of Christian against Christian.
As this pamphlet has already reached a much greater length than
originally intended, I have but little space to devote to Mr. Bray's
Reply to Ingersoll. One or two points, however, must be noticed.