stood that a friend or two would accompany Mr. Carlile, and, as moderators and witnesses, I had requested the attendance of two of mine, Mr. Bailey and Mr. Benj. Boothby. Just at the time of meeting, a gentleman unknown to me, called, and requested to be present, to which I assented, provided it might not be unagreeable to the other party. Of the sentiments of this gentleman I was wholly ignorant. Mr. Carlile and two friends, came as agreed upon, and as it was known to me that he had, in his publications, gone farther than merely to reject Christianity, the previous question came naturally to be the topic of discussion.

Of this interview, Mr. Carlile has given his account to his readers; and as it is probable that one of my friends may present another, somewhat more correct, it is unnecessary here to enter into particulars. Thus much I may say, that I did not perceive either novelty or force in my antago nist's reasonings; and that, (so it seemed at least to my friends,) he could, in some instances, evade an inference clearly against him, only by pleading, what he wished to be viewed as a becoming, but which they con sidered as a convenient, ignorance. His conduct, it is but just to say, was gentlemanly; and if he did not make a good cause of a bad one, in this he partakes in common with the multitude of infidel wits, great and small, and philosophers, falsely so called, which have blazed and gone out before him.

In consequence of this interview, many rumours got into circulation, and persons, on both sides, expressed their wish for a more public discussion of the subject. My own impressions were decidedly averse to the measure, and for the following reasons:-I did not believe that the object of Mr. Carlile, in seeking it, was a candid regard to truth. I wish the general tenor of his publications, and the special design of some of them, too vile to be named, could allow me to give him credit for such a motive. I further thought, that to obtain access to persons hitherto not within his reach, and the means of injecting poison beyond the sphere of his own influence, prompted the suggestion; and knowing how much more susceptible the heart of man is, generally, to evil, than to good, I was unwilling to afford him the opportunity. I would not be thought to borrow his argument, and yet it did occur to me, that, as he presumes I cannot afford to be honest, so, probably, neither can he. A weekly periodical, selling well, is not to be trifled with.

On grounds such as these, I objected to the wish for public discussion; but on Saturday, August 23, I received from Mr. Carlile a copy of his weekly paper, containing the following paragraph, thus emphaticised: "I do hereby invite Mr. Gilbert to meet me, in any convenient place, in public discussion, on two subjects, which shall be taken at one or different times, on one or different days, as shall best please him, the subjects to be, as I shall maintain them :—1st. THAT THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, ON WHICH THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, IN ITS COMMON ACCEPTATION, AND AS ESTABLISHED BY LAW, IS FOUNDED, NEVER HAD EXISTENCE; THAT, CONSEQUENTLY, THIS CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS ERRONEOUSLY FOUNDED, ALIKE IN HISTORY AND IN PHYSICS; AND 2nd. THAT THERE IS NO PROOF, NO KNOWLEDGE, NOT EVEN ANY FAIR ASSUMPTION, OR GUESS-WORK, THAT SUCH A GOD, AS IS GENERALLY PREACHED, IS IN EXISTENCE.

The subject now assumed a different aspect. The objections formerly felt to the measure, still had their weight in my mind; but considerations of an opposite nature, seemed now to preponderate. To shrink from a challenge thus sent abroad, would of course be interpreted, even perhaps, by some honest minds, as a fear for my cause; feeling none, but on the

contrary, the strongest conviction, that it will ultimately sweep infidelity from the earth, I was disposed, if supported by the wishes of my friends, to cast myself upon the strength of it, and to go forth to him as a servant of the God he denies. This may not be the time for the discomfiture of his system, if such it may be called-or it may-I am not concerned, further than to discharge present duty. I had hopes too, that should the Exchange Rooms be granted, a peaceable and well ordered discussion might be secured. Taking, therefore, the opinion of judicious friends, after simplifying the propositions, I accepted the challenge.

I had confidence in the common sense of mankind, that an appeal to it, when statements, adduced as historical, admit of direct historical refutation; and where paradoxes on the subject of evidence are vaunted, which no man allows in the serious business of life-would not be in vain. With regard to what Mr. Carlile may designate his philosophy, it is only the untangible shapelessness of the monster that could render it difficult to grasp. To minds capable, however, of honest thought, this might be made apparent, and the disjointed abortion exposed. With such views I engaged in the contest; and it was not till near four o'clock on Friday afternoon, that I heard, the permission to occupy a room in the Exchange had been withdrawn; nor till I was about to proceed to the Riding School, that another insurmountable difficulty had occurred. But on being informed, that all prospect of accomodation for that evening was at an end, and that a note had been sent to Mr. Carlile to that effect, I shortly after called upon a friend, and took a walk in the open air. In my absence, a message was left at my house, that Mr. Carlile was waiting for me in Mr. Kendall's yard. Of this I knew nothing till late that evening, but if I had been at home, I should have deemed it folly to attend to it. Since that time, another intimation has been made to me, that this place is still open to us; but of course, I decline to meet there, as wholly unadapted to any good purpose.

The circumstances just referred to, together with engagements out of town, have determined me to other means of counteracting the mischief, and to turn my course into less obstructed channels. The pulpit is still open to me, and in concert with a friend or two, or singly, I shall endeavour to meet, through the press, those whom I cannot otherwise reach.

This method is now recommended by most of my friends, and though I accede to it, I do not agree with some of the reasons assigned by them. They tell me, that Mr. Carlile is beneath the notice of a man pretending to character; but the instructions under which I act, send me not to the whole, but to the sick, and I shrink not from the opprobrium first thrown at my master. Of the private character and morals of the gentleman in question, I am happily ignorant; I know nothing more of him than he has chosen to tell; but if he lends his name to publications, the tendency of which he would shrink from embodying in practice, it would be hard to reconcile such an act with any notion of integrity; and if he would make such works as some I CANNOT NAME, the standard of his own morality, I may assert, without fear of contradiction, that there is not a father, a husband, a brother, a man, sane and sound, in the empire, whose first indignant impulse would not be—such as 1 find it difficult, genteely to express.

But I repeat it, of the private character of Mr. Carlile I am wholly ignorant. My reasonings as to the effect of his doctrine, must be drawn from other sources-from the confessions of many who have been rescued from its thraldom, and from the testimony of a volume which forewarns

me of the rise, and of the fruits of his theory. The fool, so long as three thousand years ago, had said in his heart, there is no God, and in those days, corrupt was he, and had done abominable iniquity. Nor was the mischief there to stop. After the lapse of centuries, we are assured, that in the last days, there shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming; for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were, from the beginning; and in those perilous times, I am further forewarned, that men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucc-breakers, falseaccusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. When the sun sets, we expect darkness; and when the scoffer is abroad we know what lurks in his train. We have looked at France, and we find the enumeration to be correct.

To our infatuated townsmen, it is not, I hope, too late, to attempt some exposure of the delusions by which they have been seduced. For this purpose, it is my intention, shortly to announce a course of lectures, in which I trust the atheistical arguments will be satisfactorily met; and afterwards a continuation of those on the Evidences of Christianity, which were formerly delivered in St. James's-street Chapel. Having thus explained my conduct and views,

I remain, Sir, your's respectfully,
JOSEPH GILBERT.

Parliament-street, Sept. 3, 1828.

A LETTER,

To the Chairman of the News Room, at Sir Isaac Newton's Head, on the subject of Mr. Carlile's visit.

"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God?"

SIR,-In addressing myself to you, as Chairman of the Company of the Newton's Head, I presume it will not be requisite to apologize, and trust the good sense and liberality of the Gentlemen over whom you have so long presided, will consider well the snares and difficulties laid before them, to bewilder their better understandings as men, forming the most useful class of the community, I mean the doctrines of Carlile and his friend Taylor, to whom you have so often contributed; the former of whom being now at this place, and having vísited you, and for his kindness and civility, what has been his gratitude? calumny and abuse! in fact this wise materialist! this denier of his GOD! this itinerant of infidelity! means only to draw your attention from the cause of reform of the abuses of the state, by throwing the apple of discord amongst you, and which I am truly sorry to say, has had the desired effect. Gentlemen and fellow men, be not deceived by the wily arts of subtlety; although we are paying most dear for our religious establishments, we may pay dearer for the cost and folly of infidelity. I appeal to you as men-what good purpose can ever be answered by the doctrines of Carlile ? supposing his anti-religious opinions were to be generally adopted, would the condition of man be improved? or would our present or future hopes be rendered more happy? This genius of infidelity has not propounded any moral code to govern our actions, better than that, founded on the test of ages, in the faith of which millions of good men have lived aud died in the hope of another and a better

world, and I hope their lives have not been spent in vain: although the cost of our various religious establishments is so immensely heavy, the fault lies in the people and the priesthood, and not in religion, and which by the people, if united, might any day be remedied, and that too, without the aid of infidelity. I am disposed to tell this high priest, that if he and his colleague cannot offer to mankind something better than Christianity, they had better remain silent, and that too, for ever! The religious opinions of the generality of the people of England are too firmly rooted, ever to be removed by the doubts or sceptical flimsy reasonings of such men ;theirs are not established dogmas, and will never be received as such by the people.

What does Carlile mean by impiously styling himself the Saviour of Mankind? who has he saved, or ever will save? is not this presumptuous arrogance? Fellow men, trust him not! he it is who wishes to live upon your credulity, and insult your best feelings as men! I beseech you to subscribe no more to such men; what you have to give, give to worthier men, or save it for the purposes of your own families or friends, who may sink into distress; give not your mite to men, who can insult you after you have conferred your favours upon them in the most liberal manner; subscribe not, that such men as Taylor or Carlile may revel in luxury, while you experience the most severe privations from political causes. He reviles you for spending your evenings in a public-house, when you retire from the toils of the day in order to hear the news and enjoy the social converse of friendship: he had much rather you would stay at home, and read his learned publication The Lion! and brood over your misfortunes in despair. No, you are not to meet together for political purposes, but to study the rudiments of Carlile, (infidelity and folly) and fill his pockets out of the earnings of your industry.

To every one it must seem somewhat extraordinary, that during the stay of this wise and virtuous expounder of infidelity, at Nottingham, he has spent the greater part of his time in various public-houses, in haranguing the people, and dealing out his declamations against religion, in order to vend his worthless trash; a few of whom have the folly to permit their children, or female part of their families to read, while others deem it too infamous and absurd for their perusal. Instead of going from public-house to publichouse, night after night, and writing his Lion in a public-house! why has he not ventured to call a public meeting of the town? to expound his infamous theories, and give the death blow at once to religion, and turn the sanctuary of God into a school for the establishment of those principles, I hope never to see sanctioned, or established, in England. "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God!" This is the dreadful responsibility of the Atheist ! the belief and doctrine of materialism? can we, as rational beings, subscribe to this faith or belief, or hand it down to our children, without seriously reflecting on the consequences. Who formed and established the planetary system, the vast expanse, where rolls the mighty orbs? Who formed and framed, and gave light and life to man? Who formed the full perfection of nature, and all its beauty and regularity? and ordained that all should live and flourish for a time, and then die, and be again succeeded by the same species? ean this be chance? Wherever man may turn his eyes, there is

something to admire-something to proclaim a GoD, an all wise creator, whose ways and doings are beyond the limits of human comprehension. And shall man, the proud image of his creator, deny the existence of that being, who merits the gratitude and adoration of all. Whether we offer up our prayers in the temple or the void waste, it matters not; nature proclaims a God! at whose name let the knee be bent! let the heart thrill with gratitude and benevolence one towards another, but let us not encourage the spirit of infidelity, "for the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." It is immaterial what forms of worship, what the name of the religion we profess, there are good men of all persuasions; and I know no religion that teaches men to be wicked. Let us not lose the character of men, by espousing the cause of infidelity: thousands of our fellow creatures may have cause to lament its progress and the remorse it may create.

Having said thus much on the pernicious doctrine of infidelity, &c. I may now be permitted to hope, that the good and virtuous of every persuasion, will now manifest a desire to the necessary reforms of the state, towards the amelioration of our common country, from those grievous burdens which press us to the earth; the duty of the country ought to be as prompt as decisive, in the emancipation of all classes of society; to this salutary end, union ought to be the watch-word to reform,-let it be deep and loud, and the present misery and degradation of the people may be removed-the march of intellect and reason must accomplish what infidelity will for ever retard! let us not then lose the golden moment that shall free our devoted country from oppression and taxation! our bane and antidote lie before us! let us cling to that which is good, and remove that which is evil; let it be said of us in after ages, that we were reformers and Christians, not infidels, or the followers of the impious.

I remain, Sir, your's, &c.

Nottingham, August, 1828.

Номо.

TO THE INHABITANTS OF NOTTINGHAM, AND ITS VICINITY.

"Beware of Wolves."

FELLOW TOWNSMEN,-As Mr. CARLILE "wishes not to leave Nottingham without seeking an opportunity to present himself before you to disabuse you of your errors, &c." and at the same time to secure your attendance, at least your Money, he holds out an idea that, although the Rev. Mr. GILBERT will not meet him, many others will, to carry on a discussion. I am persuaded that no discussion will take place, no person of TALENT, VIRTUE or CHARACTER, will lend himself to be his tool.

And what are these errors, prejudices, &c. which you are to be disabused of? Why, to the Rich he holds out every motive to Vice and Oppression, as he intends to prove there is no God-No Soul-No Hell-No Immortality, -No Punishment-No Virtue, but in the gratification of the passions. No God to provide for and protect us-No reward for Virtue-No day of Retribution to the Oppressor; and, miserable as life is here, no hope hereafter! In short, the tendency of such doctrines is to make you more deplorable and wretched than the brute that perisheth. He is also to prove to you, my poor friends, that there is a redundant population, and that you are to be deprived