Now! Then! 2025! - Yorkshire On This Day

A Yorkshire Almanac Comprising 365 Historical Extracts, Red-letter Days and Customs, and Astronomical and Meteorological Data

18 June 1847: A local historian tells the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine that Guisborough is not – as an evangelist claims – “a nest of atheists and infidels”

John Walker Ord. 1847/06/18. Atheism at Gisborough. York Herald. York. Get it:

.

Excerpt

The paragraphs which have created this unmitigated disgust run as follow: “In the vicinity of my present locality, we may have many of [Tom Paine’s] readers. Infidel clubs and lectures are at work disseminating this poison here. There may be attempts to blink this fact. But if comparatively empty sanctuaries, if sceptical indifference to the blessings of the Christian religion, and if almost invincible ignorance of Gospel truths (!!!) are any criteria, then there must be here (his own italics) some infidel demon moving among the masses, and hurrying them downward to the chambers of eternal death.” (!!!!)… I deny, in toto, that there exists one copy of Paine’s works in this town or neighbourhood, and I defy G.G. to the proof and name of the individual who possesses them! I deny in toto that we have no, or ever had any infidel club throughout the whole of the vale of Cleveland, and I DEFY HIM in this Magazine, or personally, to point his finger to any parish, township, or village, where any such abomination exists or ever existed. Thirdly, with regard to the infidel lectures, I deny, in toto, that any infidel has ever given lectures in this district, (within my own memory at least, and I doubt not before,) or that an avowed atheist would be permitted to give open and public lectures in any portion of eastern or western Langbargh. Depend upon it, the nearest horse-pond, or the stocks, or the pillory would be his immediate doom!

To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

Comment

Here‘s the offending piece (G.G. 1847). Who was G.G.?

Something to say? Get in touch

Search

Donate

Social

RSS feed

Bluesky

Extwitter