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upulous about
his own words.[157] Mr Bradlaugh's arguments were clear and forcible
to a degree; he was evidently in much better form than on the previous
occasion, but it is not easy to detach passages, although there is much
that is valuable as giving different aspects of his opinions.[158] In
the following May the Rev. A. J. Harrison and Mr Bradlaugh engaged
in a third contest. This was conducted in Socratic form: no speeches
were made, the discussion being limited to question and answer. Mr
Harrison undertook to prove that "there is an Intelligent Being
superior to man," and Mr Bradlaugh that "there is not and cannot be
an Infinite, Omnipotent, Immutable Being distinct from the Universe."
This discussion was held at Birmingham, and lasted three nights. But
even this did not satisfy the disputants and exhaust their energy,
for in 1872 they had yet another debate, which was this time held in
London, at the Hall of Science. The subject discussed at this, their
fourth public controversy, was the teaching of Christian Theism[159] as
represented on a certain page in Mr Bradlaugh's pamphlet, "A Plea for
Atheism."

[Footnote 157: "If Mr Bradlangh had objected to some things said by Mr
Harrison last night, I should have said they were out of order" (Prof.
Newman on the second evening).]

[Footnote 158: Those who wish to read the whole argument will find a
verbatim report in the _National Reformer_ for 25th Dec. 1870 and 1st
Jan. 1871.]

[Footnote 159: This debate is published in pamphlet form, under the
title, "What does Christian Theism teach?"]

 * * * * *

In the summer of 1872 Father Ignatius wrote to Mr Bradlaugh, asking
that an opportunity might be given him to address an audience of London
Freethinkers. This request was readily acceded to, but in consequence
of other work and ill-health Father Ignatius was obliged to delay
the delivery of this address until the end of November. The Hall of
Science, which was put at his disposal, was crowded right out to the
street, and it was estimated that at least two thousand persons were
unable to gain admittance. Mr Austin Holyoake presided over what was
really an informal debate. Father Ignatius elected to speak on "Jesus
Christ, the central point of human history," and when he had finished
Mr Bradlaugh spoke for an equal time in reply. The audience, densely
crowded as it was, listened intently and earnestly, and the perfect
stillness maintained during both speeches was broken only by applause.
Not a sound of dissent was heard; each speaker was listened to with
respect and attention. At the conclusion Father Ignatius was thanked
by the Freethinkers for the fearlessness and the courtesy with which
he had spoken, and the audience were thanked by the Rev. Father for
the fairness with which they had listened to him. He said "he would be
happy if his Protestant fellow-Christians would receive him with equal
fairness."

As he desired to reply to Mr Bradlaugh's speech, Father Ignatius fixed
to go again to the Hall of Science on the 12th of December, but when
the day arrived there was some doubt whether he could get there, as he
had been subp[oe]naed to Worcester as a witness. In consequence of this
the attendance was not quite so overwhelming as before. When Father
Ignatius entered the Hall he was welcomed with much cheering, which
was cordially renewed when he rose to speak. Before entering upon his
subject, he said that he had received permission from Mr Bradlaugh and
the Chairman (Mr Austin Holyoake) to ask God to aid him that night;
but even with that permission, he would not do so, for he had no wish
to hurt anyone's susceptibilities, unless the meeting also gave its
sanction. Those present having signified their assent by a show of
hands, Father Ignatius "in an impassioned prayer sought the assistance
of God to render his address effectual." Then proceeding to the
business of the evening, he deftly--if not very convincingly--explained
away the objections which had been urged by Mr Bradlaugh to certain
Biblical passages. As before, he was followed by Mr Bradlaugh, and both
apparently spoke with great force. In the spring of 1873 there was held
a third of these informal controversies. On every occasion a charge was
made for admission, and the proceeds given, by Father Ignatius' desire,
to the Hall of Science building fund. His frankness, fearlessness, and
courtesy made an indelible impression upon the minds of the frequenters
of the Hall. To Mr Bradlaugh he always wrote in terms of the greatest
cordiality, and although the differences between them were of the
widest possible kind, I am quite sure that my father was sensible of
this kindly feeling and reciprocated it.

 * * * * *

In addition to the pleasant interchange of opinion on theological
matters with Father Ignatius, Mr Bradlaugh held, in the December of
1872, a set discussion upon Spiritualism with Mr Burns, editor of
_Human Nature_ and _The Medium and Daybreak_. Spiritualism was a
subject to which he had given considerable attention for nearly twenty
years prior to this debate. He had devoted a large amount of time to
the reading of spiritualistic literature and the investigation of
spiritualistic phenomena. He had taken part in many _séances_, and had
seen different mediums, but except in one or two cases the sittings had
led to nothing. With Mrs Marshall he witnessed some "clumsy trickery";
with the Davenport brothers he saw some "clever sleight-of-hand." When
he went to "the conjuring performance of the Davenport Brothers"--as
he somewhere styles it--he was asked to take off his coat and lay
it on the table. He was told, "You must sit in the dark; you must
hold Mrs Fay's hands on one side and Mrs Ira Davenport the other." He
asked, "But why?" They said, "The spirits might hurt you"; to which
he replied, "I will take the risk of that." He was then told, "If you
do not submit to the conditions, there can be no manifestation." Under
these circumstances he concluded to accept the conditions.[160] The
lights were extinguished, and after about a minute and a half they
were re-lit, and Mr Fay, who was tied in a chair, was found wearing
the coat. The lights were again extinguished and the coat thrown upon
Mr Bradlaugh. All tests and opportunities for investigation were
absolutely refused, but my father had no doubt that Mr Fay was untied
and retied in the dark. He afterwards saw Maskelyne do every one of
the tricks done by the Davenport Brothers, and more besides, though
Maskelyne did not pretend that anything other than the clever art of
conjuring lay at the bottom of the performance.

[Footnote 160: _National Reformer_, Jan. 19, 1873.]

When the Dialectical Society made their inquiry into the phenomena
attributed to Spiritualism, my father was one of the Committee. He was
at every sub-committee meeting[161] at which D. D. Home, the well-known
medium, was present, and at half a dozen of the general meetings at
least. However, none of the boasted manifestations occurred, and 

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