Freethinkers may concede this monstrous position. I do not.
The feelings of a Christian about Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
are no more sacred than my feelings on any other subject.
I have no quarrel with persons, and I recognise how many are
hurt by satire. But the world is not to be regulated by their
feelings, and much as I respect them, I have a greater respect
for truth. Every mental weapon is valid against mental error.
And as ridicule has been found the most potent weapon of religious
enfranchisement, we are bound to use it against the wretched
superstitions which cumber the path of progress. Intellectually,
it is as absurd to give quarter as it is absurd to expect it.

"My answer to the Freethinkers who would coquet with Christianity,
and gain a fictitious respectability by courting compliments
from Christian teachers, is that they are playing with fire.
Let them ponder the lessons of history, and remember Clifford's
bitter word about the evil superstition which destroyed one
civilisation and nearly succeeded in destroying another.
Fortunately, however, the logic of things is against them.
Broad currents of thought go on their way without being deflected
by backwashes, or eddies or spurts into blind passages.
Freethought will sweep on with its main volume, and dash against
every impediment with all its effective force."

Well, I exercised "the full liberty of my belief," and I had to take
its "full consequences." Yet, looking back over my year's torture in a
Christian gaol, my conscience approves that dangerous policy, and I do
not experience a single regret.

In the same number of the _Freethinker_ I referred at some length to
Tyler's prosecution, which was dragging along its slow course in a
way that must have been very provoking to Mr. Bradlaugh's enemies. By
dexterous manoeuvring and skilful pleading, that litigious man, as
the Tories call him, had managed to get two counts struck out of our
Indictment. The result of this to Mr. Ramsey and myself was _nil_, but
it brought great relief to Mr. Bradlaugh, and made his acquittal almost
a matter of certainty.

Meanwhile our Christmas Number was selling rapidly. In a few weeks
it had reached a far larger circulation than had been enjoyed by any
Freethought publication before. Naturally the bigots were enraged,
both by its character and its success.