on would not be allowed
to suffer in their absence."

Those who wish to read the whole of my defence, which lasted over two
hours, will find it in the "Three Trials for Blasphemy." One portion of
it, at least, is likely to be of permanent interest. With Mr. Wheeler's
aid I drew up a long list of the abusive epithets applied by Christian
controversialists to their Pagan opponents or to each other. It fills
more than two pages of small type, and pretty nearly exhausts the
vocabulary of vituperation. I added a few pearls of orthodox abuse
of Atheism, and then asked the jury whether Christians had taught
Freethinkers to show respect for their opponents' feelings. "Nobody in
this country," I continued, "whatever his religion, is called upon to
respect the feelings of anybody else. It is only the Freethinker who
is told to respect the feelings of people from whom he differs. And to
respect them how? Not when he enters their places of worship, not when
he stands side by side with them in the business and pleasures of life,
but when he reads what is written for Freethinkers without knowing that
a pair of Christian eyes will ever scan the page."

It may be asked why I adopted a course so little likely to conciliate
my judges. My reply is that I did not try to conciliate them. Feeling
convinced that their verdict was already settled, and that my fate was
sealed, I cast all such considerations aside, and deliberately made a
speech for my own party. I was resolved that my loss should be the gain
of Freethought. The peroration is the only other part of my defence I
shall venture to quote. It ran as follows:

"Gentlemen, carry your minds back across the chasm of eighteen
centuries and a half. You are in Jerusalem. A young Jew is
haled along the street to the place of judgment. He stands
before his judge; he is accused--of what, gentlemen? You
know what he is accused of--the word must be springing to
your lips--Blasphemy! Every Christian among you knows that
your founder, Jesus Christ, was crucified after being charged
with blasphemy. Gentlemen, it seems to me that no Christian
should ever find a man guilty of blasphemy after that, but
that the very word ought to be wiped from your vocabulary,
as a reproach and a scandal. Christians, your founder was
murdered as a blasphemer, for, although done judicially, it
was still a murder. Surely then you will not,