MR. BRADLAUGH'S DISCLAIMER OF ATHEISM.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—In your notice of "The Present-day Tracts" of the Religious Tract Society, in your issue of March 3rd, you say, with reference to Dr. Noah Porter's use of the term "atheism," as synonymous with "agnosticism," "Even Mr. Bradlaugh, we see, emphatically declares that he has never denied the exist- ence of a God." In spite of this disclaimer, the following announcement appears week by week in the National Reformer. I quote from the current number of the paper, dated March 4th. The italics are my own :—" The full legal responsibility for everything which appears in these columns rests on Mr. Bradlaugh and Mrs. Besant, as editors and publishers of the paper. For the opinions expressed in all signed articles, the writers alone are morally responsible. The editorial policy of the paper is Republican, Atheistic, and Malthusian ; but all opinions are freely admitted, provided only that they be expressed reasonably and in proper language." I confess I was startled when I first read Mr. Bradlangh's disclaimer, and still find it difficult to reconcile it with this announcement of editorial policy. Read in the light of this announcement, it is not to be wondered at if much that appears in the National Reformer, with Mr. Bracllaugh'a own signature, be viewed as designed to advocate absolute atheism, although it may stop short of embodying in plain terms the conclusion," There is no God."—
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