A SIX NIGHTS' DISCUSSION BETWEEN MR. CHARLES BRADLAUGH, Of London, (EDITOR OF THE National Reformer,) AND MR. ROBERT ROBERTS, OF BIRMINGHAM, (EDITOR OF The Christadelphian, AND AUTHOR OF Twelve Lectures), • IN LEICESTER AND BIRMINGHAM, ON JUNE 13th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st and 22nd, 1876. PROPOSITION:-" That the Scriptures are the reliable and authentic record of Divine revelation." TOGETHER WITH A REVIEW OF THE DISCUSSION, RY MR. ROBERTS. LONDON: F. PITMAN, 20, PATERNOSTER ROW. BIRMINGHAM: ROBERT ROBERTS, ATHENÆUM ROOMS, TEMPLE ROW. 1876. Salbeed PREFACE. Ir is an unusual and unsatisfactory circumstance for a discussion to be divided up into two parts between two separate towns. The reader will naturally be curious to know, not only how the discussion came about, but also how it came to assume this extraordinary and inconvenient shape, from which, however, with the whole discussion in his hands, he will not be a sufferer. His curiosity cannot be more effectually gratified than by placing before him the correspondence which led to the holding of it. It is as follows: Mr. CHARLES BRADLAUGH. 64, BELGRAVE ROAD, BIRMINGHAM, 18th February, 1876. DEAR SIR.-You may be aware that the desirability of a meeting in debate between yourself and me has been for a considerable time urged by many persons who know us both. I believe the matter was verbally mentioned to you some months ago by Mr. Arthur Andrew, of London; and you were good enough to express your willingness to hold the proposed meeting. I now write for the purpose of putting the proposal into formal shape. I will undertake, for six nights-spread over two weeks-three successive nights in each week, to affirm that the Scriptures are the authentic and genuine records of Divine revelation. I leave you to choose whether the debate shall be by ordinary speeches, or by the Socratic mode, or a mixture of both, merely expressing my opinion that the latter is, perhaps, on the whole, best calculated to put the matter in debate to a thorough test. As to the place where the debate should take place, the majority of my friends are in favour of Birmingham. I presume Birmingham will not be unacceptable to you. We should, probably, have a larger audience there than anywhere else. As to the date, it will probably suit the state of your engagements, as it will mine, if I name a somewhat distant day, say the autumn of the present year; by which time, the Town Hall, Birmingham, will be re-opened after alterations and repairs. The disposal of the surplus, if any, after the payment of expenses, I would leave to your propocal, subject to mutual agreement. If these proposals are agreeable to you, you could, probably, name a local committee for the execution of arrangements in detail. Respectfully yours, ROBERT ROBERTS. "THE NATIONAL REFORMER," 29, TURNER STREET, COMMERCIAL ROAD, London, E., 21st February, 1876. DEAR SIR,-I have handed your letter to Mr. W. H. Holyoak, Belgrave Gate, Leicester, who will write you, and who has my full authority to arrange. Yours respectfully, Robert Roberts, Esq., 64, Belgrave Road, Birmingham. C. BRADLAUGH. 45, HUMBERSTONE GATE, LEICESTER, February 25th, 1876. TO ROBERT ROBERTS, Esq. DEAR SIR,—I write on behalf of Mr. Charles Bradlaugh. He has left to me the arrangement of the debate between you and him. Please consider that it is settled to come off. The time we prefer is during the month of April or the beginning of May. |