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down。 The Lollards were put down。 The Hussites were put down。 Even
after the era of Luther； wherever persecution was persisted in； it was
successful。 In Spain； Italy； Flanders； the Austrian empire；
Protestantism was rooted out； and； most likely； would have been so
in England； had Queen Mary lived； or Queen Elizabeth died。 Persecution
has always succeeded； save where the heretics were too strong a
party to be effectually persecuted。 No reasonable person can doubt
that Christianity might have been extirpated in the Roman Empire。 It
spread； and became predominant； because the persecutions were only
occasional； lasting but a short time； and separated by long
intervals of almost undisturbed propagandism。 It is a piece of idle
sentimentality that truth； merely as truth； has any inherent power
denied to error of prevailing against the dungeon and the stake。 Men
are not more zealous for truth than they often are for error； and a
sufficient application of legal or even of social penalties will
generally succeed in stopping the propagation of either。 The real
advantage which truth has consists in this； that when an opinion is
true； it may be extinguished once； twice； or many times； but in the
course of ages there will generally be found persons to rediscover it；
until some one of its reappearances falls on a time when from
favourable circumstances it escapes persecution until it has made such
head as to withstand all subsequent attempts to suppress it。
It will be said； that we do not now put to death the introducers
of new opinions： we are not like our fathers who slew the prophets； we
even build sepulchres to them。 It is true we no longer put heretics to
death； and the amount of penal infliction which modern feeling would
probably tolerate； even against the most obnoxious opinions； is not
sufficient to extirpate them。 But let us not flatter ourselves that we
are yet free from the stain even of legal persecution。 Penalties for
opinion； or at least for its expression； still exist by law； and their
enforcement is not； even in these times； so unexampled as to make it
at all incredible that they may some day be revived in full force。
In the year 1857； at the summer assizes of the county of Cornwall；
an unfortunate man；* said to be of unexceptionable conduct in all
relations of life； was sentenced to twenty…one months' imprisonment；
for uttering； and writing on a gate； some offensive words concerning
Christianity。 Within a month of the same time； at the Old Bailey；
two persons； on two separate occasions；*（2） were rejected as jurymen；
and one of them grossly insulted by the judge and by one of the
counsel； because they honestly declared that they had no theological
belief； and a third； a foreigner；*（3） for the same reason； was denied
justice against a thief。
* Thomas Pooley； Bodmin Assizes； July 31； 1857。 In December
following； he received a free pardon from the Crown。
*（2） George Jacob Holyoake； August 17； 1857； Edward Truelove； July；
1857。
*（3） Baron de Gleichen； Marlborough Street Police Court； August 4；
1857。
This refusal of redress took place in virtue of the legal
doctrine； that no person can be allowed to give evidence in a court of
justice who does not profess belief in a God （any god is sufficient）
and in a future state； which is equivalent to declaring such persons
to be outlaws； excluded from the protection of the tribunals； who
may not only be robbed or assaulted with impunity； if no one but
themselves； or persons of similar opinions； be present； but any one
else may be robbed or assaulted with impunity； if the proof of the
fact depends on their evidence。 The assumption on which this is
grounded is that the oath is worthless of a person who does not
believe in a future state； a proposition which betokens much ignorance
of history in those who assent to it （since it is historically true
that a large proportion of infidels in all ages have been persons of
distinguished integrity and honour）； and would be maintained by no one
who had the smallest conception how many of the persons in greatest
repute with the world； both for virtues and attainments； are well
known； at least to their intimates； to be unbelievers。 The rule；
besides； is suicidal； and cuts away its own foundation。 Under pretence
that atheists must be liars； it admits the testimony of all atheists
who are willing to lie； and rejects only those who brave the obloquy
of publicly confessing a detested creed rather than affirm a
falsehood。 A rule thus self…convicted of absurdity so far as regards
its professed purpose； can be kept in force only as a badge of hatred；
a relic of persecution； a persecution； too； having the peculiarity
that the qualification for undergoing it is the being clearly proved
not to deserve it。 The rule； and the theory it implies； are hardly
less insulting to believers than to infidels。 For if he who does not
believe in a future state necessarily lies； it follows that they who
do believe are only prevented from lying； if prevented they are； by
the fear of hell。 We will not do the authors and abettors of the
rule the injury of supposing that the conception which they have
formed of Christian virtue is drawn from their own consciousness。
These； indeed； are but rags and remnants of persecution； and may
be thought to be not so much an indication of the wish to persecute；
as an example of that very frequent infirmity of English minds；
which makes them take a preposterous pleasure in the assertion of a
bad principle； when they are no longer bad enough to desire to carry
it really into practice。 But unhappily there is no security in the
state of the public mind that the suspension of worse forms of legal
persecution； which has lasted for about the space of a generation；
will continue。 In this age the quiet surface of routine is as often
ruffled by attempts to resuscitate past evils； as to introduce new
benefits。 What is boasted of at the present time as the revival of
religion； is always； in narrow and uncultivated minds； at least as
much the revival of bigotry； and where there is the strong permanent
leaven of intolerance in the feelings of a people； which at all
times abides in the middle classes of this country； it needs but
little to provoke them into actively persecuting those whom they
have never ceased to think proper objects of persecution。* For it is
this… it is the opinions men entertain； and the feelings they
cherish； respecting those who disown the beliefs they deem
important； which makes this country not a place of mental freedom。
* Ample warning may be drawn from the large infusion of the
passions of a persecutor； which mingled with the general display of
the worst parts of our national character on the occasion of