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SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL ,SOCIETY

OFFICERS:General Secretary: Peter Cadogan

Lettings Secretary/ Hall Manager; Margaret Pearce Hon. Registrar: H. 0.•Knight

Hon. Treasurer: Jeremy, Thompson Acting Editor, "The Ethical Record": J. Stewart Cook

Associate Editor: Martin Page Address: Conway Hall Humanist Centre, Red Lion Square. London, W.C.1

(Tel;:, 01-242 8032)

SUNDAY MORNING LECTURESLibrary —11.0 a.m. — Admission free

November 8—LORD SORENSEN: The House of LordsBass solos: G. C. Dowman

, 'November 15—GEOFFREY ASHE: The Apocalyptic Humanism of Wm: BlakeContralto solos: Irene Clements

November 22—H. J. BLACKHAM: ConscienceCello and Piano: Margot MacGibbon and Frederic Jackson

November 29—Dr. HELEN ROSENAU: Interaction: Ethics and AestheticsTenor solos: David Waters

December 6—LORD BROCKWAY: 1914/18 and War RefusalCello and Piano: Lynden Cranham and Jane Hawkins

December 13—ROBERT MORRELL:' The Resurgence of Thomas Paine (Secretary of the Thomas Paine Society)Contralto solos: Anne KiernanHUMANIST FORUMS —SUNDAYS at 3.0 p.m.

Admission free — Tea, Two ShillingsNovember 8—How Jewish is Zionism?: Mark Braham and Moshe DavisNovember 22—Humanists Look at Humanism: Christopher Macy, Michael Lines,

Maurice Hill, Peter Cadogan. Chairman: Robert GoodsmanDecember 6—Community Development and Community Action: George Clark

and Ben WhitakerCONWAY DISCUSSIONS— TUESDAY EVENINGS

Library at 7.0 p.m.—Admission 2/- (incl. refreshments) —S.P.E.S. Members free Theme for the Month— New Frontiers in the Arts

November 10—Prof. FREDERICK JACKSON, F.R.A.M.: Twentieth CenturyChanges in Music

November 17—JEAN STRAKER: The Humanist NudeNovember 24—ROGER MANVELL. New Frontiers in Film

Theme of the Month: The English Revolution of the Seventeenth CenturyDecember 1—PETER CADOGAN: The English Revolution of 1647/48December 8—Special Meeting—see "Coming at Conway Hall"December 15—CONRAD RUSSELL: 1640/42 Origins of the English RevolutionDecember 22—NIGEL SINNOTT: England and Ireland —Then and Now

(to be followed by a party)December 29—Dr. J. R. RAVETZ: The Scientific Revolution in the 17th Century

SOUTH PLACE SUNDAY CONCERTSConcerts 6.30 p.m.—Doors open 6 p.m.—Admission 4/-

November 8—HAFFNER STRING QUARTETNovember 15—TONONI PIANO TRIO • November 22—ENGLISH STRING QUARTETNovember 29—AMARYLLIS FLEMING and PETER WALLFISCHDecember 6—DARTINGTON STRING QUARTET and KENNETH HEATHDecember 13—MUSIC GROUP OF LONDON and MARISA ROBLESDecember 20—GABRIELI STRING QUARTET

The Objects of the Society are the study and dissemination of ethical principlesand the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment.

Any person in sympathy with these objects is cordially invited to become amember (minimum annual subscription 12s. 6d.). A membership application formwill be found on the back cover.

THE ETHICAL RECORD(Formerly 'The Monthly Record')

Vol. 75, No. 10 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1970

The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the Society

EDITORIALHave We Won?IT IS almost a commonplace among humanists today to hear the viewexpressed that it is no longer necessary to attack the Churches or theChristian religion because this is a battle we have now won. Religiousbelief, according to this view, is dead or dying. Even Bishops avowatheism. The case variously argued by Bradlaugh and Foote, Huxleyand Darwin, Fox and Conway, has been conceded — we can nowproceed to more constructive things . . . but can we?

During the past year or so, I have been visited three times by youngpeople seeking to gain converts. None of them were humanists. Twowere Jehovah's Witnesses and one a Mormon. They were polite, per-suasive and very pleasant people.

The Witnesses and Mormons are, beyond doubt, gaining tens ofthousands of converts by such visits. They are peddling absurd andeven dangerous superstitions. Indeed, in the case of the Mormons,they are peddling what is a downright religious fraud — though themissionaries themselves have becn defrauded completely and believeimplicitly what they seek to persuade us to accept. The adherentsof these, and other fundamentalist, sects in this country probablyoutnumber organised humanists by at least ten to one.

The common factor in these atavistic cults is the basic tenet that theBible is "the word of God" and literally true in all respects. Is itnot time we, as humanists, sought to rescue our fellow citizens fromsuch degrading, irrational and crude superstitions? Ought we not toget together to mount a campaign to enlighten the public about theBible, about the facts which modern Biblical criticism has made abun-dantly clear?

For, let us face it, we haven't won this battle. For every freethinkingBishop gracing the benches of the House of Lords, there are thousandsof earnest, active people who are impelled by almost fanatical beliefsinto propagating fundamentalist creeds. The need for public educationto counteract this is real and urgent. Every child of a fundamentalistwho dies for want of a blood transfusion forbidden by "the word of

• God" must be seen as a tragic reproach to our own inactivity in thismatter.

Owing to the publication in December of the Conway Memorial Lecture

by Prof. Leopold Kohr on "The Breakdown of Great Britain", this issue ofThe Ethical Record is for November and December. The next issue willappear in January, 1971.

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The Use and Abuse of AdvertisingBY

LORD SORENSEN

IF MY appearance has changed subtly this is due to my transference fromone side of the House of Lords to the other owing to about 13,000,000British electors voting for Conservative candidates at the General Election,about 12,000,000 for Labour and about 2,000,000 for Liberal. In thisnon-Party gathering I refrain from declaring whether I think this indicatesthe Left was right or the Right was wrong, although there were certainlymoral and ethical elements in the contest. Thus some will consider it rightthat we are now to have commercial radio advertisements and some thatthis is deplorable—one more illustration of moral variability.

Political advocacy involves advertisement and both main Parties wereassisted in this by Public Relations specialist agencies. Advertisement is onemeans of communication such as not only human beings require, but alsoother creatures. By sound or symbols they and we communicate fear, anger.desire, delight, prudence, affection, domination or servility. Cats and dogsutter different mieows or barks, wave or wag their tails and adopt variouspostures as means of communication. Birds have their repertoire of singingor twittering, fish emit sounds and insects also gregariously communicate,possibly possessing a form of radar. Bees have impressive means of indica-ting where floral nectar is to be found.

Sex and CommunicationSex has its own variant forms of communication in all creatures, from

distinctive sounds, movements and displays to human feminine cosmetics,powders, perfumes, coiffures, garments, poses and optical manoeuvres andmasculine brawny arrogance, muscular exhibitionism, vocal intonations andcunning blandishments, both not always entirely uncommercial. Theseare forms of advertisement, and so are official proclamations and publicnotices •by governmental authorities, including warnings of dire penaltiesif rate demands are not speedily met. Town Criers were once familiar mediafor oral advertisements.

The Queen opened Parliament with a regal carriage drive escorted bysworded, metal-breasted Life or Horse Guards (I can never tell the differ-ence), trumpet fan-fares, medieval functionaries and crimson-robed Peers,not including myself. That pageantry was an elaborate advertisement ofRoyalty, commercial to the extent that its cost was a State investment,justified or not according to diverse ethical evaluations.

Before the advent of printing and then newspapers, advertisement wasmainly by means of symbols, as with feudal shields and banners, stillextensively employed, a hanging bunch of twigs or leaves to indicate aninn ("Good wine needs no bush"), a pole swathed in red and whiteimitation bandages to represent a barber-surgeon and three brass balls havedenoted where the impecunious could pledge a watch, ring or the old man'sbest trousers—happily in these days less frequently. Bankers, pawnbrokersand old lumber men have an affinity, but Bank of England Governorsare more reticent in remembering this than Steptoe and Son.

Early Newspaper AdvertisingWith print came occasional "new-books" recording events and rumours,

and circulated leaflets announced, as at St. Bartholomews Fair in the earlierElizabethan times, monstrosities in side-shows. The first newspapers ap-peared in 1622 with "Weekly Newes" and "Newes from Most Parts of

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Christendom", but the first advertisement was in the "Mercurius Brit-tanicus" of 1625. Since then many local newspapers have been "The Mer-cury". From thence onward newspaper advertisements came in full spate.The "Mercurius Politicus" in 1958 proclaimed that an "excellent, and byall physicians, approved China drink called by the Chineans.Tcha, by othernations Tay alias Eec" could be purchased near the Royal Exchange.The slang for tea is still called "char" by sundry plebeians, and this receivedelaborite eulogies as a remedy for "consumption, dropsy, gout, scurvy, theKings Evil and hypochondriac winds", but I doubt if contemporary teadrinkers will confirm this.

Advertisement embraced much else including King Charles II's lostdog, "silver stuffs, Sattains, Tammies- and other obscure fabrics, appren-tices and servants required, beautifying fluids, cures for lost memory, bull-baiting, Thomas Paine's "Rights of Man" and• tobacco guaranteed to curestomache ailments, bad eyesight and wheezing. Taxes on newspapers en-couraged advertisers to adopt flyposting, even over-night onhouseholddoors. With the reduction in newspaper taxation and later abolition news-paper publication expanded so that in 1855 Britain had 640 and by thecentury's end 3,000.

In the early part of our present century Thomas Holloway advertisedamazing pills and ointments that were bought by the million, but a rival,James Morrison, advertised a "Universal Pill" so effectively that a gratefulpublic subscribed to make a stone lion to adorn his "College of Health".That leonine moument today stands in the forecourt of a building facingKings Cross Station to remind us of human credulity. Many prevalentcommodities such as Pears Soap, Bovril, Nestles, and Hovis were first adver-tised over sixty years ago and now share with innumerable others the appli-cation of more subtly-psychological inducements to customers.

The Advertisement Industry

The advertisement industry employs about 200,000 persons directly andmany more indirectly. A local weekly newspaper may have 40 pages ofwhich 30 cover advertisements, which means its staff and printers are formuch of their time devoting skill and energy to advertisements. In Britainnearly £500,000,000 is spent in advertising, approximately 2.1% of the nat-ional product. Of this 46% is for Prcss advertising, 17.2 for television and36% for other methods. My authority for this is derived from "The Adver-tising Man" by Jeremy Tunstall but there are other sources that indicatehow vast is the advertising world. To some this may seem social waste, butthere are substantial arguments in defence of advertising as an essentialmeans of social communication. Thus it is claimed:

I. It informs the public of pleasurable or beneficial objects or servicesthat otherwise might be unknown or unavailable.

By creating mass demand it enables mass production to provide goodsand services at prices within the compass of the multitude.

By stimulating competition it results in keen efforts and enterprise thatissue in inventiveness and improvements in our economy.

It is a concomitant of human freedom and liberty.Even if the motives of advertisers are pecuniary rather than altruistic

it cannot be denied that mass demand and consequently mass productionhas made available to the masses what otherwise would be financially pro-hibitive. Only tycoons could afford to purchase a refrigerator, television set,car or washing machine made individually. It is also true that many drugsand medical or surgical supplies, of which every medical practitioner receivesa flood of advertising matter, have been a boom because extensive researchby commercial companies has led to therapeutic discoveries notwithstandingallegations of unwarrantable charges to purchasers.

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Advertising and Mass ProductionCertainly mass production of necessities can operate without mass ad-

vertising, as is so in communist countries. It is possible to assess popularneeds and mass produce accordingly and also to determine the replacementof obsolescent goods by new inventions. In some measure this operates withinnon-communist countries at times of crisis or urgent need. War drives gov-ernments to devise means of mass producing armaments and to ensuresome priority for basic human necessities. This involves severe restrictionand control by central government, but whether in peace-time centraliseddetermination of what people can have is more efficient than existingmethods or would be compatible with freedom and liberty depends bothon our political philosophy and on flexible adjustments.

It appears equally certain that competitive advertising can be excessiveand socially wasteful or injurious. Millions of pounds spent simply on in-ducing customers to switch from one product to another of virtuallyidentical worth is an economic waste. Encouragement to spend purchasingpower in employing labour and skill for what is of less social importancethan an alternative is surely deplorable. When Vernons or Littlewoodsadvertise that someone has won £200,000 this can intensify the ardour ofthat half of our country's adults who regularly become absorbed in calcul-ations and computations of football pools and thus employ an army ofwomen at a time when there is urgent need for more nurses and teachers.

Brewers advertise lavishly. "Guinness is good for you" avoids particula-rising on how it is good, for if this means in nourishment some dieticianshave asserted that there is more nourishment in slices of wholemeal bread.Apart from the fact that it is unlikely that hefty rugger-players or proletariandockers will ever joyfully exchange their foaming biasses for slices of brownbread and substitute "That's got a good head" by "That's got a good crust".I incline to believe that Guinness and other alcoholic beverages will cascadedown thirsty throats because of their physical satisfaction. Even so is thereany sound reason why so much expensive advertisement should be devotedto increasing the consumption of alcohol? This is not a criticism of moderatedrinking or interference with personal liberty, but criticism of those whoencourage excess, which I submit is what £9.4 millions advertising in thePress, £6.5 millions on television and £9.6 millions in other ways by theBrewers in 1967 was liable to do. If cigarette advertisements no longerappear on television because of the harmful effects of excessive cigarette -smoking why not also ban alcohol advertisements because of the personaland social harm of excessive drinking? I have pressed this many times inParliament without receiving any logical explanation. Meanwhile chargesof drunkenness rose in the U.K. from 62,000 in 1959 to 75,700 in 1967 andwe have to cope with between three and four hundred thousand confirmedalcoholics.

Our nation has recognised the necessity of advertisement control by legalenactments that require avoidance of deceptive description, the printing ofcontents on containers of drugs and the like, prevention of aircraftsky-writing advertisements and through local authorities the prevention ofof advertisements spoiling amenities and offending public taste. The Adver-tising Association and The Consumer Council have made recommendationsfor statutory or voluntary adherence to codes of advertising conduct, actionto prevent evasion of Acts and regulations and the promotion of honest salesof wares. The journal Which gives fine service in examining advertised goodsand services and assessing value for money. But this must be supplementedby further action directed to minimising abuses and needless expenditure.

Economics of AdvertisingAs to whether advertising is on balance economically wasteful the Report

on "The Economics of Advertising" by five professors and one other ap-

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pointed by The Economist Advisory Group concludes after objective exami-nation that while consumers have inadequate information advertising expen-diture is "quantitatively insignificant in relation to the national economy" andthat on balance advertising does more good than harm. There are contraryviews to this, but beyond the economic issue remains the question of socialvalues. Fortunately we do not suffer from the appalling hysteria that yells,screams, wheedles, booms and cajoles nauseatingly in the U.S.A., but someof our own commercial television advertising does seem to me very trivial.

My brief survey is a meagre introduction into a field that demands con-tinuous study and critical vigilance if we believe that the quality of lifemust be paramount over passion for private profit and gross exploitation.In the end this depends on the growth of the sense of social values and onourselves in thc fashioning of a worthy society. We may pay too high aprice for the right to fight for "glittering prizes", and although we can wel-come information of genuine contributions to a fuller life it would be wise totreat commercial persuasion with a pinch of salt.

(Summary of a lecture given on July 5)

The Genesis of ScepticismBY

H. J. BLACKHAM

THE notion of scepticism would incline most people to think of the first bookof the Bible rather than of its origins, but that is only because in our erascepticism has been generally directed against the Christian faith, whereasstrictly scepticism puts in question the possibility of any knowledge, doubt-ing both the evidence of the senses and the conclusions of all reasoning.However, this generalised scepticism does begin with putting in questionreceived notions of a local tradition. First, the schools are doubted; thendoubting becomes a school.

This does not happen in every cultural tradition. In Israel, God's policieswere put in question, but not his being, even in the "Wisdom" literatureinfluenced by Greek thought. "The fool says in his heart, There is no God".Scepticism as a reasoned general position is a characteristic of Indianthought and of Greek thought, and is not conspicuous in any other culturaltradition. Alexander's conquests contributed to the unsettlement of thoughtby cross-cultural influences, which included contact with Indian meta-physical thinking. Denial of the reality of an independent self beyond theflux of sensations or of an independent object beyond the flux of appear-ances postulated a reality beyond cognition with which it was the ultimateaim of man to be reunited in the peace of nirvana. This double aim, seekinga reality beyond appearances and a peace beyond desires, remained onestrand in the history of scepticism.

Greek Scepticism

Greek scepticism, however, had its own roots, and was characteristicallyin aid of reliable knowledge rather than of spiritual peace. Xenophanes(c. 530 BC) discredited all anthropomorphic images of God by pointingout that Ethiopians have gods with snub noses and black hair, Thracianswith grey eyes and red hair, and that, were it possible, horses would draw

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pictures of gods like horses. Heraclitus was looking for some recognisableidentity, unity, order in the flux of phenomena. The Sophists, the journalistsof the day, put in question the basis of the laws: were they, as assumed,ordinances of nature cosmically sanctioned, or merely human conventions?This questioning was the mainspring of Plato's elaborate answer.

Curiously, scepticism as a school of thought is fathered on Pyrrho(365-275 BC) who in Alexander's train was influenced by the Indians andsought mystical peace. "Pyrrhonism" is the name given to radical scepticismto this day. He taught that man should be plucked, stripped of opinionsin order to enjoy the blessedness of total indifference. He was a picturesquecrank like Socrates or Diogenes, one of the legendary heroes of philosophy.Later developments of the sceptic school were attributed to him, as wellas anecdotes to prove his indifference to the surrounding world till theend of his 90 years.

The fullest authority for the sceptic school and its most mature repre-sentative was Sextus Empiricus, a doctor who lived in the second half ofthe second century AD. In his extant works we have the "tropes", thetechnical devices or tests by which arguments were put in question anddiscredited. There were ten, which can be reduced to three that havepermanent importance, and of which the others are variants: I. anyverbal argument can be answered by its contrary, and people will maketheir choice on one side or the other without any possibility of appeal tosettle the doubt; 2. the starting point of an argument, and therefore itsconclusion, can always be put in question because its "proof" requiresproof, and so on in an infinite regress; 3. all knowledge is relative tothe knower, and all objects of knowledge relative to other objects, so thatnothing can be known as it is in itself. These objections to any claim tocertainty are not mere debating points, and remain weighty objections.Sextus Empiricus was not a mystic like Pyrrho; his practical conclusionwas to trust to nature and custom and commonsense in the commonconcerns of daily living.

Thus scepticism, reacting to the dogmatism of the schools in the philo-sophy of the Greco-Roman world, became itself one of the rival schools.One might say that classical thought resulted in an exhaustive set offive mutually exclusive positions: 1. dogmatic idealism (e.g., Plato),dogmatic materialism (e.g., Epicurus), 3. eclecticism (e.g., Plutarch), 4.scepticism (e.g., Sextus Empiricus), 5. fideism (e.g., St. Augustine).

The rise of the Christian Church

Christianity became the religion of Rome, and with the collapse of theEmpire the Church founded the first Europe and controlled all education.By the end of the 13th century a good deal of Greek philosophy, particu-larly the works of Aristotle, had been recovered, so that in the universitiesan independent faculty of philosophy became a rival interest to theology.This led to a new form of scepticism, the theory of "double truth": aproposition, such as an assertion of the immortality of the soul, might beincredible to reason, yet known to be true by revelation. This was indeedthe argument of Pietro Pomponazzi (1462-1524). Montaigne at the end ofthe 16th century revived pyrrhonism in the device under which all hisessays are written: que sais-je? Reviewing classical philosophy, contem-porary science and discovery (Copernicus and the New World), and thebloodshed of fanatical religious sects, he pointed up the variety, diversity,and uncertainty of human life, argued against all the absolutes of schoolsand systems, and exemplified the open minded inquiry he advocated.

Pierre Bayle (1647-1707), a French Protestant in exile, provided in hisfamous Dictionary an arsenal of arguments to shake the certainties ofreligious claims, philosophical, theological, Biblical. His practical conclusion

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was toleration; because all men's beliefs are conditioned by their birth andeducation, absolute claims have no credible foundation. Bayle can bethought of as the first of the philosophes. Meanwhile, Francis Bacon (1561-1626) marked a turning point in the history of scepticism because hereaffirmed the bankruptcy of verbal philosophy in order to claim that the

'inconclusiveness of all reasoning could be brought to an end with the newway of experimental reasoning which introduced a tcst of the argumentby appeal to an experience devised for the purpose. There could be reliable,corrigible, progressive knowledge, which, applied to "the relief of man'sestate", would transform human destiny. Thereafter, scepticism had to bedirected against science itself as well as against religious faith; and itwas by Flume and by Kant. Their critique made it clear that scientificknowledge is inter-subjective, relative, and "conventional" as well as pro-visional and probable; that it would not be knowledge of the "thing-in-itself", could not be axiomatic or "necessary", could not answer meta-physical questions. The only certain propositions are tautological or analy-tical (two plus two is equal to four) and give no information about theworld; any constructive proposition which does give information is ex-pressed in terms of a probability. In the history of reason this was aCopernican revolution. Before the end of the 18th century, "The fool saysin his heart, there is no God"; afterwards, the sceptic says to the believer,"It is now your job to show me why I should take you seriously".

NietzscheThe only other step in the history of scepticism to be noticed is the

nihilism of Nietzsche. Influenced by Schopenhauer who was influenced byIndian thought, Nietzsche's thought is not strictly sceptical although pro-foundly radical. He mounts a critique of the whole development of Westernculture since Socrates: Christianity (not least, Christian ethics), science,rationalism, the morality of duty, democracy, socialism are all forms ofdecadence leading to human mediocrity and extinction. His critique isapplied to all received values, but in aid of a gospel of his own, atransvaluation of all values. The modesty of true scepticism is violated.

Hume

Hume complained of the dogmatism of the philosophes and with justice,but Diderot might be given the last word in defining a sceptic:

What is a sceptic? A philosopher who has doubted everything which hebelieves, and who believes what a legitimate use of his reason and senseshas demonstrated to him as true. An honest pyrrhonist, to be more exact.

Elsewhere he quotes Voltaire as saying that we should no more beupset because we are not equipped to know what is not accessible to ourreason and senses than we are because we do not have four feet nor twowings.

Finally, it may be worth comparing the sceptic in philosophy with theanarchist in politics. The sceptic will not commit himself to any intellectualsystem nor dogma, in aid either of commonsense or of mysticism. Theanarchist will not commit himself to any political system or institution, in.aid either of conservatism (why change?) or of utopianism (acrasez l'infame).

(Summary of a lecture given on July 19)

Who said it?

"It is true liberty is precious—so precious that it must be rationed"(attributed to Lenin)

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The South Place ArchivesBY

NIGEL H. SINNOTT

UNTIL recently, one of the most valuable, and most neglected assetsof our Society was the unique collection of books, documents and MSSwhich are housed in the Library at Conway Hall. Last August, however,the S.P.E.S. Library Sub-committee, under the direction of our Librarian,Mrs. Altmann-Gold, organised a purge of the Library shelves by a voluntaryworking party, and our unique holding of archives is now housed separately(in some cases under lock and key) and is in process of being exhaustivelycatalogued.

My attention was first drawn to the value of these archives when Istumbled across such treasures as the bound manuscript of the autobio-graphy of William Lovett (1800-1877), the Chartist, whose chair, with abrass plaque, is also in the Library; and various collections of nineteenthcentury tracts accumulated by one-time members. Of particular value aresix folios of bound pamphlets presented to the Society in November, 1904,by a Miss Morris (if any of our "elder statesmen"— or "stateswomen" —can give us some more details about Miss Morris, it would be muchappreciated); and also a fascinating collection of tracts, pamphlets, andnineteenth century journals amassed by Moncure D. Conway himself.Thirty-three folios of these bound tracts were given to the Library by. theConway family in 1908, and an additional volume by Eustace Conway inNovember, 1923: this was probably a part of Moncure Conway's originalcollection which had been "left behind" in 1908. Conway's tracts give onea fascinating insight into the reading habits of this great Victorian, andbecause Conway always kept in touch with the anti-slavery movementand American affairs as well as with the Ethical and Freethought movementin Britain, his collection contains material some of which is probablyunique in this country. Between them, the Conway and Morris tracts com-prise an almost complete set of the works (nearly all of pamphlet type)issued by the renowned rationalist publisher, Thomas Scott (1808-1878)during the late 1860's and 1870's. As well as these collections (amountingto some 1200 catalogue entries) there are further sets of bound tracts andSouth Place sermons from the old Finsbury Chapel Library, as well asnumerous manuscript minute books which it has not as yet been possibleto examine in detail. If they are as valuable as the Conway and Morristracts they will, all told, provide a rich primary source for historians andothers interested in the evolution of the Ethical, Secularist, and Unitarianmovements in the last century.

Many of the old tracts had originally been bound "on the cheap"; this,together with decades of neglect. had resulted in deterioration of a dan-gerous nature. Now, however, the Library and Finance Sub-committees havearranged a "crash-course" of re-binding which it is hoped will be com-pleted by the end of this year or the spring of 1971.

The following are some of the more interesting examples of the contentsof the tracts collected by Dr. Conway and Miss Morris; it may be possible,one day, to publish a complete catalogue of the S.P.E.S. Archives andreference books.

Anon., Don Juan. A twofold journey with manifold purposes. By theauthors of "The Coming K—" and "The Siliad". London, 1874.This is an interesting piece of Victorian satire, largely political,

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lampooning Byron's famous poem Don Juan, and including the

following lines:

"Maid of Clapham! Ere I part,Tell me if thou host a heart!

For, so padded is thy breast,I begin to doubt the rest!

Tell me now, before I go —Soi moo sas agapo!

"Are those tresses thickly twined,Only hair-pinned on behind?

Is thy blush which roscs mocks,Bought at three-and-six per box? ..."

Anon., Signs of the Times. May 1876. London: published by ThomasScott. This issue is particularly interesting as it relates what

happened when Bertrand Russell's father, Viscount Amberley died.The express wishes of Amberley and his wife, that they be buricdin unconsecrated ground, were flouted, and the clause in Amberley's

will, giving custody of the children to a Freethinker, was set asideby the Courts of the day in favour of the more orthodox grand-parents.

Anon., The sexual question. (c. 1875) !!

Edward B. AVELING, The borderland between living and non-livingthings. A lecture delivered before the Sunday Lecture Society on ...November 5th, 1882 ....Dr. Aveling was for a while prominent in N.S.S. circles during the1870's and 1880's. David Tribe, the current N.S.S. President, has

described him as "one of the greatest rogues unhung". Aveling

later "went over" to the Socialists and translated the first Englishedition of Marx's Das Kapital.See also, just published, Tussy is me, by Michael Hastings (abiography of Eleanor Marx).

Thomas BEGGS, The Royal Commission and the punishment of death.Reprinted from The Social Science Review. London: Society forthe Abolition of Capital Punishment, (1865).A remnant of the "good old days" of public executions!

Annie BESANT, Is the Bible indictable? . . . Being an enquiry whetherthe Bible comes within the ruling of the Lord Chief Justice as to

obscene literature. London: Freethought Publishing Co., (c. 1878).Written after the "Fruits of Philosophy" trial.

F. W. CHESSON, The Dutch Boers and slavery in the Trans-Vaal Re-public . . . London, 1869.

The reception and entertainment of the Chinese Embassy by the City of

Boston. 1868.Includes speech made by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Moncure D. CONWAY, In Memoriam. A memorial discourse in honourof John Stuart MILL ...' with hymns and readings. London: South

Place Chapel, 25 May 1873.

MOI1Cure D. CONWAY, Liberty and Morality: a discourse given at SouthPlace Chapel, Finsbury ... . Notice: The proceeds of this pamphletwill be given by Mr. CONWAY to a testimonial to Mr. TRUE-

LOVE . . . on his release from prison. London: FreethoughtPublishing Co., 1878.

Edward Truelove (1809-1899), the famous printer, was "doing time"for publishing Owen's Moral Physiology, which dealt with birthcontrol (Malthusianism, as it was then called). The "FreethoughtPublishing Company" was, of course, Charles Bradlaugh and AnnieBesant.

(Moncure CONWAY) Printed letter dated February 17, 1864, to theMembers of Finsbury Chapel, South Place, announcing the appoint-ment of "Mr. M. D. CONWAY, of Boston . ." for the nextsix months. The circular is issued by M. E. MARSDEN, Treasurer,and on the back is a MS. eulogy of W. J. FOX in (?) Conway'shand (perhaps even the notes for Conway's first sermon at theChapel?).

COMUS, The missing links to Darwin's Origin of Species.A Victorian humorous poem.

Charles R. DRYSDALE, Malthusian Tracts No. I. The principle of popu-lation. London: Malthusian League, n.d.

Joseph A. HORNER (editor). No. 1 of Anti-Slavery Tracts for the Times.The American Board of Missions and Slavery. A reprint of corres-pondence in the Nonconformist newspaper ... Leeds: Barry & Co.(Printers to the Yorkshire Anti-Slavery Societies), 1860.

Form of petition for the abolition of capital punishment. Issued by theHoward Association, London. (c. 1870).

James HUNT, On the Negro's place in nature. London: The Anthropo-logical Society, 1863.The copy is inscribed as follows: (1) "T. H. Huxley Esq.; with thebest respects of the author". (2) "Handed over to me by T.H.H.—M.D.C.". The author was a raving racist, and no doubt ProfessorHuxley, after digesting the pseudo-science, handed the paper onto Conway for "political action". The American Civil War was thenin full swing, and Conway was lecturing in the U.K. on behalf ofthe North.

Icelandic Millenary Festival, 1874. Hymn of welcome, composed by MatthiasJOCRUMSSON, in honor of Christian IX. King of Denmark, andsung on the occasion of his visit to Thingvellir , August 6th 1874.English version by George BROWNING. Reykjavik, ? 1874.I do not imagine there are many copies of this in the British Isles!

William LOVETT, Proposal for establishing a cheap, just, and efficientmode of electing Members of Parliament, and for securing the justand equal representation of the people. London, 1869.

(Giuseppe MAZZINI) Tracts of the Society of the Friends Of Italy . . . .No. 4. M. MAZZINT's Lecture, delivered at the first conversazioneof the Friends of Italy .. , February 1 1 th, 1852. London: Societyof the Friends of Italy. 1852.

Baboo Protap Chunder MOZOOMDAR, Simple religion . . . Manchester,1874. (—no kidding, honest!).

Francis W. NEWMAN, A discourse against hero-making in religion,delivered in South Place Chapel . . , April 24th, 1864 . . . —inscribed "To M. D. Conway with the writer's compliments".Professor F. W. NEWMAN was a brother of the eminent Cardinal,but was a radical Unitarian, not a Catholic.

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Tracts for the Times, No. 1 "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest". Lastaddress of Rev. John PIERPOINT. London, n.d.

John ROBERTSON, The finding of the book; an essay on the origin ofthe dogma of infallibility. Ramsgate: Thomas Scott, 1870.Question : was the author our John Mackinnon ROBERTSON?— He would only have been fourteen at this time! Our J.M.R.Expert, Martin Page, thinks not, and that "John ROBERTSON,Coupar-Angus" was only a Scottish contemporary of J.M.R.'s.

South Place Chapel Finsbury. Notice to Members. London, 1876.This is a notice by the Committee to protect themselves from animplied motion of censure. There were one or two other scandalsin evidence among some of the printed notices of the old SouthPlace!

United States Sanitary Commission No. 69. Statement of the object andmethods of the sanitary commission appointed by the Governmentof the United States, June 13, 1861 . . New York, 1863.Deals with prophylactic methods to forestall epidemics amongFederal troops in the Civil War.

WAR WITH AMERICA! Complicity with the Slaveholders of the South.A public meeting under the auspices of the EMANCIPATIONSOCIETY will be held at the Hanover Square Rooms . . . onWednesday, May 13, to protest against the efforts of Membersof Parliament to drag this country into a war with the UnitedStates, and to demand the Law against the builders of Pirate Ships.Poster: (c. 1863) speakers billed were T. Hughes, W. T. Malleson,J. W. Probyn, James Beal, and, of course, "M. D. Conway". The"pirate ships" were ships built illicitly on Merseyside for the ConLfederacy.

On the deity of Jesus of Nazareth. An enquiry into the nature of Jesusby an examination of the Synoptic Gospels. By the wife of abeneficed clergyman. Edited and prefaced by Charles VOYSEY. . . London: Thomas Scott, 1873.This is one of the most interesting of all the tracts: the "wifeof a beneficed clergyman" was in fact Annie BESANT, who atthis time was undergoing the loss of her faith. The tract got backto her husband, Rev. Frank Besant, and was the act which finallybroke up the already empty marriage. Through her friendship withthe Rev. Charles Voysey, the distraught Annie met, and was be-friended by the Conways, who were eventually the cause of hermeeting Charles Bradlaugh in August 1874.

After looking over this list again, one is tempted to think that if theshade of Moncure D. Conway were to return to South Place for a readand look around: he would be inclined to remark that things had not changedmuch over a century!

"The true University of these dcrys is a collection of books" (Thomas Carlyle)

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Book ReviewsThe Cost of Church Schools, by David Tribe (National Secular Society, 1970, 4s.).

The historic position of secularism has been one of opposition to anyform of denominational education and therefore to the existence of churchschools. This pamphlet, which is prefaced by Mrs. Margaret Knight, setsout the case with a vigour which Mrs. Knight would seem to wish couldhave been less expressive at times. It certainly underlines the point thatchurch schools arc an expensive luxury and that a large proportion oftheir cost falls upon the taxpayer. It is he who has to contribute both theagreed subsidy under the Education Act, 1944, which is now raised to75 per cent of the maintenance as well as to pay for thc various otherservices which add considerably to this figure. Mr. Tribe hammers away atthe economic aspect and his results are of a character which should causethe non-churchgoing taxpayer to protest. It is a matter of frank injusticethat, having paid for a state educational scheme, he should then be calledupon to bear a large part of the financial burden when some people wishto contract out of it for sectarian ends, We wish that the present pamphletcould have been written in a more urbane manner as its style might putoff many of the more liberal-minded who would be ready to give car tothe basic argument without committing themselves to a fully secularist view-point. But, it should also be recalled that, in 1970, there is a further attitudewhich must be considered. The state educational system is becoming mono-lithic and stereotyped. Many are advocating the cause of the survival ofindependent schools simply because such schools preserve a variety ofchoice and make against standardisation in education with all that it couldmean. Some of those taking up this attitude will look upon church schoolsas involving an economic or ideological contradiction but will oppose theirdisappearance simply because they do represent a focal point of indepen-dency. In a non-churchgoing age, this argument will probably be more tothe fore than the exact issues of the historic battle. It calls for a freshapproach and also calls possibly for a revival of the frank anti-clericalismwhich it should be the business of heterodox bodies to set forth.

F.H.A.M .

Books Are WeaponsThe Left Book Club, by John Lewis (Gollancz, 1970; 36s.)

BOOKS, like men, are not born free and equal. About 500 books arepublished in Britain every week. Only a fraction of them are reviewed.Only a tiny number are read by tens of thousands of readers. Everypublisher hopes for what a wit called "a breast-seller". Among all thecountless books, readable and unreadable, I would describe hardly one ina thousand as a radical book offering a slice of the sort of truth aboutpolitics or ethics that makcs men free. Walk into any public library and'notice how very few of the books you see on the shelves are radical intheir implications.

These thoughts were prompted by Dr. John Lewis's latest book, whichis a valuable record of an historic publishing adventure scarcely knownto the younger generation. The famous Left Book Club was at its bestfor less than five years, from 1936, though it lasted for twelve years.

After 1940 its unity of purpose was impaired by political differenceswhich developed among its leading figures, and which are not concealedin these pages. Before the war the Communist party put its energy andenthusiasm behind the Club and its point of view was ably advancedby John Strachey in particular. The other two selectors were Harold Laski,

14

and Victor Gollancz, the man who really inspired the whole movement.Gollancz was a publisher of genius moved by a passionate sense of justiceas well as morality. Neither he nor Laski was at all the sort of man whomcommunists could deceive or mislead. Stories to the contrary, which thisbook has given some reviewers an occasion to revive, are attributable tomalice and envy.

A Common Cause

Not that it is ever easy to work in a common cause with avowedcommunists following a strict party line, a fact known to every realist.The common cause of the 1930s was peace through concerted oppositionto fascism, especially in its German form. It was clear to some of us then— and it has since been proved— that Britain could have played a crucialpart in avoiding the Second World War. Cabinet papers opened for thefirst time this year to public scrutiny confirm this beyond the shadow ofa doubt. Britain could have had an alliance with Russia to stop Hitler,but the Conservatives refused this, hoping the Nazis would only attackRussia. In the end the Russians lost patience with the West and concludedwith Hitler the pact which seemed to many western socialists a betrayalof the common cause. This belief helped to undermine the unity of theClub; and later it declined when further political differences developed.

Dr. Lewis has done a public service in compiling this detailed accountof the steps by which the Club advanced to a position where its politicalinfluence was astonishingly wide. Never before had a long monthly suc-cession of good, cheap radical books been published; and one wondersif this can ever happen again. Today when students ask for political educa-tion relevant to their needs, they get the stony reply that all is well withthe teaching of politics, economics and all the other social sciences. Thosewho were students when the Left Book Club was at its zenith were much!more fortunate because they had access to books that in themselves pro-vided an education.

The Lessons of Experience

Dr. Lewis was himself chief organiser of the groups which sprangup all over Britain to discuss the monthly book chosen for distribution.He has told an exciting story that is fascinating even when recollected intranquillity. But I wish he had gone further and considered what theClub's experience has to teach us about the publishing industry and thebook trade. Did not the mere existence and the obvious success of theClub evoke from a significant number of would-be authors an effort theywould never otherwise have exerted themselves to make? Demand pro-duces supply in the writing of books, as in other activities, though it issometimes hard to convince publishers about this. Today there must bewriters who are disinclined to put pen to paper because, rightly or wrongly,they believe that no publisher would accept their typescript. So a sortof pre-natal censorship grows up. Dr. Lewis in effect confirms this whenhe recalls that, even in the crisis years of the 1930s, booksellers wereready to buy ten times as many copies of a book conservative in characteras of a radical book marketed through the ordinary channels. 1 also wishDr. Lewis had supplied some actual figures about the financial side ofthis great experiment in publishing. One wonders how much risk is takentoday when a left book is produced. Is there room in the 1970s for anotherGollancz if only he would emerge? These questions apart, this book isan impressive memorial to a man who, if all else were forgotten, deservesto be gratefully remembered for all those reddish books.

JULIUS LEWIN

15

For the Recordfrom the General Secretary

WE HAVE made a promising beginning to the new season with three LargeHall functions in a row— all with three-figure attendances. The Reunionhad a fittingly intimate character, the Conway Memorial Lecture broughta suitable host of new people to Conway Hall and started a discussionthat will probably last for the rest of the Society's year and the Encounterwith the Unitarians was more than a meeting, one had the sense that belowthe surface something was beginning to happen in ideas and attitudes andrelationships.

Getting Among the YoungAt the October General Committee Mr. Warwick (now aged about 80

but as full of fight as ever) recalled how in the 'fifties he had successfullyMooted and helped to organise a youth group in the Society and that ithad functioned well for nine years. He thought it was time to do it again.Everyone agreed and a beginning is being made— the first meeting willhave been held by the time this appears in print. This note is reallyaddressed to Members who arc under thirty and to those who know others:who might be interested and who are of that age group (they do not!have to be present members of the Society). Will you contact me so thatyou can be kept in the picture and be given every opportunity of becominginvolved if you so wish?

On Being FestiveInasmuch as we know Christmas to be a good pagan festival as well

as a Christian one we are having an informal bring-it-yourself party at9.0 p.m. on December 22 (after Nigel Sinnott's discussion session) and areAt present having deep thought about a much more ambitious occasionon Friday, February 12. This brings us up against all kinds of problems,catering, licence kr a bar, existing booking of our rooms, character ofthe occasion, etc.— all things we hope to sort out, so this is just apreliminary notice. Make a note of the date and the possibility.

A Who's Who of Who's Coming to Conway HallGeoffrey Ashe (Sunday, November 15) has a new book about to appear,

Camelot and the Vision of Albion, and has some fascinating and mind-bending things to say on what we English are really about at our deepest

Dr. Rosenau (Sunday, November 29) is about to publish Social Purposein Architecture, a study of London and Paris. Dr. Ravetz, Senior Lecturerin Philosophy at the University of Leeds, is also appearing in print in'a major work this autumn and he will •be here on Tuesday, December 29.

Mark Braham (Sunday, •November 8) caused a storm in Australia byputting the case in the Jewish press there that Zionism was a misreadingof Judaism. The paper was actually obliged to close down! He has nowwritten a book about his thesis which will be out soon. He is for Israelbut against Zionism. He is liable to make a big impression here. He willbe opposed by Moshe Davis, an orthodox Zionists of some distinction. Thispromises to be a really seminal occasion.

All our other speakers will be well known to Members. Humanism isnot just about problems, it is also about the enjoyment of living andDavid Tribe, Professor Jackson, Jean Straker and Roger Manvell willlead us to the current horizons of the arts on November's Tuesdays.

Our Thursday discussion groups, starting on linguistics and moving onto ethics, look promising. It will be good if we can produce some discussionstatements that are a useful foundation on which to build.

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Lastly, we have taken up another of David Western's ideas (he inspiredrhe Sunday Forums that are now so successful) in the "Humanists Look atHumanism" session on November 22. This will be an unofficial occasionwhen we can all think aloud and start to raise the awkward problemsround the resolution of which so much of the future of humanism depends.The important thing is that Humanism has won or is quite clearly winning— what do we do with our "victory-? The plain fact is that at presentwe are not at all sure.

PETER CADOGAN

To the EditorAs the Dust Settles ...

I am glad to be able to say that during my six years as Editor of ThaEthical Record, no editorial ever sank to the level of personal abuse, as inthe October issue. However, I will refrain from replying in kind, and willmerely comment on the impersonal issue of sex discrimination on theGeneral Committee: in all the years I served on the Committee, I neversaw a man help make the tea!

My published letter was followed by comments twice the length of theletter itself (again something for which readers would look in vain duringthe preceding six years), so it is not surprising that the letter itself had tobe cut for lack of space. Perhaps I may repeat here the paragraph that was.squeezed out.

Your report of the second A.G.M. (September "South Place News-),though correct in stating that the attendance was even larger than therecord attendance in May and that the ballot for the G.C. was virtuallyunchanged, omits to mention that members of the Whitehall Hotel factionbrought along even more of their friends and relations than to the earliermeeting in May and that they were all issued with ballot papers, whether'entitled to vote or not. Prior to the meeting I had written to the Secretaryon behalf of those of us who had demanded a second meeting, nominatinga representative to be stationed at the door with the new Registrar to checkthe credentials of those attending and being issued with ballot papers —but this demand met with a flat refusal. At the meeting itself, protests werevoiced at the indiscriminate issuing of ballot papers, and the Chairman thenappealed to those not entitled to vote to relinquish their papers. A few didso, but it was hardly right to leave this to people's consciences and memory.Some of those •who voted were definitely not entitled to do so (though itwas not possible to ascertain this until after the meeting), and since twoof the candidates who failed to get on to the Committee were within sevenvotes (in a poll of 110) of being elected, the result might well have beendifferent had the ballot been properly conducted. However, we can hardlygo on demanding fresh elections ad infinitum. And anyway, as Mrs. Bowlerpoints out in her letter, even if properly carried out, the system is far fromdemocratic.• One final point: why, at this year's Annual Reunion, was the vote ofBlanks to the Guest of Honour not proposed as usual by one of theAppointed Lecturers (at least one of whom was in the audience) but by theActing Editor?

BARBARA SMOKER

London, S.E.6

The letter from Miss Smoker in our October issue was published without anyomission. The "paragraph that was squeezed out" was sent in later by her and,in view of its obvious aspersions on the competence and integrity of the Society'sofficers, clearly could not be published without a reply giving the facts. Un-

17

fortunately, it proved impossible, for reasons of space, to do this in the Octoberissue.

This argument was sparked off by the editorial which Miss Smoker wrote inthe July/August issue. It took up nearly five pages. It named nine members ofthe Society, described as "a faction-, and accused them of plotting, cruelty andingratitude (to Miss Palmer!), "clandestine meetings", casuistry, conspiracy,evasion and equivocation. Now we get complaints of "personal abuse" ....

The facts about the voting at the second A.G.M. are quite simple. All the128 members attending signed an Attendance Sheet. We have carefully examinedthis. It shows that 122 were, beyond any reasonable doubt, entitled to vote. 5 werenot and did not receive voting papers. One signature was illegible and couldnot be identified. 110 members actually voted in the committee election. MissSmoker's "demand" for "a representative to be stationed at the door" was im-pertinence: the Rules allow no such procedure. The whole exercise and the"protests" about "indiscriminate issuing of ballot papers" look uncommonly likean attempt to construct in advance a face-saving device for the resounding defeatwhich was obviously anticipated. Lastly, it is true that some of the ladies on theCommittee make tea for all of us, male and female alike, during its sometimesprotracted meetings (44 hours is not uncommon). It may be true that MissSmoker has never seen a man helping them. (For that matter, we cannot recallever seeing Miss Smoker herself doing so either.) When she attended the Com-mittee these ladies, who take pleasure in this simple act of kindness (which mostof us greatly appreciate) always brought her an orange drink specially when shedidn't want tea to drink. Perhaps a saucer of milk might have been moreappropriate . . . . —.I.S.C.

The General Secretary replies: Barbara really is hard up for something to makea fuss about! The Reunion went down very well —everyone seemed very pleasedwith it. No one told me that the Vote of Thanks was usually moved by oneof the Appointed Lecturers and there is no rule to that effect. There was onlyone Appointed Lecturer present (others had sent their apologies) and he wasasked to sit on the platform but preferred to sit in the body of the Hall. I takefull personal responsibility for asking Mr. Cook and Miss Bush to do thethanking and they did it very well.

Our Ageing(?) SocietyHilda Bowler's letter in the last issue prompts me, as one of the society's

younger members to make a few observations. At the 1970 Annual Reunionthere were about ten "young people" so far as I could see. Two of thesewere employees of the society; the rest of us all owe our primary allegianceto one of the other organisations in the humanist movement. S.P.E.S. beingwhat it is, this is hardly surprising. The young tend to suffer from thedelusion (?) that the world •might be changed, and naturally look to lessquietist bodies than South Place.

The recent troubles have not exactly helped. Younger people offeredthemselves at the recent election. They were not elected since presumablythe trustees did not think them "safe". Everyone knows that no one under50 can possibly be "safe". Or was it their allegiance to the B.H.A. or R.P.A.which disqualified them? If it were the latter, I fear that the average ageof the General Committee will remain "nearer 70 than 60".

H. W. RYELondon, N.I6

I. Members elect the Committee, not the trustees.2. Although no precise check has been, or will be, made the "average age"of the Committee (whose ages range from 24 to 80) is undoubtedly well below60-1.S.C.

Mr. Tara is DisturbedI was amazed reading about the unusual affairs in our Ethical Society:

quarrelling between officers and "removing" Miss Smoker and Miss Palmerfrom the office like something unwanted and without "thank you" for theirlong untiring work for the Society.

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It is very disturbing and inconsistent with the ethical principles ofS.P.E.S. of which I am a member.

I hope this publicised disrespect among the prominent members of theSociety will cease before long and a way will be found for reconciliationbetween those concerned as I do not think that Miss Smoker and MissPalmer are the only "guilty" ones.

They were "removed from office" by the unfeeling decision of the GeneralCommittee which was carried by 9 votes to 5. It means that the Committeewasn't unanimous and five members to nine were against this "removing".

I am also against this decision and I am convinced that there are manymore members who do not agree with it.

To conclude I would like to express my supposition that this unfortunatequarrelsome affair may not bring many new members and if the Societydoes not put things right soon, I am afraid South Place can lose old ones.

STEFAN TARAChessinglon, Surrey

It may be worth pointing out that the list of Sub-Committees, published onanother page, shows that Miss Smoker has been appointed to three, and MissPalmer to four, of them.—J.S.C.

(This correspondence is now closed.— Editor, acting)

South Place NewsMembers who are ill

We would like to keep in touch with members who are prevented byillness from being with us. The Social Committee would like to receivefrom friends of invalids news which would enable us to keep in contactwith them. Write to Rose Bush at Conway Hall.

New MembersWe welcome as new members of the Society : Maurice H. Bingham

(Upminster, Essex), Richard Booth (Ham Common, Surrey), Paul Connett(Lancing, Sussex), E. A. Esat (W.C.1) and Mrs. Kathleen Paricnte (Brighton).

An Evening at the TheatreWe are arranging an evening at the theatre on November 28 to see Tennessee

Williams' "The Glass Menagerie". This will be at the Vanbrugh Theatre,Malet Street, W.C.I at 7.30 p.m. Tickets arc 4s. 6d. — write or ring theoffice to book seats.

Annual ReunionPeter Cadogan presided over the Annual Reunion held on September 27.

There was the usual good attendance of our members and friends. TheGuest of Honour was Mr. Hector Hawton and greetings were conveyedby Mr. David Pollock (B.H.A.), Dr. D. J. Stewart (R.P.A.), Mr. DavidTribe (N.S.S.) and Mrs. Kay Silberman (P.L.).

Members were entertained and indeed delighted by songs from DerekWilkes.

In the course of his address, Mr. Hawton said — "When I was secretaryof S.P.E.S. people often asked me what we believed in. Sometimes I amafraid they were disappointed by my answers. They were puzzled becauseI didn't offer them a creed, a set of political or philosophical dogmas.Clearly they had come to the wrong address. But although •we don't claimto be in possession of eternal truths, we are united in our commitment tocertain basic values. This Society was born in the year of the FrenchRevolution. It began as a breakaway from an American Baptist sect. All

19

it rejected at first was the doctrine of hell. But by the end of the eighteenthcentury it was Unitarian; and gradually it shed its theistic presuppositionsand under Moncure Conway became avowedly rationalistic. It attractedsome of the most brilliant thinkers and writers in the Victorian Age—John Stuart Mill, Hazlitt, Browning, Meredith, to name but a few.

"The reproach is sometimes made that we are merely a talking-shop. Idon't feel that this calls for any apology. Action without preliminary talkcan be disastrous. We need critical and sustained discussions of how ourprinciples be applied to the extremely complex problems of social andpersonal life.

"If I am asked what an Ethical Society is about, my.reply is quite simple:it should be about Ethics. What else? Not party politics. That would splitthe movement from top to bottom. In our individual capacity we must, ofcourse, actively participate in political life and in all those movements forreform that are consistent with our principles. But before we enter the fraywe need to prepare ourselves by a rational examination of the issues.S.P.E.S. provides just such a forum.

"Man is a political animal. But we must not concentrate so exclusively onlarge social questions that we entirely neglect the problems we meet in dailylife. Most of our lives are spent in the small circle bounded by workmates,personal friends and family. There is a limit to what legislation can accom-plish. Even if all the social reforms we seek were brought about there wouldbe plenty of problems left.

"We need not worry overmuch because we lack a mass membership. Thehistory of ideas shows that a small body of determined men and women whoknow what they want can exert an influence out of all proportion to theirnumbers. In the long run I believe history is on our side. The secularisingof life and thought which the story of South Place exemplifies is irreversible.It still remains for us to discover all its implications— to fill the void leftby the decline of religion as the uncontested centre of man's life. That isthe task ahead of us."

A vote of thanks to Mr. Hawton was proposed by Mr. Cook andseconded by Miss Rose Bush and carried with acclamation.

Members of Sub-Committees as at 7 October 1970(Convenor is printed in italics)Executive CommitteeChairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretaty, Registrar, Treasurer, Editor,Lettings Secretary.Finance CommitteeGeneral Secretary, Mr. C. E. Barralet (Chairman), Treasurer, LettingsSecretary, Mr. J. M. Alexander, Mrs. L. L. Booker, Mr. L. J. Fischer,Miss B. M. Smoker.Bookstall CommitteeMiss R. Bush, Mr. J. Hargreaves, Miss E. Palmer, Miss M. D. Pearce.Building and Decor and House CommitteesMr. G. N. Salmon, Mr. C. E. Barralet, Mrs. L. L. Booker, •Mr. G. F.Jaeger, Miss J. La Bouchardiere, Miss M. D. Pearce, Mr. B. 0. Warwick,Mrs. Washbrook, Mrs. Salmon, Mrs. Males. (To be divided according tofunction as it thinks best.)Chamber Music LibraryMr. C. E. Barralet.

Clements Memorial PrizeMr. C. E. Barra/et, Mr. F. V. Hawkins,Concerts CommitteeMr. C. E. Barralet.

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Lectures and Discussions CommitteeMr. P. Cadogan, Mr. J. M. Alexander, Mr. J. Stewart Cook, Miss E. Jones,Dr. A. Lovecy, Mr. R. Goodsman, Mr. R. Hall, Mr. M. R. Page, MissE. Palmer, Mrs. M. Sinha, Miss B. M. Smoker, Mr. D. Western.Library CommitteeMrs. E. Altmann-Gold, Miss R. Bush, Mr. J. M. Alexander, Mr. G.Dowman, Mr. J. Hargreaves, Miss M. D. Pearce, Mr. N. H. Sinnott,Miss P. M. Snelling.Publicity CommitteeMr. P. Cadogan, Mr. J. Stewart Cook, Mr. J. M. Alexander, Mrs. C.Dowman, Dr. A. Lovecy, Miss E. Palmer, Miss B. M. Smoker, Mr. D.Western.Rambles CommitteeMrs. L. L. Booker, Mr. J. M. Alexander, Miss E. Palmer, Mr. B. 0.Warwick, Dr. D. J. Gibson.Social CommitteeMiss R. Bush (Secretary), Mrs. L. L. Booker (Convenor and MinutesSecretary), Mrs. E. Altmann-Gold, Mr. J. M. Alexander, Mrs. C. Dowman,Mr. G. Dowman, Miss C. Davis, Mr. J. Hargreaves, Mr. G. F. Jaeger,Miss E. Palmer, Miss M. D. Pearce, Mr. N. H. Sinnott, Miss P. M. Snelling,Mrs. M. Sinha, Mr. H. G. Knight, Mr. J. Thompson.Sunday Morning MusicMr. G. Dowman, Miss J. Langley,

The General Secretary and Treasurer are ex-officio members of allsub-committees.

Sunday SocialSunday, December 13, at 3 p.m. Tea at 3.30, followed by Musical

Programme arranged by George Dowman and Joyce Langley.

South Place VisitSaturday, December 5. Visit the Commonwealth Institute, Kensington

High Street, W.8 (opposite Earls Court Road; Buses 9, 27, 73). Meetin vestibule 2.30 p.m. View exhibits. 3 p.m. see films "Eye Camps,(India)" and "Founded in Freedom (Barbados)". Refreshments available.Leader: Mrs. L. L. Booker (tel.: 743 3988).

South Place Xmas RambleSunday, December 27. Loughton to Epping. Meet at Loughton Central

Line Station at 11 - 11.15 a.m. Walk via Fairmead to High Beach (about12.20) and then to Wake Arms and Ammesbury Banks. Bring packedlunch; a hot drink will be arranged. Return via Oak Hill and MonksWood. (Distance approximately 10 miles). Leader: Mr. B. 0. Warwick(tel.: 504 7285).

Kindred OrganisationsAs part of its contribution to European Conservation Year, the National

Secular Society is holding a public meeting in the large hall at ConwayHall on Tuesday, December 8, at 7 p.m. The guest speakers will be:Caspar Brook (Director, Family Planning Association); Richard Crossman,M.P. (Editor, New Statesman); Dr. Malcolm Potts (Medical Director,International Planned Parenthood Federation); Sir David Renton, Q.C.,M.P. (President, Conservation Society); Mrs. Renee Short, M.P. TheChairman will be David Tribe (President, N.S.S.). The subject will be"A free and comprehensive family planning service for Britain"— andits implications.

21

ASPECTS OF HUMANISM

are discussed every Wednesday night at 7.30 inour informal meetings for enquirers. If you areinterested in free discussion (with coffee provided),why not come along? Or write for literature to

k0BRITISH

HUMANIST

ASSOCIATION

(Dept. ERF/2), 13 Prince of Wales Terrace, London W8 5P0.

Corning at Conway Hall

Sunday, November 811 a.m.—S.P.E.S. Lecture* by Lord Sorensena p.m.—Forum*: Mark Braham and Moshe Davis

6.30 p.mcConcert by The Haffner String QuartetTuesday, November 10

7 p.m.—Conway Discussion*: Prof. F. JacksonWednesday, November 11

2-5 p.m.—National Federation of Old Age Pensioners' Associations.Public Meeting

Sunday, November 15II a.m.—S.P.E.S. Lecture* by Geoffrey Ashe

6.30 p.m.—Concert by Tononi Piano TrioTuesday, November 17

7 p.m.—Conway Discussion*: Jean StrakerThursday, November 19

7 p.m.—S.P.E.C. Bridge Drive (Library). Light refreshments. Allwelcome

Friday, November 201-2 p.m.—International Affairs. Lunchtime Lecture arranged by Na-

tional Peace Council. Sandwiches and Coffee at 12.30 p.m.22

Saturday, November 213-6 p.m.— Country Dancing (S.P.E.S. and P.L.) for all over 14. Begin-

ners welcome. Instructress: Eda Collins

Sunday, November 22II a.m.—S.P.E.S. Lecture* by H. J. Blackham3 p.rn.—Forum*: "Humanists Look at Humanism"

6.30 p.m.—Concertby The English String Quartet

Tuesday, November 247 p.m.—Conway Discussion*: Dr. Roger Manvell

Saturday, November 283-5 p.m.— Free Dance and Movement (S.P.E.S: and P.L.) including

relaxation exercises and group communication. Beginnerswelcome. Instructress: Eda Collins

Sunday, November 2911 a.m.—S.P.E.S. Lecture* by Dr. Helen Rosenau

6.30p.m.— Concert by Amaryllis Fleming and Peter Wallfisch

Tuesday, December 17 p.m.—Conway Discussion*: Peter Cadogan

London Society of Magicians (vide E.R., Sept., p. 27)

Sunday, December 611 a.m.—S.P.E.S.Lecture* by Lord Brockway

6.30 p.m.—Concert by The Artington String Quartet and Kenneth Heath

Tuesday, December 87 p.m.— National Secular Society (see p. 21)

Wednesday, December 98.30 a.m. - 5 p.m.—North London Blood Transfusion Centre (Blood

Donors)

Thursday, December 107 p.m.—S.P.E.S. Whist Drive (Library). Light refreshments. All

welcome

Sunday, December 1311 a.m.—S.P.E.S. Lecture* by Robert Morrell3 p.m.— Forum*: details under discussion3 p.m — Sunday Social. Tea at 3.30, followed by Musical Programme

arranged by George Dowman and Joyce Langley6.30p.m.— Concert by Music Group of London and Marion Robles

Tuesday, December 157 p.m.—Conway Discussion*: Conrad Russell

Saturday, December 193 p.m.—Childrenls Country Dance Party (S.P.E.S: and P.L.)

Sunday, December 206.30 p.m.— Concert by The Gabrieli String Quartet

Tuesday, December 227 p.m.— Conway Discussion*: Nigel Sinnott (followed by a party)

Tuesday, December 297 p.m.—Conway Discussion*: Dr. J. R. Ravetz

* See inside front cover for details

23

South Place Ethical SocietyFOUNDED in 1793, the Society is a progressive movement which today advocates anethical humanism, the study and dissemination of ethical principles based onhumanism, and the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment free from alltheological dogma.

We invite to membership all those who reject supernatural creeds and findthemselves in sympathy with our views.

At Conway Hall there are opportunities for participation in many kinds ofcultural activities, including discussions, lectures, concerts, dances, rambles andsocials. A comprehensive reference and lending library is available, and allMembers and Associates receive the Society's journal, The Ethical Record, free.The Sunday Evening Chamber Music Concerts founded in 1887 have achievedinternational renown.

Services available to members include Naming Ceremony of Welcome toChildren, the Solemnisation of Marriage, and Memorial and Funeral Services.

The Story of South Place, by S. K. Ratcliffe, is a history of the Society and itsinteresting development within liberal thought.

Minimum subscriptions are: Members, 12s. 6d. na.; Life Members, 13 2s. 6d.(Life membership is available only to members of at least one year's standing).It is of help to the Society's officers if members pay their subscriptions byBankers' Order, and it is of further financial benefit to the Society if Deeds ofCovenant are entered into. Members are urged to pay more than the minimumsubscription whenever possible, as the present amount is not sufficient to coverthe cost of this journal.

A suitable form of bequest for those wishing to benefit the Society by theirwills is to be found in the Annual Report

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

To TEM DON. REGISTRAR, SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY,CONWAY HALL HUMANIST CENTRE, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON, W.C.1

Being in sympathy with the aims of South Place Ethical Society, I desire tobecome a Member and I enclose as my annual subscription the sum of

(minimum 12s. 6d.) entitling me (according to the Rules of theSociety) to membership for one year from the date of enrolment.

NAME (BLOCIC LETTERS PLEASE)

ADDIEPSs

OCCUPATION (disclosure optional)

How Dm You HEAR OF THE Soon?

DATE SIGNATURE

The Ethical Record is posted free to members. The annual charge to subscribersis 12s. 6d. Matter for publication should reach the Acting Editor, Mr. J. StewartCook, "Crossways", Osborne Road, Windsor, Berks., by the 5th of the precedingmonth.

David Neil & Company Dorking Sono,

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