Mr. BRADLAUGH: The remark has been made that if we take this book as a human production we cannot understand it. How useful that is. We have no other books of a similar character to which similar objections apply? Have we Lord Amberley’s new book, in which he has two sub-divisions, one of which he […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts says that I did not make my objection about Luke and the forty days of the Acts quite clear. I will try to do so now. I say the whole of the events following the resurrection are limited to one day by the 24th chapter of Luke. You will find the […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: I will dispose of a matter of fact first. Mr. Roberts has said that he had Tatian, Theophilus, Mileto, Athenagoras, Barnabas, Polycarp, Ignatius and others giving evidence as to the existence of the New Testament gospels, before A.D. 150. 1 call for the writings of Tatian, and I sit down until they are […]

Will you kindly tell me whether you think a book could be Divine revelation which provided that a man might steal a woman, rob her of her virtue, and then turn her out in the world without any sort of recompence?–I decline to answer the question in that form. Do you know that Deut. 21:11-14, […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

Mr. ROBERTS: It suits Mr. Bradlaugh’s purpose to make these statements, but it would not suit my purpose to do what he challenges me to do, because–and he knows that well–in pursuing these unimportant enquiries, I would be prevented from doing other things which I am more particularly intent upon doing, and which are of […]

The CHAIRMAN: Mr. Roberts will now speak for a quarter of an hour. Mr. ROBERTS: I said in my opening speech that I did not require the testimony of these men whom I have been compelled to produce, in order to be persuaded that the apostles wrote the New Testainent at the time they professed […]

TUESDAY, 20th JUNE, 1876, IN THE TEMPERANCE HALL, BIRMINGHAM. MR. GEORGE H. ST. CLAIR IN THE CHAIR. THE CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, The order of the discussion, this evening, will be the same as last Thursday. The order of the meeting will, I trust, be kept at least as well. There was not much to […]

Does the Koran foretell the existence of Mahomedanism at a period 3,000 years after its establishment?- I think not. Then in what sense does the hypothesis of the Koran’s truth require the existence of Mahomedanism at the end of a similar time?–At what time? 3,000 years after the writing of the Koran?–3,000 years have not […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts is good enough to tell you that I am extremely familiar with the early fathers. I am obliged to him for that admission. I wish I could return the compliment. He says they are "trashy", but he did not say so when he opened his first speech. Mr. ROBERTS: I did. […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts, in his first speech, said he had a large number of witnesses, and that he could read from them, chapter and verse. For I challenged him to do so–that will be in the memory of all of you. I challenged them in very explicit terms; and instead of venturing to read […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: On this, the fourth night of the debate, the names of the witnesses are mentioned, and Mr. Roberts says he can quote from them, but he has carefully refrained from doing it, and I will give you the reasons in my speech why he has not done so. He says I admitted that […]

Will you please find me the quotation in which Josephus speaks about Jesus? Mr. R. (reading): "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it is lawful to call him a man, for he was a great doer of miracles." Do you find a word there about Tacitus?–No. What do you mean […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

The CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, the threat that I addressed to you at the beginning we are about to remit: instead of keeping you later we intend this evening to close at ten o’clock, I shall therefore be obliged to restrict each gentlemen to ten minutes in their concluding speeches. Mr. Roberts will now speak. […]

THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Roberts will now speak for a quarter of an hour. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I only wish Mr. Bradlaugh would employ the opportunity he has during his option of questioning me for 15 minutes, to put to me that host of difficulties he says I did not answer, instead […]

THURSDAY, 15th JUNE, 1876, IN THE TEMPERANCE HALL, BIRMINGHAM. MR. GEORGE H. ST. CLAIR IN THE CHAIR. THE CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, we are met together to hear a very important question discussed by two gentlemen very competent to discuss it. The question is, "Are the Scriptures the authentic and reliable records of Divine revelation?" […]

THE CHAIRMAN: Allow me to say that I do think that those persons who are not prepared to calmly listen to both sides should not have come. I for my part am very desirous of hearing what each of the disputants has to say, and I am of opinion that if I listen quietly I […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts said why don’t I touch the question that Christ rose from the dead. I thought I had challenged that what he had said about Christ being seen for forty days according to Acts was contradicted in Luke. I thought I had said, giving texts to him on the previous nights, and […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: There is one thing that I think I ought to do before commencing this speech, and that is personal to myself. A little while ago I disputed the ruling of the chairman. It happened to be exactly the reverse of the ruling of the chairman last night, and I thought I was right […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts has been good enough to sketch to you what has happened on the previous two nights of this debate, but his sketch lacks one or two features which I will take the liberty of supplying. The question for discussion and the point that Mr. Roberts ought to try to prove is […]

The CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, I can understand that this process of questioning and answering might be extremely interesting if we were only permitted to listen to it quietly. Mr. Bradlaugh will now have the privilege of either making a speech or questioning Mr. Roberts. By whom do you think the Book of Genesis was […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s First Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

Mr. ROBERTS: I was only asking the chairman that I might have a quarter of an hour for the conclusion of my argument, but it seems we are pledged to close at 10 o’clock, and, therefore, I must submit to the partition of the remaining time. I have, therefore, to say that Mr. Bradlaugh has […]

The CHAIRMAN: Mr. Roberts will now have a quarter of an hour’s speech. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Bradlaugh occupied a considerable portion of his half hour’s speech in reminding me of what he considered my failures. I have to remind him of what is a much greater failure on his part, and that is to deal […]

WEDNESDAY, 14th JUNE, 1876, IN THE TEMPERANCE HALL, LEICESTER. THE CHAIR WAS OCCUPIED BY MR. W. STANYON OF LEICESTER. The CHAIRMAN having asked the meeting to refrain from the expression of their feelings, called upon Mr. Roberts to resume the debate. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, in commencing my remarks this evening, I […]

Mr. Bradlaugh, you have admitted the reliability of the evidence of Tacitus and of Pliny to the fact that there existed a large Christian community at the end of the first century, and that they were the subjects of persecution?–I have not admitted the reliability of the quotation from Tacitus. I am inclined to think […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: I have not admitted, and I carefully guarded my answer to prevent the possibility of such an admission, that there was a body of Christians in the first century believing in the story of Jesus as recorded in the gospels; for I pointed out that the people called Christians were people whom I […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: I understand Mr. Roberts now to say that it is impossible for him to prove his case in six nights. Then he ought not to have challenged me to this debate. He says he could do it before a judge and jury. He selected his own tribunal–a public audience. He says that all […]

Debates: Roberts-Bradlaugh Debate: Second Night: Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Chairman.–It is very evident that either my memory has utterly deceived me, or that Mr. Robert’s memory has utterly deceived him. He said he had given you evidence, last night, that the writings were in current circulation at the time they were produced. […]