Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/16

Rh do the brave, patient, self-denying and silent work of the true ministers of the Gospel, who, seeking nothing for themselves, sacrifice all for their Master. But it is just these noble clergy whose high profession is degraded by the ever-increasing tribe of the false hypocrites of their order, such as those mentioned in "Unchristian Clerics," all of whom have come within the radius of my own personal experience. I readily admit that I have little patience with humbug of any kind, and that "religious" humbug does always seem to me more like open blasphemy than what is commonly called by that name. I equally confess that I have no sympathy with any form of faith which needs continuous blatant public advertisement in the press of a so-called "Christian" country—nor do I believe in a Brass-band "revival" of what, if our religion is religion at all, should never need "reviving." I have put forward these views plainly in "The Soul of the Nation," which appears for the first time in the present volume.

I have only to add that I attach no other merit to such "opinions" as will be found in the following pages, than that they are honest, and that they are honestly expressed, without fear or favour. This is their only claim upon the attention of the public.