Foote

(George William), writer and orator, b. Plymouth, 11 Jan. 1850. Was “converted” in youth, but became a Freethinker by reading and independent thought. Came to London in 1868, and was soon a leading member of the Young Men’s Secular A ociation. He taught in the Hall of Science Sunday School, and became secretary of the Republican League. Devoting his time to propagating his principles, he wrote in the Secular Chronicle and National Reformer , and in ’76 started the Secularist in conjunction with Mr. G. J. Holyoake, and after the ninth number conducting it alone. This afterwards merged in the Secular Review . In ’79 Mr. Foote edited the Liberal , and in Sept. ’81, started the Freethinker , which he still edits. In the following year a prosecution was commenced by the Public Prosecutor, who attempted to connect Mr. Brad laugh with it. Undaunted, Mr. Foote i ued a Christmas number with an illustrated “Comic Life of Christ.” For this a prosecution was started by the City authorities against him and his publisher and printer, and the trial came on first in March, ’83. The jury disagreed, but Judge North refused to discharge the prisoners, and they were tried again on the 5th March; Judge North directing that a verdict of guilty must be returned, and sentencing Mr. Foote to one year’s imprisonment as an ordinary criminal subject to the same “discipline” as burglars. “I thank you, my lord; your sentence is worthy of your creed,” he remarked. On 24 April, ’83, Mr. Foote was brought from prison before Lord Cole ridge and a special jury on the first charge, and after a splendid defence, upon which he was highly complimented by the judge, the jury disagreed. He has debated with Dr. McCann, Rev. A. J. Harrison, the Rev. W. Howard, the Rev. H. Chapman, and others. Mr. Foote has written much, and lectures continually. Among his works we mention Heroes and Martyrs of Free thought (1876); God, the Soul, and a Future State ; Secularism the True Philosophy of Life (1879); Atheism and Morality ; The Futility of Prayer ; Bible Romances ; Death’s Test , afterwards enlarged into Infidel Death-Beds ; The God Christians Swear by ; Was Jesus Insane? Blasphemy No Crime ; Arrows of Free thought ; Prisoner for Blasphemy (1884); Letters to Jesus Christ ; What Was Christ? Bible Heroes ; and has edited The Bible Hand-book with Mr. W. P. Ball, and the Jewish Life of Christ with the present writer, in conjunction with whom he has written The Crimes of Christianity . From 1883–87 he edited Progre , in which appeared many important articles from his pen. Mr. Foote is President of the London Secular Federation, and a Vice-President of the National Secular Society.