The death of Mr. G. J. Holyoake on Monday in
his eighty- ninth year removes a lifelong reformer, notable alike for his high character, courage, consistency, and disinterestedness. If he founded "secularism," it must be remembered that he suffered six months' imprisonment in 1841 for a frank but temperate statement of agnosticism ; that he dissociated himself from the aggressive atheistic development of the movement ; that he earned from John Bright the tribute, " Holyoake is a very good Christian and does not know it " ; and that he wrote to Mr. Gladstone: "I hope there is a future life, and if so my not being sure of it will not prevent it; and I know of no better way of deserving it than by conscious service of humanity." Amongst his services to the nation must be recollected his gallant fight on behalf of an unstamped Press, and his notable share in starting and popularising the Co-operative movement, in which he was closely associated with Maurice, Charles Kingsley, and Tom Hughes. When Mr. Gladstone offered him a pension, be declined it on the characteristic ground that it would never do for an old reformer to become chargeable on the taxes. He was a humourist and a phrase-coiner,—the term "Jingo," as applied to British Chauvinists, . was his invention ; he attributed his longevity to the fact that he had been "moderate in all things; moderate even in moderation"; and his counsel to working men may be laid to heart at this juncture :—" If working people adhere to the policy of advancing their own interests without destroying others as rightfully engaged in seeking theirs, the workers may make their own future what they will."
Previous page
