Humanity's Gain from Unbelief: Reprinted from the "North American Review" of March, 1889

In Short

This essay serves as a direct challenge to the historical consensus that civilization is a product of Christian influence. Instead, it argues that human advancement—ranging from the abolition of slavery and the humane treatment of the mentally ill to the birth of modern scientific inquiry—has occurred in direct defiance of biblical dogma and ecclesiastical power. By tracing the slow erosion of religious control over the centuries, the work posits that "unbelief" is not a destructive force, but a vital engine for human liberty and empirical discovery.

The Story

The narrative begins with a bold premise: all progress is impossible without skepticism. The author establishes himself as a "Monist" who views nature as a closed system of observable phenomena, rejecting the supernatural claims that underpin organized religion. He argues that religions are not static; they are living institutions that change only as the people around them force them to evolve. No religion dies suddenly; it simply withers away like an obsolete language, outgrown by a society that has moved toward more rational, humane standards.

The central argument unfolds through a systematic critique of how religious institutions have historically obstructed human welfare. The author points to the history of slavery as a primary case study. He contends that for nearly eighteen hundred years, Christian powers—from the Roman Church to Protestant sects—supported or actively engaged in the slave trade, finding ample justification in the Old and New Testaments. He highlights the irony that abolitionists like William Wilberforce and William Lloyd Garrison were often treated as pariahs by the religious establishment of their day. In his view, these reformers were not successful because of their faith, but in spite of it. Their moral intuition, which recognized the humanity of the enslaved, stood in direct conflict with the "divine" laws of the era.

The arc of the argument then expands to examine how skepticism liberated science and medicine. He chronicles how the fear of "Satanic agency" and the literal interpretation of biblical events—such as the creation of the world or the movement of the stars—stifled early attempts at geology, astronomy, and physical science. The treatment of the insane is presented as another grim illustration: for centuries, mental illness was viewed as demonic possession, resulting in the use of chains and whips rather than medicine. It was only when scientific inquiry replaced superstition that these unfortunates were treated as human patients.

As the argument nears its conclusion, the focus shifts to the legal and political realm. The author details the long, arduous battle against the "divine right of kings" and the exclusionary laws that once made "infidels"—including Jews and non-conformists—second-class citizens or outlaws. He demonstrates that the modern rights to hold public office, give testimony in court, and speak freely were all won by challenging the legal supremacy of the Church. The essay ends on a forward-looking note, observing that even within modern churches, leaders are increasingly forced to admit that scientific truth and contemporary ethics take precedence over the literal, historical claims of the Bible. The author concludes that humanity’s gain lies in the ever-widening scope of the secular conscience, which has become significantly more refined than the ancient texts that once sought to dictate its limits.

How It Unfolds

The definition of progress The author establishes that religions are not immutable, but are gradually outgrown by the civilizations they inhabit. He argues that every major scientific or social discovery functions as a quiet act of heresy against established belief.

The case of slavery The argument pivots to the historical reality that slavery was long defended by Christian institutions using biblical texts. It highlights how anti-slavery advocates were forced to operate outside of, or in opposition to, the religious mainstream.

Science vs. superstition The text examines the heavy toll exacted by the belief in witchcraft and demonic possession. It illustrates how these superstitions prevented the study of disease and forced scientists to operate under the constant threat of martyrdom.

The legal battle for equality The focus turns to the historical status of the "infidel" in English law. It details how, through the slow erosion of religious statutes, marginalized groups like Jews finally gained the right to participate in public life.

The retreat of dogma The conclusion examines the contemporary state of the Church, where even traditionalists are forced to acknowledge the errors within the scriptures. It asserts that the modern Christian conscience has been reshaped by the very skepticism it once tried to extinguish.

The People

The book is driven by the clash between two perspectives: the "religious establishment" and the "heretical reformers." The religious authorities—the kings, judges, and clergymen who enforced the status quo—are presented as people who, while often believing they were acting for God, were ultimately the anchors holding back human development. Figures like George III represent the institutional attachment to the "divine right," while the unnamed Christian judges of Demerara represent the brutal enforcement of a slave-holding status quo.

Opposing them are the heretics and unbelievers. Figures such as William Wilberforce and William Lloyd Garrison appear not as pious saints, but as individuals whose innate moral sense eventually triumphed over the specific, cruel instructions of their scriptures. Abner Kneeland, the "infidel" jailed for blasphemy, is championed as a hero for providing the only space available for the abolitionist cause. These figures start as social outcasts—labeled by the law as enemies of the state—but are eventually vindicated by history as the pioneers who forced the world to change. They remain, in the author’s estimation, the true servants of humanity, having sacrificed their reputation and safety to prove that human morality can, and must, exist independently of religious mandate.

In Its Own Voice

"No religion is suddenly rejected by any people; it is rather gradually out-grown."

This observation captures the central theme that human progress is a slow, evolutionary process, not a sudden revolution.

"At least we may plead that unbelief has healed the bleeding feet of science, and made the road free for her upward march."

This vivid metaphor summarizes the author’s view that skepticism serves as the primary protector of empirical discovery.

What It's Really About

At its core, this work is an inquiry into the origins of modern morality. It challenges the reader to consider whether our current humanitarian standards are truly inherited from the ancient past, or if they are the hard-won achievements of those who refused to accept the "divine" justification for inequality and ignorance. It asks whether we can be good—or even better—without the threat of the supernatural looming over our actions. The underlying question is one of agency: are we mere subjects to an ancient, static text, or are we the active architects of a more rational and compassionate future?

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy provocative, tightly argued intellectual history will find much to admire here. The writing is sharp, polemical, and refreshingly devoid of modern equivocations; it speaks with the confidence of the nineteenth-century radical tradition. However, a contemporary reader should be prepared for the dense, Victorian-era prose and a heavy reliance on legal and historical references from the late 1800s. The author’s aggressive tone toward clergy and his focus on specific legislative battles of his time can occasionally feel exhaustive, yet his observations regarding the conflict between dogma and scientific reality remain strikingly relevant.

This book is a testament to the power of the individual voice against the weight of tradition. It captures the feeling of a world in transition—a world where the old, unquestioned certainties are finally being held to the light of evidence. What stays with the reader is not just the specific arguments, but the author's unwavering conviction that doubt is the highest form of intellectual responsibility. For anyone interested in the history of free thought, this is a foundational, if demanding, primary document that refuses to let the reader remain neutral.