The History of the Last Trial by Jury for Atheism in England A Fragment of Autobiography Submitted for the Perusal of Her Majesty's Attorney-General and the British Clergy

This autobiographical account places the listener inside one of the last British courtroom confrontations where a jury could convict a person of atheism. The narrator, a social missionary turned defendant, describes a bitter December journey to Cheltenham, the chilly streets of the fashionable spa town, and the tense atmosphere of a trial that tested the new legal authority of the Attorney‑General against entrenched clerical power. Vivid courtroom details and the author's steady, reflective voice bring the clash of conscience and law to life.

The narrative follows his six‑month imprisonment, the stark daily reality of meager wages, and an unwavering belief that personal sacrifice is justified by principle alone. He writes not for pity but to argue that this should be the final such prosecution, hoping his record will influence future legislators. Listeners hear a mid‑Victorian struggle for free discussion that still resonates in contemporary debates about belief, liberty, and the limits of state power.