Reply #45: Whilst I agree with the body of your post (and think it an excellent quote) ...

[Nihil]

... Napier wasn't an athiest, he was a Freemason.

"He was made a Mason on June 16, 1807 in Doyle's Lodge of Fellowship,
Guernsey, England (sic) and in Nov. 1848 became an honorary member
of Union Lodge Limerick, Ireland."

The former date was (well) before he served in India whilst the
latter was (just) after, hence he wasn't an athiest at the time
of the "custom" quote.


In addition, in his own words:

"I believe in a Creator because we are created, and that He enters
into all out thoughts and actions. ... I do not, so far as my present
judgment leads me, believe that Christ was God, for many reasons ..."

His response to the "local holy men" is one that has stuck in my mind
for many years so I just thought I'd pipe up on that. HTH.


First quote from Denslow & Truman:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=D-cCeOEXGyoC&pg=PA252&lpg=PA252&dq=Charles+James+Napier+freemason&source=bl&ots=thxgY9OEfS&sig=M8jjVoOBgZYluRgnSN1lLOe5Sr4&hl=en&ei=R8xzTJ_nGIqRjAe00K2HCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Second from Napier:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qyw6AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA386#v=onepage&q&f=false

:hi: