The fourth issue of the Oracle included a deliberately provocative article antisemitically entitled "The Jew Book," which described the Bible as "This revoltingly odious Jew production..." As a consequence, Charles Southwell was arrested for blasphemy on 27 November 1841 and imprisoned for twelve months in January 1842.
[5] Nevertheless, Holyoake took over the editorship of the Oracle from number eight (dated 12 February 1842) (according to Royle, Chilton edited number five but, preferring to remain in the background, delayed the next issue after Southwell's imprisonment until a new editor was found[6]), moving the editorial office from Bristol to Sheffield, and changing publisher to Henry Hetherington.
[7] However, on 24 May 1842, Holyoake delivered a lecture on Home Colonisation in Cheltenham, during which he answered a question from the audience (it was asked by local preacher) about God's place in a socialist community: He made some remarks about Education and said 'for his part he thought the people of this Country ought not to have any religion, they were too poor,' he said 'for my part I am of no religion at all' he said 'those that professed religion were worshippers of Mammon' 'for my part I don't believe there is such a thing as a God' he said when he was speaking of the people of this Country being too poor – 'If I could have my way I would place the Deity on half-pay as the Government of this Country did the subaltern officers'.
George Adams (who was not an atheist) was sentenced to one month on the same day for selling the Oracle, number 25.
[9] In June or July 1842, the editorial office moved from Sheffield to 8 Holywell Street, London, and at the end of August, Holyoake's name disappeared from the front page.
[10] In June 1842, an Anti-Persecution Union (APU) was formed to defend Southwell and Holyoake, as well as George Adams and his wife Harriet (arrested but not prosecuted for selling Oracle number 4).
The APU, aiming to "assert and maintain the right of free discussion, and to protect and defend the victims of intolerance and bigotry" [11] was run from Holywell Street.
On the closure of the Oracle, Holyoake founded the moderate Movement, and anti-persecution gazette, to which Chilton was a contributor.