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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1896)
T ORCH OF VOL. 1 THE P ATH OF INDEPENDENCE. R eason . SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31. 1896. NO. 9. charge. W hether a professor of God in The C onstitution. C hristians; but it is needed to m ake m athem atics or chem istry believes this a m ore C hristian nation. in the experience or in the in tu i In 1875 the New York Independ- “ 1 he jieople are not to be m ade tional philosophy, in socialism or j ent spoke of the God in the consti more C hristian by it; but, since the individualism , in Ju d aism , B ud tu tio n idea in the following pointed nation cannot be C hristian unless I hen h a ste, tru th -se e k e r, on th y wav, dhism or C hristianity, or in none m anner: N or heed th e w orldling’s sm ile or frown, the people are, it is m eant to m ake of these, is unim portant so that he Phis being a C hristian nation, the nation C hristian w ithout af The brave alone shall wear th e crown is thoroughly com petent to give in we have a right to acknowledge God fecting th e people. T oe noble only clasp the bay. struction in his special science. in th e C o n s t it u t io n ; because, as Go, worker of the public weal; “ 1 h at is, the object of th is am end W hen knaves com bine, and plot and plan, Instruction in all th e principal things are now, th is is not a C hris ment is to m ake the nation C hris A ssert th e dig n ity of m an, religions should he given— th eir t ia n nation, and needs such recog tian w ithout m ak in g the people Teach th e dishonest h earts to feel. principles, th eir history, the evi nation to m ake it one.” C hristians. Still keep thv independence w hole; “ Phis having alw ays been a dences and argum ents for and “ By puttin g God in the Consti Let n o th in g w arp thee from th v course, C h ristian nation, we have a right against them , as presented by th eir tution he will be recognized by no And thou ehalt wield a g ia n t’s force, to keep it such; and therefore we ablest defenders and critics; in A nd wrong ladore th y foot shall roll. body else than those who already need this am endm ent, siuee hitherto struction also in opposing systems, ____ —A non. recognize him ; an d therefore we w ithout it, we have only been a such as Secularism , with the best S election s From Ingersoll. need this am endm ent for a fuller th a t can be said for it, and the heathen nation. recognition of him. Io plow is to play; to plant is to strongest objections th a t can be “ In o th er words we need to m ake “ If we say we believe in God and prophesy, and the harvest answ ers urged ag a in st it. The students this a C hristian nation, because we Christ in the C onstitution, it is an d fulfills. should he free to form th eir relig are already such, on the ground true of those believing in him and Give me the storm and tempest ious beliefs w ithout dictation or th a t if we do not m ake it such, we a lie as to the rest; and as the first ot thought and action, ra th e r than any com pulsory influence by the are not a C hristian nation. class already recognize him , we th e dead cairn of ignorance and teachers, whose business should be “ Because the people are substan want this am endm ent as a recogni faith. to discipline the m ind, strengthen tially all C hristians, we have a tion by the la tte r class, so th a t our If ihe p< < p]e were n little more its powers and help the stu d en t to right, and have need, to m ake the whole people shall recognize him . ig n o ran t, astrology would flourish; acquire knowledge and not to im C onstitution C hristian, to cheek “ \\ het her we have an acknow if a little more enlightened, religion pose their au th o rity upon students our powerful elem ent of unbeliev ledgm ent of God in the C onstitu ers. would perish. in regard to propositions that are tion or not, we are a C hristian n a “ We m ean to interfere with no I w ant no heaven for which I unproven, or concerning v "ieh tion; and therefore, it is th is recog m an ’s rights, but only to get cer m ust give up my reason, no scholars and thinkers differ. nition of God th a t is to m ake us a tain rights, now belonging to a ll, re happiness in exchange for my lib If one student is a Jew, a n o th e r C hristian n a tio n .” stricted to C hristians. erty , an d no im m ortality th at de a Catholic, another a P resbyterian, Phe fact th a t the Christians are “ Phis religious am endm ent is to m antis the su rren d er of my in another an Agnostic o r a Secular now uniting all th eir forces to have no practical effect, its object d iv id u ality . ist, they should all have equal m ake this a Christian nation by being to check infidelity. A rgum ents cannot he answ ered liberty to hold and to avow their “ I t is to interfere w ith no m an ’s causing the Christian religion to he w ith insults. K indness is strength respective beliefs. All should have rights, hut only to m ake the unbe recognize in the C onstitution, shows Anger blows out the lam p of the an opportunity to become ac th a t if we wish to he free, an d not lievers concede to C hristians the m ind. In the exam ination of quainted with the different system s, in the sam e condition as were the right to rule in th eir interest, and great questions every one should theories and beliefs and with the to give up like claim s for himself. people during the d ark reign of be serene, slow-pulsed and calm. argum ents aud criticism s relating “ It is m eant to have no practical R om an Catholicism , we m ust o r to them . Intelligence is not the founda effect, and therefore will be of great ganize and m eet the enem ies of tion of arrogance. Insolence is C haracter should be put above use to us. liberty with our united forces. not logic. E p ith ets are the creed. The form ation of good “ We w ant to recognize God, and P o liten e ss P a y s. arg u m en ts <»f malice. habits, training in the wavs of a C h ristian ity as our n ational duty A good story is told of a dog th a t Across the highw ay of progress, m oral life is o f course of prim ary to Deity, hut intend to give no effect the church has alw ays been build im portance. to such recognition, pleasing God one day discovered an organ- O ur great institutions of learning by ju dicially voting ourselves pious, g rin d e r’s monkey seated upon a ing breastw orks of b ib b s, tracts, hank w ithin his m aster’s grounds, com m entaries, prayer-bo« »ks, creeds, have been approaching the liberal and nothing more. dogm as and platform s; and at stan d ard here indicated but m ost of “ We shall leave all religions in and a t once m ade a rush for it. 'Phe m onkey, which was attired every advance, the C hristians have them are yet far from it. The curse equality before the law, and m ake g ath ered behind these heaps of rub of sectarianism im pairs their use C h ristian ity the adopted religion in jacket and hat, aw aited the on set in tran q u ility , so undisturbed bish an d shot the poisoned arrow s fulness. In tim e we m ay expect of the nation. of malice at the soldiers of free th a t this evil will be elim inated “ C hristianity, being justice re th at the dog halted w ithin a few feet from all our colleges an d univer quires us to p u t down infidelity of it to reconnoitre. dom. sities. The anim als took a long stare at by taking ad v an tag e of our n u m W hat a U n iversity Should Be. M eanw hile schools on an unsec bers to secure rights which we do each other, but the dog was evidently recovering from his surprise, a n d In a university of learning all tarian basis where they can be es not allow to others. branches should be taught by com tablished deserve all possible en “ Justice to C h ristian s isone thing was about to m ake a spring for the intruder, when the m onkey raised p eten t teachers. Students should couragem ent. I hope the one an d to infidels another. h av e the o p p o rtu n ity to study the started at Silverton will prove suc “ W e being a C hristian people, his paw and saluted by lifting hie different sy stem ?^ o f philosophy cessful, and realize the hopes of its th e Jewish and unhelieviug por i hat. The effect was m agical. T he dog’s If it tion of our people are not, of right, an d religion, as well as the various founders and supporters. head and tail dropped, and hesneak- social and economic theories, w ith shall succeed in doing on a small p a rt of the people. out being required to adopt any of scale even, w hat our great univer “ And so having no rights which ed off to the house,refusing to leave sities ought to lie doing on a large we, as C hristians, are bound to re it u n til his polite but m ysterious t hem. Professors in every departm ent scale, it m ay serve as a kind of ex spect, we m ust adopt this am en d visitor had departed. should he selected with reference to am ple for them to follow, and m ent in our interest. “The pride of science is hum ble th eir qualifications to instruct in perhaps hasten their Seculariza “ Passing th is act will not m ake when com pared with the pride of the b ranches in which they have tion. B. F. U nderwood . an y to be C hristians who are not ignorance » An easy p ath it is to tread The p a th the m u ltitu d e will ta k e ; But independence dares th e «take If * hu t by fair conviction led.