THE TORCH OK R E A S lN .H L V tR T C N , (R L G (N . I H lR S iA Y ,
JA N U A R Y
is t >7
th e ,,„ iv .,-. a„.l .{ life. All .!„•
«„• , and r-I.g -re (or rele-
1
reality
is,
in
itself.
w
hat
it
is
ex
T he P ro g ressiv e Club.
| -y .K i.ts ralletl i-llg io u , profess «<> g-re) m eant to heetl, to be careful,
cept as m anifested in consciousness 'te a e h a philosophy, or theory, of to live cireuh.speetfy w .th .n our
The earlier in life chidren com-1 jjS u n known.
Darwin, H uxley,
, th e universe and of life; th a t is bow, rights. regarding th* Ilk . rights of
mence to express their ideas in wi it- T yndall, George L l'iot were Agnos*
'a ll things came i n f being, how others.
ten language, the easier it will be
H e rb e rt S p e n c e r is an Agnos-
they are governed, an.l how weo.tgh.
W h a t th e a n c e n t Roman m eant
for them in after years to acquire ti(.
'live. How well clerics of the hy religion was practical moral liv-
ab ility in the scientific, business or
Secularism is a prot» st against
■ ... , y ...... - ■ i -a
ti......... -
- sp ec n la tite n
literary world. \\ ith a view to en o th e r worldlincss. i t «•hip.i«rs.í,<¿
understand th at those w h o eo n im l apltysieal dogm as am t trad itio n al
couraging this im portant feature of tin* im p o rta n c e of th is life a n d of and direct the thoughts an d beliefs fables. Cicero m ade a broad dts-
education, the editor of the L it ilk te stin g conduct by its re su lts h ere,
„I m en .are really controllers am i Unction liel ween these— calling the
C andle has organized “ 1 he Pro in o p p o sitio n to tints«- who w ould
governors of met’,! Ami how io- one religion, th e o th er superstition,
gressive club,” with the following m ak e a fu tu re life, here am i now , sidiouslv thev contrived to get con- T h is is io harm ony with all the
objects: F irst, to develop literary of p rim a ry Ín te re s'.
S é c u la ri-rn,
trol of the education o fth e young, great m oral teachers and reform ers
talen t; Second, to encourage the w ith o u t d e n y in g a fu tu re life, in
knowing th a t the young and io- o f th e world; for in all count,tes, in
free expression of thought; Ih iid , sist th a t her»- we h a v e th e affa irs of
experienced yield to their assum p- all ages, the tru e m oralists have all
to cu ltiv ate individuality. F ourth, th is life to d eal w ith , a n d th a t th e y
lions, and receive I heir dogmas as taught the golden ru le —• Bo to
to exercise and strengthen the sh o u ld not he s u b o rd in a te d to e x
i
others as vou would have e th e rs
tr u th .
i
’
•’
.............
.
power of reason;
F if th , to un ih
u d a t i o n s o f a life beyond.
You are on the right track to do Io you.
I his is the great
our young people by a bond of
S ecu larism (first fo rm u la te d by
<• 1 .... ental
. X -l m oral l.lvir
fundam
law.
“ Mor-
h
av
e
s
e
c
u
la
r
schools
e
n
tire
ly
free
com m on sym pathy am i interest; G eorge Ja c o b H o ly o k e, of E n g la n d ,
from the influ,-nee of any and every ality is the end, religion is the way
S ix th , to en tertain and instruct. som e fifty y e a rs ago) sh o u ld not he
sect of superstition.
The only to, the handm aid of, m orality,
The plan is to classify the re ad as it often is, confounded w ith
danger I see is, th a t p artially io-
M orality begins with a percep-
ers of the L ittle C andle according S ta te S e c u la riz a tio n , w hich m eans
formed men, though sincere am i tion of, ami a regard for, the nee,Is
to th eir ages, and have them write the d isju n c tio n of g o v e rn m e n t from
and the rights of others. We see
essays, stories and other con trib u relig io u s d ogm as an d o b se rv a n ce or enthusiastic, m ay make your or
it first in the fam ily, the fam ily is
tions upon given subjects, th e q u a l i he complete se p a ra tio n of ch u rc h ganization only anot low sort of a
I • Live seen more than tin* fountain of equal freedom, ju s
ity <>f the com positions to bejudged a n d s ta te , in w hich m a n y C hris- c h u id
one free
thought organization tice, sym pathy ami love—of all
by a com m ittee of three, of which ia n s believe.
th at is noble am i progr
progressive in
ruined
hy
preaching.
I
believe
th e editor of the C andle will he
M aterialism is the doctrine th a t
man. H ere is the beginning of
chairm an, and the best six to be m atter is self existent, eternal and Ingersoll sounded the true key
ree
is
n atu ral religion, This
published in a series in the C andle . the ultim ate basis of all phenom note, when he said: “ Schools and
th in k er’s religion.
Upon these six the m embers of the ena; that m ind is an outcome, a colleges are the only churches we
I have only tim e to say go on
an 1 L t.”
T m his
is » a far-reaching
W .U
.
i«
w
--------------
r.
-
i i i -
l l
club will be allowed to vote and result, a functional product of or w
statem ent; and free thinkers should and prosper, and would you k in d ly
credit will be aw arded according ganization. T h at system which
.,1 1.. 1.. I., of Sopul.i
I
send .................
me your „ syllabus
Secular
keep
it
steadily
in
view.
to the number of votes each receive. m akes m ind eternal by assum ing
The public schools, erected and Sunday school lessons?
New and interesting features will th a t atom s have sensations, de
Yours tru ly •s ,
he added from tim e to time.
sires etc., is also, though im prop m aintained hy the public’s money,
J. Mow at R eid .
The movement deserves the a t erly. called m aterialism by those should teach prim arily the elem ent
* See Prof. M ax M uller , in his
tention of all Liberals, as it will re who, like Ilaeekel. are dissatisfied ary “ branches” of reading, writing,
Vol 1 pp. 33-40.
su lt in great benefit to our jo u n g with common m aterialism , but arithm etic, the laws of health, and Gifford Lectures.
** Dr. F rancis N ewman , in his
people.
accept the view stated , and wish to the elem entary laws of social
with
the elem ents of “ Phases of F a ith .”
Full instructions regarding the retain the m aterialistic terminology. science,
work appear in’ th is week’s issue
Haeckel a ’so calls the view mon n a t u r a l science; and they should he
B rother F. S. M atteson of T u rn er
of the L ittle candle . Send for
restricted from confusing the in
ism.
sam ple copy th a t you may un d er
tellect of youth. I»y teaching w h at Ore. writes to us as follows:
S
piritualism
m
ay
be
com
prehen
stan d the n atu re and im portance
Dear S ir:— W e have a Ja p a n re
sively defined as the doctrines: ever is co n trary to the facts and triever Spaniel pup, about three
of th e club.___
the order of nature, and the reason
th at spirit
is the basis of all
Som e T h o u g h t L abels,
m onths old, seal brow and tan color,
of
man.
Free
th
in
k
ers
(and
by
thought and the p rim ary principle
weight four pounds, tail an inch
Freethought is thought which is of being. It may or m ay not in fre e th in k e rs I mean all who claim
long. This is a breed new to this
untram m elled by au th o rity from clude belief in personal im m o rta lity . the right of private ju d g m en t— not country, and is nice, an d desirable.
which appeal is forbidden—the au- It may or m ay not include w hat is bond-thinkers) should persistently The one we offer is a female, and
thority of so-called sacred books, ¿¡-uinctive in m odern spiritualism , aim at m aking our public schools if you want her to sell to the high
thoroughly
unsectarian.
And
creeds, heresies.
It is generallv bo called.
„ ,
est bidder for the benefit of the U n-
applied now to the religious ami
when
any
well
intentioned
neigh
These definitions of course a d
iversitv we will send her. These
philosophical views of those who
m it of am plification, hut they may bor ask w hat sort of religion is J a p dogs are nice, sh arp and
reject alleged m iraculous revo-
serve to indicate the need of clear taught in your secular school, let sprightly,
T hey carry n a tu ra lly
lations, and who claim to think
ness and definiteness in the state them know distinctly that the and are easily trained. The one
for them selves.
ment of system s of thought, ami moral living free thinker s religion we offer is a daisy, and her nam e
Liberalism is a ra th e r indefinite
is the practice and promotion of is “Yone S anto.” W ant her?
the
im
portance
<
f
understanding
word which stands for views held
F. S. M atterson .
the differences whicn have brought tru th and righteousness, w ith the
by those who, rejecting all alleged
exercise
of
sym
pathy
and
love
some of the thougt-
Yes, brother M atterson send
revelations,
form ulated into existence
u divine
iv m e
ix » rirtv u i.p ,
.
I have often felt vexed to hear
pioposilions called creed, and ec- labels in current tee.
some free th in k ers speak d isp arag along the pup and accept our
B. F. U nderwood ,
in
g ly ot
re lig io n — using
u sing the
u .c words th an k s for your kindness. And
clesiastical decision: as w ithout
ingly
of religion—
Chicago, 111.
religion and religious onlv as term s now who will sta rt the hall ro llin g ,
au th o rity , bold th at reason is the
C orrespondence.
highest standard of tru th ami th a t
of approbium . We should ra th e r ! Make us an offer!
its free exercise in religion as in all
use the words religion and re-
Religious zeal enlists the strong-
M
ontreal , C anada , Dec.
27,
o th er m atters, is a right and a duty.
ligious in their original and proper e8t prejudices of the hum an m ind
W ith some, Liberalism means hut 1896.— P earl W. Geer— Dear Sir: sense, and rescue these good old a n j when m isdirected, un d er the
little more th an disbelief of the In r. recent num ber o f “The Free words from the perveisions of ¿elusive pretext of doing G od’s serv-
„ ..„ u la r creeds.
" 'i t h advanced T h in k er,” 1 read w .lh m uch inter-
priestcraft.
iee, excites the worst passions of
thi.tkers it
includes th e beet eat an d delight the account you
Cicero the em inent
scholar, I our n a tu re . W hen m an under-
th o u g h t of the age.
| gave of the d o in g s of tree thinkers
orator, and statesm an, who lived ta ke8 t o become G od’s avenger, he
Agnosticism indicates the posi- in the state of Oregon, and from
before the date assigned to the
a dem on. Driven by the
tion and attitu d e of those who this priest-ridden land I send you
hybrid Jesus of the New Uesta- frenzy of a religious zeal, he loses
affirm nothing, and claim nothing ,„y hearty greetings, wishing you
m ent, says th at the word religion ftveFy gentle feeling, forgets every
is know n, in regard to the ulti- a happy and prosperous new year,
m ate n atu re o f being, or in regard with great and increasing success (religio) comes from the Latin verb c| a im alike of justice, m ercy, and
relegere, the opposite o f neglegere— hum anity, and becomes ferocious
to w hat lies beyond phenom ena, to your S ecular Sunday school, an d
neglegere m eaning not to gather, an<j unrelenting.
All knowledge, says the Agnostic, to all rational efforts to direct the ' . - a - K
In.
tn 1 IP
I) T)
rx .
. •
i ...u..» »ho iiltimutA
n f ttip.i tn ;i triip n liilo s o rih v
A.