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