THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1897
ple or an individual may b e at any
given time, and is therefore vari­
able according to time, place and
[B y I) k . L cdwio B uchner .]
The only •Z correct and tenable circumstances. Moses, the great­
moral principle depends upon the est teacher and leader of the Jewish
relation of reciprocity. There is people, felt no sting» of conscience
therefore no better guide to moral when he allowed three thousand
conduct than the old and well- of bis people to be cut to pieces as
known proverb: “ W hat you would a propitiatory offering to the Lord,
not have done to vou, that to but only feared that they would not
others never do.’’ “If we com­ be sufficient, whilst nowadays such
plete this proverb with the addi­ a proceeding would be regarded as
tion: “Do to other« as you would inexpressibly horrible and brutal;
D on’t have to take our word for it, when we sav •z
they should do to you,” we have and the honored David, the darling
we have a better and larger stock of new goods th a n
the entire code of virtue and morals of all theologians, when be conquered
ever before, for the m erchandise is here to speak for
in hand, and indeed in a bet ter and the city of Rabbah (2 Sam. xii. 31)
itself, and for us. Of course we d o n ’t m ean th a t you
simpler form than could be fur­ “brought forth the jieople that were
would th in k our ads deceptive, for we have always
nished us by the thickest manuals therein, and put them under saws,
endeavored to m ake them the opposite. You m ight
of ethics, or the quintessence of all and under harrows of iron, and
th in k however that we were over-enthusiastic. Y ou'll
the religious systems in the world. under axes of iron, and made them
e n th u se too when you see the new goods. H onestly
All other moral instructions pass through the brick-kiln: and
we are very proud of our stock, and believe th e styles
whether derived from the con­ thus did he unto all the cities of
will please you, and the prices interest you. * * *
science, from religion, or from phil­ the children of Ammon.” The
osophy, are perfectly superfluous Pbcenicans, Carthaginians, Persians
in t h e presence of these simple ami etc., although belonging to thecivil-
practical rules. Of course these ized nations of antiquity were not
rules must become more ami more deterred by their conscience from
efficacious the higher the condition burning their own children alive or
of reciprocity is developed by the burying living innocent men; and
greater advance of social state, and the Inquisitors of the Middle
the more the individual, by intelli­ ages and tiedr associates of earlier
gence and culture, is rendered ca­ and later times believed that they
Corner Main & Water Sts.
Silverton, Oregon.
pable of comprehending the ob­ were only fulfilling their duty in
jects of society and his personal burning about nine millions of peo­
relation thereto, and of arranging ple as witches and magicians in the
bis conduct accordingly. It is course of eleven centuries, and
therefore a gen rally recognized making so many other innocent
fact, and moreover sufficiently people suffer under the most hor­
proved by history, that the idea of rible tortures. When the Roman
morality in general as in particu­ emperors visited the newly formed D E A L E R IN
lar cases becomes further and more Christian communities with the
C hem icals, Drugs,
strongly developed in proportion bloodiest persecutions, they be- , M edicine, Toilet A rticles,
as culture, intelligence and know­ lieved that they were doing good
P erfum ery and Soaps, Stationery,
ledge of the necessary laws of the and that their consciences were
P a te n t Medicines, P ain ts and Oils,
common weal increase, and that, clear, just as much as the later
Com bs and Brushes.
in accordance with this, greater Christians themselves when, after
public order has always gone hand their doctrine had become victor­
in band with alleviation of the ious, they revisited all these perse­
cutions and outrages in the most
criminal laws.
As an individual, or as primitive ample measure upon those who
man, man is entirely unacquainted thought differently from themselves.
with morals, and blindly follows The murderous wars of modern
the impulses of the passions, the times also, arising frequently from
hunger, the cruelty, etc , which he the most inconsiderable causes, are
has in common with the animals. generally waged by people who
DEALERS IN
His moral properties are only de­ win by them fame, honor and con­
veloped by living together with sideration, whilst in a future and
others in a society regulated by happier time such proceedings will
G E N E R A L M E R C H A N D IS E
certain principles of reciprocity, and probably be regarded as the gravest
by the knowledge of the laws which moral crimes.
Conscience is therefore nothing
are necessary for the existence of
such a community. The innate established and innate, but rather
conscience or law’ of morals which something variable and acquired, Corner Hain & Water Sts.
Silverton, Oregon.
so many regard as the true deter­ or an expression of human know­
mining principle in the actions of ledge itself. This advancing know­
men, is nothing more than a great ledge has caused the recognition of
SAMUEL A flES,
superstition, an
“Infant-school many things as innocent or per­ JOHN HICKS,
morality,” as the philosopher Scho­ missible which formerly passed as
penhauer so significantly expresses grave sins or crimes which for­
it. For the conscience is formed merly were not so regarded; and
and developed only with the pro­ hence also as is well known the
“ — : DEALERS I N :
gressive knowledge of the duties ideas of good and evil present the
which the individual has to fulfill most striking differences, nay even
towards imaginary supernatural complete contradictions, at differ­
powers (such as Gods, Heroes, etc.), ent times and among different peo­
all of which would be entirely
towards his fellow-men, towards ples,
Stoves, A gricu ltu ral Im plem ents, G uns, F ish in g
impossible if the innate conscience
society, the state and so forth. This of man were conferred upon him as
Tackle, C utlery, and S porting Goods.
belief, however, is entirely depend­ an eternal prescription binding
ent on the grade of general cul­ him for all times.
ture or knowledge at which a peo-
( to be continued .)
florals.
“Seeing is Believing.”
You
Yours to Please,
A. WOLF & SON.
J. E. Hammond,
— DRUGGIST,
^-^■^Silverton, Oregon.
Cusiter & Davenport*
HICKS & AMES.
H A R D W A R E , T IN W A R E ,
S ilv e rto n ,
-
-
-
-
O reg o n .