THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1897.
ingH a heathen king’« psalms, are in some states this certain paper
I orcn OT
sublime! Instruction in the sci- (not over a 1U00 miles from here)
ence of health that so far would be suppressed by law, but
T,,E
1111
surpass the supposed casting out of does this prove that it would be
P ublished W eekly by th e Oregon
S tate imaginary devils by the great phy- right. Our brother who considers
Secular Union.
sician of Galilee, that one is lost in himself redeemed by the blood of
wonder at the stupidity of those Jesus would be roasted and eaten
J. E. HOSMER,
Editor
trust in the healing power *n sonie peaces perhaps, but surely
P. W. GEER,
Manager . . . .
we do not believe that this would
of his magic.
be what ought to be done. We
O, the beauties of Nature that have n o d o u b t however that this
E ntered at th e postoffice at Silverton,
Oregon, as second class m ail m atter.
this Saviour of Science reveals! spirit of persecution would stop our
Words can not express the happi- paper here in Oregon if our poor
SUBSCRIPTION PA TES.
One Y ear. in a d v a n c e .........
. . . . «1 («I ness that it will bring to the world misguide«! brother had his wav.
Six Month», in a d v a n c e ..................................... 50
Phis holy brother (who is not
'I hree Month», in a d v a n c e .....
...............
if we can only learn to live in har- over
In Clab» of 5 or m ore one year, in »dvanee. . 76
1000 miles from here) says
Money ehoald he sent by rei giHtered lette r or , , , o n y wit II its teachings!
that as a guardian of the morals of
m oney o ld er.
. . .
.
Pleane ►end uh the name« and ad'lre»»eH of Sec­
When we think of the results of the community, he feels it hisdutvto
ularist» who are not regular Huhncriber».
Christianity, when we realize that try and check the evils of the afore-
qp
«
£
flora,ity or Immorality?
There are many people who, on
account of their desire to con­
tinue in certain social irregulari­
ties hate the Christian church and
many of these social lepers have
the audacity to judge all Free-
thought work by their own rotten
standard, and, by deception or the
heretofore earlessness of freethought
societies they have often wormed
th e m s e lv e s into positions of honor
and trust, which have as often be­
come positions of dishonor and
distrust. A character of this kind
is to he pitied and if possible con­
THURSDAY,MARCH 25, E.M. 297 religion makes enemies, when we
certain paper, not that he verted to Secularism, but although
___
,
t . 1 would insult the intelligence of the they may have talent, although
*. .
. .
adults present bv mentioning it, they may he polite and although
T h e R e s u lt.
has been in spite of the Christian bu( for ,he sakJ of the children; I they may appear very energetic
church and not with its aid, when anj then follows the old ilhistra-
and willing to sacrifice for what
Robert G. Ingersoll says that sci­
we realize that now the greatest tion of children eating poisonous
they call liberty they never can
ence is the true savior of the world,
discoveries of modern time- toadstools thinking, in their ignor­
and we are not able to find any
that th«-v were mushrooms. affiliate with that class of people
are hampered and ridiculed ance,
Now, as far as his being the guard- who believe in building up pure,
fault with this statement. Now if
by the followers of Jesus, we feel j ian of public morals is concerned,
happy homes and saving our youth
we think this is true, it is possible
almost disgusted with the human we are sure that the people are
from the unhappiness of the law­
that others may get to thinking the
family; hut when we look into the very glad of his h»-lp in. this line,
same, and, if all should Reconverted
less; and so it is not because we
school rooms of our land and see hut we are quite sure that many of
to the religion of our lord and sav­
the very be-t and most moral peo­ hate those who are making mis­
that
the
different
volumes
of
the
ple would be pleased if he would takes that we claim that we must
ior Science, what would he the re­
great hi hie of science are there, draw his ideas from a book as pure
have a moral standard for th e
sult?
when
we
know
that
one
who
has
a
as
the
aforesaid
certain
paper
is.
To one who is ignorant of the
Dear reader, honest true, don’t you Secular Union, hut because we can
good
knowledge
of
science
can
put
great civilizing, relining and moral
think that any paper that is pub­ not organize and build up a society
to
flight
a
host
of
its
enemies
and
influence of science, this savior is
lished within 1000 miles of this city without it.
when
we
look
out
upon
this
battle
is as moral as the holy hook from
crucified and the old Scribe
There are papers now printed
that
is
now
raging
and
see
the
which
our
brother
teaches
everv
and Pharisee religion of ignor-
A •* that claim to he Freehought pub­
manly
men
and
brave
Sunday.
Read
them
through
ant, orthodox forms and ceremonies 5ou"g n,an
’
.
women ready to enlist in our ranks, carefully, using the highest faculty lications which are a disgrace to
is let loose to destroy the happiness ready t() ^ght the good fight of of your intellect, and we are sure the name and we do not wonder
of other victims of its superstition knowledge, of truth and humanity, that you will see that those who that our work does not advance
we can not help thinking that the teach the infallibility of the bible as it ought when such trash is pub­
and greed.
But although our savior is cruci- result will he victory for our glor- are making a mistake which is do­ lished ami cunningly used by our
-
-• * ‘
* ing far more to lower the moral
fied in the minds of thousands, it ious cause. •
And who can tell what one who standard and to degrade our young enemies.
still lives and will soon he followed is fully converted to this religion of than all other causes combined.
\Ye have before us an article
by more devotees than all the false Secularism may do? O, brothers
In regard to insulting the intelli­ from the pen of one claiming to be
gods, messiahs and prophets put to- and sisters in the cause of human gence of the adults, it might be well a Freethinker that is equal to the
happiness, let us overcome our to say that no refined, high-minded obscenity of the Christian’s bible,
gether.
our
our , self- person would be insulted to have
It is said by Christians that there timidity,
. ,
. indifference,
.
,
.
,
ishness, and reach out our h and; read in their hearing the “certain an article that no decent parent or
are more oihles printe« tia n a n j and if we have hut the ability to paper,” but that, if some 'portions teacher would like to use as a
other book, and this is used as an touch the hem of the garment of o{ this holy man’s holy hook was lesson for their hoys and girls, and
argument that Christianity is mak- our savior we may become instru- read, his audience would leave him unless we debar such principles and
ing great progress, but we must re ments in the bands of truth which talking to empty seats, and if he the people who advocate them from
member that the bible is composed may lead many into the light of a should send some of this moral (?) our society or convert them to
happy life.
book to bis friends he could be ar­
of many books, and that there is
rested for sending obscene literature decency before allowing them to
probably no set of bonks that is so
through the mail. The most poison­ join, we can never have a solid, ac­
O u r H o ly B r o th e r .
little read as this history of heathen
ous fungus we know of is this b y bred tive, progressive organization.
doings. The majority of Christians
When we write in self-defense it toadstool of obscenity and super­
This, then, is what we propose to
do not read the bible. They read a is necessary to say somethings that stition. It was also said that this do, to establish our union on a
paper’’ bad committed the
verse here and there, but many of may sound harsh to those who do “certain
unpardonable sin (against the In d y solid moral foundation and thus
them do not know what absurdities not understand the harshness of ghost.) But let us suppose that give all parties a chance. Those
this holy word of their god con- theattact, but whatever is said let there isn’t any holy ghost and then who are already moral and inter­
tains. And again, we must remem- it he understood that it is done in all is right again with the exception ested in our work will rally around
her that thousands of these books order to defend what we consider that our dear brother has commit- our grand standard; the hoys and
are sent to heathens who can not the truth and right and that we R‘<1 a gr<*vious sin against his fel-
girls who are soon to take our
read, and when they do become are ever ready to grasp the hand of ful bug-a-boo story. There is no places may join our ranks without
able to read it, they do not under- our adversary as a friend, acknowl- reason to support such blighting, being ruined by evil associates and
it a s their
stand
civilized edge any mistakes that we have vindictive, immoral doctrines as is their doctrines; those who are go­
brothers in Christ do, or the follow- committed and to freely forgive even taught from the orthodox platform, ing down the unhappy incline of
ers of our savior Science.
without the asking, any injury antJ 01,1 deludtd brother wishes wrong-doing may “right about face”
The bible of Science is composed that has been done. The time has u,eaVe lhJ poor okl stranded wreck and become converted (changed) to
of many books also, but they are come however when we do claim and pull for the shore.”
the true, unselfish religion of Hu­
not and could not be published in the right to call things by their
We know how hard it is after we manity; and those who are hound
one volume for it would be alto- right name in defending our work
preached and prayed and to stay with their vomit will have
our religious experience the opportunity to organize a so­
gether too large a book and there and as one of the opposers of Free- told
in public to come out and ciety of their own and to continue in
are additional chapters being added thought chose in his sermon of last say we have been mistaken, their foolishness, until their minds
every day. What a grand bible Sunday, to grossly misrepresent a that our reason was overcome by and bodies are so corrupt that they
we havel Records of the founda- “certain paper published not over our emotions; but we hope and be- are only fit to join the ranks of the
tionsof the earth, that cast in the 1000 miles from here” we hereby liev.e lhat we wil1 b(X,n l,ave a grertt Salvation Army which will always
have plenty of their «lirty work
shade the purile accounts of assert and will endeavor to show rV lVm \’f
to do, unless the better elements of
Genesis. Songs of truth and that his statements were mere
immoral as these
falsehoods society unite and purify the foun­
praise to the starry heavens that, chaff ami productive of much evil, taught in the name of a mythical tain-head of thought by the teach­
ings of a pure morality.
compared with the wild wonder-
He (our holy brother) said that