THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 189:
notoriety and at last a home in it all is! And just think how veins that you crouch and cower
heaven, or any of the favorite these pretenders differ in opinion like a belabored hound beneath the
phantoms that are being followed, on very important parts of their preacher’s lash? O, brothers! sis­
T h e O nly S ecci \ k P a per P u b l ish e d on
were nothing in comparison with storv. Some claim that those who ters! we must work. Let us work
t h e P a c ific C o ast .
the good that we may do to this have made mistakes here are going for Humanity! Let us fight every
P ublished W eekly by th e Oregon State
and coming generations by yielding to a place of torment. Others evil! And when we die, let it be
Secular Union.
our own petty pleasures and wisely claim that there is no hell hut there under the clear sky, free from every
J. E. HOSMER,
- - - E ditor planning to make the world better is a heaven. One class holds that cloud of superstition, by the bright
P. W. GEER, - - - M anager for our having lived, we would all the others are children of the devil, waters of religious freedom, in
now be enjoying the immeasurable while at the same time they use al­ noble, honorable peace.
E n tered at th e postoffiee at Silverton,
fruits of the rightly applied energy most the same methods in duping
Oregon, as second class m a i l m a t t e r .
T hrow Off th e Yoke.
that has been wasted. Secularists the people. One class claims that
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
One Year, in advance..........
....... ?1 O* are selfish if by that we mean that .Jesus is soon to come back to earth
A Christian who never hears any
Six Month», in a d v a n c e ..................................... 50
T hree Month», in a d v a n c e .....
................. 25 we are seeking happiness, but our and the others pooh pooh the idea.
in Club» of ■> o r nioro one year, in advance. . 75
includes all mankind And all this comes from foolishly public lectures against superstition,
Money »honld be sent by registered le tte r o r- selfishness
who never reads a book unless it is
money order.
happy if taking an unproven, unreasonable
P le a s e »end □» the name» and addressee of oec- and we will live and die
ulariMts who arc not regular ►ubscribers.
we can do something to quench theory for a basis, and teaching it orthodox, and who gets mad as
soon as a word is said against his
as the truth.
the
fires
of
the
selfishly
developed
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, E. M. 297
It is difficult to tell which is belief, should not be expected to be
torments that afflict the world.
To illustrate the vast difference harder to get rid of the tramp or broad and liberal in his views.
What Secularists should do is to
S elfishness.
between these two kinds of self­ the priest and preacher. If the
tramps could in some way be make lectures on Secularism very
ishness
let
us
suppose
that
two
There seems to be two kinds of
cleaned up and set to work at some­ numerous; they should spread their
selfishness. One kind excludes persons are very desirous of mak­
literature everywhere; they should
thing
they
would
enjoy,
giving
ing
money.
A
shallow
thinker
every one except one’s self, but
them plenty of time and opportun­ study to present their ideas with­
although seeking one’s own better­ might suppose that both are alike
out offense and as true as truth is
ity
to
improve
themselves,
the
coun­
selfish,
but
one
may
he
anxious
to
ment this kind of selfishness
better than a lie, the old ideas will
destroys the very thing for which buy something for his own exclusive try would gain not only the pro­ crumble to decay and truth will
the victim is in search—happiness. pleasure while the other may duct of their labor hut also save make us free. It is sometimes a
This is a very serious matter, as it wish to buy a library and present the total loss of their support. How wonder to us that there is as much
not only affects us individually but it to the city in which lie lives for this is to be done we will leave to freethought in the wmrld as there
the good it will do. So it is with the political economists, hut we
also as a people—as a race.
is, for the books that have been
wish
to
venture
a
suggestion
in
re­
our
force
of
Secular
workers.
The man who said that “the
forced upon us when w7e were help­
world is dying of selfishness” We hope in the next few months to gard to the preachers.
less children have been all one­
Let
every
business
man
in
the
raise
thousands
of
dollars,
not
meant this kind of selfishness and
sided. But few people realize w hat
if we will take the pains to look for any narrow, selfish motive hut country support only such institu­ a stupendous crime is committed
around us and. look into our own that we may have the indescribable tions as he honestly believes in. by our educators when they cram
lives, we will see that the most happiness that comes from knowing Let not one nickel go into the hat the young unfortified minds with
prolific cause of the world’s misery that we have been instrumental just for the sake of popularity, and such religious trash as may be
is this narrow, self-centering fellow- in Hooding the whole earth with the preachers’ business will wither found in our school readers.
excluding attribute of the human the light from the dawn of a and they will suddenly discover that
If we knew tDat there is a God,
they never did believe all those fish
mind. It spoils every thing that happier day.
stories any way, and will fit them­ if we were sure that the Bible is of
is good. Public speakers, teachers,
selves for Secular lecturers. \\ hat more authority than the kora 11, if
officers and workers of all classes
The T ram p an d th e P reach er.
a gain this would he to the world. we knew that Jesus Christ is the
many times lose the opportunity
son of a god, if we knew that there
of bringing about great reforms be­ The tramp is a nuisance, but on Just think hmv much good could is a life after death, then it would
cause they have not been trained account of the hard times, labor- be done if all the churches would be well to teach the young people
in youth to yield their own com­ saving machinery throwing men become lecture halls where one these things as facts, but no man
fort, or gain, for the gjod of the ma­ out of work, and the natural roving could listen to a good scientific or knows these things to be true, and
jority and so when the time comes, disposition, coupled with weak moral lecture every Sunday. If it is a crime to teach them as facts.
as it always does, for the worker mental powers, inherited by some these lectures were free from super­
Read the following extract from
stition
and
presumption,
every­
people,
there
seems
to
be
some
sort
to choose between some self
a school reader, and, after calling
gratification and the good that he of an excuse for these poor unfor­ body would go and gladly learn the to mind the fact that this is only
might do by sacrificing, he yields tunates. These beggars, and they great lessons of life that all need one out of many fully as absurd,
to the short-lived pleasure and the are nothing more or less, do some so much.
see if you are not very well pleased
Fellow
gladiators
in
the
accursed
harm,
but
their
actions
are
not
apt
world sustains the loss.
with the advance that Freethought
It might be said that life is short to be imitated by the young, nor arena of a superstitious age, hark! is making:
and if we do not make the most of are their erroneous ideas apt to hearyeyon fanatic roaringin his pul­
“THE UNBELIEVER.”
it, blow our horn, look out for recommend themselves to any one. pit? ’Tis six days since he has had
“ I pity the unbeliever—one who
number one, etc., we will get left; But there is a class which seems to an opportunity to murder reason, set can gaze upon the grandeur, and
but here comes in the legitimate combine all the elements of a per­ at naught the great discoveries of glory, and beauty of the natural
kind of selfishness if it may be fect nuisance. They influence the science so dearly purchased by the universe, and behold not the touches
called such. Happiness is what every people, and especially the young, labors and blood of our forefathers, of his finger, who is over, and with,
one wants and if it gives us the and instill into their minds some and ruin the weak and defenseless, by and above all; from my very heart
greater amount of happiness to ex­ of the most absurd and injurious frightening and forcing them into 1 do commizerate his condition.
clude the welfare of others in our ideas that could possibly be taught. becoming slaves of an imaginary,
“The unbeliever!—one whose in­
plans then it might he said to be Some places in our country seem foreign power; but Sundays he tellect the light of revelation never
better, but it does not. Our per­ almost free from tramps, hut not so breaks his fast and a dainty meal penetrated; who can gaze upon the
manent happiness depends upon with these other nuisances. They do our youths make for these sun, and moon, and stars, and upon
the happiness of others and if we are organized in such a way that if descendants of the Inquisition.
If ye are beasts, then stand here the unfading and imperishable skv,
are wise in our selfishness we will a place will not support them they
spread out so magnificently above
forego short-lived pleasure if assist each other from the fruits like fat oxen waiting for the butch­ him, and say all this is the work
necessary in order to make those garnered from other fields. They er’s knife! If ye are lovers of truth of chance?
tell pitiful stories and act out death­ aud liberty, join our ranks! Strike
around us happy.
“The heart of such a being is a
Too high a value has been placed bed scenes to frighten people into down your guard of prejudice, gain dr-ary and cheerless void In him,
on one human life any way. If in­ doing what they want them to. the mountain passes of respect and mind—the god-like gift of in­
stead of being taught that our own The bight of absurdity seems to be there do noble work, as did our tellect—is debased, distroyed; all
individual happiness here and here­ reached however when they pre­ sires when they fought for political is dark—a fearful chaotic labyrinth,
•r
after are the paramount concern tend to know about a future life and religious freedom.
Is Americanism dead? Is the ray less, cheerless, hopeless. No
of our lives, we had been taught and a god, and a god's son, and
Continued on eighth page.
that selfishly gaiuiug wealth, angels, and a devil. O, how silly old love of liberty frozen in your
Torch of Reason