Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1897)
I THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 189 SECULAR NEW S camps and in the mining regions, closed with the far from pleasant statement that the society’s income had been lessened by the falling off in legacies to the amount of nearly $50,000 during the past year, and that its greatest need at this time is an increase in the donations.” As we build, orthodoxy must decay. Rev. Dr. Radcliffe of the New York Ave. Presbyterian church said: “ My Romanist friend may look not only with suspicion but with disapproval upon my baptism, my name and office; yet I can gladly welcome his baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, believing that with all his Our press fund needs your appear with new learners a u u su o n , attention at once. What can you through the whole realm of nature, do for it? we have new appearances, yet we Under our present amended by do not cry miracle; no more should laws we have no licensed lecturers, w’e in the social or mental world. but we expect to have soon. Those The same law of cause and effect who wish to lecture on our platform prevails in every department of and who can fill the requirements Nature and we are not to suppose should apply at once. for every peculiar event a special “Astral Worship” is the title of a intervention of God and overthrow of natural law’, but rather are to nicely bound and well-edited book look for the natural explanation. by J. II. Hall, M. D., published by the Truth Seeker Co., New- Throw Off the Yoke York. The book shows that the C ontinued from fourth page world has had but one religion and gleam of light from heaven that originated with the ancient penetrates the blackness of the horrible delusion; no voice from Blank No. i. Ç /< X X X > < X )< X > < X X X > < X > < X > < X > < K X XX><XXX><><XXXXXXXXX>O <><><XXXX><KXXX> the eternal bids the desponding heart rejoice. No fancied tones from the harps of seraphim arouse the dull spirit from its lethargy, or allay the consuming fever of the brain. The wreck of mind is utterly remediless; reason is M r . J ohn I I ickh , T reasu rer F in an ce B uilding C om m ittee, S ilverton. Ore prostrate; and passion, prejudice and superstition, have reared their S ir—Inclosed please find $ .............................................................................fo temple on the ruins of his intellect. L iberal U niversity F u n d , said fund to be used solely for th e co n stru ctio n I pity the unbeliever. What to m ain ten an ce an d fu rn ish in g of th e L iberal U n iv ersity of S ilverton, Ore. him is the revelation from on high but a sealed book? He sees noth E . L. S m ith , S ilverton, R obert S cott , W oodburn, ............................................................................. ing above, or around, or beneath J ohn H ick s , T reasu rer, S ilverton, him, that evinces the existence of a C om m ittee on F in an ce. God, he denies yea, while standing < k x x >( x x >< x x >< x >< x m x >< h h >< x k < x >(^ x x x > c <>< x x x x ><><> c <>< h > o ( x x x x h ) on the foostool of Omnipotence, and gazing upon the dazzling throne of Blank No. 2. Jehovah, he shuts his intellect to Q(XKXXX><X><><K>0<X>00<><>0<^>C^O'>fV><XWX><XX>^XX><KXX><X>(XXX><><><) the light of reason, and denies j • • • L i b r a i ¿ J n iV e its itv ; F u n d • • • ? there is a God.” It is not our object to show the absurdity of the statements and insinuations of the above, but to show- that it is a great wrong to I prom ise to pay to th e o rd er of J ohn H icks , S ilverton, O re., teach the children that an un believer is an object of great pity. .........................................................D ollars, on o r b e fo re ............................................... The writer’s father was an un said fund to be used solely for th e co n stru ctio n , m ain ten an ce and fu rn ish believer and many of the boys and girls who read such trash today in ing of th e L iberal U n iv ersity of S ilv erto n , Ore. our public schools are sons and E. L. S m ith , S ilv erto n , 6 daughters of unbelievers and we R o b ert Scott, W oodburn, A hold that it is as wrong to force this J o h n H icks, T reasu rer, S ilv erto n , 9 upon their children as it would be C o m m ittee on F in an ce. o to force atheism upon the children < K X X X > < X H > C X > (X X > < H X X X X X X K X X X X X > C < X H X X > < K X X X K X > < X X X X X X X > < > < ) of orthodox parents. C a t th is out or copy it, fill in w ith th*> a m o a n t you w ish to subscribe, and retu rn to We pity the believers and could Jo h n H icks, tre a su re r finance co m m ittee, S ilv erto n , O re. show that the world is far less a world of chance to us than it is to superstition, his faith is in Jesus the poor believer in miracles and that Christ, and that he feeds spiritually, far from our reason being prostrate, not carnally, on the body of our the unbeliever disbelieves because common Lord.” It wouldn’t he of his reason, w-hile to believe such a great step for Presbyterians requires no reason or knowledge. and other orthodox friends to w-ork But it is unnecessary to try to show- side by side w-ith the Romanist. the weakness of the extract to Let’s get them together as boon as those who have reason and w-ill use we cau. They must come together it, and he whose reason has been before they can make this really a wrecked by superstitious belief, Christian nation and when we real dares not doubt and so we refrain, ize the rapidity with which Liber hoping that all unbelievers will alism is spreading over our coun unite with us and help throw off try we doubt that they will get to the old yoke that has enslaved our gether soon enough to do it at all. people for so many years. Mr. Radcliffe no need to hesitate on the account of superstition, for Press Fund his belief in the Father, Son and P reviously Acknowledged Holy Ghost is as superstitious as J . W. H ., New York C ity. anything his Romauist friends be lieve. ! • • • iUbeital kJniVeirsitg f?und • • • UNIVERSITY NOTES Yone Santo is the nam e of the U niversity’s little dog. Louie Wolfard became a member of the Y. P. S. S. C. Friday evening. Walter Smith presented the the school with a valuable specimen last Tuesdav. Captain Arnie Forward’s side scored 55 points at the Y. P. S. S.C. last Friday evening. Miss Ethel Whitlock and Norris Ames entered our school this w-eek. Still there’s more to follow-. A number of our students enjoyed the entertainment given at Betheny last Saturday evening. Our little .Japanese retriever donated by F. S. Matteson some time ago, arrived last Friday. It is a beauty. Among our visitors this w-eek were Mrs. Nellie Riches, the Misses Markland, Mrs E. L. Smith and Mrs. John Hicks. The literary •r contest will take place about May 9. Ten or twelve of the students will ent>-r the con test, and a splendid time is an ticipated. A minister was called to order this week by one of teachers of the University speaking of our work good men should not tell “fish stories.” A number of fine books was added to our library this week. Don’t forget to keep them coming. We must have a fiue library. •» After reading about the gods of ancient Greece some of our students think it would be just as sensible to believe in Jupiter as it is in Jehovah. Isn’t it strange what wicked (?) ideas children will get? The students are not compelled to attend Sunday school but we think it to their advantage to do so. It pleases the conductors to have them all there and it encourages others to come. Come I One More Dear Friends: Your letter and paper received and will say the paper is good and I think will get better as it gets a larger circulation. I will help to swell the number. Please find my note for five dollars and one dollar for my subscription to the Torch of Reason. Hoping that Secularism will prosper with .the republican administration, I remain, yours for truth, E. R. LAUGHLIN. Caleb, Ore. U n iversity Fund Previously A cknow ledged. D. B u ck in g h am , R ay m o n d ,C al