THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, A PRIL 29, 1897. lated about Jonah and the whale; the doctrine of endless punishment, Editor Torch of Reason: and a hundred others we could re I have read Paine’s “Age of Rea fer to. The ministry has been son” and a few numbers of the forced to select subjects to discourse Torch of Reason and I find them to upon more in accord with reason be two of the most reasonable pro and good sense. It don’t take one- tenth part the lire and brimstone to ductions that I have ever read. satisfy the people now'-a-days that “Come, now, and let us reason to it did fifty years ago; they are gether,” is what Isaiah says the ashamed of such silly talk as that. Lord told him; but what little When we read the fathers of the reasoning we will have to do, will church and see upon what argu be of a little different kind from ments they have built the edifice of religion, we are inexpressibly as that which the Lord had with Isa tonished with their credulity or iah—that is, there will be a little their knavery. But allegory was more truth and reason in it. The the rage of that period. The pa Lord tells him, “though your sins gans employed it to explain the ac be as scarlet, they shall be as white tions of their gods, and the Chris as snow; though they be red like tians acted in the same spirit w’hen they employed it after their fash crimson, they shall be as wool.” ion. In the first periods of There is about as much truth and the Christian church not only reason in that statement, we sup the most learned of those who pose, as there is in the one that he have since been denominated makes to Ahaz, who was then king heretics, but many of the orthodox of Judah, telling him that the kings conceived Moses to have w’ritten of Israel and Syria, who were then neither the law7 nor the pentateuch, but that the work was a compilation besieging him, should not be suc made by the elders of the people cessful, and to assure Ahaz that he and the seventy, who after the death was telling him the truth, he gives of Moses collected his scattered him a sign. He says, “ Behold a ordinances, and mixed with them virgin shall conceive and bear a things that were extraneous similar son, and before the child shall be to what happened to the Koran of old enough to refuse the evil and Mahomet. Then in the assembly choose the good, the land that thou at Mecca, giving in their confessions abhorrest shall be forsaken of both of faith, Volney says: “Then came her kings.” Christians and Bible- forward with a look of confidence believers try to make this a pro an Iman of the law of Mahomet, phecy foretelling the miraculous ‘Praise be to God, said he, the light birth of Jesus. This all took place shines with full evidence and the about 740 years before Christ’s truth has no need of examination.’ time, and it has no more reference ‘Be it so,’ replied the lawgivers. to Christ than it has to the high But if your statements as to what lands of Honolulu; because if it was constitutes the truth disagree, w ho a sign to /Vhaz that he should come shall reconcile them? If error has out victorious in the war then going its martyrs; what is the certain on, it w’as a mockery, a lie, for it m ark of truth? If the evil spirit will be seen that Ahaz was desper works miracles, what is the ately beaten and taken captive, and distinctive character of God? And delivered into the hands of the king what is this luminous doctrine of Israel, who smote him with a th at fears the light? Who is this great slaughter, W’ho slew7 one hun man, cried all the groups, who thus dred and twenty thousand in one insults us w’ithout a cause? Has day. And the children of Israel not God endowed us, as well as him, carried awray captive of their breth w’ith understanding and reason; ren two hundred thousand women, and have we not an equal right to sons and daughters. See II Chron use them in choosing what to be lieve and what to neglect? If vio icles, 28:1-8. There is no fact more patent at lence and persecution are the argu the present day thau that w ithin the ments of truth, are gentleness and last half century there has come charity the signs of falsehood? JOEL M. BERRY. over the spirit of the Christian church and is still coming, a great The Confidence of Youth. change, w’ith reference to its beliefs — and its tolerance of the opinions of The young men of some of the others. Christian associations are tryiug to The Rev. Dr. Briggs says: “I re snub Dr. Abbott and passing reso joice at this age of rationalism, in lutions reading him into outer vestigation must go on. It matters darkness. There is a smack of old- little how many oppose it; it is im fashioned orthodoxy in that, includ possible to stay the tide.” The ing a good deal of its brimstone; church is beginning to have its and if the doctor doesn’t immedi doubts about some, at least, of the ately declare th a t he believes that unreasonable statements made in which he doesn’t believe he will the Bible, such, for instance, as a find himself surrounded by some finite creature giving birth to an very dangerous theological ex infinite one; the silly story as re plosives.—J udge. Notes and Comments. Liberal Books (X X H X X > < X X X > < > O < X > < X X X > C K X X X X > < X X X > < > < > < X X X X H > < > < X X > < X ) 0<)-0<><>0<><XXXX><><><><><X>0-0<><XX><><X><X>0<XX)-C>0-0 < xxxx> o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o FOR ^AI F ------- A t th e “ 'P o r c h o f R e a s o n ” O ffi THE EVOLUTION OF TH E DEVIL By Henry Frank, the independent preacher of New York City. The most learned, accurate, scientific and philosophical analysis of his Sa tanic majesty ever liefore published; 66 pages..................... . . . . 25c PRAYER Its uselessness and unscientific assumption. Some one hundred au thorities quoted to show that prayer cannot, in the nature of things, be answered. By Henry M. Taber......................................................... 10c IN PLACE OF CHRISTIANITY An answer to the constantly repeated questions which Christians ask : “ What are you going to give us in ¡dace of the religion of Christi anity?” By Henry M. Taber.................................................................. 10c THE EARTH NOT CREATED Exposes the fallacy of popular cosmic theories; 39 pages................... 15c JOHN TYNDALL MEMORIAL With frontispiece of Professor Tyndall and articles by Holyoake, Mills, Watts, Underwood, Wakeman, Huxley and others................... 15c CHARLES DARWIN His life ami what the world owes to him. With portrait and illustra tions. By B. (). Fowler and T. B. Wakeman........................................ 15c LIBERALIZED CHRISTIANITY A collection of evidence, mostly admissions of the clergy, that there is a great change taking place in church doctrines. By Henry M. Taber. 10c GOD IN TH E CONSTITUTION Ingersoll’s best argument in behalf of the entire separation of church and state. By R. G. Ingersoll................................................................ 10c C H U R C H AND S 1 ATE The Bible in the public schools and the new American party. By “ Jefferson” ............................................................................................... 15c COSMOLOGY AGAINST THEOLOGY By “ V index” ................................................................................................... 10c THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY By J. Leon Ben well................................................................................. 15c RELIGION AND SCIENCE “ Reconciliation” refuted. By “ Corvinus” .......................................... 25c DW IGHT L. MOODY An interview7. By Susan H. W ixon...................................................... 5c SECULAR SUNDAY SCHOOL QUARTERLY A neat little book on science and morality with lessons for 13 weeks, for primary, intermediate and adult classes. By J. E. and M. P. Hos mer ............................................................................................................ 10c WORLD’S PARLIAMENT OF RELIGION A laughable burlesque report of the noted parliament. D. K. Tenney.. 10c WHAT WOULD FOLLOW ON THE EFFACEM ENT OF CHRISTIANITY This is a splendid missionary book and an eye-opener for orthodox people. By George Jacob Holyoake...................................................... 10c TH E MYTH OF TH E GREAT DELUGE A complete and overwhelming refutation of the Bible stories. By James M. McCann ................................................................................... 15c BIBLICAL MYTHS Shows plainly the unreasonableness and absurdity of most of the Bible stories. By Professor Daniel T. Ames.......................................... 10c LIFE AND CAREER OF CHARLES BRADLAUGH By George Jacob Holyoake....................................................................... 15c PROGRESS OF EVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT Address before the Congress of Evolutionists held in Chicago, Sep tember, 1893. By B. F. Underwood...................................................... 6c JEHOVAH IN TERV IEW ED Or Orthodoxy from Headquarters. Good for dyspeptics who desire to laugh and grow h ealth y ........................................................................... 6c WHAT CONSTITUTES A FR EET H IN K ER By H. L. G reen........................................................................................ 4c STANDING UP FOR JESUS Or what the editor of the Freethought Magazine thinks of Jesus......... 6c BRUNO MONUMENT IN ROME For framing. A beautiful ornament for a Freethinker’s home in place of superstitious ornaments............................................................. 12c BIBLE AND CHURCH DEGRADE WOMAN A most conclusive refutation of the claim that woman owes her ad vancement to the Bible or the church. By Elizabeth Cady Stanton.. 10c WHY AN EXPURGATED BIBLE The writer, a minister of the gospel, here endeavors to prove that the Bible teaches what is false, what is immoral, amt what is obscene. By Rev. E. H. Keens................................................................................ 9c ------------------------ ft ft ft ft ' 1 -- ■— " ■ ' Any of the Above Books Sent Post-paid on Receipt of Price.