Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1897)
T obcii VOL. 1 SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, MAY 6, iS.)7. NO. 27. been in existence two years it was Liberal Hall, Silverton, Oregon on Danger Ahead! incorporated under the laws of the January 6th, 1897 and is progress- | W hat Secularist can read th e fob W orship m y th s like ig n o ran t h e a th e n ? Rtal© °f Oregon and as soon as that ¡ng nicely with thirtyseven students Does nature have a god and heaven? was completed, Katie Kehm Smith and six instructors. The faculty lo w in g from our \\ ashington letter Pray, w hich is n a tu r e ’s holy season? began a sy stem of Secular Sunday has received information that an(i not think it is time for us to schools and churches. many students will attend next wake up: Come, learn of naturw ; O, so tru e ! S ublim est g ra n d e u r of her w ays! On account of the lack of workers year and it will be absolutely “Mr. Justice Harlan of the Uui- Search th e lands an d oceans blue— and the work being an experiment, necessary to have another building ted States supreme court presided And w here an d w hat of holy d ay s? the Sunday-schools did not ready in time for the fall term, over the eighth annual meeting of Holy days, gods, heavens, saviours h o ly ; spread rapidly hut wherever it was The plans for the building have Hie American Society of Religious Devils, h ells—all holy a n d h ellish tried it proved a success. It is no been drawn and on this page of the Education held in the First Con- kinds k,n''“_ longer a ,heory or ar' experiment. Torch is presented a picture of the gregationai church, and said that Are im agined a n d e x is ta n t solely for it has been demonstrated to be promised Liberal University build- he wa8 gIad of the opporttlIlity to in undeveloped, p u erile m inds. practical. The establishment of ing that « ill be erected this summer testify to his sympathy with tlm so- The talk of holy days and lents Secular Sunday-schools marked a on a tract of land that has been ciety alld ;t8 obj„ .tg. that . And holy m en in holy v estm en ts, new era in Secular organization, donated for the purpose by one of one who believed in religion, Is looked upon by com m on sense All that remains now Is for workers the citizens and business men of whether a member of a church or As theology’s holy “ c h e s tn u ts .” | to push it forward to all parts of the city of Silverton. The opening not> mU3t ¡„ 8ympathy wilh the W hile those of holy faith do cower Ithe w,,rld- ,,f the sch001 last Jan "ary » objects of the society, and that all In ig n o ran t im becilic p ray er, W ith the success of constructive new erain Secular work and the lovers of the country must also be T hin k in g m inds d e th ro n e th e ir power, S ettin g th e tr u th forth everyw here. ................. in sympathy, for the country rested on the foundation of the Christian Then heed not faith and su p e rstitio n , On S undays sing y o u r psalm s and > religion. The objects of this society - p ra y ; are, in brief, to render the Bible B ut striv e to b e tte r your condition, valuable in building character dur By th o u g h t an d reason every day. ing the formative period of child ” R. hood and youth, and to introduce improved methods of Bible study History of Secularism in Oregon. in families, colleges, and Sunday- Ten years ago, Secularism in schools. The annual report, sub Oregon amounted to but very little. mitted by J. E. Gilbert, secretary, Of course it was not entirely un shows that the Sunday-school known, for there were thousands of Teachers’ Normal College, the first Liberal people in the state who held department organized, closed its the cause of Mental Freedom very eighth year with an enrollment of dear. They were widely scattered 10,186 students, who are distrib over different parts of the state and uted all over the United States, did not know each other—did not and that the Bible Readers’ Union know their numbers or their closed its third year with 1491 strength. Freethought lecturers ___, '•* members. The International Sun had passed through the state as day-school lessons, which have been -2 early as the 60’s, doing a great before the public since October, amount of good and sowing the 1894, were reported to be increasing PROPOSED seeds of progressive thought, but j in popularity. The plans for a no concerted effort had been made j Bible training school in Washing in the way of Secular organization. , ton have been perfected, but lack of In the year 1887, a Secular or To he erected this Summer at Silverton, Ore. money has prevented the opening ganization was started in Silverton of the school. The report closed with a good membership and the Secularism demonstrated, the next completion of a Liberal University with an appeal for the money many enthusiastic mernlters labored movement was to advance the this year will make an epoch in the needed to open and maintain this hard to make some showing in the educational interests. With this world’s history of Liberalism, school, and a special collection was name of a cause they so dearly love end in view, it was deemed a wise The building will he built. The taken for pUrpOge The society —not through hope of reward but plan to establish a Liberal Univer- people of Silverton are in earnest out of an(j ¡s self-support- pport- through love of humanity and free- sity where all who desired a liberal and so is every liberal minded ing. Rev. Dr. T. S. Hamlin, who dom here in this the only life they eduation could obtain it without person in the state. The people of was araong the speakerBi put him. know. This little organization did being hampered with the super- Silverton gave evidence of their in- on record aB heing in favor of a great amount of good in a local stitionsof the age. At the annual tentions when they subscribe as the teaching of religion in the day- way and in a short time a splendid convention of the 0. S. S. U. In liberally as they have. They have 8chool8 as well a8 in the Sunday. brick hall was built and dedicated 1895, a committee was appointed to pledged over one thousand dollars schools ” to the cause. It is situated on one solicit funds for the establishment already and work will begin in a ... , ~ , ,, , , . . . . , . , , , , . M W ith religious fanatics as th e ot the principal business blocks in ! of the university. This committee short time and be pushed as fast the city and its motto “Universal went steadily to work and after , as possible. It now remains t h e ° ^ * cerH °f these United States Mental Liberty” shines forth today raising some funds and looking the duty of every Secularist in the we will soon have what the people conspicuously, proclaiming to all matter over carefully decided that United States to help the cause all do not want, and this will bring on that there are people in Silverton it was a wise plan to locate the that is possible that nodelay will be a revolution equal, if not worse, than who dare to think and express their university at once and demonstrate necessary. Remember all that the French Revolution. Secular thoughts. its need and thus induce is needed is for each to do the very ists, it is our duty to do all wc can In 1889 the Oregon State Secular Liberals to supply the necessary best he can, but be sure you I nion was organized at Silvertoi? funds to erect a suitable and con- do that. Now is the time for all l,rRven^ such a catastrophe, by delegates from all parts of the venient building. to do the very best we can, so do Secular education is necessary, and state. After this organization had The school was started in the not delay. P. W. G. | we must have Secular schools. C o m m o n S e n s e v s. H oly T h in g s , Will learned men one day in seven B uilding for the Liberal U niversity