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
...
,
~
,
,, ,
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,
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, ,
, ,
. 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