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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1897)
THE TORCH OE REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1891 Every .Tan at His Post. One or two more syllogisms and fidel; therefore, Mr. Jones is a had man. Now if the first and second we are through. Men who know Those workers who have been propositions are correct, then the ingly state unproven theories as working in the freethought ranks T h e O xlv S bcclab P aver P u b l ib h e q os conclusion is correct, and the whole the truth are not to he trusted. just for notoriety or as missionaries t h e P a c ific C o a st . Theologians talk of a God, which Published W eekly by the Oregon State thing is sound reasoning. for freeloveism or spiritualism, will Secular Union. We might reason thus: All infi they know to he an unproven the withdraw their support from the dels are good men. Mr. Jones is ory, as if his, her, or its existence is Oregon .State Secular Union on ac J. E. HOSMER ....................Editor really true; therefore, theologians P. W. GEER .................. Manager an infidel; therefore, Mr. Jones is a count of the clause referring to good man. We believe that in the should not be trusted. them in our amended hv-laws, there- The truths of science and moral E ntered at th e postoffice at Silverton, last two examples, at least, the rea fore real Secularists should stand O re g o n , as s e c o n d -c la ss m ail m a tte r . soning is very poor for in both, the ity brings happiness into the world. firm. Every man should be at his Happiness is what we all want; first propositions are not true. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. post, ready to do the best he can There are two kinds of reason therefore, we should accept the gos himself and to secure the help of One year, in ad v an ce..........................$1 00 Six m onths in a d v an c e .................... 60 ing. One kind is called deductive, pel of science and morality and T hree m onths, in ad v an ce................ 26 others who will gladly join our and is the kind used in the schools help to remove every obstacle in its ranks now that we are on the right In clubs of live or m ore, one year, in a d v a n c e .......................................... 75 of learning before Bacon introduced way. Money should be sent by registered track. Look out for lies! Many Are these deductions logical or what is known as inductive reason le tte r or m oney order. who do not like our ethical basis ing. In deductive reasoning we are they based on poor judgment? do not like anything that is good Notice! start with a general proposition and have only been in our ranks A pencil m ark here denotes th a t your The Board Meeting. subscription will ex p ire w ith the next that is accepted as a fact and rea heretofore because of their hatred n u m b er. You are earnestly requester! son from that down to some partie- ! At the board meeting of the Ore-‘ to the good that is in the Christian to renew so th a t you m ay receive th e pa ular one, for example, the Christian per w ith o u t in te rru p tio n . We have de gon State Secular Union, which wa* church and because we had no moral cided th a t it is l>est for all concerned people of today accept the proposi th a t we do no t send papers longer th an held last Saturday, among other test of members. It has been said th e tim e paid for unless so ordered. tion that there is a God, and, rea that liberals cannot organize, and T his will p rev en t any loss on th e p art of soning from this they come to many important matters settled, was the we honestly believe that that class th e Union and we will know ju st where we sta n d . We request you to send us I conclusions that others do not. question of the examination of ap can not, but Secularists can and th e nam es of Secularists who m ight be They also accept the Bible as the plicants for lecturers and teachers. will. Our success is sure, but the com e subscribers and we will m ail sam word of God, and from this they It was decided that there shall he a ple copies. work will be much more rapid if all reason that Christ is the son of hoard of examiners consisting of true Secularists can realize the THURSDAY, MAY 20, E. M. 297 God, etc. __________________ ______ _ _ _ | —------------------------------------------- evils of procrastination and at once Inductive reason, which is very the president of the Oregon State rally around our standard. Our Reason. rapidly taking the place of the old Secular Union, who is to he chair organization stands for home, for Secularists say a great deal about faulty deductions, commences at man, and two other members of purity, for freedom of thought, for reason, and it is right that we the very foundation and takes as the executive hoard, which are to science, for progress, for everything should, hut it is quite important to the first propositions particular be appointed by the president. that is good! Every man at his know wh »t reason is before we talk facts which are well established, As there are several applicants post and a great victory is won for too much. As we understand it, »indisputable truths, and reasons we expect soon to announce the suc humanity! the knowledge that we gain comes from these to general truths. The above examples are deduc cessful candidates and hereafter through our senses, i. e., through The University. tions, and when the propositions keep a standing list of our public seeing, hearing, and feeling. Now when we have gained knowl are first reasoned out by induction, ' speakers. It has been thought best to close edge of a thing in this way it be they may become a sound basis for Another important item was the our work one month earlier this valuable syllogisms, hut the dan comes possible for our minds to adoption of application blanks for year than was planned. This bring up the mental picture thus ger lies in accepting an untruth as membership to take the place of necessary on account formed and hold it independent of a first proposition, and therefore the old membership blanks. The seems the object or action perceived by w’e should alw’ays resort to induc application blanks read as follows: of the large amount of work in get the senses. Then the mind has tion when there is any doubt of the ting ready to build. This closes several powers after these powers of soundness of a deduction and if its the first year’s w’ork of the Liberal Application Blank. memory and conception have done propositions cannot be proven by University, May 28th, E. M. 297. their work. Imagination is one of inductive reasoning the conclusion .................. O r e .,___ E . M. 2 9 .. The school has increased up to the T o .......................... O rganizer. these powers an J consists in com should not he accepted as the present date to nearly twice the I hereby m ake ap p licatio n for bining different mental pictures so truth. The question arises in an m em b ersh ip in the Oregon S tate number we started with and the as to form a new' and complex men inquiring mind, “What causes the Secular U nion, and I agree to live students and patrons all seem very tal picture. Analysis and classifi light?” Then the inquirer may an honest, m oral life, an d a ssist W'ell pleased. We are sorry to cut cation are others, and then comes reason thus: There is an all-pow*- th is union, and my local S ecular the work a month short, but it ch u rch , al, in m y pow er, an d to the last to he evolved in the indi erful God. God said, “Let there he advance th e cause of S ecularism . seems best for all hands to be vidual as well as in the race, judg light;” therefore, light came into N a m e ..................................... putting every effort forward that is ment and reason. Of what does the the world. Now' this is deductive T his application is to be accom possible, in order to get a more suit process of reasoning consist? Let reasoning, and if the inquirer ever panied by 25c for th re e m o n th s’ able place in w hich to commence us see. As reason depends upon comes to doubt his first proposi dues, w hich is to he refunded in case th e a p p lica n t is rejected. our work next year, and we feel judgment we must understand what tion viz.: There is a God. He that it is the right thing to do. judgment is. We see a tree from might apply his reason to that. If In this way we will avoid getting The committees met last Friday; our window and we say that it is a he used deductive reason again he maple tree; so we see that seeing in might again come to a conclusion in members who are detrimental to the location of the building w’as our minds that a thing is so, and that would finally become unsatis our work and make the act of join settled; the bids for the lumber ing our union mean more than it have been called for, and, as soon being ready to affirm it, is an act factory. of judgment. The fact in the case regarding has in the past. It has been as school is out, lecturers will he Upon the truth or falsity of our the proposition “there is a God” is decided to print the amended by put in the field to carry the glad judgment depends the value of our that it is an unreasonable state law's and we will soon be prepared tidings of great joy to all people reasoning. ment for there is no known fact to furnish our lecturers and others that a savior is born in the city of Come, let us reason together. from which to use the only sure with material that will give all our Silverton, and to solicit funds to Our judgment says, “Ail maple proof that it is true, and is there friends the information necessary build a new manger. We hope trees produce sweet sap;” and again fore a mere matter of supposition to understand our w’ork. and in this that all Literals will do their very it says, “That is a maple tree.’’ or belief. Science deals in induc way we expect to greatly increase best to encourage the young cham Now’ comes the conclusion that tive reason and when ever a thing our number of workers in the pions that come out against the that tree produces sweet sap and, cannot be positively proven, the next few mouths, and those w’ho giant wrong of the ages, and do all acting on this reasoning, we might true scientist states his idea as do not join us in this grand work in their power to set this institu go and tap the tree. a theory. How much more then will always regret that they did tion on its feet. In order to get our L-1 us try again. All infidels should science he trusted than the not assist us when we most needed building finished by the fall term, their help. are had men. Mr. Jones is an in- ology ? we must all do our share, and we Torch of Reason