THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1897.
have only to subtract that figure
from 4iX)4 which give us the year
2y47 R (, and 6(X) years iater it
pajfj
flood came on. Now sup-
posing we make the mistake of add-
these last two numbers together
¡n p,ace of subtracting the lesser
could be no other side to it where struggle between church and state
Abraham could live, or lie taken is evident to even the casual
E ditor T orch of R eason : In the
from.
observer. One great writer says, “ I
•
T orch of R eason of April the 8th
The question then is, where was see an irrepressible conflict between
was an article entitled I he Exodus
Abraham born and what ¡.lace did the Christian and the modern
of The Jews by H. D. Burrows
he come from? In Genesis 11: 31 world which has got to I,»* fought
wherein I found some mistakes
it says, “ami lerab took Abraham’s out here in America. There is a
which I thought at the time wore [
^he larger, we would then have bi- son, and Lot the son of Haran
1 a h < n .r ,d to be cut r I J
A
. • •*'< * 4
avc.de.,ta.. .My corn el,,,,,
me an c,.,.„r of 12W) year.. Below 1 bis son’s ,• son, ami c Sara
bis daughter | —the absurdity of maintaining a
same appeared in (he T orch of May gj„e b()Ib ()ftheM.. recordg with bibie in law, his son Abraham’s wife;
6th, and in the T orch of May 20th references, and they may be com­ ami they went forth with them from despotic religion in a free country.
Shall the natural law of reason,
appeared another article hv Mr. pared by the readers of the T orch
Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the or the arbitrary one of Christianity
Burrows entitled “A Defense” in of R eason .
land of Canaan; and they come un­ govern?” Another one lias said,
which he still claims that accord­
If any should w ish to compare to Haran, and dwelt there.
“The question will have to be t< st-
ing to the bible, Abraham was born the above with the bible account,
The land or country of Chaldees ed, which is the real governin' nt
and lived before the flood. He goes they can do so by reading the fifth
is d* scribed to be situated along the of the people—the republic or the
still further and claims that accord­ chapter of Genesis from the third to
river Euphrates, (on both sides of church. Will this great repuhl c
ing to the bible, Jacob’s household the twenty eighth vers»* inclusive
it) and between it and the river survive the contest? The issue i-
entered Egypt .50 years before the —from Adam to the flood—, and
Tigris for a distance of from there the life of the nation.” Then we
flood.
from the flood to Abraham see Gen­ to four bundled miles from their would ask are the mouths of our
I will not take up space to go esis 11, 10, to 20,
mouths, and now in general sense great independent thinkers, of
over friend B’s figures, as any reader
One more point in Mr. Burrow’s t he country is made to include Bab­ students of knowledge, teachers of
of the T orch can refer to them. “Defense;’’ h»* says “Mr. Johnson
ylonia. The soil is Nile-like, low truth, of naturalists, of scientists,
My object in writing this article is says Abraham did not live before
and fiat and was annually over­ to be closed by the ignorant, super­
only to give a full statement of the the flood, but the bi ble says he did,”
flowed, ami hence the designation, stitious believers in a false and
chronological and genealogical re­ and places the bible and God on the
“the other side of the flood,” or as degrading religion, and that with­
cords as they appear in the bible, the witness stand in support of his
we would say, on the other side of out any resistance? We think not.
with such explanations, that any case.” That’s right, friend Burrows,
of the readers may see and judge call them back for cross examina th<* land that is annually overflow­ We will go to work and organize;
ed by water. In some of the Euro­ build a beautiful Liberal Univers­
for themselves. If I had done so
tion. Joshua 24: 2, 3, “and Joshua
in the first place I would have had said unto all the people, thus saith pean languages that I know a river ity building in which nothing but
is designat'd by the name of flood. truth in all its beauty shall be
no occasion to write this time.
the Lord God of Israel your father
Dear reader of the T orch , I have taught to the rising generation, and
In some bibles we have both the dwelt on the other side of the flood
presented as much evidence as I that unmixed with any theistic
genealogy and the chronology. The in the old time, even Terah the
think necessary, and examined it pagan or sectarian teaching, and
first is made bv those who wrote the
bible, and the other is to be found , father of Abraham, and the father of pro and con; and without further keep the church and state forever
in bibles having marginal refer- Nachor: and they served other gods, argument I leave you to be the separate. This is a grand move­
cnees. The genealogy commences
And I took your father Abraham judges in the matter discussed. I ment and one in which every lover
hope this will end the discussion on of freethought and human progress
my part. With my best wishes for should take a lively interest. An­
Names and ages
Names of
The year of
The year
of the Patriarchs
their sue-
the world
the success and prosperity of the other writer says, “It seems to me
before
when their sue- f cessors or
when they
Christ.
T orch of R eason and all its readers that you never had so great en­
cessors were born i otherevents
were born
and friends, 1 remain fraternally couragement in your reform move­
yours,
Adam,
130
Seth,
130
ments as to day. The whole
3874
Seth,
105
Enos,
Michael Johnson,
235
3769
universal church with its mighty
Enos,
90
Cainan,
325
June 10th E. M. 297.
3679
machinery already feels the tread
Cainan,
70
Mahaleel,
395
3609
Vale, Oregon.
of your chariot wheels.” Yes, and
Mahaleel,
66
J ared,
460
3544
Jared,
we will make her feel that no
162
Enoch,
922
3382
Enoch,
Methuselah,
66
687
virtuous uplifting sentiment toward
On th e Eve of a S tru ggle.
3317
Methuselah ,187
Larnech,
874
3130
the higher life ever suffers at our
Lamech,
Noah,
182
1056
2948
hands. It is plain to be seen that
Noah,
600
Flood came,
E ditor T orch of R eason :
1656
2348
she feels the slow but steady in­
After flood, 2
Arphaxad,
1659
2345
1
can
find
time
to
write
you
a
Arphaxad, 35
creasing march of Freethought on
Salah,
1694
2310
few
lines
and
will
for
I
don’t
want
Salah,
30
Eber,
1724
her borders.
Why is it that so
2280
Bro.
Moody
to
accuse
me
of
being
Eber,
34
Beleg,
1758
2246
many of her most intelligent and
Peleg,
30
Reu,
dead in rn.v sins, and afraid to come heretofore faithful ministers are
1788
2216
Reu,
32
Serug,
1820
2184
out and let the people know what
just now throwing aside their old
Serug,
30
Nahor,
1850
2154
I think and what I want. If I had
Nahor,
cherished doctrines and coming out
29
Terah
1879
2125
the
confidence
and
faith
in
prayer
Terah,
70
Abraham
1949
on the side of truth and reason?
2055
that Bro. Moody claims to have I
Why is it that the most enlightened
would
spend
a
good
share
of
my
twith the age of Adam, at the birth from the other side of the flood,
and
ministers of New York are getting
--J —
—
of Seth, 130 years, and so in succes­ led him throughout all the land of time in that occupation. But never tired of Bro. Moody and his revival
sion the age of each is given and by Canaan, and multiplied his seed, hearing asyet, of one single reliable methods? Are they getting enough
adding each figure, or age together and gave him Isaac.” The writer record of an answer to a prayer in of his Steamer Spree doctrine and
till we come to the special person or of the above slates that God took the history of all the ages, I don’t his declarations that the Steamer’s
event recorded, will give the year Abraham from the other side of the think it worth while to spend much Crew’ and all would undoubtedly
of the w’orld in which such person flood. That has reference to a cer­ time in such a useless, inconsistent have been lost bad it not been for
was born, or such event happened. tain place, or country, and not to and illogical way. 1 am pleased to his interposition through prayer?
The chronology as mentioned above time. Had the writer said before see such grand efforts put forth in And be it said to the credit of
begins with the creation of Adam the flood came upon the earth, then the interest and promulgation of many of the clergy that they have
with the figures 4004 B. C. That it would have referred to time. In Liberalism, and just now’ is one of protested against the vanity of this
is assuming that Adam was created Genesis 7: 19, 20 we read, “And the the most interesting epochs it has man in his assumed intamacy and
4004 years before the birth of Christ. waters prevailed exceedingly upon witnessed in this country. Just
This therefore proceeds in a decreas­ the earth; and all the high hills, the time for every true Liberal to influence with a supreme intel­
ing ratio, while the other genealogy that were under the whole heaven, be at his post and do what little he ligence. We are often asked why
can if it is no more than write a it is, that so many of the heretofore
proceeded in an increasing ratio. were covered.”
In tliis people sometimes make mis­ Fifteen cubits
upwards did few lines of encouragement to his faithful and earnest believers have
takes in comparing or computing the waters prevail; and the moun­ liberal friends. It will show how lost all faith in prayer. There is
his feelings and sympathies mav
time. For example Noah was born tains were covered.
run, and if he is willing to take a hut one answer to the question.
in the year 1057. To find out w’hat
According to the above, the flood band in the great work.
They allow truth and reason a little
year that was before Christ we covered the whole earth, and there
That we are on the eve of a great' show, and as soon as they do that
D is c u s s io n
I
C o n tin u e d