THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1V.H.
successfully with no bibles, prayer- of their lives, and I venture with no
submit!
I
want
my
fellow
men
to
The Liberal U n iversity.
books or confessions of faitli laid in financial results th a t would tempt
let me alone and I will let them
its cornerstone.
even a dry goods clerk to exchange
C. E lto n B lanchard in Freethought Magazin«».
alone. This is the reasoning.
How easy it would la* it all men places for that reason, are most
The Freethinkers of the United
Dogmatic faith, however, and were awake to the importance of wort|,y of ah(j gttea for the duties
States may congratulate themselves fear of hell, have made zealots, and
such a demonstration
In the thatt|leO
nSlateSK.„iar Union
that one state in the Union has zealots, in adding stars to the lieav- wav <>f contrast, remembering that
courage and interest sufficient to
’ • j only
i of e our population
ulutinn has assigned
them. I said some-
one-third
*
enlv
diadems,
have
ground
the
undertake the establishment of an
are confessors of faith, which por- thing about sacrifice, but I ameer-
institution of learning which may masses to found colleges, hospitals tion of course includes a large per tain that these men, as would any
not only from the first, but through and other institutions of an ethical cent of « « hypocrites,
• .
1*1 . two-thirds
. _ , « L. iw/Ly man with . the
« religion
» • • of humanity
_-
while
character.
Now
that
science
has
out its whole career, serve humanity,
are not willing to sub crlbe to the in his heart, count it a pleasure to
entirely free from religious super largely driven out dogma’ism, the
creed of any church, it may seem
stition and creed; that one organi colleges under church control are strange that the one third of Chris work for a cause so dear to us.
If this college can be successfully
zation of liberal-minded men, the doubtless doing the race as much, tian confessors support about 1,500
Oregon State Secular Union, has or nearly as much, good as if no relgious newspapers, while the non- founded, and if others in the differ
taken the first step in a work that pretention of Christian faith was enfessing two-thirds support eight ent states follow, men will rapidly
good men the world over should made.
It w’ill be confessed by all think Freethought papers, and these are gain courage to be free. Hypocrites
encourage and commend.
often in great need of funds, if the
When Stephen Girard willed ing men, Christian or Liberal, that urgent calls for subscriptions past hate their hypocrisy. Many a dea
con gets up to pray cursing himself
several million dollars to the found the teaching of the Christian faith due is any indicate n.
ing of a college under the condition will sooner or later be entirely elim
I feel safe in saying that 20,000,000 for being too much a coward to
inated
from
all
institutions
of
leat
n-
assert his real convictions. Such a
that no minister, missionary or
is
no’
a
large
estimate
of
the
num
priest should ever visit the institu ing and churches will evolutionize ber of able men and women who movement will save the country
tion, he doubtless surprised the into places of social and ethical are rejectors of dogmatic faith, and from a crisis which will surely come
ecclesiastical world. Mr. Girard culture. Dogmatic faith is dying. who could support Liberal papers. if reason is much longer outraged.
The Liberal University is started,
would be more surprised should he Only about one.-third of our popu Suppose each should give the very
latiou
are
communicants
in
all
the
its organization is perfected. The
know that Christian authorities
small sum of one dollar a year to
twenty-one
protestant
denomina
rest is growth, now the tree is
now control the college; that the
the
Liberal
University,
it
would
ology is taught and has a chapel tions and the Catholic church com mean only the value of a postage planted. The ground is opened for
where Christian services are con bined. A large part of these are stamp a week, half the price of a the foundation of the new building.
ducted therein. Thus orthodoxy merely members for other reasons poor cigar, half the cost of a drink The foundation principle of the
follows the same old philosophy, than that they have faith and act of beer—a trifl«— yet if sent each college is to know law. Science,
“there is no condemnation to them ual belief in the dogmatic creed year in the small some of one dollar as the search for this truth, will he
they profess as members. Why
that are in Christ.”
no school in the world could equal taught within its walls. The guide
then
undertake
at
this
time
such
a
Now, as in the past, the Christian
Ihe Liberal University at Silverton, —the only safe one—is Reason, and
work
as
the
Liberals
of
Oregon
can ask with no little force: “ W hat
Oregon. Leland Stanford Univer- the chief asssistant is Experience,
have
undertaken,
the
founding
of
a
excuse had Stephen Girard to make
sitv or any other, could not coin- To enumerate in brief then:
such narrow-minded provisions in Liberal University?
paré for worth and greatness with We need the Liberal University
We
are
thus
prepared
by
thes
•
his will? Have not colleges and
it. The Christian church demands to prove to the world that men can
schools been founded by the Chris few words of introduction, to appre one-tenth of our inconis as belong- be educated, cultured and progres
tian world as fast as they are ciate the defense I am about to ing to the Lord. Is Freethought sive without dogma.
needed? Who has led in education, make for the new college. Natural asking very much » hen it asks for
We need it to hasten the élimina-
evolution
is
retarded
by
creedism.
in philanthropy, in reform, and
two pennies a week for the Liberal tion of Christian dogmatism from
Past
history,
such
as
the
Reforma
who are leading today? Have
University? A volunteer does not already organized educational insti-
tion,
the
story
of
the
Puritans,
Sep
priests and ministers been such
wait until an army of a «ertain i tutions.
enemies of the young that they aratists, Quakers, etc., has proven size is in the field, nor does a true) The work .8 begun and it is m
must be prohibited from setting foot that retarded evolution culminates Liberal wait before doing his pari, worthy hands.
in catastrophe. Just as the waters „mil somebody else, has given a
on a proposed college campus?”
The location is excellent for the
of
the
river
may
be
held
back
by
These same men can now turn to
certain amount. The ground for Pacific coast states, and can be
the
ice-jam
until
at
last
the
great
___L . .
«»»Min
nao
nt
readily reached
hv t h even
those of
the Liberal University movement,
the
first
building
for
the
university
force
thus
gener
«ted
sweeps
every
asking: “Has the country no
is being broker-. Would it not he Atlantic states.
thing
before
it,
so
mankind,
if
held
Two cents a week from liberal-
schools and colleges doing good
a satisiacuon
satisfaction to
io know
nu'»»» that in the i
, . . .
back
in
its
natural
development
enough work to suit the Infidels?
cornerstone of this fir,, building, minded men would give . ..n annm
Has Oregon no state colleges, no and progress by some unnatural among others, your name could be lty of »20,000,000.
non-sectarian schools, to say noth obstruction, w ill at last break away, found as one who had given one
When Stephen Utrard came to
and
usually
with
loss
of
life
and
ing of several d e n o m in a tio n a l
dollar, five dollars, one hundred die, though many times a million-
widespread
suffering
and
sorrow.
dollars, or whatever sum your aire, his tor.nne gave him no corn-
schools, that satisfy the needs of
that sparsely settled, country? The A. P. A and other everyday means allowed? Is it not worth fort. He disposed of it as h,s best
What justifies this so-called sacri indications tell the thoughtful man our while to 1« able to point to at judgment said was wisest Yet 1
fice to a cause, or rather a supposed that such obstructions now impede least one successful college wherein firmly believe that those Ll lerals
cause; this struggle, work and our progress.
no dogma is taught, and where who help one, five or several hum
If
the
clergy
develops
a
man
who
Christianity is Studied, just as dred dollars worth in founding the
worry to found a Liberal University
dares
to
teach
disregard
for
dogma,
(emphasis on the word Liberal)-
Buddhism or any other religion, for Liberal Un.vers.ty w.ll «"d, while
and
we
have
seen
them
coming
to
this agitation up and down the
whatever good it may contain?
still alive, a greater comfort in the
the
surface
here
and
there
oi
late,
land about human need, etc.—what
1 understand that Silverton peo- thought that their atd was a part
the “powers that be” punish the pic are heartily interested it. the of this school’s success, and this
justifies it?”
*
. . . of . its wilj
at least one solace.
Even Liberals will, without think bold fellow by trial for heresy, COnilllK
coming
university,
Uinvvioivv, and one
---- — —
...
blasphemy
or
in
some
other
effec
respeeted citizens, Mr. John Hicks,
Freethought holds no crucifix
ing, feel inclined to judge the at
tempt on the part of the Oregon tive manner silence the unruly Silverton, Oregon, is the proper over dying men and women extort-
person to whom your “tithe” should ing legacies from them.
Free-
State Secular Union as uncalled clerical.
It
now
becomes
the
duty
of
every
1,, -,.„t * I am also satisfied that thought appeals to our reason, ask-
for, and visionary. It is a fact to
Freethinker
to
become
constructive.
the men who are giving iheir time ing os in the name of the Brother-
deplore that Freethought is anar
We
have
seen
too
much
time
waited
and energy to the font,ling of this hood of Man to lend a hand. Just
chistic in its tendency. Its disci
in
contention
and
idle
bikering.
school,and sacrificing the best years now the Literal University at Sil-
ples too often refuse to make sacri
The
time
has
come
to
demonstrate
__________ ______ —
------------- — verton, Oregon, needs, deserves and
fice or to labor that others may be
to
the
world
that
education,culture
♦ The above was written by Mr. expects your co-o|»eratiou. Will it
free and intelligent as themselves.
and
civilization
are
not
results
of
<li».vppointed? Answer for your-
They feel as if it was a battle for
Christianity,
but
came
in
spite
of
all communications, donations, etc.,
and jet your neighbor do like-
the individual alone, and if a man
it.
We
should
now
show
the
church
nhould
tie
sent
to
the
Li
lierai
University
is fool enough to submit to priest
wise.
Company.
I
that
one
college
can
be
conducted
craft and church burdens, let him,
1 «