')
T H E TORCH OF REASON, SIL V E R T O N , OREGON, TH U R SD A Y , D EC EM B ER 9, 1S97.
but it will bo surer to become a sue- tue, result not so much from self- idea itself, and one th at m ust die
cess because we are m aking it isbness as such, as from ignorance with it. The fact is, bad conditions
unwise
social arrangem ents, ate due r«> ignorance. Man adopts*
I promised to send the Pioneer easier to carry out.
list of promoters to the T orch
I want to report 100 m em bers There is no call f-r the exercise of new tru th s as he is able to eo m p ie-
when we numbered 20. Here it is.
enrolled by J a n u a ry 1st. H ereaf- unselfislines, even were it p o s s ib le , bend them , which p w e s s has bee»
March, 1897, Eliza Mowry Bliven,
ter, instead of th e ir nam es, I will in righting tln se wrongs.
In fact, so hindered by religion that he has
Conn. ; Pearl \ \ . Geer, Oregon. report the num ber in each state, we delude ourselves if we suppose not yet progressed beyond the point
April, H. L. Green, 111.
May, with the prom oters who obtain ten we are unselfish in desiring a better where a few can exploit at pleasure
Jacob Miller, N. Y . ; Mrs. M. M. or more. We w ant no free-lovers condition of things. We cannot the toiling many. But with the
T urner, W ashington, D. C\ ; F. M. nor d ru n k ard -m ak er- in o u r m e m - d e s ire the good of others above self, destruction of this one dogm , and
Van De Bogart, Iowa; A. L. New- bership, for they are destroyers, not any more th an a god could under- the comprehension of the relation
ton, Conn. Ju ly , Maurice P ritch ard friends, of progress. W ho can he- stand and sym pathize with m an. of m an to his sui roundings, which
M. D ., C a l.; Mrs. M ary P ritch ard , come members? If you favor s c i-¡ Had I never suffered, J could not much to he desir’ d consum m ation
Cal. • J. W. Thomas, Mo. ; Dr. B. eutific wisdom and m orality, in sym pathize with those who suffer; the pioneers of Freethought have
L. H jerm stad, Ohio. Aug., Joel M. place of C hristianity, hut your bus- and if I di<l not suffer in beholding brought within sight, a new era
Berry, Ohio; V. Anderson M. D ., iness prevents your talking or dis- misery, I could have no possible in- wjll open up to m ankind, in which
Therefoie I progress can no more he in te rru p t­
N e b .; Jo h n A. \\ ilson, Mass. tributing our literature, send m e terest in relieving it.
Sept.. John Peaker, O hio.; Mrs R. your address with the statem ent, am selfish in desiring better condi­ ed by the p r in ts of superstition.
A. Bell, Texas. Oct.. A. S lam an , and I will list you with ibe F riend- tions for tho-e who are even poorer
J. H. M orris .
D akota; S..D. Bliven, C onn. ; Jam es of Progress, so you can count one. and more m iserable than myself.
Bible House to Be Sold
B rightinan, R. I. Nov., J. E. Hos­ But if you promise to talk favora­ In the search for happiness, m an
mer, Oregon; Mrs. M. P. Hosmer, bly of our work to a d<»z n persons, will some tim e learn ilia' it is not
Owing to h decrease in ils in ­
or subscribe to i h«* T orch or C an­ to he found in treading his brother
Oregon.
Most of tin se will distribute dle, or any other moral F le e t bought in the dust, and though not less come, the American Bible Society
tracts.
Seven have already sub­ paper, and h an it, or an y th in g else selfish than be has been in this mad has been forced into a position
scribed $1. each. Some have w rit­ you can do th a t will help us along. scram ble for w ealth, he will accord when* it must secure a large sum
ten articles for the T orch and I will list you with the Prom oters. to all a ju st share in the necessaries of m<»ney or cease its operations.
other papers, some have been dis­ Send me six cents a id I will send and com forts of life, and find his Rum or to this effect has been in
trib u tin g literature, some have yon twenty-five copies of the first individual happiness in the h a p p i­ circulation for some time, hut they
until this
w ritten to friends about it, four Tract, a Guide and a blank ami list ness of all. The difference here in ­ lacked confirm ation
have sent helps for the tracts, three you as a Tract D istributor. For dicated is only th a t between wise­ afternoon, when the tru th was .a d ­
propose trying to s ta rt Scientific 10 cents I will semi you 50 Tracts; ly and unwisely directed selfis i- m itted by E. W. Gilm an, Secretary
of the Society, and hv W illiam
Sunday meetings by and by, a few for $1, GOO tract-; or best of all, ness.
have not stated what they will subscribe $1. for the y ear’s tracts
My point is a fundam ental one Fnulke, the Treasurer. An appeal
do to help, and Mr. and Mrs. and receive fifty each m onth, and in a scientific siudy of the question is to he made to the pastors of all
Hosmer, Mr. Geer, and Mr. Green, thus “ keep the hind ones learning.” We may preach unselfishness for a churches in ' ew Y«»rk and Brook­
are devoting thier whole tim e to The first 100 Prom oters and T ract lifetime, and so long as present con lyn next week for funds to carry
the prone•ti»»n oi Freethought and D istributors enrolled, will receive ditions last the same m anifesta­ on the labors of the Society. The
Scientific Wisdon in so m any ways a free copy of the ••Plan” when tions will continue. The system Bible House, at F o u rth avenue,
th a t we c a n ’t enum erate them printed, hut those wh » enroll only compels men to a cut throat com pe­ and Astor place, has been put on
Mrs. Bell h.is consented to try to as Friends of Progress, must send tition. We have not been created the m arket, and T reasurer Fnulke
forw ard tl e w-»rk ihroughout Texas, me 5 cents if they want a copy.
and set up here with the power of said this forenoon th a t no reason­
E
liza
M
owry
B
liven
,
Sec
Joel M. Berry will take charge of
being this or th at, good or bad, by able price for it would be refused.
Brooklyn,
Conn.
the work in Ohio. I shall push it
the simple exercise of will. We are The property is said to be worth
Box 76.
in Connecticut. W ho else will
products of conditions, and so long more than $750,000.
offer to help? If our cause is S e lfish n e ss, Free W ill
as conditions continue to operate
The cause of the present troubles
worth an y th in g , we should not be
and Social C onditions. upon us the product is incomplete. of one of the most famous religious
behind the C hristians in zeal, per­
Each «lay, every change and v a ria ­ organizations in either this country
severance, methods, or character.
A w riter in the T orch has said tion of environm ent has its or Europe seems to have been a
Don’t he cowards. Be
brave. that we may be selfish in our rela­ share in determ ining our conduct. gradual loss of interest. The cir­
There m ay he plenty of doubters tions with things outside of our This is the new doctrine th a t Free- culation of Bibles as a means of
all around, who only need a fear- species, hut that we m ust be u n ­ thought is destined to bring to the spreading Christianity seems also
less, conscientious leader, to bring selfish m an with m an.
T his he people, and when fully com pre­ to have been suspended to a great
them gladly to your side, to learn puts forth as a social solvent — the hended, when the yoke of supersti­ degree to other methods. The pres­
more ami help onthe work.
wav to B rotherhood.
tion is sufficiently broken th a t men ent site of the Bible House is no
Now th a t the first tract is ready,
Now m an, in common with all dare to accept a tru th co n trary to longer appropriate for the society,
the distribution ami enrollm ent nature, is a selfish being — it is the the dogmas of the priesthood, it will because of the growth of the city
ought to progress rapidly. Three first requisite of life. And this he revolutionize social conditions. We uptown and the income from it has
states have three members each. must ever he in all his relations, not have been habituated to the idea decreased in consequence. For
W hat state will enroll the g re at­ «»nly with his neighbors, but even th at man is a “ free m oral agent ” many years the Bible House offices
est num ber by J a n . 1st? Send me in th e closest possible relationship th at by the mere exercise of will he were in great demand, and the
word what you do, so I can make with an o th er of his kind.
This can determ ine what m anner of man rentals furnished a sufficient in­
out a live report, to encourage h alf­ seems like a harsh doctrine wheu he will be.
But m ind being as come to pay the salaries of the ex­
hearted ones to take hold and help. we lo »k about us and see the mis- much a product of conditions as the ecutive officers.
The second tract will soon be com­ ery resulting from “ m an ’s in h u - ! body, he can no more change the
The deficiency in this income has
pleted. I want some more helps inanity to m an ’’, which we are in one th a n the other by force of will, had to be made up from other
on the third — exam ples or reason the habit of considering as due to which is itself but the im pulse aris- sources. The legacies and dona­
to prove th a t Science is more reli­ selfishness wholly. I say habit be- ing from the play of environm ent tions on which the society has been
able than the Bible. But I shall cause people have habits of thought upon the organism . The free-will existing are about exhausted, and
want the most helps on the fourth as well as of action. There a re even dogma has h abituated men to the while not financially embarassed
tract, for I have not the works fads in thought and theory, as well idea th a t social conditions are of in the general acceptation of the
for making th at first-class. I w ant as in dress and the breed of dogs, no consequence—that if people wish term, the organization is in a
th at to convince the C hristians that But saying th at m an is and m ust he to he good they can be good, and serious condition, and it must cur­
thier bible is no better than others, selfish is not saying that the broth- if they wish to be bad they will be tail its work greatly if it does not
and how science sets them all aside. erhood of man is impossible. The bail, under any social system. How go out of existence entirely.
P ro m o ters’ Report.
Who will nelp a little? Send your miseries referred to, which have often we are told that we “must
h elp s in December. The revision caused some sympathetic persons to change human nature before we
of the “ P lan ” cannot be com pleted jum p to the conclusion th
a t unself-
a n h have
a v e b better
e tte r c conditions.”
o n d itio n s »’ T This
h i-
that
unself- c can
and primed in pamphlet form ishness is the remedy and extoll is a direct outgrowth of free-will
ready for distribution till January; ( this impossible attribute as a vir-j dogma—a dogma as false as the god
At the last meeting of the Board
of Directors of the Society the sug
,.» the
7 k manu-
„ __
gestion was made a that
facture of Bibles be stopped No
defiuite action, however, was taken.