T H E TORCH OF REASON, SILV E R T O N , OREGON, TH U R SD A Y , A P R IL 7, 1898. vantage of them , or perhaps she herself is ignorant. BY J . ED W IN JOHNSON. \\ ho persecuted Galilei», if it was not the church? Who disputed The people of Vale and vicinity H arvey’s theory of the circulation have been enjoying a led hot re- t j|e 5j0()(p> W ho burned Bruno T h o u g h ts a t a R evival. sufficient eloquence to induce peo- pie to listen to me, I would devote the most of my tim e to the work of spreading the gospel of tru th ; and w hether I hctu red or not, to do all in my power to lift the veil of ig- do not think it a bad example Some reply, “ Oh, well, it was taught me when I was youm\ and I see no harm in it. You know it is an old custom.” I agree it is an old custom that vival, conducted by God Co., the for proclaim ing a fact th at every norance ami credulity from a su- originated in superstition and Co. part consisting of a lady evan- schoolboy now knows? Who con- pei stition-eursed people so t h a t ; a |j o ther superstitions, should gelint and her daughters. I don’t demited the p rin tin g press as the they m ay see the torch nf reason abolished. Il'w e have presents f,’r th in k any of the audience saw (inti, instrum ent of the devil and oppns- and walk fearlessly In its light. the c h jidren wc can give then) frf)rn but they were assured that the lady ed every new invention and scien- Lil-erals, we must bestir our- our own hands. Don’t look them w a s w ork inc for and assisted hv lific tl,e*,r.v - 11 “ " ils " ,,t the * hrl”‘ “ Ives; we must counterbalance the in their honest eyes and tell a glar- was working tor and « } tian church? evil influences of these m onstrous ing u n tru th . It is not necessary to him . Being n atu rally som ewhat . . , . . ,. , . . , , . a s . , , , , - . . A few m isrepresentations m ight doctrines. Do not Be content to tell them th a t an old man from “ depraved”, I was im pious enough i overlo0ke<lf hut all the super- think th a t a few are doing their F airy lan d brings the presents in to note some im perfections in the | n a tu ra | doctrines of the eeclesias- best, perhaps giving their entire order for the children to appreciate good lad y ’s discourses, and will en- tical fratern ity are had, and I lives up to the work. W e c a n and the gift. They will appreciate it deavor to make some comments. think th e whole hatch should be must contribute som ething toward j ugt as much if they know you gave A sa preparatory m ovem ent, our dum ped, and th a t without fear of it ourselves it to them , and w hat’s more, they’ll evangelistic friend, in order to get destroying much valuable property, j Vale. Oregon, appreciate you more when they find her hearers worked up to the proper \\ hat I consider about as ba 1 as that you have been honest with pitch of reasonless emotion, intro- an y th in g preached is. th a t respect- them. W hen parents tell their 5 a n t a C laus S to rie s. duced the cheerful subject of d eath -! able people, no m atter how good children such stories they will nat BY M. P . G IF F O R D . beds and portrayed, with ordinary they are, unless they have the as urally believe, but when they get m inisterial regard for tru th , the sistance ol .Jesus, are no better th a n older and find th at they have been Some time ago I noticed in the Let horrors of an Infidel death. She the in h ab itan ts of th e slum s. grossly deceived, will it not have a T orch of R eason an article copied represented Thom as Paine as re- us take a look at the situation, - XT x- , ,, . . . . tendency to m akethem feel at least from the New ) ork bun, in which e canting at the last mom ent, callin g ' W hat is the most potent factor in ... • , i i- i,. • o . uncom fortable and u n happy to , . , , . , 1 ’ J on God to forgive him for w riting ¡the reform of m ankind? Is it not a little girl asked if th e , re n is , a S a . n ta think th eir parents have purposely her th e re , the Age of Reason. Voltaire and the exam ple set by the better class, C lau s, , a n d ttie e d ito r tells ii- .i___ deceived them ? Men and women other prom inent F reethinkers were a desire to em ulate the good quali is and for her not to believe those should drop such silly tales, he ties of those whose moral stan d ard wh<’ tel1 ^ er th ,‘ contrary. ( «mid rnen and W(ane„ and teH the truth. treated in a sim ilar m anner. • . ! • . i i i . - . i .o u - I a an h in ore rid ic u lo u s f The I he in tr g be he m more ridiculous? Such trash makes one “ tired” ; it is acknowledged to i he t high? W e n \ y t th I her«* is no one with a spoonful of idea of the editor of the New York seem sto me they should try at le a s t! m ust have some incentive to ad- b rain s but know s there is no Santa to im itate the tru th . If any one vancem ent, some goal in the <li>-i S « " telling at. innocent, inquiring , ins. has a reason to fear death I would tar.ee, some superior moral sta n d little child what he knows to he an Reforms, as well as charity, be like to know who it is — the C hris ard to try to reach, or we will nev absolute falsehood. For such im gin at home. So I would say, men tian or the Secularist; one who be er im prove; we are more likely to postors there is no excuse. Does anv m an believe th a t a lie and «’"m en, begin this year to re- lieves th a t «hath is only a tra n si retrograde. There is no such thing is more beneficial than the tru th ? form th e old S anta Claus stories. tion into an o ther life, cither of con in nature as standing still; every Does any man believe that to tell Ben ,,ext hristm as comes don t sum m ate j o y o r indescribable hor- thing must either move forward or th a t which he knows to be false is your children th at Santa ( laus ror, or one who believes th at death backward. It is like a boat being , Ll n , i i . i « J ii i i .i conducive to m oralitx9 Docs the bro«g»‘t the presents, but be bon is sim ply a complete and perfect propelled u p stre a m — whenever the <-°uouciv« m »«ano. i . m e , . . . editor of the Sun believe th a t his I e6t* By doing this a gigantic false- rest, one who believes that if death propelling power ceases, the beat docs end all pleasure it at the same goes down stream . There are some, infam ous lie will never he found hood will he obliterated and a shin time ends all pain. For my part, a m ’r.ority party, who are alw ays ou,;* Surely no m an believes these ing tru th will take its place. Council, Idaho. give me an assurance of com plete ¡in advance, and who by their ex- things, and perfect rest in preference to an am ple lift up and improve those By and by the little girl will find uncertainty, either in regard to m y-j who are m«»rally and intellectually out the tru th , and what will be the Li the above, from one of our self or any of my friends. I am ' th eir inferiors. It is not so hard effect? How can we expect to be- most active young Secularists, if we sure I could never be happy with to lead the weaklings and improve conic more civilized? How can we substitute the word God for the the thought th at perhaps some them if they will give any i ssist- expect our children to advance and word S an ta Claus, the excellent friend of mine was suffering the tor- ance themselves; hut when a man become m o re intelligent when such article serves a double purpose. m ents of hell on account of incur- thinks be is good enough it is a m onstrous stories are told them ? ring the displeasure of a m eiciful(?) more difficult task, if not an impos- As long as such talcs are inculcat- God’s J u s t Law s. creator. I believe th a t the m o s t' sible one. W h a’, then, is the effect cd, as long as parents tell their hideous doctrine ever preached to on those whose m orals are not of children fairy stories for tru th , just BY J . A. W ILSON. credulous h u m anity is that a person the highest degree of excellence that long will we be rocked in the can be happy in heaven while a (an d there are few in whom there is cradle of superstition. The law of the Lord is perfect. . relative is suffering the to rtu re of no room for im provem ent) ot the The responsibility for such sto- . The statu tes of the Lord are h d l liie. V hat a barbarous doc- belief th at they are good enough, ries does not rest altogether with right. . . . I he com m andm ent trine for nineteenth century men th a t being good is not as essential the editor of the Sun, for I know of the Lord is pure.— [P salm s xix, and women to hi li«*\«-! as faith in Jesus, and th at they scores of intelligent people who tel, The reverend lady made one " ill enter into eternal glory sim ply their children this sam e Santa Let us exam ine some of the bible break th at was Very am using to By believing a lot of fables and fish Claus story. Not long ago I was god’s “ perfect” laws and see if one acquainted with history. She stories? I do not believe in teach- speaking to a little boy on this sub- there is any justice or mercy in said the church is and has always ing total depravity, but I do believe ject. He was telling me about the them . been the friend and supporter of >n teaching that none of us are per- nice things S an ta Claus had left Thou shalt not eat an y th in g that science. She cited such incidents B’Ct, and in trying to improve our- him. Said I, “ Do you believe there <Jieth of itself; thou shaft give it to as the persecution of Galileo, H ar- selves and everybody with whom is a Sai ta C laus?” And the little the stranger ’ th a t is in th y gate, fellow replied, ‘‘I know there is.” th a t he may eat it; or thon mayest vev and others, and then asked im we come in contact. B u n to the alien. [Deut. x i\, pressively, “ W ould the theories ad- Ever since I have l»een old Then I asked, “ How do you know?” vanced by these men have ever enough to take an interest in Free- He replied, “ M amma says there is.” been accepted and become popular thought work, it has been mv inten- There you have it. The little fel- M hosoever doeth any work on w ithout the support (»f the church?” tion to become a lecturer and work believes bis m other, but by and t *“‘ >aBBath day, he shall surely In the way of brass, I thought th a t for thecauae,but as I listened to the By he will find out th a t there is no ‘-at • [Bx. xxxi, 15. capped the clim ax, hut 1 think she knew th a t a good share of her hear- era were ignorant ai d credulous enough to believe her, and took ad-i false assertions and harm ful doc- Santa Claus, and th at his m other is They found a m an th a t gathered trines preached bv this revivalist, a liar. sticks^up«m the Sabbath day • • my intentions became a strong re- 1 have talked to a great m any on h jm w ithout the^canip an d stoned solve. I vowed th at if I possessed this subject, and asked them if they him with stones, and he died, a-