4
THE TORCH OF REASON,
Torch of Reason
THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1S98.
plosives which make it possible for thought, but it does not need to be ot Infidels, hut we have become so
crucified, as Jesus is said to have used to bearing insult and wrong
been, nor does it want to be allow- that we think it “very good” if
ed to crawl off, as poor Judas did, God’s agents will even permit us to
and hang itself, or fall down and live.
die, as he did, according to another
A minister said the other day
author’s account. It needs to be that an Infidel had no right to a
clothed and fed and kept in its seat in the church unless he paid
right mind, and the money chang-! something ,',nto the box for his en-
er« will be scourged and the legion tertainment. This was «aid in a
of devils now in our midst will fin­ church, too, that would not have
ally drop over the bank of time in­ been built had it not been for Infi­
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
to the dead sea of ancient supersti­ del money and Infidel muscle.
One year, in a d v an c e ..........................$1 00
A L ife tim e o f H a rd W o rk .
When will insult cease to be added
tions.
Six m onths, in a d v an c e ....................
50
T hree m onths, in a d v an c e ................
25
This start toward educational to injury? Ah, friends, the Liber­
Not many Freethinkers who are
In clubs of five or m ore, one year,
in a d v an c e ..........................................
75 | unacquainted with the cost of run­ Freethought will not only cause old al University is sounding the death
Money should l>e sent by registered ning a school, realize what the Lib­ orthodoxy to disappear, however; note of superstition, and soon the
letter or m oney order.
eral University Company have un­ it will put something better in its new era of progress and freedom
dertaken. There are some intelli­ place. It will give young thinkers will be ushered in, if we stand bv
Notice!
a chance to be educated along right our guns.
A pencil m ark here denotes th a t your gent people who have never had
subscription will ex p ire w ith the nex t the opportunity of learning about lines so as to lie entirely free from
num ber. You are earn estly requested
the weakening influence that now
to renew so th a t you m ay receive th e pa­ this, who perhaps imagine that
R id ic u le .
surrounds them in nearly every
per w ithout in te rru p tio n . We have de­ “there is money in it”.
cided th a t it is Irest for all concerned
There is no one who wishes to be
This is very far from the truth. community. Then other “free”
th a t we do not send papers longer th an
th e tim e paid for unless so ordered. There are many state schools that schools will be started; Secular ridiculed. This leads some to think
This will prev en t any loss and we will ;
can scarcely “keep their heads churches and Sunday schools will that Secularists should be very
know ju st w here we sta n d .
We request you to send us the nam es above water” while receiving large have organizers and supporters; careful not to hurt the Christians
of Secularists who m ight become sub- -
ancient lies will die for the want of by making fun of them, for fear of
seribers and we will m ail sam ple copies. appropriations from the state, be­
sides numerous donations from support, and modern scientific hurting our cause. This question
If the Liberal University truth and wisdom will make us a has puzzled us somewhat, and we
T H U R S D A Y , JUNE 2, E. M . 298 friends.
are free to admit that we are not
should succeed in securing two happy, prosperous, united people.
hundred students in the near fu­ Our school is small now, but we able to give a general rule in regard
W e P a y fo r P ra y e rs
ture and the average tuitiou would must remember that some of the to it. We sometimes think that
I
Many people who would scorn to amount to $5.00 each for a term of largest and most useful plants the very fact that the Christians do
go to a priest and pay direct for his ten weeks, it would amount to evolve from very small seeds. Good not like to be lidiculed shows that
prayers, are willing and anxious 11000 per term, £100 per week, or soil, enrichmen t anil cultivation are it is a good reason for “giving it to
that our high priests, the chaplains $400 per month. This is a very now necessary. Will you, dear them”, for although it may make
in congress, in state legislatures, in small sum with which to pay the reader, make it a part of your life them mad for a time, it may make
army, in navy, in state prisons, in actual, necessary expenses of a work to assist the growth of this them think of their actions and be
insane asylums, be paid bounteous school. At a low’ rate of wages, tree of knowledge, eat of its priest- more careful to analyze their
salaries or occupy valuable time in this would not pay the necessary forbidden but enlightening fruit thoughts before making their super­
praying to their imaginary gods teachers’ salaries, even if the presi­ and help generations yet unborn to stitious statements. On the other
hand, it is natural to dislike those
and groaning their instructions to dent and other members of the enjoy its beneficent influence?
who ridicule us, and people often
their Jewish savior. We object, company give their services free,
lose their influence for good by so
but we are obliged to pay for these as they are obliged to do. Then
N o M o n e y an d N o S e n s e .
doing. It is a hard question and
again, the two hundred students
useless mumblings just the same.
Here is a sample of a high may be quite a long way off. If
A Christian friend made the ob­ one which we would like to hear
priest’s tussle was his Santa Claus we get one hundred next year we servation the other day that he did discussed through the Torch. With
of the sky to keep him on our side will be doing very well, under the not see how we could build a uni­ a person who can and will reason,
in trying to conquer a semi-barbar­ existing conditions.
versity with neither money nor it is certainly far better to use rea­
Now, with these facts staring us sense. Brass, mingled will gall and son, but it is a fact that some can­
ous nation of less than two-sevenths
in the face, how do we expect to hard work, will accomplish much, not, and many will not, listen to
our number:
“Chaplain Milburn opened the build, equip and sustain a large brother. But our Christian friends the highest authority of the intel­
senate the next day after the news Secular School? And these facts must not forget that we are not lect; so the question arises, should
of the battle of Manila was receiv- ! are not all that we have to combat. building the University alone. The the Torch of Reason try to reach
ed with the following prayer: ‘Al­ We are surrounded by people who Liberals of the United States are these unfortunates also, whose rea­
mighty God, who art a strong pow­ look upon our work as the work of building the School, and some of son might be awakened by a little
er of strength to them that trust in the Devil, and whose abnormal
them have more money than some ridicule.
thee, we give thee hearty thanks for
Perhaps the very best way is to
the good news coming to us from minds are delighted to conjure up Christians have, and as far as sense
across the sea of the success with any miraculous story to show that is concerned, we can find no place write and talk just as one feels. At
which thou art crowning the con­ our work is evil.
in “holy writ” where it says it is times one feels disgusted with try-
duct and valor of the officers and
Friends of Truth and Right, we the gift of the Holy Ghost. It must ing to reach unreasoning people
sailors of our Asiatic squadron. We
bless thee for the magnificent, un­ see ahead of us a lifetime of hard be a matter of inheritance and ' with reason, and by following his
exampled spectacle, o f a nation work; and even this will not build training, and as many of us have inclinations he may do much good,
waging war, not for the greed of the Liberal University. We can been born of Christian parents, we At other times one may have a
land and treasure, or power, or the not teach this grand object lesson have a little sense; and now if we more persuasive feeling, and then
gratification of revenge, but in the to the world alone. If it had not can go ahead with the training, we perhaps his will and the higher
cause of the poor, the needy and
the oppressed. We beseech thee, been for the help of a few noble- feel that there is hope for even such faculties of his intellect should be
allowed to work accordingly. Dif-
O Lord, to let the light of thy fa­ minded men and women, we would as we.
vor shine upon us and bring the have perished ere this; but we have
--------------------
ferent people differ much also in
war to a speedy and triumphant “faith” that our offering of labor
1 their powers. One may be able to
S ta n d by O ur G uns.
end, and thiue be the glory.”
will tin a Uy be fully accepted by the
do the best work he is capable of
We do not complain of the senti­ Freethought workers andthe Liber­
As we sit in the “house God” we by his power of bringing to notice
ment expressed, but we think it a al University be placed,where it can can see hard-earned Infidel dollars the ridiculous aspect of those whom
downright sw indle to steal the little easily be placed, at the head of the all over the walls, and what insult he wishes to reform, while others
honor and glory there is to be gain­ schools of the world. No Free­ those dollars offer as we read the may do much better in other ways,
ed in war away from the brave sol­ thinker who is worthy •» of the name motto that Infidels are forced to cir- It matters not so much in what
diers and those whose cunning, civ­ should be content until he has culate: “ In God we trust.”
wav we work, however, the main
ilized brains have invented the “acted well his pari”. This school
The Christian churches all over thing is for us all to get right down
wonderful ships, and guns, and ex- ¡can be made the savior of Free our land have been built by the aid in dead earnest and each one will
us to defend our little island neigh­
bor. We beseech thee, O men at
The Only Paper of Its Kind.
the head of this great nation, let
Published W eekly by th e Lil»eral U ni­ the light of thy favor shine upon us
versity C om pany, in the In terests of
and bring the war to a speedy and
C onstructive, Moral Secularism .
triumphant end, and oh, protect us
J. E. H osm er,.......................Editor
from the great, costly, standing
P. W . Geer.........................M anager
armies of superstition, whose offic­
E ntered at th e postoffice at Silverton, ers eat up our substance in times oi
Oregon, as second-class m ail m atter.
peace and in times of war.