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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1898)
T orch of R eason . VOL. 2. NO. 3-1. T he A ctual. another ; of “heaven if I thought that other, to a universal parent, How natur harmony, eten.al and were to go to hell.” al the growth of the idea and the law. It ¡8 astonishing The idea of God and ruler is transfer! Great men have been ill feeling i„ avoided " w i .a V ’i n l7 < - r * ,n a " c a ” im prove. Ihonght gods all-powerful: and gods essential in rude and barbarous \\ h a t silen t M ature sh o w s' term s'"^ , 7 " *° ‘He d*‘fini,io'1 times, just as the idea of loyalty How m any scenes inspire to love have been thought of as great men. As h e m ore h ap p y grows ! fecli ’ ° bnngl"S men out of their ’Augustus had more temples than may be essential, though the king How know ledge, w ith th e soul enlarged f l i n g s and imaginations down to he never seen: and the fear of bell In sp ires to v irtu o u s deeds ; g ‘he matter of fact. We may ,y- Jupiter; served will, as much re- may he useful as the fear of the L W h f t le m»ln d has ,jeen 8,lr<‘harged prtss a dislike to hypocrisy, to g| ut. itfion and belief in miracles.” We gallows is u s e fu l,- U ith e rr o r ’s noxious weeds. barbarous only know phenomena; and phe «•odd!0 lrrelif i0n- 10 ¡"decency and TiAnd,l t n 8 aH in?Prove th e tim e, nomena a r e n o representation of '""OS like the present. Creeds And still m ore h a p p y grow ; not r ' i T ' ’ “ good n,ihd wi" the cause of the eternal and inher stagnate, and prevent development \ndT ll1 ‘e W H yS °f trutb 8ublime, dislike the men, hut only their «nd progress. Christian morals are And all h e r secrets know . ent force of nature. The dreams immoral condition. Much less will considered perfect; hut they will re. —[Selected, he slander any one for his honest and promises of theologians d , not quire much weeding a „d developing intellectual convictions. Christians exhibit what men know, but what '•efore W h a t Can W e R everence? they can be ac. they wish; and their wishes are fol have hunted down and destroyed lies. The sailor wished that the cepted by high and philosophic BV G. II. ATKINSON. heir victims in their turn, as Chrisl m in d s,-b y the best and most en- was hunted down and destroyed. earth was all tobacco and the riv lightened minds of the present day Atheism and Materialism are nder every religious faith, men ers brandy. The psalm-singer’s And is there no place for m an’s terms used by vulgar minds to highest notion of heaven is to be persecute and are persecuted. frighten the ignorant. “ YVe fool ringing praises to God continually. faith when he has ceased the wor Men try to paint a flattering lik - ship of idols? It is the idlest folly ourselves with our own fopperies Men “sing to the praise and glory . . *’" » topperies ness ness to themselves and „„.I „ call ,n it </-, to themselves, GoH ! • and inventions, like - - children usua , i lv exhibit of God,” seeing in him a jea ous "» suppose that the idea of Necessity nnzl they ___ . .. “ “ O 1VO who tv Iiu and would set men loose among their are frightened with the s»m„ f„„„ of i, - ex,' ,lj,t a m onsto. same face It ts said that-.nan is a god ,o the nian,—- a wretched image of their «'■I passions. But that we require their playfellow that they them dog; hut this is a mistake. Dog. own miserable selves. selves have smeared and smutted.” He who does not suppose a per something to reverence and elevate fear and follow men, and bite ineT ' , gar ,nen strive to raise them sonal god, or look fora future, may our thoughts towards, is true hut they do not worship them. We Knowledge gives us a more elevat- selves by degrading others; and . most unselfish and deeply relic- . I ---- “ ’ •••Vi I animals lAIIU« * ed poetry, gives us the chart and When they are foiled by reason they might learn from I he lower bi «n.nialsj'ious; so religious that J he shrinks many of the errors which struggling slruggli.igj-from all the forms of worship, he laws of mind to guide us, and will' »wear and use bad names. To sav reason falls into. They reprove us a man is an Atheist is to “smear for our fears ami tm r hopes, and cause he sees in them all hut firms « xhibit to us higher ohjecls for rev- and sm ut” his reputation, and to of worship, and forms of fancy, and ”ten,e. Is it nothing to have faith are free from the follies of philoso nature; to have faith in knowl- cause him tu b e avoided with fear not the spirit and image of truth phers and divines. Iiut we must « go, and g(MMjIle8S( whieh js (he and disgust, as if he were possessed There are thousands upon tboiis- mend through knowledge, ami cul of the plague, or were a murderer ands who have no clear knowledge fruit of knowledge? I8 jt nothing and devourer of human flesh. Ev tivate men’s virtues, rather than upon any one question relating to ‘o h ve faith in love? I 8 it not, g reprove them for their failings. their religion, and yet are most •ng to regard nature in all her ery theologian, though differing Xenophanes pleasantly said, as forms will, profound reverence? to from other theologians, assumes Proud in declaring themselves Montaigne tells “ -mat that If if beasts beasts Christian, although Jove truth, and and worship worship , „CUB to us, us, themselves, , 7 ♦ cer goodn vvorKbip goodness, that he is in the true faith, and ^ . n e any gods it h« he not as it tain that’ they CCr’ “" d l-'ace for foftem p of In in . l and l ave no place for contempt • |.| - < 4 0 I I worships the true God; and that is likely they do, *h they e im make a k e them Christian " ‘Z any * ? ' . ' hvmg 7 7 lh i" g ° or r «m dition of thing condition bis faith is a revelation proved by " Christian self-denying self-denying virtue^ virtue. certainly such as themselves, and ■"« ter? Trained in the knowledge miracles; and he conceives, with a M ere Christ to appear among glorify themselves in it, as we do. of the laws of mind, to find it im- strange appearance of presumption, Por why may not a goose sav thus- such persons he would not be rec possible to take offence — what a that he is called upon to abuse all nor would he recognize All the parts of the universe I have 1 ognized; nor WouI<l be r< cognize H<>othii|g influence! W hat a bless the rest of the world, and to strive an interest in. The e a ^ [ “ I an, ing, Uns one circumstance! a C h r i s t i a n ’» 1 J a am ...g, «ms one circumstance! what w h a f a to convert them to his particular uith, that they may partake of its me to walk upon; the sun to light Lord!” »....• a a d will ~ not open the gate of advantages. But we must judge of me; the stars have their influence heaven to any man; and th-se who 3 hiki for peace ot mind! I8 ¡j the tree by its fruits, and not by its upon me; I have such an advant- J7 | l,e f" 1 bef°re “ ,eir " ‘ ighbors, nothing to cast away ambition? to . ' - - age by the winds, and such bv the desire excellence rather than to ex promises >r • en have faith enough; waters. There is nothing that' yon cel f to teel a noble contentment in the best things. ft 1. heavenly roof looks upon so favor W hy should we ever seek to know U h a t never can be known W hy sh o u ld we p resen t jovs forego In hope of joys to come?’ g ’ ^ a iis m , - u .i f u l ' prsal how much its character. Blind on . that ; he . . both saws " and grinds If “ one of prayer and all familiar in- the h ■. ni PP' 7 ” out of self in f and a i r 7 elevate 'eva' e ¡'a with the “deity” whatso- w h a ls n . glori.ToT'naT“ ' !’ .* ° f ‘’‘h®” ° ‘hcrs, ’ and “Dd the lbe ened fahh * 7 bl°Ck; Onligh'- eatS " )e’ he d°“° ‘"e same by h . tercourse will, S . “ “ • • - • * .. - e r . We must pause i„ wonder before ,he great mystery of nature, pass away and .r;e,'SOn,*,it>' «hall How many significations are Montaigne "ay h’"'* ’ the learn hidden and the cause T"“ you wem before 1 f a you t -vou shaJ1 ■a, “ As much might andI ti, t truth k knowle,foe " " d tbe Z e - 7 be as “ and learn th a t is .... .. .® ..._ beiore..y "u . were i 7 ' .. ‘° “ "e term -''ateHalism? he said hv a crane And yet men who ought to know er c o n f i d e n c e , d " ' k" ' 7 ,edge is wi“d" ' " i w i s ! better, use this word as a term of hi. liberty of flight, and the ™ f t P<’W''r *re in obedience: I - — — reproach, without defining what sessing of that high and h,a ..tff i ' 7 T y "‘ <li,,g'° the law- “ ‘e law The higher the moti. . hey mean by it. Words have as i.eg ,o n ” be'‘Ut,,Ul ‘V “ 16' 1« 1’ *"<> works a,4 accotn P -m p ts an action theTess'[he h in1 "any meanings as the chameleon We judge according to „„ • P,I8,,ed. Christ lived and died for Zi rKuar,d - An unconverted firenmn has of colors. One understands by pressions tmd the conditio » f " " ^ ““d ”f mankind. Socrates lived child "fro ,0 ea»« « little 1 e term God, precisely what am minds A ch d a " d d - d for the good o, m a n k in d n o t ^ b y Z S ? g bui,d> ¡a other understands hv ----------------------------- tha‘ " 8 a "d - ought we all to live and die - ‘ds expecieTl y t risti T h e r f* .he good Of mankind: and only F " a ‘ ‘hat ‘heir V o d ^ ' X ' ' ^ g- 'i n g self shall we elevate X s V , T ’,' ° ,h' " - bu> ‘h”" " d ennoble life. I would not accept from fire. b“y eXfWct 8av«