THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, NOVEMBER, 17, 1898.
and ideas” concerning Christianity fear nor hyjn»erisy. Chri.-tly, cold past. We must build on the good
as you have. I have read the bi ­ blooded work against reason, and and reject the bad; we must not
ble . The words I put into your in favor of faith, is doing untold in­ rob men, women nor children of
mouth in my first letter actually jury to this and coming genera­ anything that will make them hap­
pier or better, but it would be well
came from an earnest Christian tions.
teacher, and are not a “foolish no- j No class of people are so happy to teach all to lift themselves out
tion of my own Secular brain”. I and affectionate “here below” as of the ethereal realm of idiotic, su­
know Christians differ much and those who use their reason. Your perstitious nonsense and come back
leave a very “wide range”, yet the “great hereafter” dodge is only used to the terra firma of common sense.
words I have placed in their for effect. You know no more about When lies are taught as the truth
the effect is bad and the effect ¡9
mouths are voiced by a very large it than I do.
Y >ur personal attack is evident­ manifest in the blind mental wan­
class. Only a select few are yet
capable of the “better opportunity” ly intended to hit something, for it derings of more earnest Christians
as you call it. Most Christians scatters over much territory, but than one.
“Shall we deprive innocent chil­
still follow the old “narrow path”. you shot wide of the mark this
You may believe that gods and an­ time; and don’t you think it would dren of those beautiful visions of
Truth is
gels are without body, parts or pas­ be better to stop your Christian pure imagery,” etc.?
sion — that they are spiritual beings guessing at things, and especially stranger than fiction. I have seen
— that they are purely imaginary, the character of people of whom children w’ho were only taught the
or that they do not exist at all, but you know’ nothing? Your humble truth, fully as happy as those who
you are only one out of many who servant, the Devil Hater, is not an indulged in the acquired appetite of
claim to believe in angels, and we “old crank”, not “stranded on the god and angel stories sand witched
know that many Christians believe rocks of bachelorhood”, “disgrunt­ between those of the flesh and clot­
in real, honest angels. They be­ led” nor “a grass widower”. He is ted blood of a heathen savior.
“God forbid.” How ethereal that
lieve that after death the spirits of a young (36), happily-married man
earnest Christians are clothed in a and although we are as yet not sounds! But what good does it do
more refined spiritual body, like
unto Christ’s when he appeared and
T w e n ty Forerunners.
disappeared at his will. \ ou know
this to be a fact, and you know also
that you know no more about an­
TO B U IL D SEC’JLA R HOM E.
gels than I do. Your calling them
spiritual beings is only an uncon-1
7A,9..
scious subterfuge. You do this to
On d em 'a n d , we th e u n d e r s ig n e d p ro m ise to p a y th e L ib ­
blind the ignorant or to keep down
e r a l U n iv e rsity C o m p a n y F iv e H a n d red D o lla r s \$o00)
your own reason, by defining a ,
fo r a n d in co n sid e r a tio n o f a g o od a n d su ffic ie n t w a rra n ­
$
thing by calling it something that j
ty d eed fo r one acre o f th e tr a c t o f la n d ly in g west o f the
is undefinable. You judge us and
L ib e r a l U n iv e rsity a n d th e c ity of S ilv e r ton, M a r ion C oun ­
then whine, “Judge not, that ye be
ty , Oregon, kn ow n as S e c u la r H om e, a n d a w r itte n p ro m ­
not Judged.” We will judge you. ÍÍ ise fr o m s a id co m p a n y th a t w ith in n in e ty d a y s a fte r re­
ceip t o f s a id F iv e H u n d r e d D o lla r s [$500J s a id com p an y
We are forced to judge you, but in
a n il co m m en ce th e e r ectio n o f a d w e llin g h o u se on s a id
our judgment wre will use only facts j 2fi a cre, to cost not le ss th a n F o u r H u n d r e d D o lla r s I $400], sa id &
of science and leave angels, spirits, $ b u ild in g to be b u ilt on su ch p la n s as th e sa id p a r ties m a y
gods and (holy) ghosts to help you $ agree u pon a n d to be fin is h e d w it h in s i x m o n th s fr o m
in your unnatural conclusions in j $ d a te o f b e g in n in g : P r o v id e d th a t not less th a n tw enty
r e lia b le persons have s ig n e d th is co n tra ct w hen sa id
regard to our natural ones. Of;
d e m a n d is m a d e.
course you don’t care whether an­
S ig n e d ............................. P E T E R R A U C H .
gels wear pants or not, and you do
not like to have the question dis­
cussed; but we will discuss it, even
the hip pockets and leather sus­
If you wish to become one of the T wenty F orerunners , cut on
penders, and the people will begin or copy the above, sign it and forward with answers to the following:
to think, your “spirit business” will
F o u r M arne..............................................................................................................
lose its power and the world be
F a m i l y ...................................................................................
saved from the biggest devil (O how , A g e ...................
R e lig io u s B e l i e f ......................................................................................................
I hate it!) that ever existed.
What do I propose in place of
Christianity, its “high standard o f, blessed with children of our own, to say “God forbid”? He (she or
ethics and Christian living”? E d - ; we sometimes think it for the best it) won’t forbid anything. Science
UCATION, CULTURE, the RELIGION of as long as the little ones of earth (not Jesus) is calling, “Come, learn
H umanity , a higher standard of are so surrounded by the poisonous of me,” and let us mistake not.
ethics and honest living. Your breath of a generation of hypocrit­ Christian fanaticism is not science,
standard of ethics is very low. It ical vipers. Mrs. Devil Hater and and he who searches for truth in
is acknowledged by all modern ed­ myself have, however, before and the Christian’s “ workshop” will
ucators that rewards and punish­ since our marriage, worked and find instead, the devil of supersti­
ments as incentives for right doing studied with the children, and al­ tion’s substitute for truth—damna­
are absolutely wrong. Heaven is though we feel quite modest, we ble, ethereal lies.
your prize and hell your old fash­ know we have gained some knowl­
We have taken no offense at what
ioned birch rod and ferule.
our edge of child nature. We are anx­
you have said. We have simply
dream book teaches a very low ious to learn more, but we will
standard of ethics. At God’s com­ study books of science for this pur­ given “our honest opinion”, and
mand innocency was robbed of its pose, and not the one whose chief trust that it will not give offense.
virtue, men murdered in cold hero sent she bears to devour the
Yours for True Progress,
blood for slight offences, honest children who told the truth about
S ecular J ohn ,
people robbed of their goods and an old baldheaded preacher, and
the D evil H ater .
which
advocates
the
pernicious
doc­
God’s son born of doubtful parent­
P. S. — Please send as many
trine that to spare the rod is to
age.
teachers’ names as possible, and we
There is no cold blooded reason; spoil the child. We do not believe
will gladly send sample copies.
reason requires warm blood—blood in that kind of child culture.
S. J. T. D. H.
No, we are not to disregard the
that is not chilled by superstition,
T h e C a m p b e llite F o lly .
The church that is know n far and
near as the one which is trying to
get a corner on the name “Chris­
tian” and trying very hard to
prove that the other churches have
departed from the true faith, has
opened fire on our works here at
Silverton. A plan is on foot for
the stronger churches of this de­
nomination to pour their money
into the lap of their weak sister
here at Silverton until she -will be
able to “root out the awful curse
that is in this place.” Suuday
evening their minister took occa­
sion to enlarge upon the theme o f
this “terrible blight” in a way cal­
culated to damage our educational
institution, and after church was
out we tried to show the gentleman
that he had made a mistake, but a
man who is drunk on religious
spirits is about as drunk as one
drunk on other kinds, and we could
only get him to listen to a few
scientific facts and show him a few
absurdities of his faith before the
faithful Christian janitor put out
the lights. We had time, however,
t<> challenge the gentleman to de­
bate with us in public, but no,
these libelers of the truth rather
talk their idiotic doctrines and rant
against the good works of others
when there is no one to explain or
tell the audience the truth.
How cowardly it seems to us for
a man to get up before an audience
and say things that will damage
those he dare not meet in public.
How hard they will work now to
root us out! How the money will
pour into their treasury! But if
we have one-tenth the help and
one-hundredth part of the enthusi­
asm, we will still he here when they
have shot their “big wad.”
Come on, you cowardly supersti­
tious hosts of a weakening cause!
Arouse your slumbering forces!
Tell them that their Jesus is soon
coming and will hold them respon­
sible for this awful thing in their
midst. We are not afraid of you,
your gods, nor your devils, and
when another year has rolled
around, we will prove that your
prayers, your groans, your hellish
threats, y<>ur heavenly promises
and your holy lies have lost their
power over the people.
A fine specimen of telling sar­
casm is reported on the part of the
Chinese consul-general in San Fran­
cisco. Somebody asked him if he
thought the reports were true re­
garding the intentions of the Euro­
pean powers to partition China,and
he suavely answered: “No, it can
not be—of course not. Why, these
are Christian nations! Germany is
a Christian nation, Russia is a
Christian nation, and France is a
Christian nation. They would not
do what is attributed t<> them, be­
cause the rule of Christianity is to
do unto others as you would be
done by.”—[Ex.