Z
T H E TORCH O F REASON, SIL V E R T O N , O REG O N , JA N U A R Y 12. 1899.
called “ sp iritu al science,’’ for it is
th6 exact antipodes of classified
knowledge—it is unclassified igno­
rance.
We m ean every word we have
said, but, like our opponent, or
ra th e r our fellow searcher after
tru th , w’e do not wish to quarrel
with an v , and cede to all perfect
liberty of thought. C u r m other is
a C hristian and we would tru st her
with our life.
5
Now the question is, does the Bible guns in this greatest o f wars, and very present help in tim e of need
favor or enjoin polygam y? Mr. we are happy to believe th a t next (in case of shipw reck, for instance)
R oberts says it does. H is oppos­ year, our building having been fin­
and will not let us drow n, when we
ing religionists say it does not. So
you see th a t in the last analysis ished, we will do such execution as call upon him , sam e as a wooden
the question resolves itself into a will m ake the very walls of old su­ god does.
question of Bible in terp retatio n : perstition shake to th eir founda-
Says Dr. R asm us, “ The vital
nothing more, nothing less.
Now’, tions. H elp us plan the campaign! question of this age is dead ch il­
even though I believed l»oth the
dren, wasted opportunities and
Bible and the Book of Mormon, the
The R everends’ M istakes.
blasted lives. To m eet this despair
grounds are too narrow for a liber­
there is but one. C hrist the son of
al m an to stand upon. But as I do
BY
D.
PRIESTLEY.
not believe in the inspiration or in ­
G od.”
fallibility of either, you can readily
W hy did he make this a world of
The O regonian of M onday, Dec.
see the u ntenable, not to say the
despair? W hy did he not help the
ridiculous position in which I would 26, has a page devoted to C h rist­
W hy does he not
Besides, to be consist­ mas services in the P ortland world ages ago?
T h e W a r is G e ttin g In t e r e s t in g . be placed.
ent, it w ould be necessary th a t I churches.
Not one of the clergy help it now? W hy should we ex­
X
Never before in the w orld’s histo­ should believe th a t the Bible con­
said a w’ord about any historical pect help from priests and preach­
ry hsa old superstition been driven dem ns polygam y, and frankness
proof th a t Jesus ever lived. Some ers who have only added burdens
impels
me
to
say
th
a
t
I
do
not
be­
into the d ark corners as in the clos­
grievous to be borne? They give
lieve th a t it does. If the Bible is of them m ixed the Jesus m yth with
ing scene of the nineteenth centu­ right, polygam y is right. One of
other m yths, but no one tried to us superstitions instead of facts—
ry. The F reeth o u g h t papers and the principal reasons why I cannot
show th a t the C hrist m yth had a d ­ when we ask for bread they give us
those who read and profit by them , accept the Bible as my m oral guide
vantage over an y of th e others by wind.
is
because
it
teaches
polygam
y.
So
the F reethought societies, the con­
W hy docs not God help us now?
being am enable to historic proof.
I
cannot
join
issues
with
those
who
tentions in the orthodox cam p, the
Dr. R asm us said, “ The Jehovah If C hrist is ru n n in g th is world and
stand on the Bible to accuse Mr.
contact of the U nited States with Roberts for taking w hat I consider
of the Old T estam ent is the Jesus he is Jehovah, you m ight as well
C hristian Spain and the success of a rational in terp retatio n of the Bi­ of the New’.” Then th a t fixes the send us to the relentless savage
the Liberal U niversity are putting ble. In other words, the only rea­ reputation of the loving Jesus. He who has brained our children as to
the C hristian soldiers to flight or son why M ormons are any worse
is th e one th a t drow ned all the the Jehovah who inspired D avid to
th
an
M
ethodists
is
because
they
enlisting them in our glorious cause
warble, “ H appy sh all he be th a t
stick closer to th e Bible than do the world with a flood; th a t inspired
by the thousands. Then m any re­
M ethodists.
To prove th a t Mor­ the bears to tear in pieces the forty taketh and d asheth th y little ones
ligious questions are being forced mons do stay closer to Bible teach­
and two ch ild ren ; th a t sent the against the stones.”
upon our governm ent which will ings th a n do o th er denom inations,
F inally, Dr. R asm us says, “ T he
plagues upon Egypt, and converted
perm
it
me
to
call
atten
tio
n
to
this,
never be settled u n til they are set­
all the d u st of th a t country into last ch aracteristic of the C hrist d e­
in
the
epistle
of
Jam
es:
‘Is
any
tled right.
One of these questions
lice; th a t ordered the slau g h ter of m anded by th is age is one who re­
sick
am
ong
you?
Let
him
call
for
is explained by th e recent words of
th e elders of the church; and let tne M idianites, the A m elekites and w ards and blesses service.”
a well known sain t who has been them pray over him , an o in tin g him
B u t Jesus only rew ards and
all the in h a b ita n ts of C anaan and
acting as chaplain sn our arm y,the with oil in th e nam e of the Lord.
not to spare old men or m aidens, blesses priests and preachers, and
And the prayer of faith shall save
Rev. Sam Sm all:
infants or sucklings. He is the one he does th a t a t the pecuniary ex ­
the sick and the Lord shall raise
“ The ch aplains are a sort of sop him u p ,’ etc. Joseph Sm ith tau g h t who com m anded his chosen people pense of the people, who have to
to the church sentim ent w ithout the same doctrine; so did P resident to m urder every one they could get perform good secular labor to get
much substance to them . They Y oung, a n d so do they all, and,
in roach of, through a long succes­ the money, all the same as C h in a­
ju s t take a m inister and p u t a u n i­ w hat is more, they practice it to
m an when he buys wooden god.
form on him with a silver cross on this day. So p ersistently do they sion of generations, until they had
the shoulder, pay him $200 a practice it th a t a doctor friend of become as merciless as wild beastR. W hen the serv a n t of Jesus goes
m onth and tu rn him loose on 1,200 m ine once said to me th a t ‘U tah W hen he came into this world him- w ithout food he starves; if he is de­
men w ithout any of th e im plem ents is the dam nedest place on earth in self, under an o th er nam e,
he prived of w ater he will perish with
of the scrip tu ral w arfare to fight which to practice medicine, for if
threatened to send all who did not th irs t; if he falls in the fire he will
with.
I ’ve
been disappointed. the p atient gets well, p ray er cured
b u rn ; if he gets his head Under wa­
W hen I get out I ’m going to sug­ him; if he dies, the doctor killed agree w ith him into a lake of fire
an d brim stone, where they should ter he will drown. Jesus, if he ex­
gest th at they do aw ay w ith the h im .’
ist, is u tte rly powerless, or entirely
chaplains. I suppose there m ay be
“ Again, suppose th a t it was heav­ wail and gnash th eir teeth forever. indifferent. S anta Claus fills the
a howl, but it is better to face the
en at w’hose gates B rother Roberts He is the one who com m anded th a t i
issue and have the whole system
was asking ad m ittan ce, instead of men should be stoned to death for ! ch ild ren ’s stockings with goodies;
revised.”
the United S tates congress, and he gathering a few sticks on the sab ­ Jesus begs their pennies for the
Then the seating of the Mormon should be refused on the grounds bath day.
The an ti-clim ax was heathen.
congressm an-elect is bringing facts of being a polygam ist; and he th a t when he settled in his own
S u p erstition .
should appeal the case to a jury
to the notice of th e pious ones th a t
composed of D avid, Solomon and country he could not keep his own
will do the cause of F reethought A braham , w hat do you th in k would sabbath, and his chosen people,
Today no intellig en t m an be­
very much good. T he following, be his chances for a seat? T hink whose ancestors he had so carefully lieves in the existence of devils—
clipped from one of our exchanges, of A braham refusing B rother Rob­ educated in cruelty and m urder, no intelligent man believes th a t
shows th e people th a t the Bible is erts a place in his bosom on the killed him!
evil spirits cause disease — conse­
ground
th
a
t
he
is
a
polygam
ist!
not a safe guide and th a t it has
Dr. R asm us says, “ T he C hrist quently no in tellig en t m an believes
Eh? How do you think th a t would
been a defense for a great wrong look?
Now, candidly, if B rother which this world needs is one who th at holy bones or rags, sacred hairs
th a t perhaps has never before been Roberts is good enough to enter can meet and answ er the erv of de- or pieces of wood, can d d v e disease
*
heaven, to recline on A b ra h a m ’s spair of the hum an h e a rt.”
brought to th eir notice:
out, or in an y way bring back to
bosom, and to play on h arp s of
Yes. W h a t the world needs is the pallid cheek the rose of health
“ P ro testan ts and M orm ons alike everlasting glory, is he not good
believe, to a greater or less degree, enough for congress? I th in k so.” som ething helpful. If we have any In telligent people know th a t the
in the inspiration of the Bible.
god w’e w ant one who can do some- bone of a sain t has in it no greater
M ar v of the people who are propos­
The appointm ent of a C atholic th in g all by him self—one who is a virtue th an the b o n e o f any anim al.
ing to fight Mr. R oberts believe, or arch-bishop, by P resident M cK in­
present power in this world. We T hat a rag from a w andering beg­
claim to believe, th a t the Bible,
ley,
to
fill
a
very
im
p
o
rtan
t
posi­
w ant a god, if we have any, th a t we gar is ju st as g o o d as one from a
from ‘kiver to k iv er,’ is the in sp ir­
tion
is
also
causing
m
uch
discus­
ed word of God; th a t it was given
can find ourselves, w ithout in te r­ saint, and th a t the h a ir of a horse
sion
am
ong
we
“
little
fish,”
and
if
bv in sp iratio n ; th a t it is an in falli­
vention of priest or preacher. If will cure disease ju s t as quickly and
ble m oral guide; th at it lays down we can just keep the thing rolling,
we have a god who can not build surely as the h air of a m artyr. We
proper rules of faith and practice; the United S tates will not only do
him self a house, we w ant one who now know th a t all the sacred relics
th a t its precepts are good, and th a t
as
F
rance
has
done,
take
“
In
God
is not fool enough, when we build are religious ru b b ish ; th at those
its injunctions are binding in every
we
tru
s
t”
off
the
coins
of
the
realm
,
p articu lar. These people insist th at
him one,to set it afire with lightning who use them are for the most p a rt
the Bible opposes polygam y, and but will take this m iserable super­ or destroy it by a cyclone. One dishonest, and th a t those who rely
for th a t reason they oppose it. Now stition from th e m inds of our peo­
who is a t least self-supporting — 1 on them are alm ost idiotic.
if these sam e people could be m ade ple. We are proud to be in this
who can pull one end of a cross-cut
This belief in am ulets
an d
to believe th a t the Bible enjoin­
saw when we are tired , and who is | charm s, in ghosts and devils, is s u ­
ed, or even endorsed, polygam y, fight for liberty and tru th .
We believe the Liberal U ni­ not im pecunious enough to beg perstition pure and sim ple.—[R .
they would favor it; it would be
sacrilege for them not to do so. versity to be one of the greatest pennies of children. One who is a I G. Ingersoll.