THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON. MARCH 9, 1>99.
wisdom.
M any n ^ n think th a t even if their reason d<>es contradict
digging np the dry bones of the he- the creed, still adm ire th o s e who in
roes of the past and ra ttlin g them the past did th a t very thing. Lu-
in the faces of the people is tru e ther did not believe. He was hon-
patriotism . and m any are satisfied est and withdrew, even in the face
with singing the praises of such of danger to reputation and life,hut
men as W ashington, Patrick H enry how m any P rotestants who know
and Lincoln, but could never think th a t th eir church creed is a lie will
of im itating them by introducing do as he did? It takes bravery to I
reforms as they did.
\ \ ashington be tru ly patriotic, but surrounded i
was not true to the governm ent of as we are by teachers who teach !
his time, but w hat a howl goes false loyalty to fam ily, church and
up from these false p atriots when, political governm ent, ra th e r th an
in im itation of th a t great m an, one true loyalty to principles, m any
dares critizise the present ty ran - have never learned the difference
nies of our governm ent. It is easy between genuine patriotism and
to srng, sweetly sing, of other he- the counterfeit which often passes I M i
roes, but it is not so easy to face cu rren t as such in the m arkets of k j /
the music of opposition as they did the thoughtless.
■
and in au g u rate new reforms
It is well to praise the deeds and
E th ic a l B a s is .
applaud th e bravery of the heroes
of the past, but it is far more hero-
The step taken at a former con
i c — far more patrio tic to take up vention of the O. S. S. U. and
the work where they were obliged unanim ously sanctioned at the last
to leave it and like them , in spite one is calling forth much discus-
of the cowardly cries of the u n sion.
T his is a good condition
thinking, misled masses, bring of affairs, for it show’s th a t Free
about the reforms th a t are as thinkers are th in k in g freely, and
much needed now as were those of we believe th a t som ething will be
the past.
To only h u rra h for our done when we are a little better
country and our flag till one is classified.
hoarse, is “ fragrance(?) wasted on
Several able articles on the sub
tile desert a ir,” but to so love liber- ject appeared in the F reethought |
ty and peace th a t one is w illing to M agazine this m onth, and although
live and work and fight and even there were some gross m istakes
die for them , as the great heroes m ade, and even some m isstate-
who are now worshipped as such rnents, yet w e have no fear th a t the !
have in the past, is true p a trio t tru th will not take care of itself
ism.
and at last conquer. To us, our
False ideas of clinging to one’s ideal of a strongly organized body
country, religion or fam ily is the of strictly moral
F reethinkers
cause of m any of the evils existing m eans the salvation of our cause I
in them . Not for trifling causes and the country, and we have no
should one rebel against his father tim e, labor nor m oney to waste on
and m other and set up bis will in any other. We have no objections
opposition to theirs, but when to to associate with others who have
subm it to any rule of action or to different ideas, but we believe th a t
silently or otherwise accept a belief, all attem p ts to organize all calling
is a wrong to one’s own conscience them selves F reethinkers w ithout a
and to all hum anity, the lesser evil test of m em bership will result in
of disobedience m ust be chosen. • failure. To allow everything that
There are m any wives who through is not C hristian to join our ranks,
false ideas of being true to th eir teach, lecture and represent us to
m arriage vows and th eir children | the world, is to destroy us entirely,
suffer on in silence the abuse and It alw ays has and alw ays will
neglect of d ru n k en and dissolute work in the same m anner. We
husbands. I t is not being tru e to would join the C hristian church,
thus suffer.
To dem and one's work for m orality and sm other our
’’ightg and go to the utm ost ex hatred for superstition and the
tremes in securing them in extrem e false foundation the church has
eases is being true to self and built for m orality, ra th e r than try
friends; and brutes will respect to build up an organization of ev-
iheir com panions more if they know erything and an y th in g ; for what is
and are able to secure th eir rights, it after we haye it organized? It
We could not respect as we now do cannot work. It is no good. O ne
’he patient com panion of our life, class is sure to run out the other in
f h» r patience went bevond reas- tim e, and down goes the corn pro-
l,n’ A wrong, a crim e is as had for mise platform and up goes the
”>e as for another, and an acces- creed. We would rath e r have an
so’.v to a crime is as wrong in prin- organization of ten harm onious,
as l,,e Principal.
Secular workers th an ten thousand
I he blind clinging to church re- who could do nothing.
The
• • • • 1 11 V • • • •
5
a
s si?
i? L ib eral
st?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
St?
' - among m embers of all
-uiehes also comes from this false
h a of patriotism which has been
well taught by the priests of
I"’litic9, w « i.| life and religion.
Many »1.0 would scorn the idea of
hr.lftlwe
•
n
ea t
y coming out of th eir church;.
University
T H E O NLY S C H O O L
OF T H E K IN D .
F re e from S u p erstitio n
S trictly N on-Sectarian $
SI?
SI? Pupils are (liven Every O p p o rtu n ity to Learn
SI?
\\ ith o u t Being H am pered by Supersti-
SI?
tions and Dogmas.
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI? L o c a t i o n H e a l t h f u l «
SI?
S o c ie ty G ood.
SI?
SI?
E x p e n s e s M o d e ra te
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI? A Splendid Corps of Teachers and Good Facil
ities for Peaching.
For inform ation,
SI?
address
SI?
SI?
SI? J. E. H O S M E R , Ph. D., B. S. D.,
SI?
Let us organize, but let us keep SI?
P R E S ID E N T ,
on the right track, even if we move, 4 /
slowly at first. T here is a glorious 4
f a ,J,re f” r Freethought.
It only
w" i1t 8 . f,,r U8 “ > purify ourselves,
¿ nd, J hl8 Ca"
be done b.v "
working, progressive, converting,'
Secular, F reethought organization.!
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SILVERTON.
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?
SI?