THE torch OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, MAY 18, 1899.
4
ripe to change these deplorable
I ary songs of the heavenly hosts or and every one of them be comfort­ conditions. The men of ability
their imitators, the church choir, able and happy; then why not the who are now’ masquerading as
seventy million people of the
with
its
gossiping
and
sparking
servants of a humbug god must be
The Only Paper of Its Kind.
sandwiched between the meaning- j United States? Yet, look at the brought into the service of Science
misery! Our dwellings,which some
P ublished W eekly by th e Liberal U ni less anthems. Whatever makes consider inhabitable, are hut pig­ and the Religion of Humanity.
versity C om pany, in the In te re sts of
people happy; whatever rids the
How can it he done? \\ e must
C onstructive, Moral Secularism .
world of spooks and hobgoblins pens compared with what they build up a strong Secular society
might he. Our roads are a dis­
Fditor and fills it with pictures of beauti-
that can afford to pay men of
’’
................'.'Manager ful scenes of green fields and ,he grace. They could, with less labor ability to work for it. Men will be
P. W. ueer.................
inugic of the bi,.ds ftnd runiiing than w hat has already been put up­
on them, be better than thestreets of honest and think themselves in­
brooks
is
a
blessing.
Liberty
is
a
E ntered at th e postoffice a t Silverton,
gold. This Christian land needs capable of hypocrisy under proper
Oregon, as second-class m ail m atter.
great civilizer, and the bicycle is
help that a Christ cannot give. conditions. We must change con­
adding many degrees of liberty to
What is the matter? Ignorance. ditions, and the Liberal University
SUBSCRIPTIO N R A T E S .
those who need it most. Every
We don’t know anything about this is one of the first rounds which is
one
who
“has
sinned
and
fallen
One year, in ad v an ce.......................... I 1
world yet, and we never will until being placed in the ladder that is
short of the glory of go(o)d” is
Six m onths in a d v an c e ....................
the fool preachers stop talking about leading to the Secular heaveu of
T hree m onths, in a d v an c e ................
tired
of
their
miserable
blunders,
In clubs of five or m ore, one year,
the home in the sky and how to right conditions. Help us make it
and the only reason they continue
in a d v an c e ..........................................
and place it aright.
Money should l>e sent by registered in the filth of their evil way is be­ keep out of the fires of hell. We
le tte r or m oney order.
want less of “Jesus and him cruci­
cause they can’t get away from it.
Holy Donkeys.
fied,” less of humanity mystified,
Many a young man who would be
Notice!
but more of Freethought and that
lying around the saloons and
Once upon a time there was a
purified. Thousands and thous­
A h a n d pointing to th is notice denotes gambling hells of the cities can
ands of our best minds are intoxi­ great Sheikh Ali, a holy man, who
th a t your su b scrip tio n has e x p ire d .
now
get
away
from
them
with
You are e arn estly requested to re ­
cated on the spirits of old myths. sept the holy tomb of an ancient
new so th a t you m ay receive th e p a­ pleasure. He can take a bottle
What can we do? Sober up and prophet. The tomb was on a hill
per w ithout in te rru p tio n . W e have de­
with
him,
to
he
sure,
but
if
he
cided th a t it is best for all concerned
help break the old hotties of rotgut under a big oak tree, and the white
th a t we do not send p ap ers longer th an drink till his head is dizzy he can­
th e tim e paid for unless so ordered. not ride, and he knows it; and, (the churches) and put the new’ dome could be seen tor miles
ThiH will p revent any loss ami we will
around. Lamps were kept burning
wine of science into new bottles.
then, there is but little use for alco­
know just w here we sta n d .
day and night in the tomb, and if
We request you to send us th e nam es holic spirits when the sluggish
of Secularists who m ight becom e su b ­
anv one extinguished them they
A D E P L O R A B L E CONDITION.
scribers and we will m ail sam ple copies. blood is started rapidly through
were miraculously lighted again.
the veins by the delightful exercise
We have in our possession a long Men with sore eyes came to visit it
of wheeling.
and were cured. The earth around
The bicycle is cultivating the confession-like article, written by a the tomb was carried off to be used
higher faculties of judgment and Presbyterian minister who is now as a medicine. Women came and
reason; it is getting people inter­ preaching in a popular church in tied old rags on the limbs of the
the East at a good salary, but he
A farmer boy who has been to ested in the civilizing study of me­ dare not tell the people what he trees, as vows to the wonderful
the neighboring city but a few chanics; it is hastening dress re­ thinks. The article is a long one, prophet. Nobody knew the name
times in his life now goes there form; it is exercising muscles 3ut we will endeavor to publish it of the prophet, but the tomb was
very often. He attended school in which were becoming rudimentary;
called “Kobwen Nebi,” or “Tomb
in the near future.
it
is
passing
fresh
air,
that
de­
the city during the fall term. Life
Think of the condition in which of the Prophet.” A green cloth
is different to him now; he has a stroyer of disease germs, rapidly
he hired servants of fraud are plac­ was spread over the tomb under
bicycle. And what do you think, through the lungs and nasal pass­
ed. We pity them with all the pity the dome, and incense was sold by
his sister has learned to ride, and ages of thousands, making the
of which we are capable. This man the Sheikh to those who wished to
pa says if she’s good next fall, after blood of our race much purer; and
would lose his salary and be cast heal their sick or drive out evil
he sells his hops, he’ll get her a it is bringing about better roads
into the outer darkness of poverty’s spirits from their houses. Pilgrims
and
better
systems
of
building
wheel also.
came from afar to visit the holy
The city hoy now takes long roads. The spirits of holy(?) hell if he dared to express what he place, and its fame extended over
trips in the country. He haH long churches and un(?)holy saloons, knows to be the honest truth, and
all the land.
been sick of the dirty streets and like disease germs, must have a so the poor hypocrite preaches
Sheikh Ali was becoming a rich
sickening scenes of the saloons, and foul medium in which to live. “Jesus and him crucified ’ Sunday
man, and all the pilgrims kissed
although he was learning to imbibe Health of mind and body will de­ after Sunday, and the good broth
his hand and begged his blessing.
spirits of one kind and “almost stroy the mediums in which these ers pav liberally into the church,
Now Sheikh Ali had a faithful ser­
persuaded” that the only remedy evil parasites are now hiding, sap­ and the good sisters work and beg
vant named Mohammed, who had
was the holy spirit that the city ling our lives and preventing our and purr around each other with
served him long and well. But
preacher talked about, now his own development to higher things. “ what a perfectly lovely sermon
Mohammed was weary of living in
spirits (the mind) is reviving, for We hail with delight this great gift Brother----- preached this morn­
ing.” Oh, ye gods! How long one place, and asked permission to
he has a bicycle.
of our Savior Science, the bicycl.
will these poor dupes force men to go and seek his fortune in distant
Man is a different animal than
parts. So Sheikh Ali gave him his
starve or play the hypocrite?
he was a few years ago. Whatever
When our reason rallied and blessing and presented him with a
helps people to widen their circle of
SO BER UP!
forced superstition from its earth­ donkey, which he had for many
acquaintance; whatever gives them
years, that he might ride when
the power to secure a change of
Many people never think of the works, our minister told us
scene; whatever breaks up the mo­ fact that our government, our that we ought to stay in tired of walking.
notony of the life of the poor; social life, our churches, our schools, the church any way, whether we Then Mohammed, thus provided,
whatever furnishes a means of everything touching our lives, even believed the creed or not. “ Why,” set out on his journey. He went
healthful, pleasurable exercise is a the lives themselves, might he won­ said he, in an excited tone, “many through cities and towns ana vil­
great blessing to the human family. derfully improved. We hope we members of our church do not be­ lages, and at last came out in the
mourtains east of the Jordan in a
The bicycle is revolutionizing the have a proper appreciation for the lieve the creed, aud do you know’ desert place. No village nor house
world. No longer on the unholy improvements that have been made that the Presbyterian ministers was in sight, and night came on.
Sabbath, during fair weather, does since man was like a gaping ape in have not believed the creed of their Tired, hungry and discouraged,
church for years?” “ Why don’t
he or she who is sick unto death the woods, but we are certainly not
poor Mohammed lay down beside
with nausea at the preacher’s talk satisfied with what man is at pres­ they tell the people, then?” we en­ 1 his donkey on a great pile of stones
about spirits, have to submit or ent. Our government may be the quired. “ Because it would break and soon fell asleep. In the morn­
stay at home. The rapid move­ best that was ever instituted, and j up their church,’’ said our spir­ ing he awoke, and alas! his donkey
ment through the air is more ex yet every honest mind knows that itual instructor. They must wait
[ was dead. He was in despair, but
hilarating than the story of the it could, should and would be much until the people are educated up to
his kindly nature would not let the
angels that sailed about in the improved if we only knew enough. it, or, as Rev.(?) Morse expressed
poor brute lie there to be devoured
olden times. The music of the All know that it is possible for ten it, “until the time is ripe.”
Friends of truth, the time is now- by jackals aud vultures, so he piled
birds is far superior to the imagin- families to live in a community,
Torch of Reason