THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, MAY 25, 1899.
RIGHT
LIVING
public. In other words, religion but one flag — the flag of the
can restrain people from commit- . natural.
***
r- , Mp»a from his New York Journal ting artificial offences. But the
: Article on Gov. Rollins’ “ Decline of
real question is: Can religion re­ The zeal which flamed in the
Religion” Proclamation.
strain people from committing nat­ hearts of Calvin, Luther and Knox
is cold and dead. Where are the
The Governor of New Hamp­ ural crimes?
Wesleys and Whitfields? Where
shire is right when he says that
are the old evangelists, the revival­
Christianity has declined. The
I do not think that the good and ists who swayed the hearts of their
flames of faith are flickering, zeal true in Christianity are declining.
. . . IS A BOOK OF . . .
hearers with words of flame? The
is cooling and even bigotry is be­ The good and true are more clearly
preachers of our day have lost the
ginning to see the other side. I perceived and more precious than
Promethean fire. They have lost
admit that there are still millions ever. The supernatural, the mir­
the tone of certainty, of authority.
,,f orthodox Christians whose minds aculous part of Christianity is de­
“Thus saith the Lord” has dwin­
are incapable of growth, and who clining. The New Testament has
dled to “perhaps”. Sermons, mes­
care no more for facts than a moni­ been compelled to acknowledge the
sages from God, promises radiant
tor does for bullets. Such ob­ jurisdiction of reason. If Christi­
with eternal joy, threats lurid with
structions on the highway of pro­ anity continues to decline at the
the flames of hell—have changed to
gress are removed only by death.
same rate and ratio that it has de­ colorless essays, to apologies and
On the following and
clined in this generation, in a few literary phrases, to inferences and
***
kindred Subjects:
years
all
that
is
supernatural
in
Salvation by faith is growing
peradventures. “The blood-dyed
the
Christian
religiou
will
cease
to
weak. People are beginning to see
vestures of the redeemer are not S e lf C o n tro l
exist.
There
is
a
conflict,
a
battle,
that character is more important
waving in triumph over the ram- |
between
the
natural
and
the
super­
than belief; that virtue is above all
parts of sin and rebellion,” b u t1, S e lf R e s p e c t
natural.
The
natural
was
baffled
creeds. Civilized people no longer
over the fortresses of faith float the, W h a t is M o ra lity
and
beaten
for
thousands
of
years.
believe in a God that will damn an
white flags of truce. The trumpets I
The
flag
of
defeat
was
carried
by
honest, generous man. They see
no longer sound for battle, but for I W h a t is Ignorance
the
few,
by
the
brave
and
wise,
by
parley. The fires of hell have been (
that it is not honest to offer a re­
Fraud a C rim e
the
real
heroes
of
the
race.
They
ward for belief. The promise of
extinguished, and heaven itself is,
reward is not evidence. It is an were conquered, captured, impris­ only a dream. The “eternal veri- H a b it, 2n d N a tu re
oned, tortured and burned. Others
attempt to bribe.
ties” have changed to doubts. The P oliteness
took their places. The banner was
torch of inspiration, choked with
***
kept in the air. In spite of count­ ashes, has lost its flame. There is W isdom
Christianity teaches that the less defeats, the army of the natur­ I
’
uo
longer
in the church “a sound E tc , e tc ., e tc .
man who does right carries a al increased. It begau to gain vic­
cross. The exact opposite of this tories. It did not torture and kill from heaven as of a mighty, rush­
is true. The cross is carried by the the conquered. It enlightened and ing wind” ; no “cloven tongues like
One of these chapters is
as of fire” ; no “wonders in the
m an who does wrong. I believe in
Worth more to
blessed. It fought ignorance with heavens above” and no “signs in
the restraining influences of intelli­ science, cruelty with kindness, slav­
Young and old than the
the
earth
beneath”.
The
miracles
Price of the bock.
gence. Intelligence is the only ery with justice, and all vices with
have faded away and the sceptre is
lever capable of raising mankind. virtues. In this great conflict we passing from superstition to science
If you wish to make men moral have passed midnight. When the —science, the only possible sa vior
. . . IT SHOULD BE IN . .
and prosperous, develop the brain. morning comes its rays will gild of mankind.
Men must be taught to rely on
themselves. To supplicate the
supernatural is a waste of time.
***
*
No intelligent Christians believe
an d re c e iv e a
in this atonement. It is utterly
►
/A
f
f
p
r
FIVE
n e a tly c lo t h -
unphilosophic. The idea that man
b o u n d co p y, p o s t p a id .
made salvation possible bv mur­
T
dering God is infinitely absurd.
w«’~
«««.
AGENTS. W ANTED.
YOU
•¡»c
This makes salvation the blossom
• ir
of a crime, the blessed fruit of mur­
--------A D D R E SS--------
der. According to this the joys of
'o '
w
heaven are born of the agonies of
SHOULD HELP TO BUILD
innocence. If the Jews had been
S ilverton
-
O regon
civilized—if they had believed in
freedom of conscience and had lis­
AT SILVER TO N . OREOON.
tened kindly and calmly to the
Six Tracts to Promote
teachings of Christ, the whole
world, including Christ’s mother,
1. It will help many young men and young women
would have gone to hell.
to a higher education who otherwise will grow up
***
without its great advantages.
Salvation for credulity means
2. It will educate workers for the great forward
In Place of Christianity:
march of Freethought and Progress.
damnation for investigation.
1 Can Sins be Forgiven?
3. It will forever silence the accusation that Secu­
***
2 Does Christianity or Science Promote Civil­
larists have never done anything.
Prayer is beggary, an effort to
ization?
4. It will hasten the time when Reason and Love
get something for nothing. Labor
3 Is Religion or Science More Reliable?
will reign, and when superstition and hate will be
4 Evolution and Comparison of Religions.
is the honest prayer.
forever gone.
5 Does Belief in Miracles Benefit?
***
6 Immortality or Annihilation?
5. It w ill give you an opportunity to build yourself
The fact is that religion has re­
and others a monument, while you yet live, that will
JUBT T H E T H IN G
do
a million times more good than the most costly
duced Spain to a guitar, Italy to a
to hand to your Christian friends. Send
one of cold, senseless marble.
hand organ, and Ireland to exile.
2 cents for 6, or 6 cents for 25 tracts,
What are the restraining influences
to E liza M owry B liven , Brook­
lyn, Conn., or send 10 cents
of religion? I admit that religiou
for 50. either kind or as­
If all help a little, we can accom plish
can prevent people from eating
sorted kinds, to
m uch. W ill you help a little?
meat on Friday, from dancing in
I THE LIBERAL UNIVERSITY GO.,
Lent, from going to the theatre on
Silverto n
-
Oregp*»
holy days and from swearing in
Ingersollian Echoes.
S ix ty
E x c e lle n t
C h a p te rs
EVERY . HOME!
* Reasons W hy
5»
»
er y
T©i?ch ©f f^easen
The Liberal U niversity
Scentific
W isdom
'v