Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 1899)
3 THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, JUNE 15, 1899. these years, Humanity is just be as enunciated by Thomas Paine. I ginning to love Thomas Paine. I will close with the words of the do not so much admire this monu poet, Geo. J. Remsburg: ment because it marks the spot Brave, author-hero, Thomas Paine, heart and mighty brain; where Paine was buried; we have Undaunted Unrivaled master of the pen, enough to remind us that he is When shall we see thy like again? dead. But I do enjoy this monu Thy “Common Sense” brought lil»erty And made our glorious country free ; ment because it marks the place Thy •’Crisis” strength and courage gave where our noble hero once lived. To those who fought our flag to save. But the work that he has done, the Thy “ Rights of Man” made tyrants groan thoughts he has given to the world, And monarch tremble on his throne; stand as a grander and more last Thy “ Age of Reason,” deep and grand, ing monument than any we can Is sweeping priestcraft from the land. make for him of stone or bronze. Quartet of volumes, great, sublime, Today let us all unite in thanking May your thoughts spread from clime to clime, Thomas Paine for that monument And speed the day when man shall be A'Tribute to Thomas Paine. From king and priest forever free. erected by his own good deeds. An address delivered by Pearl W. Geer Let us thank him for his “Com Take the devil from the drama it the Paine Monument, New Ko mon Sense”; let us thank him for of Christianity and the plot is gone; chelle, N. Y., Tuesday, May 30, 1899 his“Crisis,’’ which brought strength there is no connection between the Orthodoxy can recognize no good and courage; let us thank him for scenes, none between the acts; the in any one who is not orthodox the “Rights of Man” ; let us thank whole drama becomes unmeaning fragments, chips, pieces, splinters. The church can give no one credit him for the “Age of Reason.” I have come all the way from /Vs a matter of fact, the New Testa for any good unless that good is done in the name of the church Oregon, and I could not afford to ment is more explicit than the Old. and religion. For that reason, miss this opportunity of letting you The Jews, believing that Jehovah and that alone, the church has not know that even in the far west we was God, had very little business only ignored the services of Thomas are interested in Thomas Paine. for a devil. There was nothing Paine to his country—the world— The Oregon State Secular Union tco mean for Jehovah to do- him but it has slandered, maligned ard stands for common sense, the self.—[Ingersoll. cursed him. Paine’s acts were rights of man (the rights of woman) prompted by common sense, and and an age of reason. The Free Secularists would you not like to common sense and orthodoxy do thinkers of Oregon in particular, have some letterheads printed with not go well together. But a change and the United States and the Secular sentiment and Wettstein’s is being wrought. A little com whole world in general, are just Freethought badge, to use in corre mon sense is being infused into re now interested in building an in spondence with your friends? We ligion and the church is beginning stitution of learning in the name will furnish them to you with to accept some of Paine’s ideas, of Liberalism at Silverton, Oregon, your name and address printed on and now they begin to recognize which will stand as another monu them for 75 cents per hundred, some good the man has done. ment to our brave hero, and in SI.50 for 250, or $2.50 for 500, post Why, several persons who call which is being taught the prin paid. Let the people know where themselves Christians have asked ciples of reason, right and justice you stand. me why it is that Freethinkers honor Thomas Paine. They Bay, “ He believed in a God and hoped for immortal life; why, that is all ‘advanced Christians’ believe in today. What right have Infidels FIVE to claim Thomas Paine?” Ah, » that is the beauty of Freethought —the glory of Infidelity. Free- 4C» A| YOU thought recognizes good in every thing where good is to be found. One does not necessarily have to agree with me on everything in I SHOULD HELP TO BUILD order to have me recognize the good in him. While I do not agree with some of Thomas Paine’s AT S ILVE R TO N , OREGON. ideas, yet I recognize him as the greatest man the world has ever produced. Understand me, I say 1. It will help many young men and young women without hesitating that Thomas to a higher education who otherwise will grow up Paine was the greatest, grandest, without its great advantages. noblest man this world has ever 2. It will educate workers for the great forward seen. There is not a social or po march of Freethought and Progress. litical reform, there is not an ad 3. It will forever Bilence the accusation that Secu vanced idea in civilization today larists have never done anything. that wag not advanced by Thomas 4. It will hasten the time when Reason and Love Paine more than a hundred years will reign, and when superstition and hate will be ago. The world is beginning to forever gone. realize this; is beginning to honor 5. It will give you an opportunity to build yourself the man. And why? Because and others a monument, while you yet live, that will do a million times more good than the moet costly Freethought has brought his ideas one of cold, senseless marble. and good deeds before the people- Freethinkers have introduced the true man, and a truer man was If all help a little, we can accomplish never introduced. Today we honor much. Will you help a little? Ihomas Paine and dedicate this monument to Humanity. Paine loved Humanity, and now, after all the Oregon silver-gray squirrels. George Francis Train is a peculiar man (“if I ,na.v be permitted to call him a man”). He is a rank, radical Infidel and doesn’t believe anything only his own ideas, and I am inclined to think he sometimes doubts them. I had quite a visit with him after the meeting and have an invitation to call on him, which I think I shall accept. 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