4
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, JULY 6, 1899.
an education which is fit for Lib­
erals, that is, emancipated peoples,
and which would fully aud impar­
BY T. B. W AK EM A N.
The Only Paper of Its Kind.
tially cover and stimulate the
The statement of Mr. Pearl W. modern higher culture aud motives
Published Weekly by the Liberal Uni­
Geer and his coadjutors in regard of life. That has been left to the
versity Company, in the Interests of
to the establishing of the Liberal family, the Sunday schools and the
Constructive, Moral Secularism.
School at Silverton, Oregon, shows churches, and their special colleges,
that it has been so far successful all notoriously deficient, and not
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
that it surely indicates that a trend in the modern world at all.
It results that Liberals cannot
One year, in advance...................... $1
has been struck which only needs
Six months, in advance.................
to be followed to bring most useful find the sciences fully and fairly
Three months, in advance.............. ™
In clubs of five or more, one year,
and desirable results—desirable to taught, but only such science, and
in advance................................ .
75
all those who appreciate that our in such a way as the popular super­
Money should l>e sent by registered
country has reached a stage of pro­ stitions happen to believe may be
letter or money order.
gress in which the higher Liberal “safe” to their catechumens, and
education and Secular culture of a the people at large; all other sci­
Notice!
large mass of its people is the con­ ence is avoided, or warned against
A h an d [jointing to this notice denotes
dition of further progress under as “science falsely so called.” The
that your subscription has expired.
Republican institutions, and pro­ prevailing religionists find “no con­
You are earnestly requested to re­
new so that you may receive the pa­
flict between science and religion,”
bably of their continuance.
per without interruption. We have de­
Our Republic must be saved by a only when they can control, or dic­
cided that it is best for all concerned
that we do not send papers longer than
tate or nullify scientific instruction
higher Secular Education.
the time paid for unless so ordered.
Our common school education is as they like. When this is not
This will prevent any loss and we will
know just where we stand.
exoellent as far as it goes, but it done by perversion or omission, it
We request you to send us the names
only covers “the three Rs” and is done by overwhelming the stu­
of Secularists who might become sub-
schljers and we will mail sample copies.
those rudiments of learning which dent by details, mostly useless or
are merely the instruments by ornamental, under the pretense or
L E A Y E N OF IN T E L L IG E N C E .
THURSDAY, JULY 6, E. M. 299-
which any higher education must motive of “thoroughness.” Thus
When the Liberals have schools, be reached. The sciences, euch as the uses and meaning of the great
OUR PL A N COMPLETE.
Sunday schools and lecture rooms, economics, politics, ethics, art, and laws of the sciences in replacing
how long will the orthodox institu­ the religious meanings of science superstition with truth are lost.
Ever since we started the Liberal tions survive? The main cause of and humanity, in a word, the The student is fenced in and stunt­
University, three years ago, we our many defeats in the past is on higher and fin§l motives and pur­ ed, or worse, and only learns
have been working to find some account of the superior organiza­ poses of life, and all of its higher enough to be a good Catholic, Pres­
practical and safe plan to incorpor­
tions of our opposers. And wh^t hopes and aspirations remain to be byterian, or other religionist. This
ate and place the institution on a has been the cause of our lack of determined.
was the method adopted by the
firm, perpetuul basis. For this
The universities and colleges Jesuits to defeat the Reformation,
ability to organize? Is it not that
purpose we have engaged the best
we have tried to take iu everything which were founded in the past to and it has been followed by every
legal talent in our state and in the
that is against orthodoxy? V\ e be­ reach this higher education were, religious sect and denomination
East, and at last we have found
lieve it is. If there were no Chris­ with rare exceptions, brought into since, for it is the most easy, cruel
what we want. The plan is very
tian churches today, and some oue existence to educate clergymen of and effective mode of arresting
well outlined in this issue by Mr.
would endeavor to organize all who the “revealed religions,” or their growth and progress known.
Geer and Mr. Wakeman, therefore
This is using science to defeat its
now claim to be Christian, he would supporters in other professions,
we need not enlarge upon that. But
have a big job on his bands. The which then and now generally dom­ main object; for it should never be
there is one thought we wish to em­
various ideas of the various sects inate the ultimate hopes, aspira­ forgotten that the first aud main
phasize. It now lies in the power
might not cause more bloodshed tions, and hence the morals and object of science, as set forth by the
of the representative Liberals of
general conduct of the masses of original Greek scientists—beauti­
the United States to take stock in than has been in the past on ac­
fully re-stated by Lucretius—was
what can be made, it they will but count of different interpretations of the people; except in so far as they not so much to practice utilities,
God’s word, but it must be acknowl­ have been left to drift into the in­
take stock, one of the greatest
edged that much contention and, difference and degradation of a astonishingly great as these have
movements of our age. Every
been, but its power to remove super­
stockholder will have a voice and at last, complete defeat would be nothingarian vanity, brutality, and stition, emancipate the heart and
vote in the institution, and that the result. Neither can all who selfish pessimism. The result is an mind of man, aud develope and ex­
are not Christians form a progress­ interregnum as to the higher re­
without ever being assessed to help
ive, working organization. Moral ligious, social, moral, aesthetic, and pand his nature in the highest de­
support it. It is practically impos­
gree. True education instead of
Secularists, that is, those who be­ aspirational nature of men.
sible for our University to fail now
defeating this primary object,
for we have engaged the hearty lieve in, and work for, the good of The old religions and their clergy should never lose sight of it as a
sympathy and co-operation of the this world without refereuce or be­ and churches complain that our purpose to be attained.
best and highest Freethought talent lief in a life after death, cau very public education is “Atheistic,” and
Such is the general nature of the
in the world. IIow can it fail with nicely affiliate and build up organ­ wholly deficient; but they cannot education open to the compara­
such friends as are now actively en­ izations of the highest and most remedy the deficiency in the face of
progressive type. The one thing science, which has thoroughly dis­ tively wealthly few, who alone have
gaged in the work?
the means and opportunity to en­
We must begin building right lacking now is a sufficient number credited them as to their revela­
joy the privilege of a higher educa­
away iu order to get the building who are able aud willing to organ­ tions, methods, and objects. Nor
tion. It is fearful to think that the
ready before winter sets in, or we ize and conduct such unious. The can the existing colleges, even those
masses of the people have no oppor­
cannot finish it this year, thus Liberal University proposes to over­ most free from theology, furnish
tunity for a higher Liberal educa­
blocking the work and preventing come this difficulty by educating the remedy. They were not organ­
tion at all. Yet upon them the
our continuing the school. We are workers for this, the most product­ ized to take the place of the
future of progress aud of the Re­
obliged, on account of conditions ive field of human thought. To be churches, and do not even try to
public rests. Those who are taught
imposed by one of our main stock sure, all who graduate from our in­ do so; but in the meantime they
to live and pray for a “kingdom’
purchasers, to sell $10,000 worth stitution may not become lecturers, are in mortal fear of offending the
to come, are even worse off than
before we can go ahead. Now, if but many will; and it will not take powerful churches and their sup­
every Freethiuker will take right many Ingersolls to make a glorious porters, and thus losing their pat­ those who live only for themselves
hold iu dead earnest and purchase change in the spirit of the old or­ ronage. Therefore any scientific or and the necessities of the hour.
as many shares as be or she cau, thodox nightmare, and those who other teaching which would be in­ The latter may have no mainspring
we can simply astonish the ortho­ do not become lecturers will become consistent with the theologies, and of aspiration to sustain the Re­
dox natives of this great republic writers, teachers, intelligent farm­ the “ vested interests” which sus­ public, but they have not a false
in short order. Come on; let us ers, merchants aud mechanics, aud tain them is dropped, omitted, or one, pressing one for its destruction.
do it! We have already sold over this leaven of intelligence will modified. Our young people w’ho Thus the spell of the old religions
go to colleges therefore cannot get still hangs like a pall of darkness
two thousand dollars’ worth, but leaven the whole lump.
Torch of Reason
our experience is that such things
lag along toward the last. Let us
prevent this by every one doing his
best promptly. Every Freethinker
should be identified in this great
work to the full extent of his abil­
ity. Thomas Paine said, during
the great revolutionary struggle of
our republic, ‘‘These are the times
that try men’s souls,” and we feel
that, now we Freethinkers have an
opportunity to show our mettle in
an educational battle to wrest from
the hands of ignorant bigotry the
instrumentalities of civilization,
we should not prove ourselves to
be “summer soldiers,” by waiting
for others or for more favorable con­
ditions. The army of Freethought
needs our strength as a breastwork
against a worse tyrant than a King
George; and now, shall we not all
move on, shoulder to shoulder, in a
grand, onward movement, and,
with our banners of freedom flying,
gain a glorious victory?
W hy a Liberal U niversity.