TH E TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, JULY 20, 1899.
man’s highest standard and best'
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guide.
The following is from a lecture
I believe that the well-being of
by B. F. I nderwood, one of a man, and not the glorv of God,
course given under the auspices of should be the object of our efforts,
the Montreal Liberal Club:
I believe that intellectual, moral
The reverend gentleman in criti- and physical culture, not piety, is
cising mv lecturesin this city, says: the prime condition of m an’s well­
“Agnosticism declares that w’e do being.
not know and cannot know. Ag-
I believe that the means of thia
nostics who doubt everything can condition consists in observation,1
have no creed, noconvictions. Why experience and reflection, and not
does Mr. L nderwood assume to in a pretended book revelation or in
teach when he admits that he does special inspiration.
noxt know anything; when he has
I believe that the untrammeled
no belief, but only doubts and tells exercise of human reason is not
what he does not believe.”
only an inalienable right, but a duty.
In reply to this criticism I have
1 hold that beliefs are neither
to say that an Agnostic is one who moral nor immoral in themselves,
does not profess to know what is but that right beliefs in time show’
the ultimate nature of being. We their good influence on character
can study phenomena, physical and and conduct, and wrong beliefs re­
mental, for they belong to the cal­ sult injuriously; that, therefore, we
culable order; what may lie be- have every influence to seek truth
yond or under phenomena as the and avoid error without condemn-
ultimate basis of all activity, we do ing those who have not the truth,
not know.
I believe doubt is the beginning
One may call the ultimate “mat- of wisdom; that without doubt a
ter,” another may call it “mind.” man never investigates; without in­
But these words are only symbols— vestigation he never learns any-
one representing the external order thing, and will live and die in ig-
Underwoods Belief.
Ih e -x
| Liberal
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as revealed in consciousness, the norance; that doubt leads to in - AfZ
other representing the subjective quiry, inquiry to knowledge, wis-
order as experienced in feeling and dom, confidence, and happiness.
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thought.
; J believe that we have a right to MZ
These two classes of phenomena j expect unity in things only that
may
ay have a common unitary basis,' can be demonstrated; that in things
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indeed
I believe they have; but adm itting of doubt there should be
what this ultimate of being is the free diversity, and in all things
Agnostic does not profess to know ., charity.
This position he holds in common
I believe in that faith which is
with the world’s greatest thinkers conviction based upon evidence.
of past and of modern times.
I believe that morality is the
It does not follow’ that because science of human relations.
one is unwilling to profess know­
I believe that the principle of
ledge in regard to that which is in­ self-sacrifice admired in Je&us
accessible, in regard to what no should be glorified in humanity,
body knows anything about, th at ■ wherever men havedied for country
one is without knowledge in
in re­
re- o r ra c e , o r m a d e 8acritices for the
gard to what is accessible, or is good of others.
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without beliefs respecting the un­
I believe that the world is worthy
known but ascertainable, or even our best effort; that “one world at CA^
in regard to what is not ascertain-
---------- ¡a tim e” is all we can attend to;
able or verifiable, but is conceive- that, if there be a continuance of
t, and may or may not he true, life beyond the grave, the best way
Knowledge means certitude; be- to fit ourselves for such a life is to
nets differ in the degrees of pro- attend to the interests of this life. \ | /
'•ability which they carry with
I believe that the performance of
them from great uncertainty to a the duties of life is better than any ’
point next to demonstration.
theological preparation for death. *
One may know but little and be-
I believe that reliance on our-
w a great deal. This is true of j selves and the inviolableness of law
oiany of the majority of preachers, is better than reliance on prayer.
n
ignorance
this world I
I believe that evil is non-adjust-
iave generally found about in pro- ment, and can be continually les-
ortion to their assumption of sened.
ledge respecting God and an-
I believe that at birth none are
.
sinners, but that effects of e x p e ri-i^ F
gnostics may, and do know as ences of ancestors are inherited by
. T * as those who profess know- all, and exist at birth in the form W
‘‘•'-Ige which they do not profess.
of constitutional tendencies or apt­
For the benefit of my theological itudes.
1 ’ and those whose mental and
I believe that the good tendencies
,gIoue condition he represents, I can be strengthened and augment-
dftom .a te .? n Part
belief, not ed, and the had ones diminished
a ically, hut as conclusions to by education.
V 1Crh A .haVeb€en led by years of
I believe th at the moral sense
va ion and reflection:
called conscience has been acquired
^Hieve the enlightened human
the race, and that its decisions
■‘■on, and not any one book, is'
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U niversity
T H E ONLY SCHOOL
OF TH E KIND.
F ree from S u p erstitio n
o tF I C td
V
N O i l * S
6 C t£ iri< X il
Pupils are Given E very O p p o rtu n ity to Learn
W ith o u t B eing H am pered by S u p ersti­
tio n s and Dogmas.
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of
(Concluded on 6th page.)
L o c a tio n H e a lth f u l I
S o c ie ty G ood.
E x p e n s e s M o d e ra te
A Splendid C orps of T eachers and Good FaciL
ities for Teaching.
.
F or inform ation,
address
J. E. H O SM ER , Ph. D., B. S. D.,
P R E S ID E N T ,
SILVERTON.