Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1899)
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, SEPTEMBER U , 1899. 4 An old writer has said, “Let us knowledge, that her five hundred dollars will quickly yield a harvest not be weary in well-doing, for in beyond the estimate of our most due season we shall reap if we faint not,” and this is true in the sense sanguine sowers. The smallest seeds of science of the world reaping benefits from sown bear a richer harvest now honest endeavors, which is harvest than the Scribes and Pharisees of enough for those who labor in the our time dare admit, and whether cause of Humanity. those who caunot see the trend of human advancement are blind on T H E P R IE S T S ’ G R E A T E ST W EAPON. account of the sins of their parents Oregon, as second-class m ail m atte r. s h o u ld we not be radical in pro- or their own sins, it matters not. There is no surer way to control claiming it, and also the truth th a t A revival of learning that will drive ignorant people than by working on SUBSCRIPTION RATES. the preachers as a class are hypo- the devil of superstition and hate from the world is upon us, and their fears. The early races, the One year, in advance........................ $1 00 critically humbugging the people MIlv j * Ceil , . in • . M a barbarous people of our time and the _f « 1 • I* if— . L I lk.r\«anlUin Six m onths, in ad v an ce.................... • and working for “what there is in everything that helps the work is T hree m onths, in ad v an ce................ apt to help it mightily, for the undeveloped minds among civilized it” ? In clubs of five or m ore, one year, nations, all have been governed by Freethinkers, let us be kind; let world is now on a balance between in a d v an c e .......................................... Money should Ire sent by registered us be pleasant; let us be polite, but the gross errors of the past and the this rod of fear, and the priests, kings, le tte r or m oney order. ignorant parents and teachers have for Go(o)d’s sake, let us be “too beautiful, saving truths of love, believed that to spare the rod is to radical” for the old lies of ortho science and wisdom. Notice! What a great field of good we spoil the child; but the result is doxy to sleep sweetly in the arms Secularists are opening for cultiva proven by science to be just the op A h a n d pointing to th is notice denotes of their Jesus. Let us wake every h a t your subscription has e x p ire d , one we can, young and old, to the tion by future generations, arid how posite. Like brutes, the strong have fo u are earn estly requested to re- productive is our every honest made underlings of the weak. iew so th a t you m ay receive th e pa- awful results of superstition. Let There are different ways of using >er w ithout in te rru p tio n . W e have de us he aggressive and carry the war effort! Many would have been dis eded th a t it is best for all concerned couraged when the opposition that fear to conquer the underlings. ¡.hat we do no t send papers longer th a n into the enemy’s camp, until every the tim e paid for unless so ordered. church and every school house in we have met and overcome faced Some children who would be fright This will prevent any less and we w ill the land will resound with the them; but whether a god gave us ened at the idea of being locked in a know just where we sta n d . We request you to send us th e nam es bursting shells of Science, Reason, power to hold out or not, we have dark closet would keep perfectly of Secularists who m ight becom e su b held out until right when it seemed cool with a whipping in prospect, scribers and we will mail sam ple copies. Freethought and Humanity! We have been too conservative, not too that, in the time of our metamorph and vice versa. Neither of these osis from a forced individual control punishments would affect some, THURSDAY, SEPT. 14, E. M. 299. radical. If we would whip out the fires of priestcraft and leave the to a Freethought stock company, while the thought of being depriv world better than we found it, we we would almost sink for lack of ed of attending a picnic or enjoying TOO R A D IC A L . j must damn the holy humbuggery funds, this friend from the farther a treat of sweetmeats would drive side of our great country came to many almost to despair. The peo We sometimes hear the express- as Freethought has been damned our aid. To be sure, the five hun ples of the earth have been chil by the holy divinities. The priests ior, “He is a good man, but he is dred dollars was soon used up in dren. Hell, the dark closet of the altogether too radical”. Sometimes and their devotees have been too the payment of carpenters and for priests, has subdued some; the fear radical in condemning everything of this is said of those who might material, but it has helped to bridge of being struck dead by a thunder more properly be said to be foolish a progressive nature. Can we be too bolt from heaven has controlled ly obnoxious by talking when their radical in redeeming the world over the time and keep the work others, and the thought of being moving until we can collect the talk is out of place; but to be too from the evil works of their hands? money subscribed for stock. The absent from the “marriage feast of radical in the sense of being thor No Let us smile for the sake of good that that five hundred dollars the Lamb” and the deprivation of oughly convinced of the truth and science as they have for the sake of playing on a harp in the New’ Je anxious to promote it is out of the Christ, and radically knock the has done our cause and the world rusalem has been used with great (<l)evil out of the hell they have cannot be estimated, and we wish question. to emphasize the thought, that at success. Often we have b«en advised by made here on earth. But what has been the result of this stage of the battle the actions those who mean well to “let people this subduing and enslaving of the alone; let other people think as T H E F IV E H U N D R E D DOLLARS of one soldier who dares to “make children of earth? Has it not been a way for liberty,” may be doing they choose and you thiuk as you A few weeks ago we mentioned more than whole regiments may the same as the result of using fear want to, but don’t be eternally instead of love as the governing harping about it”. At first this the fact that a friend had sent us a have the opportunity of doing after power in the home and the school? almost takes one’s mental breath check for five hundred dollars to the battle is nearly won. Perhaps Children have been made selfish away, and we wonder if we are too assist in building our Freethought Mrs. Turner did not know how cowards by their parents and radical. But when we think of the University. This friend is Mrs. M. much good her gift would do, but teachers, and the parents and eternal harpings of the orthodox M. Turner, of Washington, D. C. thus we all “see as through a glass teachers have been made selfish shepherds and their active sheep, Quite an interesting little episode darkly.” Look at the emblem on the front cowards by the priests and preach we conclude that it is about time in connection with the donation ers, until it wofild be quite safe for for people whose god is good and and receipt of this timely aid will of this paper. Otto Wettstein little one to offer a million dollars for a whose savior is science to say some be preserved in the records of our thought what great good he was thing in their favor every time they school and also in the great un doing when he designed his little truly brave man or woman. We get a good opportunity. To keep written book of human progress. Freethought badge; but not only is are a miserable set of cowards, com still is just what the preachers In giving the money, Mrs. Turner it worn and read by thousands, and pared with what we might have would like to have every one do but writes as follows: “W. K. Clifford the sentiments it expresses being been if it had not been for the use themselves. They can go before savs, ‘It is idle to set bounds to the absorbed by hungry minds all over of fear in making us march to the their audiences twice every Sunday, purifying and organizing work of the world, but a large representa music of the priesthood. But the tale is only half told. to private meetings on Thursday science;’ and Frederick Guthrie tion of his work is being raised to evenings and around to private says, ‘The hope of science is the the gable of a University whose When our reason has asserted itself houses every day in the week and hope of the world.’ In the name of every student, every teacher, every and we no longer believe, then, be eternally harp about their Jesus, Clifford and Guthrie, and the hope visitor, and every passer-by may ing born and brought up cowards, the awful sinfulness of the Infidels of science, I give this money to the read the famous words, behold the we fear public opinion and become famous Torch of Reason, and re hypocrites. The people of civilized and the great need of church work Liberal University.” As far as human beings can ceive the inspiration that they give nations are not only cowards, but and church support, but welnfidels must be careful or we’ll he consid judge of future events by a careful to those who truly seek the truth. they are hypocrites, aud a million ered “too radical.” We sometimes inventory of their resources and by But thus it ever is; we labor on and dollars reward for a thoroughly __________ think that the world is not yet fit a study of the past, we honestly follow our strongest impulses, and honest man or woman would also or the truth, or people would be and confidently assure our brave little dream of the mighty results of be quite safe. Cowards and hypo nore radical in finding it and ad- co-worker in the beautiful harvest- what we often under-estimate and crites always mistrust each other and are always getting into trouble, mcating it when it is found. j field of the world’s golden grain of think commonplace. Taking the Agnostic’s view of the theological question, that we know The Only Paper of Its Kind. nothing of the supernatural ant- _mals and plaoes that the orthodox Published U h lis n e u W ™ eekly by th e L --- ite — ra l U ni- are “eternally harping about”, we vereity Com pany, in the In terests of are sure we have found the truth. C onstructive, Moral Secularism . . . v __ And a g a in , in reg ard to our free- . F H o sm e r .................... Editor dom from these things making us P W O eer ........... Manager wiser, happier and better, we know * ’ ’ 'J ‘ ’ ___________ that we have found the truth. Now Bntmd at the potto®» «Iw to», why in the name of common sense Torch of Reason » —— — — — f ■ ■ ( —