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
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. 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
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