THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, SEPTEMBER 28, 1899. ,, • it is the truth, and truth our own weaknesses; and in order Off ,WG i 7 4 \ ao H d h L C^ e n r h8urry. alone can finally and fully satisfy to put the children of earth in the civilized ) world naw w j , _____ ust way to overcome these, wo we m must ¡„g along in the miry path map- the human mmd. have a truer, a more progressive The Only Paper of Its Kind. ped out by bible makers; ever chas religion than the religion that JUD G E NOT. ing the ignis fatuus of a god’s teaches what its teachers do not, Published Weekly l;y the L»*™1 Uni- , pleasure or fleeing from the deliri versity Com pany, in the In tere sts and cannot practice, and holds that We are told to judge not that we C onstructive, Moral S e c u la n t . um tremens of his wrath. Instead to believe is to be saved. of the noble company that the peo- 'be not jadp, and that with what We judge (and we judge that we J. E. Hosmer, P. W. Qeer,.. Torch of Reason Entered at the ^o ffice at Silverton, E ntered at m e -- Oregon, as second-class m ail m atter. »""running thia way to follow as well as f o r <<- ever had) and that, stumbling, quarreling, yet God s only son, i e„ God mam « of Humanity will come. condemning, judging and wasting test in the flesh, the one that is SUBSCRIPTION RATES. their energies in vain and foolish said to have been in the beginning »* 1 Q0 TH O UG H TS OF OUR W O RK . One year, in a d v a n c e ......................... * endeavors. Christianity is an aw- with God, and God himself,'judged Six m onths, in a d v an c e .................... 25 ful failure. It has robbed the world certain ministers of his time very T hree m onths, in a d v an c e ................ Perhaps it was no Our vacation work is drawing to In clubs of five or m ore, one year, 75 of its reason and sent it staggering harshly. in advance.................................•/ more than they deserved, but if his a close, and evente that are very Money should l»e sent by registered along a path of miracles to a home of superstitious ignorance. Men doctrine is true he set a very bad important to our University are le tte r or m oney order. and women, who have had a spark example for men to follow in ex crowding themselves upon us in of reason left, have been forced to pressing his judgment in such rapid succession. We have a larg Notice! play the hypocrite. The young harsh terms. Hypocrites and a er crew of men working than at any generation of vipers is what gentle time during the history of the A h a n d pointing to th is notice denotes have gone into lives of dishonesty, th a t your su b scrip tio n has e x p ired . dissipation or stupid indifference. Jesus called those who prayed school. Students have begun to You are earn estly requested to re standing in their churches and on arrive, Professor Wakeman is ex- new so th a t you m ay receive th e p a This has all been because humani per w ithout in te rru p tio n . \ \ e have de ty, in its evolution, has not yet the street to be heard of men. He pected on the next train, and every cided th a t it is best for all concerned also went into a church and made thing is hurry and bustle. No one th a t we do not send papers longer th a n reached a state of mental powei th e tim e paid for unless so ordered. sufficient to grasp the laws of na the delicate followers of Jehovah knows how full of joy we are at the T his will prevent any loss and we will ture, and thus, there being a chance climb over the pews in a lively fourth year’s opening of the Liberal know just where we stan d . We request you to semi us th e nam es for the most cunning to use our ig manner. University. Troubles that at first of Secularists who m ight become suh- We have often wondered what annoyed us, seem to have vanished ecriliers and we will m ail sam ple copies. norance to their advantage, they the effect in our time if iand the school will open with a ,,v,u.u be ~~---------- have used it as naturally as a spi would der captures and devours a fly. some one would, in exact imitation . jarge attendance, in a fine, new with new teachers to assist But as men evolved more cere of Jesus, go into the synagogues j (modern churches) and chase th e ! ug tbe grPat and responsible SE C U LA R ISM ALONE S A T IS F IE S . bral capacity, they questioned the i work of instruction, and with a oppressive religions, and some of preachers out with a club. But Jehovah himself, i. e., the mogt note(j Freethought lecturer, There are three great and radi the bolder ones, taking advantage cally different ideas struggling for of this, led off, forming other spe one that was not in the beginning abje anj willing to do great things mastery in the minds of the hu cies; and, just as species of the an with himself—the father seems to jor our peer)egg cause. What a heaven this earth can be man family. They are the God imal kingdom, by long separation, judge both his friends and his ene- idea, the Spiritualistic idea and the jecome orders and branches, so mies, and as we are taught that it maj ej How happy we are in the our choice, and how con Secular idea. The advocates of lave the different religious and re is a very desirable thing to be god- , wor^ like, how can we follow the words tented we are with the world and these different lines of thought have ligious ideas originated. Under the Spiritualistic branch of the son, “Judge not”? If there everything in it, when we realize some common ground on which to stand, and two of them often over comes theosophy, the ideas of heav is, as the Christians claim, an eter that we are, have been, and will — hell, ----, or any „ kind of eternal ¡continue to be in a state of pro lap and mingle, hut in the main en, angels, etc., all having origi nal they are widely separated. They nated in a common stock, way punishment, then God has set us a , greg8ion—evolution. The great joy He has has judged iudsed have experienced in the last can not all be right. Many think back in the ages of myth and dark very poor example. He that the truth of their theories est ignorance. That these ideas those over whom he has power and few weeks, with our heads and matters hut little in compar are absolutely false is proven by at least allowed them to suffer a muscles at work with all* their ison with the question of their the fact that, after years of vain at horrible punishment that he could might, is superlative. We are all benefit to the world. We hold tempts to prove them true, not one certainly prevent if he is all-power in good health; we love and respect ful. Where ....... is there a human . be- each other; our aims are high; and that truth in the long run is always has been really proven. This lack --........... perhaps, is that we are of more benefit than falsehood, and of proof is proof enough of their ing, outside of the penitentiary 01 the insane asylum, who would I many are born with such a strong falsity. Secularism originated in pure as cruel as God is represented9 It takes but little to make people desire for its triumph that they Would you, dear Christiau friend, happy or miserable, and it is a great would see the whole universe sacri- thoughts concerning the real things allow us, even if we are Infidels, to source of happiness to us to believe rificed rather than to see ‘‘truth which really do exist and which thus suffer if you could prevent it affect our lives. While the God idea that in a few short years this great forever crushed to earth.” by your most earnest prayers? Is With the God idea is generally and the idea of spirits is abnormal, country will he transformed from a God able to save all men? If so, associated the theory of a son of Secularism is normal and perfectly selfish, hypocritical, orthodox-cater will he? or is he a devil? natural. It leads its devotees to God, or some kind of a savior. The ing disunion to a great and glorious Some may say we are judging Christian religion is one of this search for the truths of nature union of a happy, progressive, Sec God, but we are not, for to us there rather than formulating and be kind, and that it is founded on ular people; and that we, the is no such being. And if some falsehood is very evident to an un lieving theories of a supernatural. founders of the Liberal University, time, somewhere, we should, as bave been a factor on the right It is the only plan by which all prejudiced student of history and of divigion Iine May the science. It has done untold injury mankind can be reconciled and live many believe we shall, meet him, her or it, we shall have as muc u njverBity and and the the principles it to the people of both civilized and in peace, for it is truth itself. Dear believer in gods and spirits, right to judge him, her or it as he advocates live long after we pio barbarous countries in the past, present and future. How horrible come to this fountain of life and has to judge us. If he, she or it is neers, its humble servants, have will ao do us no ceage(j t0 be> excepting in the rec to the Christian mind is the false drink freely. The happiness of the good, he, she or it win Our thoughts and deeds, doctrine of Mohammed, of the Brah emotions alone is nothing compar harm; and as he, she or it as, — min priests and of Joseph Smith, ed to the happiness of your whole according to Christian belief, made but if all or any of the varieties of being, including the highest faculty us what we are we can only as- Liberality, courtesy, benevolence, Christianity are built on wrong of reason. The love for gods and sert what we think to be our principles, why is it not as wrong spirits is akin to the child’s love for rights, and fight the fiend to a , unselfishness, under all circum- and why will it not do as much itsrag doll, but Secularism satis- finish. The story is false, it is only stances and toward all men—these harm as the others? The farther fies the faculties of the will, of the a priest’s trick to gain power. qualities are to the world what the we go on a wrong road the worse emotions and of the intellect. This ¡There is nothing to fear excepting linchpin is to the rolling chariot.