Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903, January 11, 1900, Page 6, Image 6

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THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON OREGON, JANUARY 11, 1900.
The G reat Issue to be Decided It is not too much to pay that the
by Evolution and flan.
English speaking peoples are now
S ilv e rto n T h o u g h t E xchange.
to be simply overwhelming. The
result was that existence here was
actually thinking, working, voting
MK. D. E. SWANK ON SPIRIT-SOUL.
made more blessed by this possi­
C ontinued (roui 5th page.
and, alas! fighting on this issue.
bility of aid here and now, and
he assures us that the race can not I. there any doubt whether the true
Sunday evening, Jan. 7
communion hereafter with this host
decline, and that the grand process Science of Evolution and Sociology
If the witches of Macbeth had of superior and spiritual beings, of
of social evolution can not be de points the way?—the Republic!
been in charge of the weather they which all those we have loved must
feated.
But we can not carry the sugges- could hardly have given their spirit J certainly be a part,
So far he holds very much the tion further. I pon no question, friends a heartier welcome of wind The lecturer was warmly
ap-
same position as Herbert Spencer, dornestic, foreign or international, and rain. But the audience was plauded at the close,
but then he decidedly differs. In­ can the light of Science which falls there in full force. Even the “spook The discussion was opened
by
stead of turning around and fight­ from Dr. Topinard’s book fail of religions” of the churches failed to P resident H osmer . He did not see
ing Social Evolution as the “com­ beneficent effect.
T. B. W'.
draw against a modern Liberal that the speaker had done more
ing slavery”, or leaving it to work
spook expounder.
than revive and repeat the old as­
its way blindly, our French philos­ How Social Science S e ttle s th e
The choir outdid themselves, and sumption, i. e., a “ principle” which
opher shows that it is to the inter­
W a r of th e th re e Egos.
Dr. C. H. Brewer, the President, was merely a word with nothing
est of all men, individually and
introduced the orator of the even­ behind it. A “principle” is neither
Concluded
from
1st
page,
collectively, to help forward this
ing and his subject: “The Origin, a thing, a force, or power, nor a
cause of co-operative integration, fer from him in this, that he relies Nature and Immortality of the law. It was merely an old habit to
differentiation and justice in every upon the free play of individuals Human Soul.” The speaker open­ take a word to start with because
way practicable. He says that by so and natural evolution, whereas we ed up by pleasantly showing how they knew nothing. But when the
consciously guiding evolution, man believe it indispensable that man he had struggled towards what he
lecturer said “power,” the modern
may not only easily adjust his life should direct his own evolution. believed to be the truth. He made
scientists had beaten him, for they
and heredity to the new and per­ We, too, have had our moments of a very favorable impression by bis
proved that all of the matter and
haps harsh changes, hut also really doubt—not regarding the efficacy of voice, manner and evident sincer­
forces that went into any organism
dictate their mode of inception and our system, but regarding the pos­ ity. When he settled down to bis
were parts of the world or environ­
their methods and final results. In sibility of realizing it without the work, it was based upon the convic­
ment around it, and that all the
this way, practically by his own intervention of too much authority; tion that in the organic world, com­ feeling or thinking was part of, de­
w ill, man becomes the creator of his but we have taken fresh confidence. mencing with the vegetable king­
pendent upon, and caused by the
We believe unqualifiedly in the
own future lot and fate on earth.
dom, there was “ a principle ” which changes in the brain and nervous
He may thus hope to make some­ great power of heredity, habit and scientists did not seem to under­
system. I his being so, the spirit­
what real his “Earthly Paradise”. unconscious impulse over our daily stand. It was this principle-power
ual hypothesis at once dropped out,
In all this matter of the future, acts. We are convinced that if so­ that made plants grow and assimi­
because all the facts which support­
Herbert Spencer was a reluctant ciety so desires it and comports it­ late from the air, and shrink from
ed it bad been otherwise explained
Balam of a prophet. His science self properly, it can in a few gener­ touch in the sensitive plant. A
according to the scientific method.
compelled him to say that the race ations transform sentiments and similar principle-power was more
Plants, animals and meu grew and
would“get there”,that some kind of manners, and adapt them to its prominent in animal life, where it thought by reason of chemical and
a “Socialism” would come; but he needs. The useful instincts have became consciously sensitive, and
vital assimilation, and the spooks
had not the sympathy with it that sprurtg up of themselves in ani­ was properly called spiritual, and
were not it. This was the end of
Balam’s ass would have had, and mals. Why may they not, with which scientists tried to get rid of
the spirit hypothesis to all reason­
did not particularly advise or en­ the assistance of reason, be created by calling it “instinct,” whatever
able people, for Science has proved
courage any one to turn in and in man? Speaking only of France,
that might be. It was really the that there was nothing but a name
help. He left it all to Evolution I have already seen about me for spirit-power, without which ani­ in it.
and “Administrative Nihilism”, as the last ten years, certain indica­ mals could not grow or live at all.
Of course if this spirit hypothesis
Prof. Huxley splendidly described tions pointing to renovation; new Then when we come to man, we
was not true it was not good. Its
it. To this vigorous protestoi Prof. social classes will achieve success find the same principle and power
immortality was chiefly one of
Huxley we may now add the mild where the old have failed. No
causing and controlling not only selfishness, and as long as it did no
disproof and reproof of our Natur­ doubt there will be storms, good
their growth and sensation, but also good it was not worth having, but
alist Sociologist. Human effort and and evil alternations,but in the end
to be at the bottom of their think­ it was evil because it prevented the
will is one of the natuial factors of evolution, w’hich j/Toceeds only by
ing capacity. This was the real attempts to better this world, by
natural selection, heredity and ev­ oscillations and starts, will enter
human soul under which the whole introducing anarchy—that is, con­
olution. Man must steer the hark on the right path. Let us not de­
body-system assimilated and acted. fusion—in our thoughts and pur­
of Human Destiny towards the re-1 spair. Man is too powerful to fail
Now this whole “principle” did poses of life, for we were always at
alizing of human scientific ideals, in reaching the end which he de­
not come simply
revelations,”
* - from the food of the . mercy . of “spirit
*
---,
sires. The golden age of humanity
no less scientific because human.
the plant, animal or man. In re- which might-upset everything as
Could wiser wTords for this very is ahead of us, the sun of the twen
gard to plants, the speaker said he the same time it ministers to our
hour he spoken than those we have tieth century will be that of truth.
had seen this proved. Plants,hesaid, selfishness. The proper and healthy
quoted in this paper? They indi­ “Error is a Penelope who, without
had been grown to weigh a pound thing to do is to get hold of the hu-
" 7 ‘‘ “ f
......V ”
' B,w
01 the
cate “the way out” of our most se­ wishing to do so, is incessantly
raveling
the
texture
which
she
has
v
?
?
Pot
,taken
half
of
that
j
man
immortality
and
let
the spook
rious difficulties by means of co-op­
urnoon
.
/¡w eight from the earth or air in business alone. Goodbye spooksi
eration naturally and healthfully woven. Truth, on the other hand,
which they had grown and been
Then arose a venerable gentle -
in our affairs, social, industrial and in the struggle of ideas for life,will
euclosed. Of course, as in plants' man , well versed in the history of
political.
sooner or later bear off the victory.”
so in animals and meu; no amount Spiritualism and its facts, He
It is hard to close without apply­ —[Science and Faith.
of materials could make growth un­ seemed to think modern phenome­
ing them to the internttional co-op­
less this spirit-principle
different
-
-
* was there.
- na were quite
«
-- from the
W
M
XZ
eration, viz.,a consequent Federated
A photograph has been taken of
Republic of nations and peoples for the faculty of the Liberal Universi- As we did not know whence this °ld, and that Scientists had been
spirit came, we should not be ex- compelled to admit that there was
the benefit of all. This result is in tj,a n d Wv have them for sale at pected
to know whither it went at “a something beyond” their grasp,
cantrast with the benevolent but fifty cents each, postpaid. This is
death, except to its own world, and and recited a formidable list of
forceful
assimilation
of
the
mass
of
a
splendid
picture,
54x8
inches*
• • « • into a vast, ~ imperial,, nil- I ¡mounted
— on' a fine, large " c a / ’ t h
mankind
a
t 'P ro v e d . Even such names and alleged facts. He
itarv
u t.ich must
,
„ , ’v r Every
.- T , “ friend ecleBtlat8 a,lmtt tna‘
that “«“
ne,ther
matter thought
itary desnnti.m
despotism, which
end in 1 rende
ready f„,
for f framing.
her matter
tnougnt that“Materialists”were
tnat"Mater,al,sts”were be-
be-
the calamities with which the Ro- of the Liberal Universityought to ! “h,
H ° f a,’{ klnd ™
J " * - ooh lessened, iu the
have o . ip of th„ u »
7 u in,
b
Hence thl8 conclusion: The world and that “the spiritual” would
man Empire and Church have ( have one of these photographs. The spirit-soul was immortal and had
resume its sway in its new form un­
afflicted the human race. What group consists of thirteen persons,
„„j :
,
its own realm, from whence it an- der the lead of Scientists, such as
issue has ever equalled the one thus and
is a splendid show ing for < m r
, .
,
p
gel,ooj
g
r
ur
pcared
to
commence
and
aid
new
W allace, Crookes Cowes, Hare and
presented iu importance? Shall the
___
Hfe here, or to warn or aid souls the Psychical Society.
next stage of civilization result in
.
.
| who were in sympathy with it.
. . --------™
Mr. P -----
earl . W.
G eer did not see
Imperialism, the Papacy or “The
re j ou acquainted with the The proofs that snch appearances the subject with the eyes of the last
Republic of Man”and of the World?
its of the Forstner auger bit? j were actually occurring he held,
[Concluded on 8th page.]