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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1900)
OF R eason . “ TRUTH BEAR5 THE TORCH IN THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH. "-L ucretius- VOL. 4. 8 I L \ E R T oN , OREGON, THUEbDAY, MAT 10, E. M. 300 (A. D. 1900.) The New Time. NO. 18. 6. This spirit has brought chief begets kindness, sympathy begets Religion Not Necessary to Mor tainship and kingcraft and priest sympathy, and good deeds, even ality and Virtue. BY A Ü G C8TA CO O PER BRISTO L. craft into existence, and has intro though small and simple in their duced servitude and slavery of the character, draw forth good deeds BY JEAN MESLIER. he old-tim e gods are grim and sta rk ; T he w orld-old powers are im p o te n t most onerous character. The mass from all who witness them and are es have been the servants of the brought under their influence. To u tte r m a n d a te s ; for a n o th e r voice e are constantly told, and Sweeps up th e echoes of all form er tim e few; one man has governed his a good many sensible 18. It is the same with deeds of In to d iv in e r fullness, and th e e a rth B ursts th e full calyx of h e r b udding prim e thousands. people have come to be an opposite nature; their influence W ith long restra in ed opulence. T he sea I . But men have now’ become spreads far and wide; anger begets lieve it, that religion is necessary to In h a p p y tides sings pulsing to th e s h o r e : The gray and sullen m o u n tain s have set more intelligent, they have received anger, contention breeds contention, restrain men; that without it there free more knowledge, and it is time for selfishness begets selfishness, and would be no check upon the people; The th u n d e r of th e ir la u g h te r; skies all the oppression to end. The con hatred begets hatred. A bad ex that morality and virtue are inti o u t-p o u r T heir soft, m iraculous su n sh in e ; tra n c viction is gaining ground that even ample is as prolific of wrong as a mately connected with it. “The ed vales fear of the Lord is,” we are told, Spread fresh er g re e n n e ss; and consoling the most humble have their rights good example is of the right. w inds, as really as the great and strong. “the beginning of wisdom.” The F raught w ith m agnetic b re a th in g s,w h is 19. This is just as simple as the 8. The condition of the world is terrors of another life arc salutary per tales ad dition of the smallest numbers in Of a new kingdom ,of a power e n th ro n e d , changed by each individual chang terrors, and calculated to subdue W ith laws henceforth to N a tu re ’s o rder making a sum which a child can ing a little. If each person living men’s passions. To disabuse us in toned, comprehend, but it is just as true Like m oon-led w aters, — disciplined yet would place a single stone on a regard to the utility of religious no free, as the most elaborate problem in tions, it is sufficient to open the Crowned wisdom of a whole H u m a n ity . pyramid or monument, a vast pile Euclid. Exery example, every ac —[The W eb of Life. would he raised. eyes and to consider what are the tion, exerts its influence, either good 9. So if each person will add hut morals of the most religious people. Good Conduct Always Preferable. a little to the monument of good or bad, according to its nature. We see haughty tyrants, oppressive 20. A child whose parents are al deeds, a great accession will be ministers, perfidous courtiers,count BY D. M. BENNETT. ways mild, gentle, patient, reasona made—a pyramid of immense size. less extortioners, unscrupulous 10. In the same way, if each will ble and forbearing will grow up magistrates, imposters, adulterers, ou should not forget that you make a little change in the direc with an amiable disposition, and libertines, prostitutes, thieves and are called to sustain a high tion of reform and improvement, with a decided tendency to good rogues of all kinds, who have never er morality than the be the aggregate of the gain will be conduct and a good life, unless its doubted the existence of a vindic lievers in gods and devils, whose great indeed. organization is an unfortunate one, tive god, or the punishments of actions are governed by fear of suf 11. If each person adds but one ar.d th°n that influence is far more hell, or the joys of Paradise. fering, and the anger of the gods good deed to the monument of ex beneficial than its opposite. Although very useless for the and devils. 21. It would be well could par majority of men, the ministers of cellence, Its magnitude will be 2. You should lead good lives be greatly augmented. ents always realize the great re religion have tried to make death cause it is right, and because it is 12. Knowledge, the right dispo sponsibility that rests upon them in appear terrible to the eyes of their your pleasure to do so, rather than sition, and effort are the necessary molding and forming the habits votaries. If the most devoted Chris from fear of any angry or malicious agencies to lead to this result. and characters of their children. tians could be consistent, they being. He who abstains from Without knowledge, without the Children are much what their par would pass their whole lives in wrong doing from fear of punish right disposition and proper effort, ents make them. tears, and would finally die in the ment or of being cast into hell, de little progress can be made. 22. It is the same with the older most terrible alarms. What is more serves little more crdit than he 13. This effort and this proper children of a family with regard to frightful than death to those unfor whose life is spent in evil doing. disposition should be widespread, the younger. The pow’er of exam tunate ones who are constantly re 3. It is a brave and good man and not confined to a few. If every ple is so strong that the little ten minded that “it is a fearful thing who pursues the right course, and one will do a little it will be easy der minds are bent and inclined by to fall into the hands of a living who performs his duty faithfully for all, and great good will be ac the examples and influences which god”; that they should “seek salva because of the superiority of good tion with fear and trembling”! complished. If all pull in one di surround them. actions over evil actions, and he is However, we are assured that the rection a great body can be moved 23. All persons who have come Christian’s death has great consola- cowardly and contemptible who along. to the age of maturity should re- tions, of which the unbeliever is de only does the right that he may es 14. Every one who shows a dis member that a responsibility of prived. The good Christian,we are cape punishment. Do good because much weight rests upon them, told, dies with the firm hope of en- it is right and shun evil because it position to help in any good work Their example before the young j°y*ng et(Tnal happiness, which he encourages every other person who is wrong. okzx.,, i be u such i as » to - incline I - xv has tried ^ to : deserve. But this I firm should them ocanrn„ •< „ J ? is disposed in the name direction; . , assurance, is it not a punishable 4. The population of the world it also has its effect upon the indif to good actions, and not to wrong, presumption in the eyes of a severe is made up of a heterogenous mass 24. Good parents insure good £°d? The greatest saints, are they of humanity, and with the thous ferent, and brings them to have a children; discretion on the part of n0^ in doubt whether they are ands of years that have rolled away similar disposition. to dis- ,°f 1 p ! ° 7 ° r the hiitred 15. Good deeds areas contagious the mature in life conduce« since man has dwelt on the earth, , , of God? Priests who console us the race is yet far from what it as the had, and a good examble ere ion on the part of the young; with the hope of the joys of Para should be; there is not that spirit from a wise man will help many to while the more imprudence and im- dise, and close your eyes to the tor- of love and kindness between man also perform good works. The propriety seen by the young the ments of hell, have you then had more they will be attracted to the t,,e advantage of seeing your names and man that should be sacredly more we see of kind and humane and ours inscribed in the book of wrong. Hfe? actions in others the more we wish cherished. 25. Far, far better and happier Every religion, in its origin, was 5. This is because the spirit of to excel in the same ourselves. 16. If men could realize at all would the world be if a bad exam- invented by legislators who wished love has not been cultivated and ®nbjugate the minds of the com- fostered as much as it should be; timesthe great influence which ex pie was never set before the young, pain was never in- Like Wh° the more animal part of man has ample exerts upon those younger, and if i needle«« tu . .. . , lig h ten children in order to put governed him; his aim has been to and with less powers of mind, they dieted. The nearer this i« attained them to sleep, ambitious men use rule over his fellow-men, to subdue would be more circumspect and to, the more of a paradise will be the name of the gods to inspire fear them to his wishes, and to appro guarded, and would wield a much established here upon earth, the in savages; terror seems well suited more of heaven we will f in d .- E p is - ' l.he” ‘° . »«»>«»«. quietly priate to his own use the truits of greater influence for good. H to the yoke which is to be imposed their labors. 17. Love begets love, kindness tie of Bennett to the Truthseekers. upon them.—[Common Sense. T Y w