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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 1900)
OF truth bears the torch in the search for VOL. 4. R eason . n v n ," -LlUretilts S1I-V E K T ()* - O R EG O N , T H U R S D A Y , S E PT E M B E R 6, E M. 300 (1900.) NO. 35. Age of Reason. “ Ignorahimus ? ” connection between m a tte r and energy. Consciousness, like feeling and Can Anybody Know A n y th in g ? willing, am ong the higher anim als is a fplasm ic] m echanical work of RY PROF. ERNST HAECKEL, REV. J. p. the ganglion-cells, and as such BLAND, MARIE HARROLD GARRISON, m ust be carried hack to chem ical T. B. WAKEMAN. and physical events in th e plasm a of these. And by the em ploym ent BY B. F. UNDERW OOD. P sychics Rest Upon P hysics. of the genetic and com parative m ethod we reach the conviction C h ris tia n ity Teaches: M aterialism Teaches: that consciousness, and consequent BY PR iF. ERNST HAECKEL. H E existence of a God infi ly reason also, is a brain-function H E self-existence, the eter nite in presence, yet a per and not exclusively peculiar to nity and the sufficiency of na sonal being; infinite in know]- I is only in these must highlv- m an; it occurs also in m any of the ture, and the un iversality and edge, yet a being who cogitates, invariahleness of n atu ra l law. develope.l groups of the a n i higher anim als, not in V ertebrates contrives, plans and designs, like 2. I hat in the history of this mal kingdom th at we can only, but even in A rticulates. Only m an; infinite in power, yet the world there has been an evolution with Certainty establish the exist in degree, through a higher stage au th o r of a world full of im perfec from the sim ple to the complex, ence of the most perfect operations of cultivation, does the conscious from the special to the general, tions; infinite in goodness (as well from the homogeneous to the heter of the central nervous system , ness ol m an differ from th a t of the as power), yet perm its m arty rs to ogeneous. which we designate as conscious more perfect lower anim als, an d the expire am id flames, and p atrio ts 3. That good and evil are rela ness. As we k n o w .it is precisely same is true of all other activities and p h ila n th ro p ists to languish in tive term s. All m orality is founded this highest brain-function th a t still of the hum an soul. dungeons; unchangeable, yet a t a on utility and evolved by the wants continues to be looked upon as a By these and other results of and necessities of hum an existence. certain tim e after a beginningless H onesty is right, not because a God completely enigm atical phenom e com parative physiology our whole state of inaction, aroused from hio has so declared, but because m an’s non, and as the best proof for the psychology is placed on a new and idleness and m ade a universe out security, safety and happiness are im m aterial existence of an im m or firm m onistic basis. T he older of nothing; is not the cause of evil, prom oted by it. tal soul. It is usual at the same m ystical conception of the soul, as 4. T hat m an ’s condition, although yet th e creator of ev ery th in g and im perfect, is im provable by his own time to appeal to Du Bois-Rey- we find it not only am ongst p rim i everybody save him self; is free unaided efforts. m ood’s well-know n “ Ig n o rah im u s” tive peoples, but also in the system s from infirm ities, yet is pleased with 5. T h a t m an should look to him address “ on the B oundaries of N at- of the dualistic philosophers of to some th in g s and displeased with self and not to a spectacle of suffer o th ers; is w ithout body, parts or ing and death of eighteen hundred m al K nowledge” (1872). It was day, is refuted by them. passions, and yet is of the m ascu years ago for im provem ent and ele by a peculiar irony of fate th a t the The an tiq u ated view of Du Bois- line sex. famous lecturer of the Berlin Acad vation Reym ond (1872)— th a t hum an con 2. T h eo rig in al perfection of every 6. That belief and unbelief are emy of Science, in this m uch-dis th in g . invo lu n tary and w ithout moral cussed address of tw enty years ago, sciousness is an uneoluble “ world- 3. The existence ol a devil—a m erit or dem erit. riddle, a transcendant phenom e creatu re m ade by God, and t h e , i. l h a t instead of worshiping should he representing conscious au th o r of evil th a t will exist for God we should direct all our efforts ness as an incom prehensible m arvel, non in essential antithesis to all other n atu ral phenom ena—co n tin ever. to im prove ourselves, letting “gods and as presenting an insuperable 4. T h at m an is a “ fallen crea atten d on things for gods to know .” barrier to further advances of ues to be upheld in num erous w rit tu re ” and unable to im prove by his 8. T h at m an, wherever he m ay knowledge, at the very m om ent ings. I t ie chiefly on this th a t the own unassisted efforts. dualistic view of the world founds exist, it is rational to believe, will 5. T h a t m an can be “ saved” only be fitted to his condition. An u n that David Friedrich S lrauss, the its assertion, th a t m an is an a l through the blood an d m erits of broken, everlasting sleep, which greatest F reethought theologian of together peculiar being, and th a t C hrist. probably aw aits us all, affords no our century, was showing to be the his personal soul is im m o rta l; and 6. T h at belief in th e C hristian ground for fear. And how infin opposite. T hat clear-sighted au th o r system involves m oral m erit; d is itely preferable to a future state of <»f “The Old F aith and the New” this is the reason why th e “ Leipsic belief, sin. punishm ent in which the m ajority had already clearly perceived th a t ignorahim us speech” of Du Bois- 7. T h a t it is m an's d u ty to wor ol our race will be forever miserable! ihe soiil-activilies of m an, and there Reymond has for tw enty y ears ship God by prayer and praise. 9. T h at the teachings of reason 8. T h a t a com paratively sm all and the lessons of experience are fore also his consciousness, as func been prized as a defence by all re p portion of m ankind in the future the only revelations man has re tions of the central nervous system , resentatives of the m ythological will he happy; the greater portion ceived. all spring from a common source, view o f the world, and extolled a« will be in torm ent eternally. 10. T h at the Bible should he test and, from» a m onistic point of view, a refutation of “ m onistic dogm a.” 9. T h at m an has received a hook ed by the same rules of historical The closing word of the discourse, revelation, of which, however, but and modern criticism th at are a p come under the sam e category. The a com paratively sm all part of the plied to other ancient documents. exact ’ Berlin physiologist shut “ ignorahim us,” was tran slated as I’onc i ___ ation. in the present tense, and th is “ ig race hoc has non*, ever nlu obtained inform 11. T h at woman is m an’s equal this knowledge out from his m ind, 10. T h at reason should be su b and n atu ral com panion—exists for and, with a short-sightedness a l noram us” taken to mean “ we know o rd in ated to the teachir gs of the him only in the sense in which he most inconceivable, placed this nothing at a ll;” or, even worse, Bible. a exists for her. special neurological question alo n g th a t “ we can never come to clea r 11. T h at woman is m an ’s in 12. "I h at slavery, polygam y and ferior and subordinate, was made despotism are evils whenever and side of the one great “ w orld-riddje,” ness about an y th in g , and any fu r lor his gratification and conveni wherever they exist. the fundam ental question of sub ther talk about the m atter is id le.” ence, while man was m ade for h im 13. T hat m an should attend to stance, the general question of the The famous “ Ignorahim us” address self and the glory of God. rem ains certain ly an im p o rtan t the affairs of this world, and, con 12. l h a t God has approved and trary to the notion of Jesus, should rhetorical work of art; it is a “ beau - N ote .—In th e Boston In v estig a to r sanctioned polygam y, slavery and take “ thought for the morrow* ” r o i»1' 1 ¿ ,J u une ne 9 9 to to July J u ly 28, inclusive), inclusive), Rev. Rev. tiful serm on,” characterised by its T . V..... e ------- T u , , V despotism . 14. Jesus was probably a reform- J. P. Bland p u b lish ed a very learned, highlv-fihished form and its s u r 13. T h at m an should take no er, a “ co m e-o u ter,” an “ in fid e l” of “ aerial” called “ T he'Jospelof E vo-1 thought for th e morrow. He should his tim e. We ca n esteem him as a "E*-0" ’, we join with others in prising variety of philosophico- p attern after the lilies of the field. benefactor w ithout w orshiping him R o f ' W aklmln1*?” 1 •" iM!rn,f n*ntforiD’ scientific pictures. It is well know n, F ® Lro . Wa1k®rnar’. fear’Hg confusion as to 14. T h a t Jesu s was God A l * . z. , a n d Im m o rta lity ,” ventured cef-- however, th a t the m ajority (a n d m ighty incased in hum an flesh. 15. th e present is better th an the la ,n q u e stio n s to th e a u th o r (In v esti- 15. I h at the golden age of the past, and the golden age o f the *at” r< ^ u{y 21)> His replv and o th e r especially women) judge a “ b ea u ti earth was in the past. world is in the future. > p r e X “ «des°U‘ “ o<:c" io'," lhe ful serm on” not according to the value of the thoughts em bodied in p R O P H E T IC voices now re s o u n d ’ F o r t r u th i • u* F ar, far and wide they strik e th e i°t n n?1«h t.v w eapon plies, ear; Y S tn k e th e A“ J t r u t h w.U triu m p h , n o th in g fear. ’— **-•_ r . . . clim . e they so u n d — I hen let us join in praise Ami o ’er th is favor’d To tr u th an d v irtu e ’s nam e, I roclairn th e age of reason n e ar : I o love and w isdom ’s p u rest ravs, H er glorious light doth now ap p ea r, In n a tu r e ’s wide d o m ain . And su p e rstitio n , frig h te n eu , Hies, —(Selected. CHRISTIANITY ANO MATERIALISM COMPARED. T T a * I