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