Torch of reason., November 27, 1902, Image 1

R eason .
0 F
“ TR U TH B EA R S T H E TORCH IN T H E SEARCH FOR T R U T H . "—L ucretius-
VOL. 6.
SILVERTON OREOON.-THrPSDAV. NOVEMBER 27r -E. M 302 <1902.)
NO. 47
' * * *
ABOUT T H E HOLY B IB L E ,*
Sixty»one Reasons for Doubting.
1
£
S O C IO L O G Y —
SECULARISM.
BY ROBERT G. INGERSOLL.
BY ROBERT O. INGERSOLL.
D ivided in to S u n d a y B ible L esso n s fo r
s tu d y a n d reflectio n .
^ ^ E C U L A R IS N l is th e relig io n of h u m a n ity ; it e m b ra c e s th e a ffairs
of th is w o rld ; it is in te r e s te d in e v e ry th in g th a t to u c h e s th e
w elfare of a s e n tie n t b ein g ; it a d v o ca te s a tte n tio n to th e p a r ­
tic u la r p la n e t on w hich we h a p p e n to live; it m ea n s t h a t each in d i­
v id u a l c o u n ts fo r so m e th in g ; it is a d e c la ra tio n of in te lle c tu a l i n ­
d e p e n d e n c e ; it m ean s th a t th e pew is s u p e rio r to th e p u lp it, th a t
th o se who b ear th e b u rd e n s sh a ll have th e p ro fits, a n d th a t th o se
who fill th e p u rs e sh a ll hold th e strin g s. It is a p ro te s t a g a in s t th e o ­
logical o p p re ssio n , a g a in st e c c le sia stic a l ty r a n n y , a g a in s t being th e
serf, su b je c t, o r slave of an y p h a n to m , o r of th e p rie s t of an y p h a n ­
to m . I t is a p r o te s t a g a in s t w astin g th is life fo r th e sak e of one
th a t we know n o t of. I t p ro p o ses to le t th e gods ta k e c a re of th e m ­
selves. I t is a n o th e r n am e fo r co m m o n seu se; th a t is to say, th e
a d a p ta tio n of m ea n s to su c h e n d s as a re d e sire d an d u n d e rs to o d .
S e c u la rism believes in b u ild in g a hom e here, in th is w orld. I t t r u s t s
to in d iv id u a l e ffo rt, to e n e rg y , to in te llig e n c e , to o b se rv a tio n a n d
e x p erien c e, r a th e r th a n to th e u n k n o w n a n d s u p e r n a tu r a l. I t d e ­
sire s to be h a p p y on th is sid e th e grave.
S e c u la rism m ean s food a n d fireside, roof a n d ra im e n t, re a s o n ­
able w ork a n d re a so n a b le le isu re , th e c u ltiv a tio n of th e ta s te s , th e
a c q u is itio n of know ledge, th e e n jo y m e n t of th e a rts , a n d it p ro m ises
fo r th e h u m a n rac e c o m fo rt, in d e p e n d en c e, in te llig e n c e , a n d above
a ll, lib e rty . I t m ean s th e a b o litio n of s e c ta ria n fe u d s, of th e o lo g ­
ical h a tre d s. I t m eans th e c u ltiv a tio n of frie n d s h ip a n d in te lle c tu a l
h o s p ita lity . I t m ean s liv in g fo r o u rselv es a n d each o th e r; fo r th e
p re s e n t in s te a d of th e p a st; fo r th is w orld r a th e r th a n fo r a n o th e r.
I t m ean s th e rig h t to e x p re ss y o u r th o u g h t in sp ite of popes, a n d
p rie s ts a n d gods. I t m ean s t h a t im p u d e n t id le n e ss sh a ll no lo n g er
live u p o n th e la b o r of h o n e st m en. I t m ea n s th e d e s tr u c tio n of th e
b u sin e ss of th o s e who tr a d e in fea r
I t p ro p o se s to give s e re n ity an d c o n te n t to th e h u m a n so u l. I t
will p u t o u t th e fires of e te r n a l pain. I t is s triv in g to do aw ay w ith
vio len ce a n d vice, w ith ig n o ran c e, p o v erty a n d d isease. I t lives fo r
th e e v e r-p re s e n t to - day , a n d th e ev er-ch an g in g to - morrow . I t d o es
n o t believe in p ra y in g a n d receiv in g , b u t in e a rn in g an d d eserv in g .
I t re g a rd s w ork as w orship, la b o r as p ra y e r, a n d w isdom as th e
sa v io r of m a n k in d . I t says to every h u m an being: “ T ake c a re of
y o u rse lf, so th a t y o u m ay be able to help o th e rs ; a d o rn y o u r life
w ith th e gem s c a lle d good d eed s; illu m in e y o u r p a th w ith th e s u n ­
lig h t c a lle d frie n d s h ip a n d love.”
S e c u la rism is a re lig io n —a relig io n th a t is u n d e rs to o d . I t h as
no m y ste rie s, no m u m m e rie s, no p rie s ts , no cerem o u ies, no fa ls e ­
hoods, no m ira c le s, a n d no p e rse c u tio n s. It c o n sid e rs th e lilies of
th e field, a n d ta k e s th o u g h t fo r th e m orrow . It say s to th e w hole
w orld: “ W ork, t h a t y o u m ay eat, d r in k a n d be c lo th e d ; w ork, th a t
y o u m ay e n jo y ; w ork, t h a t y o u m ay n o t w an t; w ork, t h a t y o u m ay
give, a n d n e v e r n e e d .”
N IN T H SU ND AY.
F
; £
Tribal Society— Endogamous Metronymic
Hordes.
BY F. II. GIDDINGS, PROFESSOR OF SOCI­
OLOGY IN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.
w
(F ro m “ E le m e n ts of S o cio lo g y .” )
H FT Y -F IR S T . Can we blame £
X
E have no m eans of know ­
X
the Hebrews for getting tired £
X
ing how long ago hands
of their God? Never was a £
of hum an beings first de­
people so m urdered, starved, stoned, £
veloped into tru e tribal organiza­
burned, deceived, hum iliated, rob- X
tions. Yet, while the actu al tim e
bed and outraged. Never was there £
X th a t has elapsed since the forms of
so little liberty am ong men. Never £
X
A social organization began to appear
did the m eanest king so meddle, £
X
I among m ankind will probably never
eavesdrop, spy out, harass, torm ent £
X be measure«!, we can determ ine with
an d persecute his people. Never X
X a close approach to accuracy the
was ruler so jealous, unreasonable,
successive stages through which
contem ptible, exacting and ignorant
organization has passed in its evo­
as this God of the Jews.
Never
lution. In this respect the study
was such cerem ony, such m um m ery,
of the history of society is not u n ­
such stuff' about bullocks, goats,
like the study of geology, in which
doves, red heifers, lam bs, and u n ­
the m easurem ent of time periods is
leavened dough — never was such
all but impossible, while the order
directions about kidneys and blood, x -»►
in which the successive rock form a­
ashes and fat, about cu rtains, tongs, i
tions and the successive living sp e­
fringes, ribands and brass pins—
cies appeared, is known with p rac­
never such details for killing of
tical certainty.
anim als and men and the sp rin ­
This knowledge is obtained from
kling of blood and the cutting of
two sources. One is a study of
clothes. Never were such unjust
words and usages which, in existing
laws, such punishm ents, such dam n ­
social organization, are evidently
ed ignorance and infam y!
survivals from an earlier tim e. The
F ifty - second . I s it not w onder­ x
x♦
«►
other is a study of the relatio n s of
ful th a t the creator of all worlds, X
existing social forms to one an o th er.
infinite in power and wisdom ,could X
It enables us to discover which are
not hold his own against the.gods
the earlier and which the later
of wood and stone? Is it not strange £
modes of social co-operation. To
th a t after he had appeared to his £
pursue the details of such studies,
choseu people, delivered them from
the stu d en t must acq u ain t him self
slavery, fed them by m iracles, open­
with the researches of folk-lore,
ed the sea for a path, led them by £
philology, archaeology and e th n o l­
cloud and fire, and overthrow n £
ogy. W ithout attem p tin g here Io
th eir pursuers, they still preferred a £
enum erate the detailed evidences
calf of their own m aking? Is it £
upon which they rest, we will, in
not beyoud belief th a t th is God, by
statu tes and com m andm ents, by sold them to Ja b in , king of C anaan, dau g h ter to God, and w hat you this chapter, m erely sum m arize the
punishm ents and penalties, by re- to the P hilistines, and to the c h ild -> th in k of a God who would receive more im p o rtan t conclusions th a t
w ards and promises, by wonders ren of A m m on? Is it possible th at such a sacrifice. This one story have been d ra w n , bv com petent in ­
and plagues, by earth q u akes and an angel of the Lord devoured un- should be enough to make every vestigators from m aterials of vari­
pestilence, could not in the least leavened cakes and broth with fire tender and loving father hold this ous kinds in regard to the order in
civilize th e 'J e w s —could not get th at cam e out of the end of a stick book in u tter abhorrence.
Is it which the chief steps in the evolu­
them beyond a point where they de- aH he sat under an oak tree? (Judges necessary, in order to he saved, th at tion of tribal society probably oc­
served killing?
W hat shall we vi, 21). Can it be tru e th a t God one must believe th at an angel of curred.
th in k of a God who gave his entire made known his will by making God appeared unto M anoah in the
T he E arliest H ordes .— Long be­
tim e for forty years to the work of dew fall on wool w ithout wetting absence of her husband; th a t this fore there where any true clans or
converting three m illions of people, the ground around it? (Judges vi, angel afterw ard went up in a flame tribes in hum an populations, the
and succeeded in getting only two 37). Ho you really believe that of fire; th a t as a resu lt of this visit prevailing social organization was
men, and not a single woman, de- men who lap w ater like a dog make a child was horn whose strength probably a mere horde in which
Ceut enough to enter the promised the best soldiers? (Judges vii, 5 / was in his h a ir? a child th a t made family relations were irreg u lar and
land? W as there ever iu the his- Do you think a m an could hold a beehives of lions, incendiaries of u n s ta b le ,in w h ic h d e s c e n tw a s tra c -
tory of m an so detestable an adm in- lam p in his left h an d , a trum pet foxes, and had a wife th a t wept ed through m others only, and in
istratio n of public affairs? Is it in his right hand, blow his trum pet, seven days to get the answer to his which the m ating of men and im ­
possible th a t God sold his children shout “ the sword of the Lord and riddle? W ill the w rath of God men, seldom the result of any inter-
to the king of M esopotam ia; th a t he of G ideon,” and break pitchers at abide forever upon a m an for doubt- m ingling of the members of one
♦These 6i reason» fiom Ingersoll are now to be th e s a m e tim e . ( J u d g e s vi, 20).
^*8 the story th a t Sam son killed a group with those of another, was
had o f the N. Y. T ruth Seeker a n d in V olum e 11
V tl - t v T m p n
Read the story of thousand men with a new jaw bone? practically wholly w ithin the group
of the D resden E d itio n . J hey were w ritten in
r i M P lH IK U .
th e *os, b ut not published t d l a fte r his death. We t _ U d , o k
U : . u ..
_,1
Is there enough in the Bible to save itself, which could therefore be de­
w ill p rin t them in p a rte —each p art reade as a J c p h l . i a h a n d
llis d a u g h t e r , a n d
whole. We do th is because u n til th e people are , L a n , ii
«
scribed as endogam ous. It m ust he
em an cip ated from the t a th o lic C hurch, the P ro t- th 11 te ll me w h d t
y o u t . lin k of a a soul with this story left out?
e sta n t Bible, a n d th e belief in “ th e su p e rn a tu r-
_ .L n
__
rem em bered, however, th a t strictly
a i,” th ere is no hope fo r th is w orld.—E d .T o r c h , father
wbo would sacrifice h is
(To be Continued.)
♦
♦