REPLY TO MATERIALISTS By Guy Filch Phelps. In The Silverton Journal of Deccin- live according to Christianity have no •<<r IHtii I find two article» by Free- need of feur regarding it, unless they linkrra; one from Mr». Bivvn, und the should come in contact with some chap other from a Mr. Hall, out in Michi who refuses to live a Christian life and gan. Mrs. Bllven'a uriicle contains sinks in the moral acule. Then after nothing worthy of not'.*!«. Il is u snarling ami snapping at my God, ax childish array of statements from sev he culls him, because he finds thut eral "prominent" er loading Free di scuse destroys men through trans thinker on what kind of a Sunday to gression, he turns his whole argument set up. I was amused to find that upside down by saying that these two they turn to the church for help. Their forces arc necessary in the universe, plan is to get the churchox to divide the god that builds and the god thut time with them. The fuct is they must destroys. It is reully amusing to see do something like that to get a crowd. how these infidels cross themselves. You see, nobody, tukes the ii.fidcl as Bul 1 would remind Mr. Hall that seriously as he would like to be tuken, if his theory be true thr.t there is no und it hurts his pride. The self ele God in the universe, then he is under ment in them is quite strong, and to onligatiun to explain where these be treated with ailent disregard, and germs he hates came from. Did they to see the millions going to church on cvolutionize ? Did his god of dirt Sunday to hear the sweet old stoiy create them ? He is compelled, ac of Jesus und his love makes them feel cording to his own belief, to admit like saying something very, very harsh. that they evolutionized with no ref I said in a former article that infidels, erence to God. Then why is he mad to be consistent, "should set up a Sun ut my Ged? Why don’t he get mad day with everything religious cut out. ut his mud god ? Just granting, Mr. What do you want to set up a question Hall, that there is no Infinite God, ax box for? Why do you want to uxk 1 believe, will you explain where quest! ”s about Christianity ? I these germs cume from? What wax thought you folks had decided that it your b axted evolution doing about is only superstition and a fraud, un- the time it created this "devil of a ^^'«sonable and disgusting? Well, if it germ?" And if the creation of it is is, why do you waste your time on the sufficient to make you mad at the God thing? Why don't you set up a Sun of the Bible, why, pleaxe, don’t you day with everything Christianity get mad at your god of dirt? The teaches, and ull matters of religion facts are if the laws of righteousness cut out ? Come now, don't be h> po- and health were observed, and had criles, make your Sunday just the they been observed, we would know reverse of ours. Will they? They will little of any disease. These disorders never sot up a Sunday ut all, they are the results of gluttony alcohol, im. haven't moral Aber enough to estab purity, and general transgression of lish anything moral, and they know it, the laws of health, as is proven by so the first thing they pa*i with their l»ettering conditions in any given city Sunday is to head into the Church. secti-n. Plenty of ice lowers the death Sure, 1 knew that. What a bunch of rate of children in the cities in the bigoted bluffers infidels are? As to summer. So thia might be carried learning about Washington and Lin on to many fields. It shows how little coln ad Paine (more Paine, you see) an Infidel has to stand on in his con and Jefferson, we have books which tention. And it shows another thingy give us the facta regarding them now, Infidels are not after science or facts and feel no need of getting a garbled half ns much as they are after getting hogwash from some infidel who feels God out of the universe. They hate the need of respectable associations God, and that I- the tap-root of al) and seeks to steal a few decent char their contention. But here let me ask acters from Christianity. Study tl e Materialists a question: What harm encyclopaedias. (would it do science on uny line to es Next comes an amusing little ar tablish the fact that there ia a God? ticle from Mr. Hall. I shall notice a I request that some of the leading Aw of his statements. He calls my freethinkers shall answer thia. Is it ^article the “big push,” and then pro not a fact that the leading evolution ceeds to reply—mark you, he calls his ists have believed in a God? Did Dar article a reply. I stated in a former win deny the existence of the Infinite? article that life is always constructive. If so. where? Pleaxe quote it. Is not That is true. But I did not say it ia the world stocked with the works of alwnya beneficial in its constructions, the leumed who studied every science A wart is constructive, also a cancer, and yet believed in God ? but not beneficial. Of course, being a Next Mr. Hall tells us that mole God-hater and anxious to say some cules crea e life (ye gods, hear that? thing bitter against religion, he could where is Darwin, who believed the no*, get that point. Life is airways very opposite) through "HEAT, SUN constructive, and the only evidence one and TEMPERATURE." Now talk has of its presence is that it is build about believing that God created ing something. The San Jose Scale is things by the power of all-might! an insect, male and iamala. They form What do you think of this? Life is colonies in the bark of troes, and pro created by molecules, acted upon by ceed to breed by the million. This is heat, sun and temperature. Will Mr. life, and it is constructive. Then Mr. Hall pleaxe tell us the difference be Hr.ll, like the good scientist he isn't, tween heat, sun and temperature? See proceeds to confuse germs and insects. what silly statements a Materialist I was imu;«d at what he had to say is compelled to make, simply because about the syphilis germ. He says it he undertakes to make a universe is a "devil of a germ." Mr. Hall evi without a God. Then he goes on to dently believes in the devil, from this. say that the "battle of the elements If he does not why did he say this is waged between construction and •b'-rm ia devilish ? Does he admit destruction," and that "one is just as Lmcthing in the universe that has the important ax the other.” Well, what nature of the devil? Certainly, he was he finding fault about germs for, does it in this statement. But does then ? he not know this is fatal to his other But a question right here: Has Mr. views of the universe ? I had to smile Hall ever seen a molecule? Does he at Mr. Hall’s bitterness against the definitely know that it exists? Is he syphilis germ. He Beems to have a certain that such a thing as an atom special spite at thiB germ. He says reully exists? Are scientists dog "it is a devil of a germ." Now I don’t matic on tnese points? Is this not, know much about this particular thing after all, a theory? It is claimed that as Mr. Hall seems to — every fellow in one cubic centimeter, which is to his own experience, you know — 0.3937 or two-fifths of an inch, there but I grant that it is some germ, and are 25—36 mil'ion million milli-n I can easily imagine such circum molecules. That means that the whole stances as would make a man very thing is a guess, for no gloss has bitter against it. If Mr. Hall has his ever been invented which could detect own reasons for his feelings in this one of them. Therefore, Mr. Hall is matter he ia to be borne with in all building his theory of life on some patience, But in passing I would re- thing which he has never seen, never mind him that thia germ la not an can see, and does not know certainly animal. I had occasion to examine it that it exists. He tells us that he has nder the glass recently, and say on much more to say on this line in the le authority of a local physician that future. Really, if what he has is not this germ is not mobile, if it is, better than this, we may be pardoned nothing is gained or lost, for ‘where for hoping that the spirit will not the laws of purity are observed it move him. For if Mr. Ha’l is not is never heard of, and a man who conscious that he is absurd, others sinks to the level of swine shou'd are. have a swine’s reward. I was also It may not be improper to say that struck with his remarks regarding the Materialists share in the common creation where God said, "Be fruitful traits of the race. They would have and multiply.” Mr. Hall seems to be one believe that they are candid, quite angry to find that God did not thirsting for facts, dying to know the mean free love when he said that. He truth, etc. Yet the real truth is they practically finds fault because the are set to establish their views of dif multiplying cannot go on immorally ferent things, and they dread to meet without evil results. I refer the read a man who can show that they are er to his article to see that I am not absurd in anything, and they usually misquoting him. This is a sample of meet that man with snarls and bitter infidel motals. Has Mr. Hall never ness. Alpheus Hyatt, a strong mat read: “He that soweth to his flesh erialistic evolutionist, says: “A scien shall of the flesh reap corruption?" tific man who has a theory to support I thank God that men can’t play the is as stubbornly difficult to convince, and escape punishment. God even on clear evidence, as any other thing to do with the ravages of man.” That is certainly true. Like this germ. If men live purely they Mr. Hall, he wou’d declaré that mole will kn'-'w nothing of it. Those who cules create life rather than own the t absurdity of such a statement, be cause, if he does not say that, he might huve to conceed something that would go to prove the existence of God. Like the scientific professor of Padua, who would not look through the telescope lest he discover the moon« of Jupiter, they close their eyes to the reasonable and gulp down ab surdities. Is it not true that one sci entist undoes by his discoveries the dogmatic theories of another? Do not scientists today reject Darwin’s theo ry of evolution? They have just done so at Melbourne, calling it a super stition. Sir William Thompson se riously declared in the presence of the leading scientists of the world that life came to this planet on a meteor from some other planet, and learned heads nodded, and scientists in the amen corner of the god of dirt said Amen, and Amen. Let that have time to soak In. Meantime, Mr. Hall is asked to harmonize himself with his more learned materialistic brother. These are the fellows who worship at clay banks and sneer at God. These are the people who «ay prayers to buthybius and sneer at immortalitiy; and then they wonder why folks re- futie to take th*m seriously. Since Werner there huve been more than a score of geological hypotheses, many of which would excite laughter if mentioned now, and yet these evange lists of mud declared them as profound dogma» to be received in the name of science. Poor word, how many little fish seek to make a respectable swim of ft in the latitudes of the term. Some chap Like Hall will declare that molecules create life, thereby dis agreeing with the leading scientists of the world, and then close by ask ing for a scientific God. The really sad part of this is that he doesn't seem to know just how absurd he is. One hundred years, or so, ago, the French Institute enumerated no fewer than eighty geological theories that were hostile to the Bible, while not one of those theories are held today, the Bible is doing business at the old stand. Th theory of Lovoisier as to respiration "Was exploded in an hour." Once heat was said to be matter, now they tell us it is motion, what will they call it tomorrow? Huxley waged war for his theory of live - giving bathybius, but discovered his mistake and abandoned the theory. Sir Wm. Thompson announced his theory of life coming to this earth on a fragment of rock from some other planet (an ab surdity considered even in the light of gravity), but abandoned it in one year. Strange that none of those apostles of dirt, who heard him say that, ventured to ask him how life reached the other planet. The theory that man is directly descended from the monkey has been universally re jected. For it has been proved that monkeys and men develop in opposite directions. The discovery of argon has played havoc with many nice little theories of so-called scientific men. Huxley wisely said that all scientists should be killed at sixty because they refuse to yield to new ideas. The whole pith of science is strewn with the wreckage of rejected theories, and who may say what that is axr**"--dly believed among them today will be cast to the scrapheap tomorrow. Al ready science has rejected Darwin’s theory. Materialistic evolution can never arrive; it will be a hobo forever. MATERIALIST COLUMN Edited by Eliza Mowry Bliven, Brook lyn, Conn. I am glad several are answering Mr. riielp’8 unscientific and misleading arguments, so I can more especially help evolution of methods, to develop more intelligence, morality, health, justice, good citizenship, etc. For 1500 years the Christians’ rul ing and methods have been swaying the so-called civilized portions of the world. Yet even Guy Phelps acknowl edges that the majority of church members are not good Christians. There are bad citizens and good citi zens in every church and in every religion, and also outside of all rel igious beliefs. It is evident that none of the Gods, nor their sacred books, have the power to make all their fol lowers moral, nor wise, nor healthy. What is it that has and does this in some people? What is lacking in the Christians’ methods that they do not make all people moral ? Guy Phelps claims that to Chris tianity belongs all the virtues, morals and all other good qualities of man kind. That is his bluff and Chris tians’ self-conceit. Centuries before Christianity was born, all those qual ities were taught and practiced by many wise and good peop'e, especially in ancient Greece, and more or less in all the ancient civilized and half civilized nations. People could never have built cities and lived together unless they had some justice, virtues, kindness, that made laws or public sentiment requiring regard for others’ rights and welfare. Materialists have just as much right to claim and teach all these qualities as Christians have. And since Chris tians’ methods have failed in making all mankind moral and the majority of church members are not what they ought to b«, some of ua Materialists, who believe in evolution of Intelligence and morality as well as evolution of plants and animals, are trying to find out the causes of the Christians’ fail ures, and to help toward evolution of better, more effective methods. We are willing to give cre<lit and use what ever beneficial methods the Christians have evolved, while we weed out the “husk»*’ they feed to the peop'e in place of strengthening mental and moral food. Belief in rewards and punishments after death, forgiveness of sins, the Bible as truth and a moral guide, faith in prayer and belief in any kind of a God or future life, are all husk». They are imaginations, not realities. Morality can be promoted in better, surer ways. (To be continued.) Eliza Mowry Bliven. • • Marshall J. Gauvin is Rationalist Lecturer in Pittsburg, Pa. Selections (rum his unxwer to my etter. lx:t me assure you that you have misjudged treethought meeting« in concluding that they do not draw women. I have an audience of about six hundred people every Sunday, and when we have Carnegie Music Hall, on the North Side, our audience runs up to about a thousand; and in those large audiences the women are always as numerous and as enthusiastic as the men. We certainly do draw the women. Mothers come with their daughters, and fathers bring their sons. With respect to the question box . . at Sunday meetings, I think I am th< only Freethought lecturer in this coun try who has reduced the asking and answering of questions down to a science. At the close of each lecture we have the people place their written questions in the collection baskets. In this way, from twenty to forty are handed to the platform every Sunday. While they are supposed to have Borne direct bearing upon the lecture of the evening, they frequently deal with most various phases of the Free- though question. These questions are read aloud to the audience by the Chairman; and 1 make answer im mediately. 1 answer as lengthy and fully as the question calls for, when I can. So far 1 have been remarkably successful in this w-rk, so much so indeed, that the society, holding that some of my best work is done in the question box hour; have engaged a stenographer to take down the ques tions and answers in shorthand, and transcribe them in type writing. The object is to publish a selection of the best questions and answers in pam phlet form. A series may appear in “Truth Seeker” in the near future. Tins feature of ourprogram is so high, ly appreciated that scores of our mem bers declare that much as they like and enjoy the lectures, they appreci ate yet more fully the immense am usement and instruction of the ques tion box. My lectures usually round up in an hour and as a rale it lakes me as long to dispose of the questions, and the vast audience remains g'ued to the seats until the last gun has been fired. To hand in the questions one week and answer them the next as you suggest, would lack almost all the in terest that our system possesses. What gives our method its great force, its tremendous interest and its genuine qualities of interaction, is me fact that there is immediateness and spontane ity about it. The question does not get old. The question does not lose interest. There is no going home to look up references. This question is like a ball thrown by a pitcher and I intercept it on its way and hurl it from the bat. It means twice the work for me, but I enjoy it, and would not give it up for anything, if I could re tain it as a privilege. But there is not the slightest danger of its being diy.ant.inued: for it is one of the great sources of our power; it fills our halls; it is a standing certification that we have nothing to hide. It gives the audience pleasure as well as profit; and it is an excellent training for me. I really have my hands full here. My lectures must be scholarly and pol ished to satisfy not only the audience, but myself. My power depends absol utely on the quality of my work. My work here is a mighty force working for clearer intellect and finer morals. Like you I would love to see a lec ture platform\like mine in every city of this vast country. It will come, I am making Freethinkers many. Men and women come with their friends to have me influence them. They come again. The charm seems to be ir resistible. I make Freethinkers of them. We have a fine literature table. All in all we are doing a very great work. Then I do some private work. Men have me visit their homes to con. verse with their wives or friends. To morrow night I am to spend a few hours with a doctor’s family. I know of no more effective method than this on a for the winning of some people. In my address I studiously avoid giv ing offense to any, but send home the logic, humor, wit and galore. Yours most faithfully, MARSHALL J. GAUVIN. 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