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Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, January 20, 1907.
Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, January 20, 1907. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, KY 1907 blu1907012001 These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, January 20, 1907. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, KY 1907 $IMLS This electronic text file was created by Optical Character Recognitio n (OCR). No corrections have been made to the OCR-ed text and no editing has be en done to the content of the original document. Encoding has been done through an automated process using the recommendations for Level 1 of the TEI in Librar ies Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file. 1 w w- ji IIIIIIIIIIII Ei 4 i I t f GRASSr BLADEl ffT TRULHdVOLUME XV NUMBER 41 asf LEXINGTON KY JANUARY 20 1907 PUBLISHED WEEKLY 150 A YEA R IN ADVANCE ROME BOOK PRAISED BY PRESS AND PEOPLE Opinion Upon Its Merits As a Contra f button To American Freethought Literature and Its Value For j Real Missionary Effort In the Cause of Intel lectual Freedom READ WHAT OTHERS SAY AND IF YOU HAVE NOT COPY GET ONE The value of tae Rome Book by J B Wilson to the cause of Fre thought Is amply demonstrated the many comments made upon It b the Frcethought press of America and the numerous commendatory let ters that are coming In from Free thought publications over the land The Blade has urged from time t0of time the necessity of securing a wider distribution of this book as a mission k ary undertaking for It Is well calcu lated to open the eyes of the orthodox wherever one can be found with cour age enough to read It The book ought tOjthdve another edition and then an other for It is complete unanswerable and will stand as an Important part of American literature 4 It there are any Freethinkers wh have not read the book or are doubt concerning its merits let the read what the press and the people have to say about it In the fallowing lA comments From the Searchlight Trip to Rome is the tlooat 1 11119- t elC oithe Blue Grass Blade of Lexington KyDr Wilson was ono of the few Americansin attendance at the Inter national Freethought Congress that convened in the City of Romp Italy September 1901 and this book con tains an account of that Congress and of the writers travels elsewhere dur ing that tripcBooks of are not as original and striking as is this cne Dr Wilson has succeeded In relatln the story of what he saw and heart- and In conveying to the reader his pressions thcicof In a most charming mann r It Is in no way an echo some guidebook as so many of sac pllbllcatlonsnreDr to have looked through his own eyes at what he saw- r likewise he listened with his own ear at what he heard and then of it all he t wrote the impressions thus created in i his mindFrom Higher Science r Dr John B Wilson of Cincinnati 0 whose portrait is presented this month as Frontispiece is one of the best known Atheists in America and one who Is probably doing as much or more to tree humanity from the mental slavery of superstition and the physical slavery of capitalism than any other one person on this continent first remember him In tine U S Dis trict Court at Cincinnati fighting in defense of tho late Editor C Moore of tine Blue Grass Blade who hail the habit of telling too much truth about our dear heavenly father and our blessed savior to suit religious bosses As you remember ho was persecuted for a long time and sent to the Ohio States prison for two year- but was finally rescued by Dr ihto sons untiring energy and ability as n advocatej elected President of the American Secular Union In 169 and later President of the National Liberal Party now the American Freethought Association During his term of office as President of tine bitt body ho was sent as American del gate to represent us at the Intern- tlonal Liberal Congress held nt Rome in September 1901 and of which he has written a most inters ing and Instructive book A Trip Rome which I mentioned last moot- Dr Wilson is still a young man force and energy and It Is to be hop that Freethinkers will see to It his great ability will hereafter be kept busily employed In travel and publish affordYto buy his works let mo say you can i i ili L tJ IlIlf i iz i balways find tSem In our Los Angeles Liberal Club library The leaves about the size of this aad tlero are 360 pages one of whji Is filled with good It Is a jpc that no Freethink should bo witluiut and It would he a good thing Iffevery Christian in this country T d it It has n flno Imlftone of DrTjjjVilsons portrait and also one of the mument of Giordano Bruno tho 1as great scientist the church ever dare ito burn at the state Every reader offilJgher Science should have this spl book From the H anltarian Review This Is ant that should be of great interest tciJSe general reader on account of Its jjjrfvld nail instructive narrative of a European trip by a wide awake observerittguid of special inter est to all Rationalists on account of Its quite fu1port of tho great Worlds Congress of Freethinkers at Home In 1904 I4d Its chapters on How Pagan Ro e Became Christian and Churches Sf Rome The book authoro tineYflnlshed my reading of the book I hope to be able to of it at greater length at somtJtime in the near fu ture The author In his preface says his alms have aimed to hold tho mirror up to nature giving the reader a glimpse of sea and skyof sunshine and storm of mountain and valley of landscape and city of agriculture and manufacture of history and biography of architecture and ruin of government and church ofjpoetry and art of science and progress of the moral and ohnmindmof his travels and sightseeing on sea andlanC but to the great gress he devot seventy pages of the bookto myf d the most valuablo port Ii Of F irt eralRevlew Drlrlo o Cincinnati Jhlo well known as a prolific andj ersatlle writer of pro nounced brilfrancy comes a now ume He was tho representative at the Rome convention In 1904 of the National Liberal Party and has not only given expression to his expert ences while acting as a delegate to this convention but has also narrated his impressions of civic and moral conditions In different cities of rope visited by him Also his craft clams of Medieval art as expressed o architectureoFrom contrlbt u Ifteraturh to by Dr J B son of Cincinnati James E Hughes Lexington Ky publisher The book contains 350 pagees is well hound and gives a full account of Dr Wilsons trip to the Holy City as President and American delegate to the first great International Free Thought Congress which convened In Rome September 21 1904 Dr Wilson has spared no pains his effort to take his friends with him on his wonderful trip for besides his account of the great Liberal Congress in Rome the titles of the various chapters here given a splendid idea of what tho reader may expect Chapter I is entitled the Ocean Voy age and then follow Stratford upon Avon London Paris Up tile Rhine Switzerland Italy Venice The Doges Palace Florence Rome the Great Liberal Congress How Paga Rome became Christian Churches Rome Naples Pompeii and Capri antHomeward Bound The author has taken unusual bring all the features of his trip in toof vivid display for the benefit of la readers sari no Freo Thinker should without this book 9From the Ingersoll Beacon Dr J B Wilson of Cincinnati has the thanks of the Ingersoll Beac Co for n copy of his book A Trip partor conn and instructive volume Wo bcespeak a large circula ilea for It sari hope to soon have It on tosolo at the Beacon office Thaddeus Wakeman Reviews ofTrlp To Rome edThis the most real vivid lively Europeat n yet who begin will surely finish and then feel that Dr Wilson has practically taken them Continued on Pace Four tr a j WITH ITS SWEET LAUGH Even a Little Child Shall Lead Them Into the Path of Right Doing and Wholesome Moral Virtue To Useful Life WHAT WOMEN CAN DO WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER BY HELEN H PLULLBRICK Dear Brother and Sister Freethinkers and Socialists After a long struggle some twenty five years with theological subter fuges for morality later with a but severe struggle with the political forces which employ these subterfuges to entrap the people have discovered the secret of tile whole chaotic ture Is a little word of three letters a awayotoo much elaboration I want to tell you as our Spiritualist medium friends day that Instead of trying to adjl my groaning protest to the ever Increasing wiles of cur prosperity that moms only tho mighty rlseofend of the social balancethat o Itself Insures the fall I mean to try my hand at teaching a really and Sunday School tatting up all three the branches of tue freedom movement Freetbought Socialism and the true morality between the sexes have but one pupil that I am assure of It Is a bright eyed live earnest reasoning little girl of eight years who claims ancestry on both sides the house from the old Massachusetts stock that came over on tho May flower for the right to think We are several degrees freer now than then but it seems there is mu sic In the air today portending other revolutions possibly more thanln therte 11Q teaching of the wee ones that includ forbuilding a tearing down of the old capitalistic orthodox falsehood might be Brea and inclusive enough to put down the opposition to moral teachings on no basis and insure a certain degree o harmonious reasoning even in the hot 1lied of orthodox blindness Time and experience will prove if I am right or not and in the mean time for greater alncooperation to this extent Will you please send me humorous poems showing forth the ridiculous of the orthodox capturing proposition that takes away the right to think orhtos dokeo in order to hold us up and fleece our pockets I am sure many of you will have clippingS of a ht morous nature that can be read an recited that will bring home the truth better than long harrangues especially when given by tile children who have no political interests at stake A select few of the most advanced thinkers women thinkers in th annsupply a few more pupilssWe shall show go to lbamethodssstealing which they must always low In If they wish to steal and not get caught but that until they may live In the cooperative commonwealth they must learn this scientific stealln anti become apt In It or become common beggar shall call things by their names floop up roots of words and histories of words and try In every way to show he babies the truth by the natur evolutionary processes Possibly some you can parody old timo songs n poems to suit the occasion and ti bCideal It you can we will esteem It a favor We have for a part of our w decoration and lesson foundations charts by T B Wakeman and Lest onWard which nicely show the truth reltgloof0I and commodious room for our excl slve use Cartooning of the orthodox falsehoods as well as the capitalist- robbery will be welcomed and gra fully received as decorations for lesspnsItpublic schools nothing short of co ardlce and folly for the socialistic freethought women to hesitate to Itout boldly In Sunday School teaching of the truth tho whole truth and noth ing but the truth but with a rare ft exceptions I find all women cowar who like to be led by the nose by their male superiors I do not believe Socialism will ever In the world be aught fiut a suppresses rebellion till womenwll take the public teaching of children out of the hands of ministers nn tile church and teach it from a trutUful basis see no hope for martyred men till womans reason backed by c urago comes to tho rescue njistakenCor and Dayton avenue Los AngelefJ Cal THE4 VALUE OF ORGANIZATION 1 A FewjWords of Encouragement From the National Organizer of the HumanitytBY W H KERR In the progress of knowledge aldIandHoheaven and hell myths and death the lifeThosetheC1furch of Humanity to enable to promulgate their discoveries and hand them down to their poster idolatryfliOn January 1907 too church had IIladetof the i should be The drat 1000 members will be the thisddelegate convention of the church to formalI organize and Incorporate It Tne balance of the Blade readers should seize this opportunity to unite wltirjuls society at once Plea e copy following applies tIii j membership and answer all faheffijystlons correctly Then forward to be recorded in the Church Roll God to be a fabulous be Icloso tr tiei tlflcaieYo f graduation hi the knowledge of God and life membership In the Church of Humanity Name address age sex prde Add 25 cents for a years sUbscrlp Trutfh national Organizer W H Kerr Great Bend Kansas ROMISH EDITOR ON WOME Discusses the Dizzy Females of PronouncesdJust a Frank Statement COMMENT ON ARTICLE BY A BLADE CONTRIBUTOR BURNIIAJdour newspapers ays alwayfSentinel as aI chivalrous old chap but the following from his paper will be rcpt to many change their opinion Womeng thawomen In the Bible were wicked and selfish Eve forced Adam ALTsfirst made her hu henalana born toI Ilannilulldernei sq dieIentercallsoshors secure blessing for her favorite Jacobs wife Rachel uspd to sell her husband by the night to her leant she stolo the ICfcorteseenllst him on the way to Egypt nn Called him a obllsg to father kdbabnep s on him and smote her with leprosy on fe wflsContinued on Page Four l fW BEWARE THE CLOVEN FOOT Revealed In War of National Reform Association Which Is Again Trying To Get uod In Federal Constitution 3OME OF THEIR- CURRESPONLJENCE UPBLISHED CONTRIBUTED With this send you a copy of a letter received ba neighbor mine who wrote to the Rev Wilbur F Crafts for information as to the par pose of The National Reform Associa cotion1 he copy Is the same words as the original One sweet is tho letter Itselfth and the other fs tie heading to The circular part belongs in this open space at the top but could not confine myself to their boundaries sari Kicked over limits just as would any other theological restrictions They go tit all In In fine print The fine hand of the said association Is at work In this State now The ministers of the State are circulating petitions to the legislature to submit an amend meat to the State Constitution that it may be changed so loaf the Sunday laws may be made consltutlonal The whole clerical influence of the East Is being centered on Calif to make her havo a Sunday law whether she wants It ornot The Freethinkers of tho Unifed States who cannot even main in an organization will sit up some a and tape notice when they find themselves In straight jackets and tho clericals In control of government- I hand you also a circular being distributed by the Seventh Dad Ad ventlsts You can use these as you see fit iYpurs A FRIEND ThIttorrls r3co da zt1U aij cry othesoclety which Is elaborately gotten up and gives a long string of name of preachers who are officers of tine society In the center of the totter head Is a circle descriptive of Full Orbed Christianity and show Ing the Divided Hemisphere On one side of the orb Is printed tie fol lowing God Heaven theologu Love DoctrinalIItion of Individuals The Savlorshlp of Jesus the glory of God Gifts to Charities Heart Worship The Lords Da Prayeriul Piety Look Up Save thNopposite the above and which Is ce talnly far superior see read Man Hu manity Sociology Love to Man man Brotherhood Ethtlcal Standards Justice to Employers The Merchants Socred Desk Regeneration of Society Tho Kinship of Christ The of God Gifts to Reform Divine Ser ice Anno Domini Philanthropy LI Up Save Man Vote We As for the totter Itself it will speak In more forceful arguments than any Icould mule and It should warn a Liberals and patriots to be tally aware the cloven foot which Is now dis played so openly The letter reads Waseington D C July 27 Mr Santa Calif Dear Sir and Brother tosDr we will say that according to our un derstanding the main purpose of the ettothe name of God into the Constitution of the United States at livelyave that Dr Wiley Secretary of the Asso ciation has recently published valuable book giving the Sabbath laws of all States All States havei Sabbath laws with the exception of California Idaho and the District Columbia We are doing all that can to secure a proper law for this District but have been balked for many years by the Seventh DayI Adventists 20000 of whom do petitioning than tweptyslx millions of IJRSSIedgives a mere fragment of agood Sun day law closing provision stores only We have boon agitating tho Allen rbit copy of which we enclose For further Information In regard to the National Reform Association wo Ii would suggest that you write to Dr McAllister editor of the Christian Statesmen Allegheny Penna Yours for a better country and a holler world here and now B B BASSETT Genl Secy HOW IT LOOKS TO A FREETHINKER r ffJtChurchMass Meeting In Name of Freedom BY A FRIEND Tho following news item clipped t from the Boston Dally Post of Janu ary 15 under appropriate headlines ntains Intelligence that Is very re and am sure It will be read deep Interest by the patrons of e Blue Grass DladetlAbout 500 Italians ef the North tend met last evening In Union Hall 144 NorU street and discussed at length the recent controversy between the government and church In France Addresses were made by C CirinofMazzarella B Gentile and anzl C F Clamps presided jlateda to tfic French consul for transmissionsto the French minister of the Interior iWhereas the French republic v7 with the church and state separation law has affirmed the right of free fiithought which Is essential In redeem ing humanity from superstition and ji prejudice i Whereas by said law an obstacle has been removed from the path of progress which will replace dogmas with science Be It resolved that we Italians of Boston In mass meeting assemble approve of action of France In separating the church from the state rand hope that Italy will soon follow her example 1 UbUthtIU lnof the Pope held a mass meeting dnt Faneuil Hall and the Cradle of Lib erty was made to rock with bitter denunciation of the French govern f 1ellcsstage kissed the ring on the finger ii1COllowlngsave extended reports of the meethngp funder headlines made from their larger type NItlfu1rest possible wordsI1To read the report of the Faneull Hall meeting one would holed to sup t1i pose the American Catholics were n IJunit In support of the policy of the inft J a priest show us that such is not the case and that the schism in that church Is wide and t canltinuerlthe Vatican It Is very evident the leaven of Freethought is worldngrithere as well as In till the other re ligious organizations and that eventu ally reason will be tile guiding star cf all the people on tiie earth- ORGANIZATION epMany readers of the Blade are FOUNDERS and CHARTER MEM DEnS of tho CHURCH OF HUMAN 1TY All should be For particulars ash the INTERNATIONAL ORGAN IZER W H KERR Great Bend Kansas Enclose 25 cents for the church paper The Truth About God arIt Is Our Fault IRscol 0l write you these few thejweek to ten days late and my last1a came two weeks late received the issue of Deecember 30th an Janutary 12th which puts mo two copies short I dont want to complain but would llko you would mall my paper as soon as possible so that It swill make different connections and not bo carried all around I am always anx ious for my paper I am sending you a few clippings by same mall You may tape my name for one of the Moore books when completed JOHN lcFARLAND l l r rITHE BLUE GRASS BLADE f HPnbliihed at Lexington Kentucky Every Sunday founded 1884 and edited by Charles Chilton Moore up to i his Heath February 7 1006 i JAMES B HUGHES Editor and Publisher SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mail postpaid 150 per in advance t Trial subscription cents per month All foreign subscription postpaid 200 per year perfADVERTISING RATES ALL ADVERTISEMENTS of whatsoever character accepted r will be published at the rate of 100 per inch per J month unless by special contract when other and bet ter rates will be quoted upon application The phb l Ushers have the right to reject any advertis- menta offered GENERAL BUSINESS RULES 11 SUBS CRIPTIOINS to the Blade will be discontinued at f the expiration of the term for which the subscription has been paid up in advance The address on paper will show subscribers the date of expiration of subscription Back numbers or numbers omitted be t sent if for upon renewal in case of discontin uance SAKE ALL money orders drafts checks etc payable to r JAMES HUGHES Lexington Ky as will facilitate collection r SHOULD ANY SUBSCRIBER change his or her address ad I vise this office giving both old and new and the Blade will be sent to the new address as desired THE OFFICE of publication of the Blade is at 55 Wes + Short Street Lexington Kentucky to which all Free thinkers will be given a hearty welcome rHE BLADE is entered at the Postoffice at Lexington tucky as second class mailing matter ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS to THE BLUE BLADE P 0 Box 303 Lexington Ky On with the fight- S r r r Universal Mental Liberty S s r s Do you realise what that means S s s r Give the subject a thorough analysis S r r Human reason is the flaming torch of progress s r r All creeds must be tried and tested by conduct- r r r The world demands that we try to bereal men and women S rr r There is nothing but a vicious degradation in Christian charity S r s Never abridge tho equal right or privilege of any other person t W a L ryour works slunesorAtthnt the world L may i know what is in you fW fi V r r s s So shape your life that others maybe better be cause you have lived S s It is the duty of every man to be larger and bet ter than his money s s k1 Freethought is a question of positive good and human usefulness to all tN r r t The Christian religion is left to become a monu t ment to envy and spite s r riserpauperIsm r s s v Some New York women announce that they will attempt the silence cure If kept up it is war IArauted to kill quickly and easily r r s s whJiMr cars instead of going after porters S r r r ifl An Illinois man committed forgery that he might maintain his social positon Now he is able to live up to all social demands without incurrng J additional expense r s s s The Swiss who claims to have sampled 1783 kinds of sausage must have had more than one sit 7 ting held a long continuous session or else the it beer was plentiful and unusually good s r r if Many are kept in poverty and want suffering and shame without hope or prospect of Improve ment simply because they do not understand to ap preciate the difference between I Unwilling and t I will s r r fICpeople can again dream of peace Roose velt is not going to take holy orders the Japs are I not going to capture San Francisco and the Pope of Rome has launched another encyclical at the 1tFreneh Separation law s s r W goesintoMany are crushed in the fight Few meet with gallantfightthe character and ability of the men who stand behind its guns s r r s What have you done during the past year Cast up your balances Are they on the debit or credit side Have you exerted your talents to the utmost and measured your abiljty to the full limit of energy for the betterment of the race If not why not You can do better See that the Blade gets I 1 v r into more homes this year and let it curry the gospel of freedom and happiness to others r r r s Time very essentials of the Christian religion de pend absolutely upon the inerrancy of the scripI lures Revelation and Miracle are both necessary to support them Lacking intrinsic truth socalled evidences are adduced in behalf of the faith whirh only create wider and greater doubt against which those evidences have to contend Freethought is the natural recoil from one extreme to the other und it is the finality of philosophical argument and deductions s Christian institutions and the slaves to supersti tious creeds arc being called upon to weep and pray with suffering priests in Infidel France Time gas when the people suffered at the hands of those very same priests but the latter never wept or prayed Somehow their tearglands lacked a hair trigger attachment and their sob machine wouldnt work They never dreamed of that hereafter which has now come upon them with such avenging force Weeping and praying will avail them not s r THE CAUTIOUS AND STATIS TICAL CHRIST There arc a large number of people who express wonder and astonishment why there should exist such a widespread prejudice against organized charity and leery it with vigorous earnestness Was it not John Boyle OReilly who once wrote Organized charity scrimped and iced In the name ofa cautious statistical Christ and could not this seutiment have found its origin in the very conditions existing among the various associations for the disbursement of charity with contactSmay poetry in the rhyme There is never a society under whatsoever name which has for its principal business the dis pensation of charity upon an organized plan hut what its workings are conducted upon a sordid business basis They must needs prepare estimates in advance of the years work figures and statistics are compiled in order to show the confiding and un suspicious public what must be done in the name ol OReillys cautions Christ that reputation may be maintained and the industry protected from criticism Every application for alms made to these organized societies must go through unneces sary circumlocution and red tape that the term scrimped and iced I is exceedingly and not too excessively appropriate Its officers while probably engaged in a worthy cause to relieve as much of human distress and suffering as possible do not seem to realize that they are merely giving relief and cannot possibly effect a cure If humanity is sick a cure is needed Organized charity is an altogether improper treatment Did justice prevail charity could be dispensed with for ever Didflus J5 triumpbrrcharity would become unnecessary Accepting this view of the situation we are in a better position to study the aggravating case that has come to light in the report made by the officers for the year just closed of the New York Associa tion for Improving the Conditions of the Poor It shows an army of highpriced highsalaried agents and officers who make a fat living in the very name of charity showing that the money so freely given that the poor of New York might be relieved o f suffering is diverted from the channels for which it is given and finds its way into other pockets and devoted to other purposes That report should be the death of the assocation and yet how many o f the donors will ever examine the account and ascer thin just what is being done with the money they give The report shows that during 1906 the asso ciation distributed in charity the sum of 93500 and that its expenses amounted to 111000 In other words it cost the association more to dispense charity than the amount of charity it rtctually dis spensed It shows that 204500 was collected by the association last year and that only 93500 o f that sum actually went to charity while a much larger sump was distributed among the officers and agents It cost 111000 to distribute 93500 To the Blade in face of such a report it seems that the association is underwriting the conscience of those who contribute to its funds They cnn refer applicants to the secretary but that official after first drawing his own salary can unwind red tape and then do as he pleases about giving help Professional philanthropists are continually prating about indiscrhnnate alms giving and it seems as if they are to be allowed to continue prating The Blade does not understand why it should cost such an enormous sum of money to distributee 93000 Had the association disbursed millions instead of thousands it could have been done for much less money To say that it cost 111000 to distribute a less sum among the unfortunate poor looks like a reckless extravagance which ought to be checkedOf the money is collected in the name o f Christ but it is dished out in the ramie of the agent Religion that is the Christian religion claims the credit for giving away 93500 and it must face the accusing charge of having deliberately squan tiered 111000 of other peoples money Well in deed did OReilly write Organized charity scrimped and iced In the name of a cautious statistical ChristI s r CHISTIANITY AND PROGRESS No greater fallacy has ever been laid before the thinking world no false claim ever asserted with such brazen effrontery no such deliberate prginecH tilted attempt to appropriate the glory of the race with the intent to defraud and convert to their own use and benefit titan that made by the Christian world to the effect that the religion of Christ is the one dominating factor ipall our progress our civilizationDid Christian people ever pause long enough front their prayers to give the subject even the slightest thought they would soon convince them selves of the falsity and absurdity of such a claim As a matter of fact Christianity itself with its mangods and ghosts its revelations and inspirations is but an clement in progress a result ot progress an incident in progress as marking the mprovcment in mens minds from the days of sfimbarbarism to that period where a little thought began to operate Savage man did not un dertake to explain the phenomena of the universe that which he did not understand Semisavage wan tried to account for it all and then he placed a god behind every element in Nature He did not know what was meant by god but it constituted the only answer of which he was capable The everrolling billows of old ocean the lightnings lash and the thunders roar the beauty of land scape the mountain peaks the passion of love war conquest music and song all found expression through some hidden force which he designated as god and with the inception of Christianity they blended all gods into one and afterwards divided this one into three to suit ecclesiastical purposes Man was still in his ignorance when Christianity entered the field otherwise it would never have been taught It is no mere guess to say that man and man alone has wrought every change every step in im provement alone and unaided by any god or gods Necessity was with him the mother of every in vention and from the small beginnings of the dark and ignorant past his upward march can be clearly and definitely traced marked in clear profile step by step into the present Just as humanity must be judged by its results so must all religions of whatsoever name be judged by what it him produced and what it is capable of producing The only new idea brought into the world as a direct result of Christian teaching is that of a hell of fire for no other religion can boast of such an atrocious place of torment Its crucified Christ is but a copy a mere imitation Its life after death and hope of immortality was taken from preexisting cults Its spiritualism is clearly and essentally Ascetic and was taught long before it saw the light of day There is nothing but hell that is original in the entire scheme of Christianity and it is welcome to keep that for no other cult is desirous of claim ing credit for it By the aid of our imagination let us penetrate the past Here we find man a savage He knew noth ing had nothing and hardly knew enough to clothe himself In fact he was naked and he was not ashamed He was compelled to fight against all na ture for subsistence and existence He had no weapons no tools no implements of domestic use At last he invented a bow and arrow and weapons of iron and stone These put him upon more than equal terms with bird and beast They gave him an increased power and authority over all animate und inanimate nature He could bring down the eagle from its lofty flight and lay it in death agony at his feet The lion was at his mercy mind he became ICing over the wilderness he called home The invention of tools and weapons made him monarch of all he saw but he was still a prey to the elements and he held in awe all he saw but could not understand This was the first great invveution made by man and god had no hand in the step forward Indeed god was not thought of Time next and perhaps the greatest invention of the age was when man discovered fire and the use to which t could be put From t he soon learn ed the art of cooking his food and in this act man took the first great step which marked a forward movement clearly separating him from the beast With one mighty stride man had undertaken civi lizations long and tiresome march It was the first line of clear demarcation for he no longer ate his food raw He could better protect himself against the rigors of winter and civilization took another great forward move Even wth this man was still a savage and a sav age he remained uuil he learned and acquired lift of agriculture inducing the earth to give him a harvest of useful and needful provender He had not vegetable food save the natural roots of trees leaves and fruits that grew wild about him Agriculture soon induced an exchange of commo dities and man began to learn the art of trade from which has come all our modern commerce with its intricacy and ramification of detail The Christian religion had no part whatever in any of these undertakiigs and its very existence is but an incident in the history of the race important perhaps because of its cruelties and butcheries Thus the invention of the bow and arrow the invention of fire and the development of agricul ture are at the base of all civilizing growth and from these humble beginnings has come our mod era mammonserving age If Christianity has done aught to civilization at all its has been to subvert it from its legitimate channels as a benefactor to all men and to appropriate to its own use and benefit by deliberate theft whatever benefits have resulted therefrom Christianity has been the cuckoo of all progress stealing what another has made and claiming all its own CONVERTED AT NINETYFIVE The caption of this article is being employed by the religious press as an attractive headline for the purpose of informing the believers in the faith con cerning the wonderful prowess of Rev Chas H Elder pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Trenton N J in winning to Christ from a long life in infidelity one Adam swope of that city at tho advance age of ninetyfive years Of course such an article is given prominence in the Christian Herald published at New York and as the big guider has squawked thusly all other fool ish geese are expected to keep it up Time story as told of Mr Swopes conversion is not even interesting It has the same oldear marks of all similar stories It may be true and it may be false the chances being fairly in favor of t 7 the latter It contains nothing new and informs a wondering world that the preacher aforesaid did it all through prayer The featured article which- it given with a picture of the aged convert is suggestive that even in this day the professors of Christtianity are glad of an ooportunity to clutch at any old game which is calculated to bring a flWimore dollars into the treasury We have ofsimilar stories and they all look lmndrdsIis a close family resemblance between gestive of a very close relationship their Satan and their dam Ambition But is it strange that a man after reaching the age of ninetyfive years besieged by wife and child ren augmented by praying professors of religion should yield at the last moment f Is it strange that the brain being wearied and fatigued wornout and incapable added to which arc ravages of sick ness and disease should induce the lips to mutter a faint reponse to Christian prayers especially when those prayers are given loud enough for him to hear by those whom he held most dear and sa cred in life f The very article in question deals a blow at its own sincerity for it incautiously ad mits that shortly after his conversion Mr Swope was suddenly taken sick and died If the truth could be known and that seems impossible under the circumstances Mr Swope was sick when his conversion took place and possibly might have died when the announcement was made that t he had been converted in order to pacify the religious hopes and aspirations of the preacher and the converted mans relatives Time argument of infidel conversion however even when taken at its best is a poor one for the caifse of Christ In Mr Swope s case it seems that they could not convert him while he was in pos session of all his mental faculties capable of reason ing and thinking while he was in his health and prime but they must take advantage of him when the grave had opened its portals to receive him old age weakened his intellect and he had become but a child again Time Christian world seems to for get that every Freethinker today and in the past is really a convert from Christianity and that their conversion was the result of an intellectual effort and not from a weakened mentality All such arguments really belong to pathology and have no place in the realm of religious or nonreligious thoughtIn event The Blade did not know Mr Swope We never heard of him before If he had been a railler at creeds he was not very prominent in that line So far as we know he was not a sub scriber to any Freethought publication He might be on other subscription lists but he is not on that of Time Blade He might have been an infidel and he might not have been But the church is welcome to all it can get out of the incident as providing that aver all the Christian religion is fit only for cripplesJ s RANGE THETOPE Premilr Clemeiiceau of time French Republic has declare that if the Vatican wants war with France the Vatican can have it but the wfirld will understand Time Vatican through its pope has issued another encyclical to the French bishops urging them to resist to the utmost the Separation law and refuse to conform to its requirements- On its face this looks like war It may not be but it might Save for the disaster it may bring to the French people every Freethinker could afford to say Sic emI for in the end we know it would be the total elimination of church influencestIn France War between the clergy and the French people would mean harm to the clergy for the people when fully aroused would exterminate the clergy banish them altogether The effect of such a struggle upon other Christian nations would be worse for the church for it wolld be as a flume starting gently at first but fanned by passion into a burning fire in which the church would be totally consumed Italy and Spain would soon fol low suit and the Pope would be without a country and a home Time latest card from the Pope cannot exert any influence for good It will have the effect of rous ing the government of France to even a greater determination proving to the leaders that their course was right and with the clergy encouraged by the Vatican to resist the strife could only re suit in disaster Of course Mr Pope may try to bring other nations into the maelstrom but other nations will fight shy of Mr Pope and he must be made to take his medicine even as his predecessors administered medicine of their manufacture to un willing subjects Time Blade is pleased that the Pope has seen fit to write his latest address It demonstrates the fanatical frenzy of the church It makes prominent its weakness and chargrin To lose a foothold in France means disruption And why should not the clergy evacuate when they are not wanted and undesired To be Christ like they should depart from France and shake the dust from their feet Priestlike they desire to force by conflict their presence upon an un willing people The Blade hopes there will not be war Armed resistance can do no good The Pope actedfoolishlJrthough it might have believed that it did If it entertained such an opinion it has been disabused bringingin itself means much good To be in politieSsecretIly is bad for time people for then they become the openlythink and act accordingly By encouraging politi cal discussion a greater and keener intellect is brought to bear upon tho political business of the country it increases the strength of the nation andIinduces a quickened political activity spiritline l j iYo trJjoJ1 hf gone and a greater tolcrtition exists by reason thereof If the church remains unwilling to submit to the new order of things then the church must accept the consequences such refusal must entail and they will fall upon their own head The signs point to no conciliatory movement on the of the government no matter how much the Iipnrt may desire it Clemenceau and his cabinet spoken and their edict has been heard by the nil over the world Let the church heed WORKING ON A COLD TRAIL Upon the principle of the Pharisee who entertain ed the notion that all mankind was steeped in sin and iniquity with himself as the only righteous exception and then is said to have thanked the Lord that he was not like other men Dr Montague Geer a preacher of St Paul Minnesota has started out upon a crusade to save female stenographers from the social sin by on overindulgence with their gentlemen employers and seeks to play grandfather to the young women of the day in just a general way It is not necessary pcraps to cast the least doubt upon either the motives or the honesty of the reverend gentleman merely because in his zeal for womanly chastity he hilts fathered a rather hys terical onslaught upon the employers of girl steno grnphere lie is unquestionably wrong however when he seeks to convey the idea that even the average business or professional man is not as jeal ous of the honor and reputation of his women clerks and stenographers as the doctor himself The capable business woman of today the broad woman the liberal woman the progressive woman has in measure to thank the business and profes sional men for being honorable appreciative and encouraging employers of young women who have dared to face the maelstrom in a desirable effort at selfmaintenance and support Social impurity is not to be found in this class for it is a wellknown fact that there is more honor chastity and real virtue among ten thousand type writer girls and stenographers than Dr Qcer could find in a score of socalled society women As a class the former are moral and are not easily tempted This puts them where they are Of course the preacher must find a fad and when one fad dies out another must be found or the game of religious reform becomes weary uninteresting and unprofitable and soon dies out Every avenue be ing closed and all ends of the reform game being played agaiist oldtimers this modern Qoliar who parts his name on the side and his hair in the middle should try other and more fruitful fields of labor There is a possibility that the cry society is rotten has moved him to attcmnt tim manufacture of a name with something like a reputation behind it but we have to remind him that the type writer girls do not constitute society On the contrary they are as far above that clean harpies as the stars above a toy baloon15Com pared with out social sctP fthetypewllWrgu is as pure as the polar snows selfpoised aM self controlled V T JUST A BIT PERSONAL T There is nothing to gain by making promises which are not intended to tie stept and we have studiously tried to fulfill eye promise made to our readers Many know the difficulties under which we labor Our time does not belong to us and we are not able to give it absolutely to The Blade We have no help upon which to depend in an emergency and it is n clear case of push In this weeks issue will be found two letters asking about the delay in the publication of The Blade and surmising that it might be the fault of the mail authorities Candidly it is our own misfortune We have never been able to get caught up but if human power can do it we shall be up to the proper date by the time the Paine Memorial Issue is published and then we can keep it up The truth is that owing to unprecedented rainfall in this section of the country we have been confined to our bed with sickness and unable to do anything Just as we were about caught up after removal this sickness overtook us and held us back Sick men cannot put much force in their writings and with this explanation we trust our readers will dulge the delay upon the promise to get caught up as soon as we can The next issue will be the Paine Memorial and we propose to get it out imme any of our friends desire extra copies of the Paine issue we would advise that they send in their orders at once Single copies will be sent to any address for five cents six copies for twenty five cents While reading these lines forget not that you are free men and free women and measure if you can how much you owe to Thomas Paine Freedoms undaunted champion he successfully overcame ery obstacle and blazed the way through the long trail of darkened superstition to sublime Reasons glorious heights and there planted the flag of hu man liberty Praise him ye hosts and magnify his name forever Science pays but little respect to either ancient or modern creeds and cults but plods along its ap pointed course as true as the needle to the pole Environment and education cannot influence it or turn it from its lawful path Every new demon stration it makes is another nail in the religious coffin every new truth it demonstrates is another argument against God These are serious days for creeds and we might ask what the preachers are going to do about it The Christian religion being born behind the war club and developed with the criminal code should be referred to the Hague peace tribunal for settlement Time more a man knows the more he doubts and an examination into the origin and development of religion signs death warrant of dogmatism and makes us tolerant of the ideas of others V1 J r MRS HENRYS MOTHER DEAD Another noble life has come to an end and the cause of Human Freedom loses another friend This time the Grim Reaper laid his scythe against Mrs Mary K Williamson the beloved mother of that devoted champion of human rights Mrs Josephine K Henry after a long and lingering illness Our readers can now understand the terrific strai that has been laid upon Mrs Henry and why her pen has been silent so long Mrs Williamson was just past 84 years of age when the long sleep of death fell upon linerSh was born in Hull the great port on the River lImn her on the east coast of England on the 22nd day of January 1822 She died at the home of her distinguished daughter in Versailles Ky on Jan uary 25th of the present year The deceased was a staunch and true Freethinker and came to America with her mother and father John and Charlotte Kirby in 1832 Her parents taft England on account of the religious persecution to which they were subjected by the English Church because they were pronounced admirers of Thomas Paine In this be founda notable historical fact It proves the power of persecution to intensify righteous thought rather than to subdue or destroy Paine meetings were held at that English home whereat the Age of Reason and the Rights of Man were thoroughly ventilated and discussed Edu cated men and women were accustomed to gather at the home of the Kirbys and Mrs Williamson their daughter under their guidance became a highly educated woman Time English Church learned of these meetings and organized a cause of persistent tyranny and persecution that the Kirbys emigrated to the New World which Thom as Paine had made and brought their daughter with them when she was but little more than ten years of age During her active life Mrs Williamson kept in close touch with the worlds progressive thought She was well versed with all Frecthought subjects mill believed that the salvation of the race depend ed upon the ultimate triumph of rationalism She was an ardent admirer of all the leading rational ists of Europe and America She was a student of Haeclccl Buechner Foote Bradlaugh Watts Lady Florence Dixie Ingersoll Charles C Moore and Dr J B Wilson All who knew her can say with implicit truth that she was a noble and true friend of all mankind and her beloved daughter Mrs Henry can say that she was a devoted mother She was an avowed Agnostic and faced death with a courage that was sublime and a resignation that was beau tiful to contemplate No fears of a Christian hell couldever torture that true heart It was her per sonal request that her death be given publication in the Blade and she asked that upon her tomb stone the following inscription should be carved MARY K WILLIAMSON 1822 rti v 1907 Agnostic I do not know Do you Here the power of orthodoxy to intimidate or terrify was a failure Here was a courage that transcends the sublime Selfpoised as a star and pure as the polar snows her death and burial was a distinct triumph over superstition Mrs Williamson is survived by one sister Mrs Jane Fuller of Versailles Ky and three daugh ters the latter being our own Mrs Josephine K Henry Mrs Mary A Corcoran and Mrs Virginia MacBride the two latter of New York City She was buried at Newport Ky her funeraladdress being delivered by Dr J B Wilson OPINONS OF THOMAS PAINEE BY WORLDS GREATEST His Character Shown- I lodge with my friend Paine we breakfast dine and sup together Time more I see of his inter ior the more I like and respect him I can not ex press how kind he has been to me there is a sim plicity of manner a goodness of heart and a strength of mind in him that I never knew man to possessLord Fitzgerald Prophet of American Destiny Pause like Defoe was the personation of Eng lish common sense Paine was the Prophet of American Destinythe great Pamphleteer of its Independence lIe was the Thinker for time People He found out the obvious thoughts of the period and showed them to the nation and create those which were wanting Paines merits timid demerits were all popular His errors were broadand his virtues hearty There was nothing small or mean about him He was a strong man all through The man who was the confidant of Burke before the unhappy day when Burkes reason fail ed him the counsellor of Franklin and the friend and colleague of Washington must have great qualities If Paine was coarse he had ca pacity and integrity if the oak was gnarled it had strength if the ore was rough there was gold i it Let us do justice to himnGeorg Jacob Ilolyoake Through all the centuries no grander or greater being has ever set eyes upon the light of day than the authorhero of the American Declaration of In dependence From the ashes of defeat Liberty arose grimed and sublime like a new Phoenix at his bidding At his command it was taken from the power of a crackbrained king to oppress new nation While brave men wept tears of grin- despair he stirred their hearts to deeds of greater daring and urged on the fainting legions of the rev olutionary army by the sheer force of his mighty brain The heart and pen of Paine never faltered and through him the victory was won It is his right to share with Washington the glory of the new world this petted child of the worlds old age i i CRUSHING REPLY TO FANATIC EducatenUnbelievers Are Only Criminals and Gets Solar Plexus From San Fran cisco Paper UNBELIEF COMES FROM LACK OF EVIDENCE BY A A BELL Dr H C Minton professor of theology in the San Anselmo Semi nary In a lecture delivered at the first Presbyterian Church at Berkley clared that educated unbelievers are only trained criminals The appended crushing reply Is from the San FrancIsco Evening PostIIn the creed of the bigot an un believer Is one who does not agree with him Unbelieving dogs is the appellation which the Mohammedan applies to all Christians Mohammedan Infidel Is the characterization which the Christian applies to the Mohammedan Belief in its most rational ceptation is the conclusion of the mind based upon evidence Unbelief is referable to the want of evidence There is therefore no merit In belief or demerit in unbelief unless tie mind has accepted Insufficient evidence to establish the one or refused reason able evidence In arriving at the opposite state If belief is merely the sub- Ject of the will then creeds are not founded in truth but are merely the result of a consenting mental attitude which may be chcsen or dismissed by the mind as the voluntary act of the will The acceptance of the view that tfellef is a subject of the will degrades the body of religious doctrine from the protound and conscious convic tions of the mind and reason Un less the religious as well as other con victions of the mind flow from reason and conscience they are merely the result of mental caprice and may taken on and laid off at will If be lief is the subject of the will and any man may choose to believe anything then the stake was a proper remedy for heresy The heretical conclusions of the mind were not the result of honest conviction superinduced by evidence which justified Itself to the reason of men but the voluntarily assureejd attitude of hostility towards the prevailing faith of the time Heresy was therefore a voluntary offence and not the exercise of either rellglbus conscience or faith The lief and opinions which are born of hearing and determination are In very truth the only real beliefs of man kind Whatever Is merely assented to by the will unfounded on the con clusions of the mind based upon the systematic reasoning toward such conclusions cannot in justice be cliarac terlzed as belief It may be assent ItI may be toleration it may be hypocri sy but has no place In the convictions or the judgments of men Since it is clear that belief Is the result of evidence it would ne Interest ing to know whom Dr Mlnton charac terizes as unbelievers He evidently has In his mind a class of persons toI whom he applies this term who In his opinion when they are educated become criminals An intimation of the class to whom the doctor refers Is found In subsequent statements in the same address He says Our schools omit Christ and the Bible The un believers referred to then must be those who do not agree with the prevailing orthodox faith of the time and this is the class who fall under the condemnation of Dr Mlnton and who when educated become only trained criminals An examination of the prisons of California made by a commission thedstate disclosed the fact that ninety per cent of the criminals of the state accepted with unquestioning faith the commonlyreceived religious tenets of the time They were in Its truest sense unquestioning believers yet they were criminals They wefe un educated believers and therefore un trained criminals according to the standards of Dr Minton but they were criminals just the same There thenreligious thisestatement cannot be controverted by the testimony of the criminals them selves Durrant the criminal of the century was a believer but his crimes did not flow from his belief any more than the crime of any other crim inal flows from his unbeller 6 According to the standards of Dr Minton the entire Jewish race are historynone Jew ever sentenced to the gallows in this country Pagan Japan has never been cursed with the brigandage 1which has afflicted believing Italy am Spain Personal and national among the adherents to the doctrines k I A of Confucius is quite as high as In any Christian country of the world In the common observation of men who have had a large experience and a broad contact with their fellows thrre are no marked differences between the standards of human duty adhered to unbelievingdEssentially criminal natures are such despite tne creeds to which they yield credence PenologIsts have nev er been able to correlate the criminal tendencies in the mind with the ligious beliefs of the same mind Not one per cent of those who die upon the scaffold could be classed as unbellev ers Nearly if not quite all prove by their penitence the latent acceptance in the mind of the prevailing faiths of the time The declaration therefor0 of Dr Minton that educated unbelievers are only trained criminals must pro ceed from a spirit of Intolerance and inherent attribute of bigotry It Is a declaration that unbelief in its sence is criminal and that education only enlarges and energizes Its criminality All the facts derived from the observation of the students of penology proclaim tile lallacy of this con elusion I think the above is a complete ply to the assertion of Prof Minton and that it ought to be published in overy liberal paper in the United States Unbelievers are known over the world as persons of the most veracity and integrity Shelley the poet was noted for his virtue Gibbon the great historian was the idol of society Adam Smith author of the Wealth of Nations declared taat Hume the historian and philosopher was as nearly perfect as the frailty of of human nature would permit John Stuart Mill called the Socrates of England was an upright man and one who eschewed evil Girard the philanthropist was noted for his benevolence Washington Jefferson and Lincoln unbelievers in Christianity were not Educated Criminals Some of the roost noted writers and philosophers of the present day although educated unbelievers are not criminals and to make such an assertion Is a slander which Shakespeare labels the foulest whelp of Tyndall seems to have had In his mind such gladiators of the pulpit as the Rev Dr Minton when he said as published in Fragments of ScienceIt comfort some to know that there are many among us whom the gladiators of the pulpit would call Atheists and Materialists whose lives nevertheless as tested by any accessi ble standard of morality would con trast more than favorably with the lives of those who seek to stamp them with an offensive brand When I say offensive I refer simply to the inten lion of those who use such terms and not because Atheism of Materialism when compared with many of the no lions ventilated In the columns ligious newspapers has any particular offensiveness for me If I wished to find men who are scrupulous in their adherence to engagements whose words are their bond and to whom moral shiftiness of any kind is jectively unknown If I wanted a lov ing father a faithful husband an orable neighbor and a just citizen should seek him and find him among the band of Atheists to whom I refer TOLSTOI DENOUNCES CHURCH And Declares It To Be An Institution Of Lies and Full of EvilPredicts Other Countries Will Follow Example Set By France RELIGION AND PATRIOTISM ONLY ORIENTAL SYNONYMS News Clipping News dispatches from Paris to American newspapers state that Count Tolstoi has written a letter torPaul Sabiter apropos of the latters 1t JJrecentof the a lurch in Prance In which the famous Russian author predicts the possible reduction of all the Christian countries of the west to a state of Ntalon the ground that ft Is only In the Orient that religion and patriotism are synonymous- In this letter Count Tolstoi displays his oldtlme vigor of style and clear ness of Ideas He says In part Religion Is truth and goodness the church falsehood and evil I tell you frankly I cannot agree with those who believe the church is an organization indisponsiblo to religion The church has ever been n lying Institution which in seeking for temporal ad vantages has perverted and distorted the true Christian doctrine All the concordats have been for It nothing but compacts with the state whereby the church supported the state in urn for material advantages Christianity has over been simply a pretext for the church I may be told that there have been and still are In the Catholic world men and women of holy life but I answer that these sainted lives are not due to the church but rather In spite of the church In spite of all the efforts of church and state to unite the two principles true Christianity love humility and kindness and that of the state physical force and violence the con tradition has become in our time so flagrant that a revolution is bound to comeSeveral symptoms prove this First the religious movement is not confin ed to France but exists in all Chris tian countries second the revolution In Russia third the extraordinary military and Industrial progress which is manifesting Itself in the Orient in China and especially in Ja pan The present movement which is going on not only In Catholic coun- trIes but in the whole world is I be lieve nothing but the unrest accom panying the exit from the dilemma We Do Job- PRINTING J WAR The Elgin and Waltham Watch JtJohnWatch Co and smaller competitors fio4By continually reducing prices they hope to drive out competitors or force them Into a Trust But John C many times a millionaire who em ployes Union Labor onlywill not Join them In their nefarious scheme Ho promptly meets all reductions male by the oiler companies until now watches are actually sold far be low value Note the lastest quotations 23 Jeweled Spl Ry 26 New Ry 23 Jwls J20 John Hancock Jewels J1G60 or Dueber W Co 21 jewels only Above all in silver Ine screw case prepaid in 20yea goldfilled case more Every watch new from factory and guaran teed to pass Ry Inspectors The jeweled nampden adjusted 17 jeweled not adjusted 15 jeweled jeweled 450 In 20 year goldfilled case more all pre- paId with guarantee Buy nowl When this war Is over you wilt pay 30 per cent more WHEN IN SEARCH OF A DIAMOND Engagement Ring Diamond Button Locket or Pin dont you wish you could correctly judge quality am value and buy them first hand from the Cutters and Importers and thus save 30 per cent or the dealers you can do if will confide in arc order of me am an expert se- Ipct Diamonds with great care from largest stock in Jnlcago get lowest trade prices and best cash discounts For my time and work for giving you the benefit of my 40 years ex perience as a diamond merchant I will only charge you per cent No jeweler or catalogue house can com pete with me Send for price lists f WatchesiffWul listed here CLamps Jewel s Rings Silver and Rate LV7are Optical Goods Ingers Spoons F T Badges and My Tract Theism in the Crucible free OTTO WETTSEIN LaGrange Cook Co GEATEST DISCOVERIES OF SCIENCE EVER MADE GOD SATAN AND HOLY GHOST ARE NOTHING BUT CREATIONS OF FICTION HEAVEN AND HELL ARE ONLY MYTHS CON SCIOUS LIFE 18 EXTINGUISHED AT DEATH The Church of Humanity teaches these great discoveries through 1U organ The Truth About God which It publishes monthly andlta school The Central Kansas Business College which teaches Stenography Typeiwriting Bookkeeping Commercial Arithmetic Penmanship and Spelling and The Truth About God In a general course of study giver by the toff porary International Instructor for the church The Church has 100 LIFE MEMBERS It wtnta 900 more to formally organize and Incorporate The first thousand members will be the founders and organizers of the CHURCH OF HUMANITY If you have loved ones you wish rescued from the Idolatry ot worship Ing a dead man named Jesus and a myth named God you should Join this Church and It will aid you In freeing them and In saving your posterity from becoming idolaters by teaching them The Truth About Got 1Write to W H KERR 2210 Broadway Great Bend Kan for blank plication for nieunbershli Information about the college a4 seal II sate for a yt ab irll lOi to the TRUTH ABOUT OOK DC It l hJ ROME BOOK Continued From Page One uirough Europe without the trouble and expense of goingIIs he not about the first real Ameri can who ras crossed the pond and showed us what he really saw and what things are over there Mark Twain did pretty well but he was too funny to be vivacious This book gives us the truth of a photo with the wit and humor of a cartoon Most people go to Europe out of love for its traditions Dr Wilson was sent to report on those conditions and the best of a world they have made and ho has done that as nono other ovor did As President Roosevelt would say Huff sed Read that book Letter From Ezekiel the Noted Sculptor Rome December My Dear Doctor Wilson Your fine book A Trip to Rome has given me very great pleasure its y frank open and acute observations of Roman conditions of today Emlnlo Trollo Podrecca and Do Ba sis are all very much interested in your book and each will review it They send you many congratulation and good wishes in which I join most heartily Yours very sincerely M EZEKIEL A Fitting Ga Dr J B Wilson i A Trip to Rome is a grand and fitting monument to your eminent abll y ity as a prose and verse writer and to your humanitarian interests in the wrongs of humanity The historical record of the first ternational Freethought Congress of equal Importance and the book as a whole deserves to rank high among tho Liberal M MARTIN From L F Griswold Merlden Conn Dr J B Wilson Cincinnati Ohio Dear SlrYour letter of the 9th tn my father received and In answer would say that he was greatly pleased to hear from you He received a letter from Mrs J K Henry the same day and I dont believe you have any medi cine in your chest that could have done him as much good he was just radiant and as you know he is now 82 years old and a line from old friends as you and Mrs Henry does him more good than all the medicine on earth I suggested to my fatther If yo could get out this work and make profit enough so that you might make profit enoughsir tyou might make g the trip to the Holy Land and touch nip those people and their customs with that caustic pen of yours what a work It would be Mr Moore In Dog Fennel was ver amusing but we would like to see your description of that Promised Land in print- Speaking of your book A Trip to we have enjoyed It very much 1Rome got to reading it evenings after my bed time and my wife would holler at me to come to bed and unwillingly I would have to break off then she got interested and I fin ally had to holler at her to cut It out GAL THREE BLADE GMFW and come to bed so you see you efforts are appreciated down in old tJpuritanical Connecticut only we want I fathers health Is very good sidering i his age and any time here afte he Is feeling blue I am going to ask you to prescribe for him by Just S sending him a kindly line and In con elusion would say that anything In our power that we can do to help you in your work of getting out the new edi tion we stand ready to our limit Yours truly L F GRISWOLD Merlden Con- nROMISH EDITOR al Continued From Page One Instead of consoling him In his afflic tions she snarled at him and bad him curse God and die Saul tell his son Jonathan that he Is the s of base vile woman and mistress bertayed him to the Philis tines Davids wife the daughter of Saul calls him a silly fool for dancing nefore the ark naked In the presence 1of the women of Jerusalem Solo mons wives made a pagan idiot f him In his old age Jesslbel the wife of King Ahab used cosmetics and was perhaps one of the first pain tel women she was besides a murderess having caused the murder of Nathan so her husband might get his vine yard Judith went as a prostitute to the tent of Holofernes whose head she cut off when he was drunk and asXep Lastly Miriam the wife of King Herod made her daughter flak the king for the head of John the Baptist which was given to her In a dlslljI might also mention the case ofJ Lots wife where curiosity was herI undoing also Lots daughter whose conduct was to say the least slightly Immodest Then there was Petlphars wife who tried to make a date with Joseph and Mary Magdallne who if SiL reports be true formed of seven devils hoftosay anything of that other Mary who told the remarkable story of an overshadowing by the Holy Ghost and made it the story I mean stick for 1900 years- wish to ask In all seriousness Is the Bible the proper kind of literature for a parent to put In the hands vf a growing daughter Can you consclenclously do so and say mj child search the scriptures model your life and actions after the char acters you find then I read with In torest the article headed Angels rear to Tread in the issue of December 23 and would like to know what the writer means Taking tho Bible as guide which suppose he does as he says he is a Christian what one of the questions has he announced to mj minds put one If It were not for tresspasslng too far on your valuable space I would like to take up anti analyze his answers in detail suffice It however to say that his work Is as contradictory as the book from which ho quotes PREACHER JUMPS THE TRACK Declares the Bible Is Inaccurate and Teaches Every Conceivable Doc trine and Is Full of Vice and Wickedness ACCOUNT OF CREATIONIS News Clipping Under a Chicago date line the dally papers have given the following Inter esting account of the publication of a new book on religious topics CHICAGO Jan 4Rev Dr Wm Selleck tor of the First Baptist Church ProvidenceR L has Just written a book The New Apprecla tion of the Bible In which he tears down many of the fancies of the ortho dox Christians lauds the higher criti clam and presents a new view of the Bibles value- false methods of interpretation or the absence of all method his book says the Bible has been made doeLtrine and to support many a terrible wickedness slavery polygamy and the subjection of womanand the taproot of all these erroneous teachings and unholy sanctions has been the Idea of the plenary inspiration and in Scripturesy out of tho popular mind being replaced by the more valid conception some of tho perversions and absurdities cf religious doctrine will pass away which have claimed and still claim their tens of thousands of adherents some hoary superstitions and cruelties which have darkened our world will pass away Dr Selleck declares tho Bible should bo considered merely as a piece of literature as a collection singlerbook but a library of different Selleck states also that the Bible is full of inaccuracies and that tho story of the creation is unscientific that nearly anything can be proved by the Bible and that tne roal authors of many of the books of the New and Old Testaments are unknom and that Christ was not quoted until a generation after his death Nominated For Mayor Lexington JCy After reading the sensible articles by our most worthy Dr I R Wilson was brave enough to wish as Id often wished before that all good women and true men only could vote If I could have a DreWilson President James E ofsnot far distant when men of brain and heart will be at the head of affairs For the benefit of my own fatthorless children Im going to ask space in your truthful paper tho freedom of soflong Mr Hughes you have a speak on you all on the role of man kind who cant be lost MRS SPEARS Wants Good Reading Leesburg GaEnclosed please find three dollars ono lollar and cents for renewal to Blade one dollar and lb cents for Rome Book and 16 cents worth of Wlson s Oration over Cap tarn Henry Let balance gor for the good of tho dear old Blade Would have renewed sooner but have been sIck as hI ever since last August and just now getting up and able to read the Blade and it Is O K and would not want to do without it If it cost two dollarsJ J DURHAM J GEOLOGY PUTS GENESiS AWAY When Revealed Religion Runs Against Demonstrated Fact It Is the Reve lation That Gets the Worst of the Conflict WHAT A UNIVERSITY LECTURE DID FOR ONE MAN BY WILLIAM COOPER In a recent Issue of the Blade you commtnttd tn tho geological argu ment and the strong influence It gives In favor of Freothought though comparatively few Freethinkers fol low Uo study of this very Interesting branch of natural science I think It waS about the year ISil that first ran up against my first ex parlance by attending a lecture by a university professor on tbe Ice age and as was at that time a Sunda School teacher my readers can imagine the chaos it caused with my religious views From that time on to the present geology has been a subject of keei Interest to me and I note every new discovery as being not only an addl tion to science but a weakening of the mosaic account of the creation on which the whole fabric of theology is builta think It by far the strongest point In the argument of the Freethinkers and its a pity its rudiments and prln ciples are not more widely known to freethinkers In general The forces of nature are a most telling book when once a willing student desires to study same and books both for stiicJerit are to be had for a mere trifle the learner and the more experienced Appleton publishers of New York City have a first class work as first book published at one dollar and there are others in the market but like Appletons best as well this is 01 was the recognized book for university use We will take the lesson Mt Una In Vegard to its age as this Is a clear case of certainty and such a direct sotoff against the Blbll cal ago of the world viz 0000 years The eruptions of this vcloano nave been very regular occurring about duce In every twentyfive years general thickness of each eruption IJl ing about one foot The total helghjtli being 11000 feet and all built upl eruption matter It is an easy matter to got at the age of Una There Is a gorge on one side where the layers ar easily counted and there are about 3000 feet of lava layers laid bare so nere we get cur clear estimate of the age of the volcano as there must have been a nerlod of at least 300000 years to build up what is in sight This Is the estimate of Prof J Le Conte the eminent geologist who wrote the text book from which these figures are culled These facts then clearly show that the Mosaic account of creation cannot hold its own and Its the same whichever way we turn Another point It Is as well to mention in this connection is that Etna stands on what Is really a recent strata of the earths crust this territory strata is so close to the present or psychozolc era that Itts a mere noth ing compared to the millions upon millions of years that have passed since this earth of ours formed Itself by nebulous vapors and gases estl mated by Lord Kelvin a well known eminent scientist at 400 million years Here then is an argument stralpl from the fountain head of science and of such a substantial nature that no theological scheming can overthrow anti an amounting such to tho subject Is the fact that In the same univer sity where these subjects are put be fore the students the same old dog mas on the Biblical account of crea tion were doled out and the result is that there are many turned out of our leading universities either well on the way to become freethinkers or actually so A Harvard man who had had his four years there quite recently told me that few men left there fully lieving In Christianity Prof T H Hurley one of the foremost men of science In the memory of those living says regarding argument of science and theology My belief Is and long lies been that the Pentateachal story of the creation- Is a myth luspposo It to bo a hypothesis respecting the origin of the universe which some ancient thinker found himself able to reconcile with his knowledge or what he thought was knowledge of the nature of things and therefore assumed to be true As such I hold It to be not merely an Interesting but a venerable monument of a stage In the mental progress of mankind and I find It difficult to suppose that any one who Is acquainted with the cosmogonies of other nationsand especially with those of the Egyptians and Babylonians with whom tho Israelites were In such frequent and intimate com fJOSjsess i r BO Importance than may be allotted to these Again the whole scientlffb world has been stirred by the recent coveries of very early types of mains of human species in Douglas county Nebraska and as their find Is of a quito recent date really within the last few months there Is little doubt but what we are on the thresh hold of more discoveries of perhaps still greater Importance d 1111111111111111111 1i WHAT OUR FRIENDS SAY JoH + ++ ++ +++H A A Snow Personal sickness has prevented supervision of the makeup and the matter you speak of has been Inadvertently omitted Am now able to look after It W C DalIlls Impossible to send you tho letter or card ordering the change of address for John Kaiser It has been lost You are probably cor rect about matter being a Chris tlan trick D Webster GrohWe deeply regret not having some word from you fort Paine memorial Issue Still we cannot help It and your advice Is good your praise cheering J J DurhamGlad to know of your Improvement and thank you for your kind interest Emmett Joyner It Is the same old trick and that game has been played for many years It Is high time to give It a rest O W HanniganThanks for couragement Get married my boy and wake up Louis A ManzYour sentiments are absolutely true and If every good Freethinker would act accordingly my how much faster we would travel C Amory StevensMany thanks for the articles We shall put them to good use when an opportunity oc Henry Kaiser It Is always gratifying to receive such a strong letter from a woman But for the women the church would have perish ThanksfDr L S StollYou are safe in throwing down the challenge for thetyou up F P Ball SrSeldom do we receive such a letter as yours It Is by far the most encouraging that has reached this office since we have been at the helm It does a man good to receive such good cheer Thanks Sends Renewal Howellsvllle PaPlease find en closed money for subscription for Blue Grass Blade Please put me down for one copy of Mr Moores book MILTON HOOVER Book MILTON HOOVER Just Late Thats All Birmingham Ala Whats the mat ter with the Blade Our weekly dose of religion did not come to hand Sun day last Write and let us wretched sinners know who is to blame you or our P M With many wishes for you and the Blade to boom I am yours as a fellow sinner LOUIS B SHOEN FIELD Wishes a Happy Year Rising Sun IndI send you 200 for which you will continue to send the Blade for a year havoneglect ed to send subscription when due but hope It is not too late to do good Wishing tho Blade the greatest suc cess the editor a Happy New Year In fact any and all good things which rightfully belong to an editor who edits a Freethought paper and does not have whole freethought patronage of the country It seems that we all should do our little mite and keep the work going onJ P HEMPHILL From a Valued Friend New YorkI have your two bun dIes of Blades of December 23 As there are likely more than I shall have an occasion to use should you over find yourself short or anyone else seeking please advslo me I mall you under separae cover a few marked newspaper sheets of per haps passing Interest Tho article by Bernard Shaw on the Personal God question and kindred religious thought Impressed mo as very practical and one of the strongest that I ever read And yet how very many there are among the ignorant thoughtlessand prejudiced who know or think of Bernard Shaw except as a notoriously disreputable dramatist and the very who would reach the high plane of that article In question Ilast C AMORY STEVENS dJ FOOLS GATHER AND WAIT rFor the Coming oMessiah and Receive Gift of New Tongues Strange Antics of a New Religious Sect In Ohio FAKIRS AT OUT DEVILS Newspaper Clipping The Post of Cleveland Ohio pub lisies the following account of a new religious sect In that State At the three services held at the First Friends Church Sunday the auditorium was crowded to the doors with member and others who were anxious to hear those with the gift of tongues After the morning service the mem hers of the cLurch held a meeting to determine whether or not to continue the revivals Many members believe they are not accomplishing the pur pose for which they were instituted The pastor Rev J Walter Malone is enthusiastic over the results Regains Health News of the ousting of three demons from Mrs Mary Stcugh has caused a sensation Mrs Stough wo had been In bed for months before the three demons were cavt rt of her 5s now gaining strength she declares Two Akron ministers hive arrived In Cleveland with Miss Rosa Adams an Akron girl who speaks In un known tongues Miss Adams says five devils were cast out of her She says she felt them tearing from her very fiesh- Saturda night while a young woman was testifying in a strangp tongue Malone said he believed every word se said although he could not understand the language A Russian who understands French and other foreign tongues was at the morning services He was unable to Identify the language Anna Cooper one of the Akron revlvallstts spoke at va rious times during the service- A man named Kramer wire claims to have the gift of tongues while testi fying Saturday night said his tongue did not like to speak English any more Several spoke of having mons driven from their bodies leI It was announced that the day the Messiah was close Tit hand Men and women who had throyn them selves at full length on the floor before the altar were told to dnjss themselves In white waiting the day The company was promised In an Impas sinned address by the wife of the pastor Malone This does not mean she cried that the end of the world Is at hand The signs cannot be wrong They mean that Christ is coming to reign In the world The day Is close at hand Prepare WARI The Elgin and Waltham Watch Cos have Indirectly declared war on John C Dueber of the Hampden Watch Co and smaller competitors theyhopothem Into a Trust But John many times a millionaire who em ployes Union Labor only will not Join them In their nefarious scheme He promptly meets all reductions male by the oller companies until now watches are actually sold far be low value Note the lastest quotations Jeweled Spl Ry 20 New Ry Jwls J20 John Hancock jewels 1060 or Dueber W Co jewels only Above all In sliver Ine screw case prepaid In 20yea goldfilled case more Every watch new from 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WETTSEIN LaGrange Cook Co oJMETIiODS I The Organization into a Politico Body L presin2 all of cictluUcism the State 3 uniting with and assisting and uujustlyor belief preventing the corrupt reign of Legislation by the Initiative and advocating equal rights and Justice to all alt andlegaland all other liars a and bent must rest WeDoJob PRINTINGUPTODATE OK MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE pY JOSEPHINE K HENRY OJ VERSAILLES KENTUCKY All orders promptly filled Price copy 25c copies for 9100 READY FOR THE PRESS n CHICAGO CAVE lERnNot for Preachers 320 I00POSTPAID A Story of the and the RirkerH UnderworldIEditor 7o Magazine ChicagoiOnly a remarkable book will be printed Each copy will bo t 1selfTOMORROW n MAGAZINE I ronI2238 Calumet Avo Chicago 10 CENTS TILE COPY t A l J rJt hw


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'I think I'm not going to vote'Editorial, Top Highlights Monday, October 15th, 2012
You would be surprised at how many people on both sides of the aisle are disillusioned with one or more of their candidates. While your decision not to vote is as American as the right itself, it does mean that your voice will not be heard.
The recent presidential election in Venezuela had a 90 percent turnout, while our 2008 presidential election saw a turnout of 63 percent. Forty-seven percent of American voices were not heard in determining the leader of our country.
Truth be told, most of the unheard voices lean toward the Democratic party. Did you know that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in San Diego? Forty percent of San Diegans are registered Democrats, 29 percent registered Republicans, 27 percent decline to state party affiliation, and the remaining 4 percent are from a host of smaller political parties.
When Obama won the presidency in 2008, San Diego residents turned out in record numbers; 83.72 percent of eligible voters. Given the dominance of Democrats in the city, Obama won 54 percent of the vote, slightly more than he won nationally.
While the perception is San Diego is a Republican town, the reality is it is a Democratic leaning city. Why do we elect so many Republican leaders? Simply voter turnout. So many Democrats do not exercise their right to vote. Are you one? Progressives and Democrats often do not show up at the polls.
Not showing up at the polls has created a city government that has three ethnic city council members, and three woman city council members. That means 37.5 percent of the City Council is of ethnic origin and 37.5 percent of the City Council is comprised of women.
The City Council is not reflective of the community at large. The City of San Diego has a population that is 54.9 percent non-white or Latino. So why don't we have more ethnic representation in City Hall? San Diego is comprised of 49.6 percent women, why doesn't the City Council reflect that fact? It is simply voter apathy and a lack of voter turnout.
While the population numbers are similar for the County, all of the County supervisors are white men or women, with women representing 40 percent of the five supervisors. I believe that many of these people are fine political leaders, but isn't it time for the City and County political leaders to look more like their constituents?
There are many obstacles to voting for supporters of both parties, like holding the election on a work day for most Americans, but there are options for early voting of which you should take advantage.
First, as a registered voter you can request a mail-in ballot. Do it today by going to sos.ca.gov/elections/vote-by-mail/pdf/fill-in-vote-by-mail-app-instruct.pdf or simply type "California vote by mail" in any search engine. You just need to fill out the form and make sure it arrives to the prescribed address by Oct. 30. Do it today!
Then, you will receive a ballot in the mail. Simply vote and mail it in. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. Be sure to mail your ballot to your county's election office by Oct. 31. No lines, no waiting, no missing of work hours. Sit down with your favorite beverage and make your voice heard.
That will ensure that San Diego and its elected leaders begin to look like and represent those who actually live in the city. More women, more ethnicities, more LGBT people, heck, even more white people who represent your values.
Don't let those that hate the LGBT community or want to relegate our civil rights to simply "social issues" win by suppressing your vote. If you don't vote, it is the same as voting for the opposite party. In this election, the LGBT community cannot afford that risk.
San Diego LGBT Weekly
Short URL: http://lgbtweekly.com/?p=30025

subset: commoncrawl


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It's been a few years since the last time we saw a Nike SB Dunk inspired by the Air Jordan 11. The "Space Jam" version of the Dunk Low sold out quick when it released a few years ago. It looks like there will be another colorway to follow the 2011 release. The second installment of the AJ11-inspired Dunk is the classic "Concord" colorway. This version spotted here sports black patent leather and cordura nylon materials throughout the upper.
Fat rope laces and translucent outsole finishes off the theme. No word of a release date as of yet, but word has it that it's scheduled to release Summer 2013. Stay tuned to TSG for the latest updates.
Until then, enjoy the detailed images below.
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Images: giaydebang


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Another test for Colts fans
Two Indianapolis radio stations are urging fed-up football fans to refuse to cut their hair or make love until the 0-4 Colts win a game.
WENS is promoting a theory that the Colts are losing because players have sex too close to game day. Disc jockeys Scott Fischer and Audrey Rochelle have taken vows of celibacy themselves, and have urged their listeners to do likewise.