w IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) .V ':^ <- 1.0 12.3 Li|24 Itt ^" lit Im 122 IM m 1.4 150mm /^PPLIED^ lt\/HGE . Inc ,^P 1663EMM«nStrM( ,^K RochMiw, NY 14008 USA j^S^ Plwn*: 718/482.0300 •^B'.^S Fax: 718/288-5089 e 1903. ApfUM tmag*. me, M nghK RmmmwI ^^^ ^ CIHM Microfiche Series (IMonograplis) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Instituta for Historical Microroproductions / institut Canadian da microraproductions Matoriquaa TMllfNCM 9t^ WMlO^ftplNC MOlM / PtolM MdMMQIMI 9t blMlOfFflplli^UM TtM ImtituM hM atitmptad to obtain tlM bait orifinal copy availaMa for filminff. Faatwrai of tMt aopy wMah may ba MMiegrapMaaNv untqiia. wMab may ahar any of tba bna^at in tlia fapfooii8tion« oc wfiMi may lifnifieantly ebangi tha yiual mathod of f itaninf. tn L'imtitiit a microfilm* la m aiHayr axamplaira qu'il hii a M poHiMa da ta procMrar. Lai dMaih da cat axamplaira qui tont paM-Mra M n igoa t du point da «ua raprodoita. o« qui p aiiw nt axigar una modification damlai ci dawcOT. 0Colourad eovtn/ Couvartura da co idayr D Covart CoMvartura □ CokNirad pa|M/ Patn da eoulcur D D Covart raitorad and/or laminaiad/ Couvartura raitaurto at/ou paNieoMa □ Co««r titia minint/ La titra da couvartura manqu* D Colowadmapi/ Cartas ftotr a pbiquat an eoulaur □ Hum raitorad and/or laminatad/ Pain rattaurias at/ou paHicultai 0PBfat ditcolourad. rtainad or foxad/ Pain dicolorin. tadtatin ou piqutn □ Pagn datachad/ Pafnd*taeh«n n D D n Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or Maek)/ Enera da eoulaur (i.a. autra qua Maua ou noira) Colourad platn and/or illustrations/ Planchn at/ou illustrations an eoulaur Bound with othar material/ RaM avac d'autm documents n Tifht bindini may cause shadows or distortion aloni interior marfin/ La relhire serrie peut causer de I'omtare ou de la distorsion le loni de le marfa intirieure Blank le e v at edded during mtoretion mey eppear within the text. Whenever possible, then have been omitted from filming/ II te peut que certainn pagn Menchn ejouttes tors d'une mtauration appereissent dans le texte, meis, iorsque cela itait possible, cm p ag es n'ont p« M f ilmfas. Additional comments:/ Conmienuirn tupplimentaim: 0Showthrough/ Trantparance □ Quality of print variet/ Qualiti i n tga l e de I'impmsion □ Continuous peginetion/ Pagination continue □ Indudn indexin)/ Comprend un (dn) index Title on header taken from: / Le titre de I'en-Mte provient: ittue/ □ Title pege of ittue Page de titre de la r~~j Caption of ittue/ D livraiton Titre de depart de la livraiton Matthead/ Ginirique (piriodiqun) de la livraiton Thit item it filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document ett f ilm4 su uux de reduction indiqui ci-dntout. 10X UX 18X 1 J 12X HX 20X 22X 26X »x 24X 28X □ 32 X Tha copy fllm«d hm ha* bean raproduead thanka to tha ganaroaity of: National Library of Canada L'axampiaira fiim* fut raproduit grica i ia g*n4ro8it4 da: Bibliotli4qua nationaia du Canada Tha imagaa appaaring liara ara tha baat quailty poaaibia considaring tha condition and lagibiiity of tha original copy and In Icaaping with tha filming contract apacificatlona. Laa imagaa aulvantaa ont At* raprodultaa avac la piua grand aoin, compta tanu da ia condition at da la nattati da l'axampiaira film*, at an conformity avac laa condition* du contrat da fllmaga. Original coplaa in printad papar covara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha iaat paga with a printad or iiiuatratad impraa- aion. or tha back covar wtian appropriata. Ail othar original coplaa ara filmad baginning on tha firat paga with a printad or iiiuatratad impraa- aion, and anding on tha Iaat paga with a printad or iiiuatratad impraaaion. Laa axampiairaa origiiMux dont ia couvartura an papiar aat Imprim4a aont filmto an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant aolt par la darniira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'iliuatration. soit par la aacond plat, aaion la cat. Tout laa autraa axampiairaa orlginaux aont filmte an commandant par la pramMra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'lllustration at an tarminant par ia darnl4ra paga qui comporta una taila amprainta. Tha Iaat racordad frama on aach microficha ahali contain tha aymbol — »• (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha aymbol ▼ (maaning "END"), whichavar appiiaa. Un daa aymboias suhranta apparaftra aur ia damlAra imaga da cliaqua microficha, aalon la caa: ia aymboia — »• aignifia "A SUIVRE". ia aymboia Y aignifia "FIN". Mapa, piataa, chart*, ate. may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratloa. Thoaa too iarga to ba antlraiy includad in ona axpoaura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar iaft hand comar, laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha following diagram* iiiuatrata tha mathod: Laa carta*, planchaa, tablaaux. ate. pauvant Atra fiimte A daa taux da rMuction diff Aranta. Loraqua la documant aat trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saui clichA, 11 aat fiimA A partir da i'angia aupAriaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita. at da haut an baa, an pranant la nombra d'imaga* nAcaasaira. La* diagramma* suivant* iliuatrant ia mAthoda. 12 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ESSENCE OF REASON J. A. CAHPBELL, Author sad Coaipil«r. TORONTO, ONT. 1902. I Bt So Entered according to the Act of Parliament of Canada tn the year one thousand nine hundred and two dy J. A. CAMPBEm in the office of the Minister of Agriculture for the Dominion of Canada CONTENTS. Introduction ^''"' Chapter I . Chapter Il.-Studies in Theology. . . . . . u Chapter III.— Adam and Eve 25 CHAPTER IV.-The Godhead and Trinity .'.'30 Chapter V.-A Surprise-Two Forms of the Ten Commandments ^^ Chapter Vl.-More Lying and Steahng Taught by Jehovah.— God Sent a Lying Spirit ^y Chapter VII.-Gnd Orders People Killed 41 Chapter VIII.-Matthew and Luke do not Agree ^^ Chapter IX.— Moses not the Author 50 Chapter X.-Saul and David Getting Ac^ quainted , Chapter XI.— What has the Bible Done. . .53 Chapter XII.— Superstition y^ Chapter XIII.— judgment Day. .....72 Chapter XIV.-My Own Experience. . . . .74 Chapter XV.— Questions 8, Chapter XVI.— Conclusion .83 INTRODUCTION. Dear Reader, My desire in putting this booic before the ]*ublic is to benefit my fellow men and poor dumb animals, and to let the world see that they are prisoners within the walls of Superstition. As the Bible has kept me in prison for years, I will now expose it to the Public for so doing. If the Bible is true, no amount of investigation can harm it; the more a truth is investigated, the brighter it shines ; the more error is exposed to the searching light, the more cloudy it be- comes. If the Bible is the work of God, The Omni- potent, it will bear all investigation ; if it is the work of ignorant men, that fact shoirid be shown to the world, and this I have done. I therefore, dedicate this work to the cause of human En- lightenment, and present it to the world for a search light in dark corners, which is the fervent w ish of the author. ESSENCE OF REASON. CHAPTER I, Dear Reader,— I have thought it wise before tnTI^K *"/" 1° the vegetable kingdom again, to hght the torch of Reason and let it burn, that It may throw some light in the dark corners of Superstition so that my fellow man can see his way out of the prison cells of darkness, to the light of free thought and liberty Some years ago. I turned over a new leaf in favor of usmg my own judgment on all subjects, and by so domg I have gained much knowledge and comfort. The Bible, and the religion it teaches took my attention first ; as I was taught at my mother s knee to believe that the Bible ZuV^"" T"^ ""^ ^°^' ^"^ *^^^ 't taught the truth m all its pages about God and Heaven and angels with wings, and golden streets, as it . were transparent glass. Rev. 21 chapter and 21 verse; a^ut the devil and his angels ; about nVhu'lt J% t"^ ^ ^*" *''« ^^""Sht from the Bible that all bad people, such as the unbeliev- ng. murderers and liars shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone ESSENCE OF RKASON. See Rev. 21 chapter, and 8 verse. For further proof about such a place turn to Rev. 19 chap., and 2o verse, and many other places in the Bible, hellfire, brimstone, and the flevils are mentioned. Such tales of love and vice, were distilled into my young mind at home, and in the church as well. Just think, what poor children are taught to believe. No matter how unreasonable the Bible may appear to you, you must believe. No master how impossible the miracles may seem, you must believe. No matter how cruel the laws your heart must approve of them all. This is what the Church calls liberty of thought. Where is the evidence that Christ was, and is God ? Who caa furnish the evidence that there is a God that made all things from nothing ? Where is the evidence that the places called Heaven and Hell exist ? There is none. Where is the evidence that angels, ghosts, devils and gods ex- ist ? There is none. Have those beings been seen or touched ? Do any of our senses certify to their existence ? No. W^e now know that Heaven is not just above the clouds, and that Hell is not just below the earth. The telescope has done away with the ancient Heaven, and the revolving world has quenched the flames of the ancient Hell. Those imaginary worlds have disappeared for good. Since I received the new search light of rea- son I applied it to the Bible, to see if it would stand inspection on what I was taught by my parents, and by preachers of the Gospel. ESSENCE OF REASON. y To my surprise I found that the Bible did not teach the truth in all its pages. I found that no man or no body of men could prove or give evi- dence that the Bible is the word of God, but I found out that the Bible was written by wicked superstitious men of dark ages, which you may see later on. If the Bible is true no amount oV mvestigation can harm it. The more a truth is mvestigated the brighter it shines. The more error IS exposed to the searching light the more cloudy It becomes. If the Bible is the work of God, the Omnipotent, it will bear all investiga- tion. 1 1 It IS the work of ignorant men that fact should be shown to the world and this I intend to do. .u^S^ur'^l^^^ ^y reading the first five books of the Bible that the style and manner in which those books are written give no room to believe or even to suppose they were written by Moses or God, for it is altogether the style and manner of another person speaking of Moses and God It is always the Lord said unto Moses or Moses said unto the people or the people said unto Moses the Lord God called unto Adam, the Lord God said unto the woman, the Lord God said unto the serpent and the Lord God said un- to Noah, etc There is no proof in the Bible where God did say himself that he made any one thing. It was some very ignorant person who wrote the account of creation. In the first part of his story he tells us that he saw God making all things and putting them in their 8 ESSENCE OF REASON places, but he did not tell us who made the wa- ter. Perhaps he was at lunch when it was made This person must have been God's timekeeper as he gives an account of each day's work that God did. His first day's work was to make the earth than take a walk over the water in the dark and make the light, etc. The second day God made the firmament or space. Just imagine God making the earth, taking a trip on the water, and making light before he made space for them to exist in. Neither does this writer tell us where he and God dwelt be- fore space was made for them to live in. He tells us that God made Adam out of dust and did breathe into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul. It is a wonder he did not tell us where God found the dust and air to make Adam out of. I wonder that he did not tell us where God got the material to make the sun, moon and stars out of. This is all the proof you want that the Bible is written by a superstitious man. If there is such a spirit as God in space he never did say one word himself about making the earth, light, or Adam, or any one thing that IS in space. God did not say himself that he employed Moses or any one else to adverti.se his business in any book. There is no power in the universe that can prove there is a God, and if there is a God. he never did make anyone thing that is in space out of nothing. I will now refer you to the Bible again to see if God ESSENCE OF REASON. g and his son is so loving and kind and truthful as you thought he was. Dear Reader what h'ttle truth there can be found in the Bible I love it as much as any man on earth for it is the truth I am after. It is the error hes and falsehood that I found in the Bi- bie that I want to expose to my fellowmen that^ the^ may be on their guard against such super- stition. This book can be made to uphold al- most anything that man desires. It is the con- solation of every vice and the barricade of every crime. One of the worst things about the Bi- that It demands the sacrifice of self respect, tvery man is compelled to admit before he can become a christian, before he is fit even for con- version, that he is wholly and thoroughly de- ^171 u ^^''"u^*'* ?"^ ^^*' '" "'^"d and flesh and he has to hate his own father, mother, child' sister and brother. He has to hate his ov^n 1 fe as well, and to forsake all that he has. Luke i! chapter and 33rd verse. In addition to this he must give up and throw away the fruit of his uX he'.^;°^r?''^"u^"^ ^^^^°"' ^"d volun- tarily he goes back to the childhood of the race. s^va/e'^'a^dV"-^^^^^^^^ ^" «"^«0"s savage, and it is not much wonder. Just ima- gine how bad we have to be before we can be a disciple or companion for Jesus Christ. Then again he tells us that he caie to set a man a" variance against his father, and the daughte against her mother. Matthew 10 chapter and lO ESSENCE OF REASON. 35 verse. To make matters worse Jesus offers us one hundred fold and eternal life to forsake our parents, our wives, children, our lands and our homes. Matthew 19 chapter, and 29 verse. From this you will see that Jesus did not come to send peace on earth, he came not to send peace but a sword. Matthew 10 chapter and 34 verse. He that hath no sword let him sell his garments and buy one. Luke 22 chap- ter and 36 verse. Cursed is he that keepeth baclf his sword from blood. Jeremiah 48 chap- ter and 10 verse Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children. Ezekiel 9 chap- ter and 6 verse. Spare them not but slay man and woman, infant and suckling. First Samuel F5 chapter and third verse. And^the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. Matthew 10 chapter and 21 verse, and Mark 13 chapter and 12 verse. And after this terrible crime is over, you must not stop to see your parents buried as Jesus wants you to follow him and let the dead bury their dead. Matthew 8 chapter and 21 and 22 verses. A person would think that Jesus would give a man time enough to bury his father. There would be but little honor in a man who would not give his father decent burial. You will see from Bible proof that Jesus was a ter- rible wicked man when he gave such blood-thir- sty orders to murder ; but this is not all, I will let you see later on some more of his bad do- ings. Jesse James brothers could not be worse ESSENCE OF REASON. II I will now introduce a few more surprises a few !^?u/mT «"^'»^\^hich I found in this so called Holy Book, the Bible. From this you can see that it is only written by superstitious CHAPTER II. STUDIES IN THEOLOGY. Theology is the science of God. It teach^. r^^lu^^"^ '■? " ^'^ ■' """ there is buT one God ; that he is infinite in being, eternal in dura ■on knows all things, is perfectly g,^and that he created all other beings fhii? assumptions are true, then I ,clude hat there must have been a time when ^JS was the only being in existence ; a time wh^n th^r^ was not an angel in heaven, nor ^ heaven'^fo^ the angels ; when there was not a devil In hS nor a hell for the devils ; when there was not a man m the world, nor a world forfhe men when there was not a planet in the solar svSem' nor a solar system for the planets ; when S trr^' llf^'rl-K^ ''"""^' "- aumVersef" tne stars , m fact, there must have been a timi when whatever was not God was nothZ How °^\.IJT''':" *"'' ^'''"y condkion w^ are left to conjecture, except that it was fmm eternity to within a few thousand yJarsl^o 12 ESSENCE OF REASON. To the inquiry : Of what did God create that which IS not himself? We are shut up to the fol- lowing answers : Either out of himself or out of nothing. These two being the only answers that can be conceived of. I will examine them and see which is most Wkely to be true If God created all things out of himself, then F^r i??.''-^" ^° ^^^ following conclusion : tither all things are a part of him and therefore divine, or else he has suffered a dissolution of his toeing, in which case he cannot now be con- sidered infinite. It must have required a good deal of material for creating the sun, moon and stars, to say nothing of the innumerable beings that inhabit them, and all this was taken from the being of God However small this may be when com- pared to an infinity of being it is at least some- thing, and if it was taken from the infinite then the infinite ceased to be infinite. If all thines are a part of God. then God must be a material being whereas theology teaches that he is a spirit, whatever that may be. If all things are a part of God then we can excuse the ancients for worshiping their ancestors, since they were divine. If all things are a part of God then we can excuse others of the ancients for worshiping the sun and others again for worshiping image? these all being divine. Why should the Chris-' tians laugh at the heathen idols ? Are they not divine? Why should Protestants laugh at Catholics for worshiping Mary? Was she not ESSENCE OF REASON. '3 Hivine ? Why condemn the worship of jrold— the "almighty dollar?" Is it not divine ? It IS a part of God. Are we to worship a part of God only, and not the whole ? Is only a part tL u-^'l'''^'^ ^"^ *^°'y^ Ifso.weoughtto know which part IS sacred and which proflne. .nAA^^'l^^K ^T*"^^ ^^^^ ^^^'^ ^'"^ ^^o different and distinct substances in existence— spirit and ISft^^r J^-^''° ^^^•'^^'' ^" ' '^^^'^ before stated, hfn„ '' ^ 'P*"*- Ifthisbetrue, and al things were created out of God. then we must conclude that matter is made out of spirit It seems that God took a part of his spirit-rea self and converted it into the material universe, Either 'J^l "'"'!; '\^''i alternative remains Either this matter, though made out of spirit is a part of God, or else the being of God is mut lated and diminished in size to^the extent o7 the t'eTZref/'^P^'?!; '\^^^"'^^^ ^^ "^^k- ->^"t! snir nflf • 3*^^?^ogy teaches that there is a spiritual world also, and that the angels and devils are spiritual beings ; that man has a spiritual nature that will elist in perpetuity after the decay of this body, which is material. Then whfrh h '^'^ ['.°"' himself the material out of casL hisS' '^l''r'r^ ""-verse, in which case his being IS still further diminished, or else all these spiritual beings are part of his being are dilTn'I 'Vh''"^' ^7 P"^*^ ^^ ^^^ ^h^" -' are divine The angels are divine, men are 'into" the"";!'" V^^ ""r"'- '^ ^" «P'>'ts enter into the being of God then all must be good . ii 14 ESSENCE OF REASON. must be pure and without sin. This will excuse those barbarians who worship the devil, for the devi being a part of God is certainly divine but theology teaches that the devil is wicked and ©"odd* ^^ '" *^^ ^"^""^ ^""^ adversary Is God divided within himself ? Is one part 01 the divine being opposed to another part ? Ifso what will become of the divine unity when rL r' 5' ^^^l '"*° ^^" ^ C*" that part of Go' 'hat such notions tend to produce, I ask. in all candor, is there any ra tional ground for believing such a theory? Grant- IrnVtZt'^hi'"'' •^'' °' '*"' original sto"t fi7st' man^^H '"" *" " "«=ation,and that the nrst man and woman >vere created in a full grown state the theol<^cal idea of the « fall '"" .-nev^ .'"^"r"' °"=- When we consider how inexperienced they were ; how ignorant they must have been of the real nature or the penalty threatened, and the fact that they wer^ then without any knowledge of goo,l aVevtl. how can one believe that a just God would for the very first offense, punish them with such c™e! ESSENCE or REASON. 19 severity ? To have so punished the actual of- fenders would have made him worse than all the Pharaohs, Moseses. Herods, Constanti les, Calvins and Torquemadas, that ever lived, while to have so punished their unborn descendants w^ adding infinite cruelty to an already infinite crii e. Could any reasonable person be expect- ed to love and worship such a God ? Even the thought of sucK a thing is extremely absurd. Look at this case in a plain common sense way. What appreciation could Adam and Eve have had of the moral quality of their action ? They did not even know good from evil. How could they experience any fear or dread of the punishment threatened ? They had never been punished for anything. They did not even have the advantage of that old adage, " a burnt child dreads the fire." They did not know whether a punishment would be painful or pleasing. What could they have known of death ? They had never seen a dead person. They did not know whether death was a curse or a blessii g, nor have we found out that, notwithstanding our boasted learning and progress. There is not the least intimation in the Bible that these things were ever explained to them, and if they were not, where is the justice of the punishment ad- ministered ? If it be assumed that they were explained to tnem, still the punishment was un- duly severe, that being the first offense. If, however, it could be shown that they deserved lishment they are pui ipposx.^ to hav? 1 ' ! I so ESSENCE OP REASON. ! born and millions of them l^^^T. t'V^" urcKHown every circumstance of the "foil" the J.oman, tha? sh^ ^ouij eat o"Ahe f^v'^??P' fruit, that in turn she would tPml vJ. ^°'^'^^^" i";«v^e^hfiS-^'"-^"^^ c'^^rhaT^^'r ^^^^^^^^^ "He He could have put e^JirL?"' °^ *^ g^^en. woman belS: ^sl'sily'^ a'^teXtemo?'!"'' or he could not hav*. i« .^ temptation, nor would HeC^^re^^^^^^^^ ^eircTu'deTatit'ts^^rrr?^^^^^ that it was according to tht nf • ^^ *"'' J"*' • therefore just as UsLuld havr^:n''S^' r'^' IS wantino- in cr>m^ ^ "a\c uccn, or that God which SgyrcZsTor:' °' *'• "."""«- ffree If ho^-j . ^° ""^ *" »" infinite de- t^r^;pi;e'than heTnotTn^fi ^''^•' ^ ^'^^ '° he kn'ew bu^cou W nof D " venf i" .''."""[I'^^S^' ''^ infinite in power Tnd "^f h i "' "'^" ""^ '^ ""t Pendin, an^d ''"ilr^^to^^- tt'''- was ESSENCE OF REASON. il would not, then he is responsible for it If the temptation was wicked and the eating of the forbidden fruit was a sin, he is not infinite in goodness. If the temptation was according to his purpose and foreknowledge, and. if he could have prevented it and would not, then he is more to blame than the serpent, unless it was right and proper that the temptation occurred, and in that case the serpent was not to blame and should not have been punished. If the eating of the forbidden fruit was according to the divine purpose and foreknowledge, and if it could have been obviated by the interposition of the infinite l P^^^e*". then God is more to blame for it than either Eve or Adam. If it should be argued that It was right and proper that they should have eaten thereof, then it was wrong to punish fthem for so doing, and infinitely worse to punish their unborn children. Look at it in any way we can, from any point of view that can be oc- l^r^.'^^' ^u"* 'Vy *'S^* '" ^hich it may be pre- sented, the theological dogma of the " fall of man is an intellectual absurdity and a moral monstrosity. If infinite knowledge knew what fere C/'"^' f^ '"^."'^" P^^^^ ^^'"«<^d to inter- hi!'infin//I r- v^'''^"^'' remained indifferent, this infinite, trinity perpetrated an infinite cruel- ty upan an infinite creature Theology teaches that God is infinite in all h.s attribu es, that he is omnipresent. Then where was he while the woman was being tempt" ed ? Can the omnipresent be absent from any- 32 ESSENCE OF REASON. I i where? If he was present why did he suffe th.s imposition upon the ignorant credulitv c an inexperienced being ? A word fir.™ h;S would have been sufficient. Can he ^TiM loving father who would stand bv and seeti u^n Ms'°oart *™'",°." "''^" the slighfest'ffS upon his part would prevent it? If God i STth'; ' f^M .^^^■'"'^^ every cYr^um orevent ft H- ""•''°'" °"<^« attempting tc prevent it. His appearance in the garden afte, •' wHere":?tThr?»''"'' '^' =""'"S unto Adam wnere art thou ? was a farce, a cruel mockf-rv aTnTu'tteld" '"""''^ "^'"^^ ^^^^-ol are not uttered in any captious spirit of fault finding They are not born of prejudice Thev are words of truth and soberne^. ^They arenot intended to vex our Christian friends oTridtcuU what they deem true and sacred. I am seekTnf he truth. If .h«,logy is true I wint to know andint:rt^r-^/"thV^--;^^,firdi-itT cruelty unworthy of our respect, mucTle^ our The common reply to this is, that " havincr created man a free being, having Conferred upon h m the power of volition, he could nbHiUerTse ^^,P°"'"f°. Prevent the free exercise of that shown Would%^r''''K" ^"'""'f"S^> '•^ "'" ^ Ses of AH^m •'^^%'^e" '"fringing upon the iioerties of Adam and Eve for him to have put ESSENCE OF REASON. '3 the serpent out of the garden, or to have kept the (levil out of the serpent? Would it have been interfering with their freedom for himtoh^ve used such precautions as vould now be expect- ed of an earthly father? it would have been no infringement of their liberties for him to have appeared in opposition to the serpent, and if after exhausting every a.gument, he had de-' stroyed that subtle beast on the spot, there would 1 have been no interference with their volition It would have been better for him to have plucked fJlf l^u ^'^ ^"1'^ast it out of the garden than that they should have eaten thereof, if indeed it was, as theology assumes, the cause of all our Ignorance, depravity and exposure to eternal [perdition. In further refutation of this position it .should be remembered that according to the teachings of theology, but few souls are saved in compari- I son to the many that are damned. Even in any Christian country' the number of real devout believers in proportion to the unbelievers, is very small. Now if God is infinite in knowledge he knew this before he ever created the first man [and enowed him with volition, and if so, why ti ^^ T''^^ *i*"' ^^ ^" ^ 't ^""Id seem that feHnf ?J»1'1^m' ^^^''^^'"^ ^^^^ P^'" ^"^ suf- fering would befall the majority, infinite good- ness ought to have persuaded infinite power not to create such a being, or, having created him. It would have been better not to have created nr- ! ( 24 ESSENCE OF REASON. Te" Should" be "'' "^ '"?">'• "' "<=" •>"= ^ingl "ne, snould be consigned to an eternal h.i nf Cr^A -r .^^^ 'P*^ "™an and more to the ^lon of Cjod if, instead of castincr .i^. j^l? ^ eve? eTl ' « T^T °"/°' S^l-eWnXt man his fs'stor;l:il:to^rZ hThe has^eTr^ improWng and rising higher l,^e " a^of'^:': ng. There is not one oartirlo ^r .. ^ ing to sho«r that he ever tas a„v L» '''ilf ** ?- is now, and after th„. "I*!,!:>:.'*"f *«" h^ is now anH aft.- »k ;•»= «iiy oetter than he ■ ■ "\t' flir ?T7"^ '"^ theological verse. As matter cou d not evicf k-r^ *^ ' ^ this will prove that Go5 had to mak^aTthr'" from nothing. If this h, f h« . ft. . """Ss Bible is teaching us wher^did'cil™ xi^'^f, t made KK>m or space enough for ^mseTf to'li': ";• Justthmkofa God exictin.. i^f„ That is one of the bfegest ^ es tL^f"f' 'Pf*=5 the Bible and for furthfr pro^7 see Matth"."'' '" chapter and 26 verse, bu? ^ h ^ '1 "^i": "^ are possible. Such gilded' fi'TL'^st^ o'igh^nlt ESSENCE OF REASON. «5 to pass to any further generation. I will now show you a few things which are impossible for God to do : 1st. God cannot make an end to space or time. 2nd. God cannot put this earth outside of space. 3rd. God cannot make this earth be round and square at the same time. 4th. God cannot make one grain of sand out of nothing. 5th. God cannot put the Atlantic Ocean in- side a two ounce bottle. I could show you many other things impos- sible for God to do. but what I have shown you IS sufficient proof that God is not teUing us the truth Then again the Bible tells us it was im- possible for God to lie. Heb. 6 chapter, and 18 verse. What do you think of your Bible now? I will now introduce another big surprise. • CHAPTER Iir. ADAM AND EVE. We are told that "Adam called his wife's name Eye because she was the mother of all liv- ing. (Genesis 3 chap.. 20 ver.) Up to this time p '''^u "° ^""3"*" *^'"&^ «^cept Adam and S''^ A^r^^.* ?^^^^ ''^'"& ^'^'•e animals and plants. All of them were created before Eve : 1 26 MSENCE OF REASON. '! so.„e kind of a par'ent to her '"^''^^'' '"'^^ '^^' Was Eve the mother of all fh. k j . fishes, trees, plants and last but h" ' ^"''^ least, was she Adam's m^fk' . ^y "° '"eans mind the extraordTnTrt Thil"' J^''' ""» to am. He was 32 years omT' ""L^'"? J«'>°'- reign and reignW^^'h^ ycaZ^Z ''-?• 5*^^" '° age of 40 ; he was imr .^nf f 1 •* '^'^ »' the his. youngest son L thTefettd'.Tr^''' ">' ed in battle. When lehnrV^ i^- 1 *'' ^^" •""- 40. Ahaziah. his younC" so^ th "' *''" '^^ "^ Josephus. was the yofnges" of t ' '"T'""^ to was 42 years of age .,?"* "^ seven brothers, and 22 chap., i-zf^r)' t t^L""' ^' """"Pt". ^o smart man to be the fofil , *" exceedingly boys two years Lfore hi !r "1"'^'=" bouncing bestofmy\„owleS^:,'rhe::ar^Z'"'i '" '"^ on record where suc^ events tiVlce"'^ "^^ Ev^s^ffef? fsavllh '^°"" ^ -sidered ''he was her fatwf mmL""" ''"'^" f'"'" ""m. own grandmother as ^T ' ^°".sequently her and the mother of 'all itfnr' u^ '^"'"'^ *""<=. mother; this made her thr» ^^ *"' *'^ °'^" own children and Lr hisba^nH"'^'""'^' "^ her bemg her husband's mofhe"'',hT"'"'7'''* • own mother-in-law • Ad,r^ ' I .*^^ also her brother. As Adtm'wls F„ w ^^ children's her children's siste"and J A^ '^'*''"' ^''<= was | - Eve-s Children, s^etaf h^h^s^.'^-t: ESSENCE OF REASON. ,. But Why pursue the relationship any further. After eating the fruit they were driven out of the garden The Bible God was afraid they would eat the fruit of the tree and live forever (Gen. 3 chap., 21-22-24 ver.). becomii.g equal to t"'J."r';l^ ""''• ■^° J'™''* •'° "^'^^ « catastrophe he made them coats of skin, (Gen. 3 chapter, 21 W^^- rA '^'°'\ '•"=•" ""t '""'° the*^ world Where did he get the skins ? There had been no time for the beasts to multiply, and if he kill- rllLTnf °' "'%°"g'"'" «'ock the world wis robbed of some of ,ts species. This would be improbable after all the trouble in making and naming them But to prevent their return to the tree of life he put cherubim and a flaming TwaJ^' '"'"'^ ■■" "" ^'^""°- '» W^k and"Rvi'"wf ?k"'« ^'■'''^ *="'"S US that Adam and Eve was the first man and woman that God made on this earth. When they became ac quamted, they got married, (G JesU 4 cha^^ first thrLT^i """^ ^'^ u* '■'"""y- Mrs Adam's first three enildren were boys.-Cain. Able anH seth. (Gen 4, i and 2nd, 25 verses.) When Cam was old enough to be married, he was Hv 7Znt 'r''":^'^' "••^- he got acquaint- ed witn a lady and got married. (Gen. 4 chapter 16 and 17 verse-s.) Can any of you ChSrch People tell me how this lady came to be in the notice '^h'^'filbf r"^ "'• ^'"'"^ •"-"-'' notice the Bible keeps secret on this subject I his one simple fact is proof that the Bible IS aS ESSENCE or REASON. •"nRos%r;:i%Lr'" God '^ - -i- and 20 verse, that there wl"''" ?^"/ =hap. m ate or woman for AhL. I ^' f"""** a help. M'ss Adam from her Zh.^? ^^ ''*'' '° -"ake and daughter got married t-* "\.'^^" father see that there tasTu!f„,^'°"'.*'"« Vo" vvi" Nod. If so, gS wou IH^ ''*""« '" *e land of Adam's wife instead Xuttli^/h""'* ^'' '^ ^ a terrible operation (X, Puttmg him under such the Bible dW no "ell "^ T ^ ^?" '^'^^ God of of his wtrk how a^ :: 't t",-'" '" l^« "^^^ Pa« other part of it If thi, k!? '^"^ '"'» '" any story is*^ written by man hi ^''''^^''y °' "^ believe that all ^hTBibir- ° ''^"^ '' "ght to ■"an, and I do believe ,'% "Manufactured by possible way thatCa7n co„IH h """i '^^^ °"'y the land of Nod was " - I ' ''*'' * *"■« '" sisters, a Miss Adam td til°T '^^ """^ "^ "is marry her. You s^Mr ' h v?" T *^«' and dren had to marry ?achoth„ Mrs Adam's chil- population st^rted^ bufthL ^h^" ° ''f: '° ?« « God would not alliw them fo 7 ''°"''' "°' '^oas see Leviticus r8 chapter 6 o°. °w '°- ^°' P'°°^ Leviticus 2o chapter ,7verL 1/ V.""^' ""d dren did not get marriZ? L "^ '^''*"' « chil- people come frfm. Ts'I^'^he^^h? ^''' ''° ""'">' "s how Adam and Eve cam! hi '^°^^ "°* '«" of children, such as fh? ^ ? """"y '"'nds the Indian,'the Japanese th?*?" *? Chinaman, the other tribes as well . . ^''^"'u^'''' *"d al j '-^ah and his sora„d\K;j^Jl''ys ' the for ESSENCE OF REASON. ,„ they were the only eight persons left alive after the big ram storm. See Gen. 6 chap., lo verse and Gen. 7 chap., 7 verse, and Gen. 8 chap. 16 verse. If Noah and his sons were the fathe s of so many kinds of children, it is a wonder we ^^1" r umI '"■'".S* ''°"' ^ -"any kinds and colors of children all became such great explor ers, as the negro boy discovered Africa, the yel- low boy discovered China, the red boy. the ind - an, discovered North America ; another of heir boys discovered Japan, and the balance of the part"'of'"tr ^"Z ''"^^T"' "'«'"' '" o'her parts of the world as well, and this they did without the aid of the compass. There were no luA,T Z ^'"■n'^t" in those days. So they had to walk and swim in order to get to th7t des .nation. You s-e the Noah famfy was an kfndtof'K^^"'''^ ";l"=" "'•'y '"'"*<» °"t '"' many kinds of children all with the ability for exolor- ■ng and travelling. The brightest p^prwe have nowadays can only have one kind of chTl! o t"at"ef '"iTh -'"/i «° T"y "ines from home or travel much in the woods without the comoass and a lunch basket. Such Bible teaching mfghl do Where truth and exactness is not r^drlS of thtlarde'„'*orRH''°"'1, ^^^ "P *''« «^~''" woman^tnH ?i. ^m^"' ""^ """^ "^n. the rib shoulH ;h "'^ **"'^"S- '^"''"g »nake. They swords fof' T"^^i, ^^ !."8'=''' »™ed with . swords for to keep Mr. and Mrs. Adam from 30 ESSENCE OF REASON. getting any more knowledge from the tree of ife As a matter of fact the action of God in ^ttmg the devil into the garden of Eden ha!e made the commg of Christ a necessity, laid the foundation for the atonement, crucified^ the Sav! lour and gave us the Trinity. Just imagine what we are taught to beheve. ^ frL7ll!!7Ji}''^''''V^''^^^' ^'S ^"'■P"'^^^ and error, the Godhead and Trinity. CHAPTER IV. THE GODHEAD AND TRINITY. The dogma of the Trinity ought not to pass to any further generation. It is not the " likeness of anythmg that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that in in the water under the earth." This Christian doctrine of the Godhead is a sort of Fifteen Puzzle. Everyone thought he could do It until he tried. He^hen found out ^'"^V t.'^?^ ^« was to think that he could solve It. This IS the way with believing the dogma of the Trinity. You can believe it just so long as you do not try to understand it. The mordent you undertake to give it a rational explanation you cannot make head nor tail of it. One needs to be entirely ignorant of mathematics to suc- cessfully grapple with thi3 stupendous problem ISSBNCI OF REASON. ,, .Y'JU/lf-Ki*' **/'"8 th»t God is one God. This IS intelligible ; but when you try to add two Xonf'c^" ""'= ^"^ and'make^he°thri'Gc^s I tasfor l2^,'/- " ""'^ ^ *»y'"e what a fool I was for believing such stupid nonsense" I ma^ of 'th'??"" •r''° ^"""'^y ^"'■-" th^ dog- mas of the Trinity. How he must hate the mul- STu^le^'uL'"''' "r°^<^'«''' '^ -"he'r the How Chif^'"^ perfectly easy to tell what tne Moly Ghost is until you begin and then you commence to wonder what it c!n b^ Un til some one asks what the Holy GhosMs vou h?i 'V'a !i='J."'""'">» -e o:&°o confess that you know nothing ■ and Iftor = candid examination of the suLct you mLt also confess that you do not belieiethat jTsus hoirorthe'^^?" "? " ^''°^' who.., they ca, noiy on the body of a woman engaffed in "svt"h\era:t: wT^^^rlV" rivals th#» ru^^t. «V ^"" *" "*« turn rivals the Ghost, as Mary had several other 3« BS8ENCI or REASON. children. See Matthew 13 chapter, 55 and 56 verses Were any girl that is now with child to say and even to swear it that she was gotten with child by a ghost and that an an^el lold her so. Would she be believed ? Certainly she would not, but she would stand a good chance of get- Hng a room in the Asylum for a few months The christian church tells us again that the Holy Ghost is a mystery, and cannot be com- prehended b)' the human mind. Here is one truth that* the church hp« told What is too mysterious to be comprehended by man is too profound to be of any benefit to him. Everv holy mystery in this world is a fraud, and when the Christian church nas taught that anything was too sacred to be touched by the hands of honest investigation, you may rest assured that some pious trickery was concealed. We want nothing to do with a church that is afraid to show its hand ; that will not do things above- board. Truth does not need to be told in a dead language. When the church admits that Its dogmas and rituals are mysterious it confesses that they are intended to deceive. The church is a falsehood standing on a fable. There is no mystery about honesty. Truth, though naked, would call no blush to the brow. We should be ashamed of falsehood, no matter how richly she is dressed. Profession is not piety, any more than a cosmetic is complexion. When any- thing is too holy to be criticised, you may rest assured that it is paste and not a genuine ■SSBNCt OK RklASON. 33 ei'™ TK*' ^'" '°' ^' examination fears f^^lTahf M '**"'!1*" -hows poor goods in a feeble light. No wonder churches are built to i!^^ °".^ * u^ r "" !"'^ ""*«'"^ ^he Bible teach, ing us to believe that Jesus and God are one. bee John 10 chapter. 30 verse. And that the Father and the Holy Ghost arc one. ist John S chap 7 verse If this be the truth then we are compelled to believe that Jesus Christ was his Z"/''«*'^'*- Por further proof see Matthew , f K u 1 ^^'i;^^' ^f >" "^""^ ^°""^ ^>^h child of the Holy Ghost. You will see by this that God did not keep his word for he did say the naked- ness of thy mother shalt thou not uncover Se« Leviticu.s 1 8 chap., 6 and 7 verses. When the God or the Bible does show us such bad examples wLm''^ I•"''^.!''P^^* y°" ""' ^' ^^^^ 's only a worm, to live like angels, and the son of man which IS a worm. See Job 25 chap.. 6 v^rse It IS high time that man was improving on God's ways. fK ' cu. ""^ u '"*':^"ce you to another place in the Bible where God did not tell t^ e truth. You will see by reading the following commandments. TEN CHAPTER V. A SURPRISE— TWO FORMS OF THE COMMANDMENTS. ar^^2n-'1u^ ^^*?!!f ^' '*"^^"* »^"o^« that they are given in three different places in two differ^ 34 ESSENCE OP REASON. ent forms — so dissimilar that one cannot possi- bly be considered a counterpart of the other. The first ones we considered will be found in Exodus XX. and Deuteronomy v. The ones your attention is now called to will be found in Exodus 34 chapter. The substance of the story is that Moses, af- ter havin^^ broken the stones upon which the first Ten Commandments were written, prepared two more tablets and went up into the mountain, where God gave him the second edition of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 34 chap. 28 ver. says: "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights ; and he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And He (the Lord) wrote up- on the tables the words of the covenant the Ten Commandments." Exodus 34 chap, i verse, says : " And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first ; and I will write on these tables the words that were on the first tables, which thou breakest." The second form of the Commandments was then given. The two for"^ s will be placed side by side for ease of comp i.'iscn : First Form. SiicoND Form. I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. I. Thou shalt wor- ship no other god ; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous god. ESSENCE OF REASON. 35 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work ; but the sev- enth is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work. 5. Honor thy father and thy mother. 2. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. 3. The feast of un- leavened bread shalt thou keep. ^ 4. Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest ; in earing time and harvest thou shalt rest 6. Thou shalt not kill. 7 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8. Thou shalt not steal. 9- Thou shalt not 5. Thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the first fruits of wheat harvest and ingather- ing. 6. Thrice in the year shall all your men-chil- dren appear, before the Lord. 7- Thou shalt not of- fer the blood of my sa- crifice with leaven. 8. Neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left un- to morning. 9. The first of the 36 ESSENCE OF REASON. 10. Thou covet. bear false witness a- first fruits of thy land gainst thy neighbor. thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. shalt not lo. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mo- ther's milk. Which set shall we be governed by ? While the above is so plain that comment is unnecessary, the attention of the reader is called to the varying forms in which the " Ten Com- mandments " are given. If we are to be gov- erned by Ten Commandments which set shall we be governed by ? If one of them is the series of commandments which God gave to man to govern himself by. which one is it ? One of them says nothing about killing, steal- ing, lying, swearing, coveting, honoring your fa- ther or mother or committing adultery. The other says nothing about the feast of un- leavened bread, the feast of weeks, of tlie first fruits and ingathering, of appearing three times a year before the Lord, about mixing leaven with blood of the sacrifice, about not leaving any of the feast of the passover until morning, about bringing the first of the first fruits to the house of the Lord or about the acceptable way of cook- ing a kid. It does agree on three points. Thou shalt not worship any other god but Jehovah, thou shalt not make any brass, copper, iron or lead gods, tSSBNCB OP REA^Oll. i7 itn"*'*-^\**"!."'l^°^^ ones would be equally obnoxious), and thou snalt keep the SabSth ^ CHAPTER VI. MORE LYING AND STEALING TAUGHT BY JEHOVAH. GOD SENT A LYINC SPIRIT. Ahab"\'nH.^'"*'^ said Who shall persuade Ahab. And there came forth a spirit and stood And'the 1 ^H ^ ""' ^*'^' ' '^» Persuade'hl^ And the Lord answered, wherewith? And he said I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit Lordl iTrl "" K^^f P^^P^^^- AiTd hV^the Lord) said : Thou shalt persuade him and ore- ^hoJi^li/r ^nt^r^ ^" ^°- Nowtherefo^ Dehold the Lord hath put a tyin^ soirif i,, ♦!,- «^l„'^^'" ""' ^"'=^i"g thee." I. Kines ,h.fi P-Li^S:'^ "*• " And for this cause gS' r!^ i J i'- Thessalonians 2 chap.. 11 ver leh^.^"*"S' S»™"«1 to go to Jesse, the Be^"" leheimte. «r,th a horn of oil and anoint one of h^s sons king of Israel. •• And Samuel «id And X I «°; '.C S»!U "«" it he will k ll^e! .„H J r ^"^ *"**• Take a heifer with thee and say I am come to sacrifice unto the LonT I. Samuel 16 chap., 2-14 ver. Upon a matter that is as clear as the above quotation, comment is unnecessary. * 38 ESSENCE OP REASOM. , "And the Lord said unto Moses. Speak now nXhl • "^'f*^'^; and every woman of her AnH^^;'f^T^' °^'"^^^ ^"^ >^«'« of gold. of thi F ^'"'.'^ ^^T.*^ ^^^^ P^°P^^ ''a^o^ »" the sight of the Egyptians." Exodus ii chap., 1-3 vcr of th^"F J '^.'- ' ^''""^ *^l' P^°P^^ fa^of »" tJ^e sight of the Egyptians ; and it shall come to pass that when ye go ye shall not go empty .BSteverv -woma^ shall borrow of he? neigh^Jr and of Ser jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall out them upon your sons and upon your daughters • chtj\ff' 'P°'V^ Egyptians." ExSuTs S!£h • F ""^J- ^^"^ "^'"^ ^" substance is re- pea^ed^m Exodus I, chap.; ,.3 ver.. and ,2 ch.. Wiat constitutes Stealing consists in appro- fhu.^?u\ ^ pnatmg to you^ own usesome- thing that does not belong to you. Something that someone else has a title to. This property belonged to the Egyptians and the Bible God ordered the people to " borrow " it for the ex- -pr«s purpose of keeping it. He knew they were going away and did not intend to return An excuse has been made that they were held as slaves and they were only taking what rightly e'r^^erm^le^'^^'"- ^^^ "^PP'^ t'his to a ^od^ Suppose you went to work for a man who did not give you all the wages you thought you ISSENCB or REASON. 39 ought to have. Finally you decide to leave him When you go, m addition to your wages you ap-' propriateahorseand xvaggon and J^me pieces of h.s jewelry that you happen to find around Even suppose you " borrow" Ms watch and go a couple of hundred miles away. How quifkly you back. Then when you go to court vou give as your defense " the man did not pay me what wages I thought I should have r^eiJS and so I borrowed his watch and chain and S>,S other article., to make up the amount 1 thought I should receive." Your defense would be laulh- ed at and you would be convicted of stealine th^lrticlSt"^ '"'" ""'^" the Israelites tS>k to^o'l!'?''"'' ■*"" '■'■ *'' ^'"^ ^ '"'d them . Jehovah ordered them to steal their neighbor's jewelry and clothing, although he called 1"^r! rowing, and according to Genesis 15 chap ,i ver., he premeditated the act '^" ^ ti^ta^' ^'/^''P- ^^\^"^ commanded Moses to go out to war. the obiect bein<7 tn to ouo!!: »hf u\y explain it would be necessary we3t out kniL°n ?^P'" •>"' '■" *"'"'"'"=« they r!^i.^f C'.** y°'"'S girls who were vireins t^.-r c i«Tnd"^"'"L"' "'"'^ ''"'■"•»"'• hSd andU'lTv^aJuabir"' '"""^ ''''" ^°''^' ^''''' 40 ESSENCE OF REASON. 61,000 asses, 32,000 virgins. ^''"^' Dear reader you will not be surprised at fh.:, being so many peoole in our .o.-^l j . ""' to-day, whenThrcSi if the B^ble Uu.hTi"'"' to murder, steal and lie Ind you X.hZ God did cause poor Job to curse hTs daT r k serious :;!i,;;tnor YSG":Se^n1':!^^V"^ partnership with Satan tn rn.u u^ '^^^ '"^^ * curse God.' ^ iT^^eVj^L'""' ^"•=*' '"' Poor Job He was terribly afflicted. JroSerrh.^'"^ -«^'- t'^^ir/Jbt'e^r orS,'„H °*" f*'^." *« afflicted by means P^ loJ "^""l!::,' '^'""" ^°^ ""^ Satn roor Job. His body was covered wJfK k^i scratc^'"h^;LTf4:'wUh ir "'" ^"^ ^""^ wh::ou!2t! ;''•"■■"• J'"'— Who gave the commandment ? i tie Bible says it was God. Who caused the boils to appear on Job ? X ne Bible says God «»au» i-k. r> -V •* . to afflict Job's ^rs^a ""' P*""'^'''" KSSENCE or REASON. ., 4* ^_Who was the guilty person if a sin was corn- Reason says it was God. wa?ioaS!ctX'''"^°'"^°"'''''--'f''« saylhe'is*^*^ '" ""' ^'""'P''^*^"*. ^"d the Bible^ ment"^ "^^houl T f " ^"""^ " ~n,ma„d. mcnt . 1 hou Shalt not swear " lesus'in"to^^^^^"''" """ ^^ 'i™^* ^is .son Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Matt. 4 chap., ,. |t is strangeThat God has a desire to lead people astray. IVer^' tYml the dear preachers and church people get on ttm intrte'-ffi"^- *-« °^'''-- - ^ad CHAPTER VII. GOD ORDERS PEOPLE KILLED. rS^tl^'^ *!}\4'"^ ^^^ °f ^^'^^^> put eve- ry man his sword by his side and go in and out der^t"orS;r "'°"»"''^P'<= *"- killed un- thJ! f "^.""ey *a"-ed against the Midianites as mli^^'Tr"'"^ I """ ♦"'y ^>«w ^ the males. Numbers 31 chapter, 7 verse. 4» ESSENCE or REASON. They took all the women and children cab- tive. When Moses learned, this. he. acting as God s agent, gave this bloodthirsty order • "Now therefore kill all the males among the ittle ones and kill every woman child that hath known man by lying with him. Numbers u chapter, 17 verse. Could anything be more crue' and heartless ? If pen possessed the necessary power what a word picture could be painted of this scene 32,000 vjrgins were torn from the arms of mo- thers, brothers, and older sisters. Mothers, bro- thers and older sisters were put to death before their eyes, the persons of many of the women being violated by the brutal soldiers, this being their r<^ular custom, and then, as the last shreiks of the doomed were slowly dying with their echoed misery, the sobbing, frightened children guilty of no crime, were turned over. 32,000 vir- gins, to the brutal savages. acting under the orders of God s chief representatives,— if we accept the Bible statement—, to be outraged, sold in- to slavery or killed as happened to suit the ca- price of their owners who. were God's Chosen People Even the Lord received a portion of them. Read the entire 3 ist chapter of Numbers and then ask yourselves candidly. Was such a thing ever done by the God of the Universe ? Never. The Bible is wrong when it makes such Statements. •' And the Lord said unto Moses, take all the heads of the people and hang them up before i;!i BSENCE OF SEASON. .. or'tt'fr.T'"^ ?' '""• ">»' ♦''« fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel » S'"'5«««'«» . Moses acting as G^ Went People appewed then orderld the Se Gods Ana-er. killpH r>„- „f .u P^P'e with 9 m:J«. •-•• u "'"«'• One of them came with a Mid anitish woman, and one of the priests m~n wiiht'" XT' '"■"'^ '»'" 'he man an*^^' Se we^ViMi^^!." '^enty-four thousand peo- and%^ht Srt£„l:-1ni^<;,';P b.s mstructions 40.000 Israelites and acIS^ of 3wt^:Torrty'^ W2£ .y thrfi^tU-e ■;: cX't^L^t? 's^-^^rt"- n the history of nation^s'e^en an^g the s^va "' heL mu^nr'*'"'^ ^P'"' *«^ sh^wn'^^Alf^f these murders were committed under God-rown commands, carried out by his head ^n^? Joshua, and were for fi,. "ead general, people,' who JI^Td^never^u^S^hem ^ft'S"'^ cZZf "^ ""^"P* theBiblfna'^^v:' *"'" orde^Sr^^Bii^ ^ 8»^« \"y command in the .k I. .^ ?'™e he gave this one. " And vl shall eat the flesh of your sons and the fl«h of your daughters shall ye eat" BSSINCI OF REASON. P,Ji;.i ! u ^''**^"* '" ^'^^ '"»dst of thee" and I said unto her on the next day, give thy «>" XTl^i'Lr '"'»■ t"'^ *« hath Sid hS" D^ ifote. il""' * '=l'^ '° ^'^ " The hKnds of the pitiful women have sodden their own children • they were their meat in the destrurtion of the daughters of my people " had boiled and eaten t^eir ownThi,rn=ra"ndt: S^, ^h ' nJ?""' *°''' *""" '"ey should do ^ ^rd n^ .!''' say anything further than thl^ regarding what shall be used for food ? Anything that IS used for food must first be killed. ^ itself flI™*K not eat of anything that dieth of tself thou Shalt give it unto the stranger that IS within Ay gates that he may eat it • fr thou niayest sell it unto an alien ; f^ thou irt a ho°v Ofthe children of the strangers that sojourn . among you. of them shall ye buy. Thershan ^y^r^nirn^^x, forever. "^Lev.aj ch. 45 46 v Js he so loving as you thought he was? Did David tell us the truth when he did say th« 'i'.J BSSBNCl or REASON. ^- which would nrthatl'^hourrerU"'™^ 27 verse. Woe unto you Scribes and PKoK tw^f vouri?''''^ -f a person c^me and^'tcK>k world his n«t n, kL '" *°"" P"'" Of the a m^ itr P,"^ appearance he would run sT^S? •£?--""--* mck. Another time when Jesus was travelling 46 ■SSINCB or REASON. or on a journey he did murder a whole herd of poor dumb animals, as he sent devils into them and they ran into the sea and perished in the water. See Matt 8 chap.. 32 verse. The owner had to stand the loss of his pigs. It was no wonder the neighbors wanted him to leave the countr) . Matt 8 chap., 34 verse. Thfcn he did encourage the people to drink no more water but use wine for their stomach's sake. I. Timothy 5 chap., 23 verse. And another time when Jes- us was at b wedding he made wine for hio friends John 2 chap., i, 2, 3, 9 verses. You will see from this and other places that I have shown you that Jesus and God were in favor of the people using strong drink and win«. Jesus tells us again it is not what we eat or drink that defileth a man but that which Cometh out of the mouth, this . defileth a man. Matt 15 chap., 1 1 verse. If this be the truth then Jesus Christ must have defiled himself when he told us that a grain of mustard seed could move a mountain. Matt 17 chapter 20 verse. *^ • I thought we had some pretty strong mustard now-a-days, but it would not hold a candle with the mustard of Jehovah's day. This story takes the cake I expect God was in the dark when he told this one, but darkness seemed to be his natural place. See I. Kings 8 chap., 12 verse, and n. Chron. 6 chap., ist verse. God said he would dwell in the thick darkness and Moses visited him in the dark. Exodus 20 chap.. 21 verse. It IS only about 6,000 years ago since ■SSINCB or KBASOIf. 47 S^^ ,T- **" 'j!?'"- '» " "° "-""d" it seem- ed good to him. Gen. i chap., 3. 4 verses. .I.- 1 ^?' strange that God would dwell in ^L^ ^"- ^•'** >"•" "B"- " '■" not much daT whenthlfT !^ ""'"'' TP'« '■" 'he dark to!, day when their father was there so lone This may account for God's crooked work in^he B ! we aa he asks us who can make straieht that ctS .'/v^rt '""'' "~''«'- EcclesU;''; Now, dear r«ider, I have shown some of the hlhil'ir "'^'^'' ^°^ '"'' «'■* Son were in he habit of making. [ will now let you see a (ew blunders which the autho rs of the Bible madt CHAPTER VIII. MATTHEW AND LUKE DO NOT AGREE. The book Of Matthew gives, i chap., 6 verse a genealogy by name from David up thrwirt makL''thet\"''i:'' °^ *'*'>'• ♦" cL^T^d The hLw .7 to be twenty-eight generations. 1 he book of Luke gives also a genealoev from Christ, through Joseph the husband Tm^T down to David, and makes there toheE three generations ; besides which there are only the two names of David and Joseph that a^ alike in the two lists. I here inW^^th «SJ! alogical lists, and for the sake of perspicuitfand direction, that is. from Joseph down to David. 4« Essence of reason. 11 I : HI km m ill :, '5' Geneglogy according Matthew. Christ 2 Joseph 3 Jacob 4 Matthan 5 Eleazar 6 Ehud 7 Achim 8 Sadoc Q Azor' 10 Eh'akim 11 Abiud 12 Zorobabel 13 Salathiel 14 Jechonias 15 Josias 16 Amon 17 Manasses 18 Ezekias 19 Achaz 20 Joatham 21 Ozias 22 Joram 23 Josaphat 24 Asa 25 Abia 26 Roboani 27 Solomon 28 David to Genealogy according to Luke. Christ 2 Joseph 3 Heli 4 Matthat 5 Levi 6Melch 7 Janna . 8 Jaseph 9 Mattathias 10 Amos 11 Naum i2EsH 13 Nagge 14 Maath 15 Mattathias 16 Semei - 17 Joseph i8Juda 19 Joanna 20 Rhesa 21 Zorobabel 22 Salathiel 23 Neri 24 Melchi 25 Addi 26 Cosam 27 Elmodam 28 Er 29 Jose 30 Eliezer !,ll 1 ESSENCE OF REASON. 31 Jorim 32 Matthat 33 Levi 34 Simeon 35 Juda 36 Joseph -- 37 Jonan 38 Elakim 39 Melea 40 Menau 41 Mattetha 42 Nathan 43 David ^;iJ°*'*r ^ ^*l"* "^"' Matthew and Luke set out with a falsehood between them ^aT ih^l ♦ accounts show they do) in the^erv rnl *'*'''» mem of their history of Jesus S whom and of what he'^.L. S authoH^^^^^^^ "r have before asked) is there left for l^lievini thi strange things they tell us afterward ?r7fK? cannot be behWin their accoun of h s 'naT thev^S'u^f ' '^^^ r "" *^ »^''^^- them wh'en iney tell us he was the son of God beannirT k a>|h«t and that an angel a^i.n'^^^^t^'L "^^ 5nin;svc;-'^,r?x^-- so 1^ III ESSENCE OF REASON. CHAPTER IX. MOSES NOT THE AUTHOR. In the firet place, there is no affirmative evi- II?u*^\* ^""^^ '^ ^^^ *"**^of of those books ; fn^tt^A ^- '? ^^"^ ^"^iJ^'*' *" ^'together an un^ founded opinion, got abroad nobody knows hoxv. The style and manner in which those books are written by Moses, for it is altogether the style and manner of another person speaking of Mois. In ExodUs. Leviticus and Numbers (for every- thing m Genesis is prior to the times of Moses and not the least allusion is made to him there- in), the whole, I say, of these books is in the «iird person ; it is always the Lord said unto , Moses, or Moses said unto the Lord, or Moses said unto the people or the people said unto Moses ; and this is style and manner that his- torians^ use in speaking of the person whose lives and actions they are writing. It may be said that a man may speak of himself in the third person ; and therefore, it may be supposed that Moses did ; but supposition proves nothing : and If the advocates for the belief that Moses wrote those books himself have nothing better to ad luen^ supposition, they may as well be But granting the grammatical right that Moses might speak of himself in the third person be- cause any man might speak of himself in 'that ' manner it cannot be admitted as a fact in those books that It is Moses who speaks^ without ren- ESSENCE or REASON. 5, dering Moses truly ridiculous and absurd For example. Numbers. 12 chap., 3 verse. Now The we,:^ IZIT ^'T T'^'^^-- a" men ^h ch were on the face of the earth. If Moses said this of himself, instead of being the m^s? of men. he was one of the most vL and Aroint of coxcombs ; and the advocates for thos^ bSks^ may now take which side they please for b^th ruth'n^'".K^t!:!!f them; if Mos^s ^s not the author, the books are without authority • and if Mosc^ was the anthor. ^he author was^ivfthout credit, because to boast of meekness, is there verse of meekness, and is a lie in sentiment CHAPTER X. SAUL AND DAVID GETTING ACQUAINTED. firi°^^^^'^Q'*''' Chapters. i6th and 17th. in the first book of Samuel, that contradict each other with respecc to David, and the manner he be- came acquainted with Saul, as the 37th and ^8th chapters of the book of Jeremiah contradict each other with respect to the cause of Jeremiah's imprisonment. In the 1 6th chapter of Samuel, it is said that an evil spirit of God troubled Saul, and that his servants advised him (as a remedy) " to seek h^Jrf"'"*A ZS "^f" */"""'"& player upon the harp. And Saul said ver. 17. " Provide now a man that can play well, and bring him unto me," I ■li i < Sa ESSENCE OF REASON. Sf"i/"iT^^ °"*' ""^ ^'^ servants, and said Behold. I have seen a son of Jesse the S^fKi^ ' mite, that is cunning in playinTand ^mtu^' man and a man of tar. ^/pKtVjTaSe^r and a comely person, and the Lord is wiTh him ' aODavid^ametoSauCalr/sTc:^ And^(verse and he loved him greatly, and he beaime h?s diff^L'!"? ".l"' '^^^ ('7) gives an account all nf -f K ""*• "'^ *« ">"""" that Saul and David became acquainted. Here it is ^ri^ ESSENCE or REASON. j, because each of them supposes Saul and David not to have known each other before This book the Bible is too ridiculous for crWcism CHAPTER XI. WHAT HAS THE BIBLE DONE ? _Let US examine. Some pebple never tire of tellmg you about the Bible bring the word of God and how it has stood the test for cemuries and that It has been the cause of civilizing hS thens and bunding churches, schools, hos|i?aTs ILi ^"JP"^' ""^ <'W« -""y have done some good in this way. u teaches us what terriWe wX^Ti'-'^'" '■" «°~ for those who do wrong. This is what makes a good many peo- Uw )^.Z^""'''- ""'* '■' ''«* '^^ good r/Xue tnis fire and brimstone story is what deforms Catholic and Protestant mould.s. We find now that the pro.sperity of nations has depended not upon their Bible or RelUTon not upon the goodness or providence of some god, but on soil and climate and commeree uwn the ingenuity, industry and courage of rte iC pie, upon the development of the mind on^e spread of education, on the liberty of thoueh? and action. In this mighty panorama of na"ion stroyed, There is nothing about human liberty 54 ESSENCE OF REASON. P f I MnfTJT"^ *^"* education, not the faintest ^Tc^u'^aV: r"" ? ^''".^ ^ science^ oHnvent on^^ to stimulate industry, commerce "r invention. Not one word in favor of arf ^e musjc^r anything calculated to fe^ or ctoth/ the body, nothing to develop the brain of man w J "he "cTut T^ •■»* *""■-« *at the B^ble worW I ! ' "^"'"e so much good in the world. Let us see what the Bible isdoinVa? the present time for the people In everllfl So °rto4' tob ■'"' ^°" -"'»eVor:Lte^ liquor stores tobacco stores, and other low ola M,, n "'t" y°" "'" churches. How do^ Ste chu«V«' H ■■^''= ' ' ^^"^ ^" "°°2»^ ^site churches, domg a good business How can you account for God not answerinTsome of the preachers or churches people's prayers If Th!fJ • P''''y'"S enough done, liauor us,!^ °"wTy "' ""y »~<"'"t fof so much us.^ sSn/dlt '^" ^'^^ *''» P~P'« orders to to re&ver ft '' """f" *"'' ''^ *»"*«=«» them m rejoice over it, you and your familv anrt «™. may have all other kinds of vRwelf and c^a^'slTor I'rA V°"\^™"8 thiswhL'he Proverbs , I. h!r Ta "*''"'P- ^ ^""^e. ""d WM dn»n^h- f • *"''.*■' "^"=5. When Jesus ^?to dTink r t""''' T""' ""'» ""^ 'heVo- S^iM.n^t T'm. 5 chap.. 23 verse. Sovou see It IS not much wonder there are so manv ho! tels when your Bible upholds the „« of "ttop^ K8SENCB or REASON. 55 dnnk and wine. I think the first step the peo- PC should take to stop the use of liquor ^d other ow places of vice is to stop the printing and selhng of the Bible, as it is the conflation of every vice and the barricade of every crime which you will see by reading the following pa- fnfi hi5?r' •'^'M* "'"'?^''^'' ^ *^^ «^^^^ a man ?2 verse '" "'' ^^"^ ^''°^"' ^ "^'^P' David went out and took the land of the Ges- huntes and killed all the men and women for the reason, as he said, lest they should tell on us. I. Samuel 27 chap., 8,9-11 verses. David was a man after God's own heart but had killed ^ many people in his day that they sang over It. Saul hath slam his thousands but David his ten thousands, I.Samuel 18 chap.. 7 verse. Lot. the only good man in Sodom at the time of its destruction, offered his daughters, two virgins, to the lust of a mob and finally raised children by \nrZ o ' n^'^^'^''^/ "^^^ S""*y *^^ the crime of incest as well as. adultery. Gen. ,9 chap.. 8-36 were adulterers, were adulterers. Judah. the founder of the tribe of Judah. committed adult- cry with his daughter-in-law. supposing her to ^f.. ^'i^- ^^" ^ learned*^ that she was about to become a mother he ordered her to be brought out to be stoned to death. She hap- pened to have a « token " from him that proved 56 BSSBMCK or REASON. He »S his^ r"^S?„'TcS!l' """"^^ and tried to sell her virturto Ph. ^l '2 verse). &r:s„^.-rl.S^-"^^^ acts bw AW™-,'"T'' '^'"' Abraham for these acts, out Abimilech was onlv sav.>rf ft«™ _. u inent by making an offerino- oH^^ k P""'* and men and wSmen s^rvant^^i^ ' •''^•°''«" to Abraham who praw Jit' f^ fT"? *'"" Abimilech for the inKerAkh;"* t°. '?'«''"' him : the Lord dd^s7 vVh,^"'l'K™['^''^"« the Lord said of him ' •' Ah^K A''"^'" d'ed. voice and kept my chT^e ™?^"" "''*>:'^ '»y ■ny statutes, and^y lawJ" L'°T'\?'^'"'"'*' If Abraha.„ wasinnoS. whM would ,'^ * ^• have to do to be guilty ? '' ' P*""" .n^S^dThil'tKo^'^'""''^ "'-^ «'^". ^; K r^^"^'"^ ""■' ^ <^«"«»» 26 chapter «d him g„at t^ir^hn^Hr^tt^^Zli )f i. ). s i t I ESSENCE OF REASON. ^y fh iThi'''"' ^'^'' *'^°''*'" p^^'p^^' ^^"^'*'« 30. a harlot at Gaza. Was that adultery ? Yet God rewarded him with the greatest strength ever pos.sessed by a human being. Judges i^ .,^^iii-5^"'^*"y.^*'*" ^^"^ Lord ordered the 32,000 Midianite virgins turned over to a brutal soldiery, httle better than savages? No. Worse ^an savages. The Indians killed their captives men^ women and children but they never out- nnf^r^ilf'?* ""u" *!l^y "^""^'^ **"ght the trick by a ChrLtuT brothers-nominally at least^ fh^^^ tu P^^ 330. says: "It is remarkable have bl^n ^""""'2^^ ?^ ^''""^ «"'y ''<>"^ ^omen [ftut!.' ""p ?K ^'"k^^'?^ ' ^*^^*^' « ^°"»™on pros titute ; Ruth. who. instead of marrying one of andXh^ri?' '° *^^.T'^ *"°^^«^ °f *hem : nil.vrl ^^*'^''^' *" adulteress, who espoused Day^, the murderer of her first husband." pnH . *"?*^"^*«* Hosea to marry a prostitute and to h.re an adultress, Hosea i chap.. 2/3 and 3 chap.. , -2 verse. W^s that adulte,? ? l..mVf "P^p™"^!? ^onde*- our JaiKs. Prisons, Asy- umsand Poor-houses are full of people when tShr T^ ^^^ S^*"'^^^^ '^' befoJethem in has to follow"'^ W ^u^^ !r S"" »"^ *»^- «-or3 has to follow. See what bloodshed and murder 58 usBHct or uuon. t owli.^tn^"'^ '" ^**'"* ^'^'^ ""'"ber of years S^Ki ^. *° missionaries and the Bible but th! BiWe teaches us all such work. ' "* ^^^ •niousands of missionaries are sent to heathen g^untnes to persuade the believers in other r!^ ttgions not onljr to examine the^ superstLn^^^ relWnn V **!"""« *« foundations of their heathen .• You must examini^oLr «lX *d not only so, but you must reja"y daS ant "oJ'Tc^^Tan'^r^- 1-V;i^ '"o'llij- you'"e^.j::irornor '-"«««!: i^"' wSetS:; TA^^'-caffielt!."'' °/"""* ™Pn th^ u ""*«" have much better Rdie- hev^^n "' •'k7' '* they do worship some th „l they can see, but we worship something we «inf ^unds oFZn^X*''"L.'^' Thou^sa* df of K^ir^toXlhe" 'Bit" Ir*'^'^' ariesahve out in Indi^ Wh^?''d;"tt^T"w ■SSERCB or MASON. 59 ?h,« If Ik '■""."f*: »"•* «»''« thousinds of ™Th J ,h'>' '^""L'' 1° "''■» '°' "" P°<" heath- rvUT.?» 7u""'f'".''*^« *°'»« <»"h in their God but no they apply to the gods of the world for money and provisions to save their hves How does this look for the Bible. Why d'd your Bible not prevent the late war in i^u h Africa and save thousands of lives. Murder vice, crime and di.sease go on just the same in dependent of the Bible. fhif'H'^l "^ "'"■ Government had all the money that has been paid out for to keep the Bibli h.'i;^""''^'";''* ""» carted by the way of abJ^"f„H^Jjr'"?-P"'""8 P'«'"=''«"- printing Bibles and all missionary expenses, and the Ion SuvXhr ^trV'^'Ty r ^'^' 'h«y could buy all the railroads in Canada and pay off our National Debt as well. Then we ^uld have something to show for our money, butat pi^n? we have nothing to show but a pile of e^V keeping the people in debt and producing noth- '"^ ''"t what you know at home. A tin year old school boy can tell you a, much about^Ae whence and whether and what the Holy Gh^ cl^ll. • ^'^^^ P?'^ P^-^her on earth.^ Eve% church IS an organised beggar. Every one Hvm Eyet"''J^Z,:^"'V°T^ byforc^:ndfe« tvery orthodox church promises heaven and ire mal'fo^' k""**.*?", ^J"'^ ""<» thr^ts are made for the sake of alms for revenue. Every <0 USKNCB or XCASOM. Church cries believe and give and if they do a httle singmg and praying on the streetsTn Sun m/„e? ''i '•? ~°" « y°" <^°°' looking for the t^; Jl " »">'*?"'•" «he Bible has stoS the test so long, h is a wonder you did not ten Thrs^l!"" •r"'*"»= ''""'""B the teTt s^ IS the B^ " °' ""T ^"''" '° the public than an the Bibles on earth and it costo you nothinV The almanac teaches us facts and science and gives day and date when eclipses occ^"«I This IS what your costly Bible will not do It IS a wonder you did not tell us that the Bib£ gave us all the grand inventions we have I ' a wonder you did not tell us about the anima s hving so happily together without a Bible How do you account for this ? Every animal in "ea ^Ztut'^Z" ?"■"!?""«• *e wing^ ln^?s, without mentioning doves or eagles, can oass over more space with greater fase in a few minutes that man can in an hour '*''"* *"»' itJ^a^ °'J^' ""•""«*' fi* '■" proportion to Its bulk exceeds us in motion almosV bevond comparison and without weariness Even°he sluggish snail can ascend from the bottom of » w^!!?r" ^u""*'. ■""" ^ 'he want of thatTbUit^ tTe od'T^T"/.''"''" =»" '"""^h itself f^S^ the top as a playful amusement. The personal f^mr^fr^H"" "" *° """'«'• and hifteavy mem tr, ' ."^ ~"1*™««^ *» extensive en^-^ Tit" o^,- .''tff'' "'^ "I'ttle behind the times w t oii.^ , . the aniinaLs. Vou .see those in telligcH animals can live so happily to^the"! K88BNCB or REASON. $1 i Jndcpendent o( man or the Hible. They require no laws or commandments as we do. TWs 's tilchLTaZ 7?r i!'^*^ '^ '« reason tha leacnes all animal life how to live RM«nn r" '•«^."?« sundard in all .h ngs. h ^ that cwmL ";^'"«''' °' '"'"'y- '' *»» """^^ tnat civilized our country and gave us all we d^r w ^""^M '"•''»'' 'f » '"»" com" to Jour «^noTkni'v""'^5-''°" """« '" him in. You cannot kill him. As a necessity you provide a p^Me for him and you do this to prot^rJoSr! d^ V™f*!f Christianity has hi. n"Ugto h^™ r "^ " '?'" '~~" 'hat made us provide hom« for the sick and afflicted. It wiw^d and bad reason that wrote the Bible orTwo^ no 'The" mTT "^'y- ^ y°" ^ '■' ^«» ToL/rT , i !• ? '"*" '^y- 'hat civilized our country and built our schools and other public places of charity. The Bible has a tendency to loZ"^"i " '' "'■''"" '""> 'h« minds oTthe young people so much murder, bloodshed adultry, lying, stealing and all other viwTof thl' very lowest type. I had no idea that tWs b<»k Thin l?P»'!^ the searchlight of reason on it. Then I felt it my duty to expose it to my fellow ^f^d", knU' ""t^^'P "T °" °' 'he pri^n „U The r^;».- """'i' "^r"' *'»h and desire. 1 he Christians say that their God has existed ^^wm'^';;!!'-! "'^'^'L has been, ^dt^ ever will be, mfimte, wise and good. Could this 6a ESSENCE OF REASON. God hive avoided being God ? Could He have avoided being good ? Was he wise and good without his wish or will ? ' Being from eternity, he was not produced. He was back of all cause. What he is. he was. and will be, unchanged, uncTiangeable. He had no- thing to do with the making or developing of his character. Nothing to do with the develop, ment of his mind. What he was, he is. He has made no progress. What he is, he will be, there can be no change Why then, I ask. should we praise him ? He could not have been different fronri what he was and is. Why should we pray to him, he cannot change ? And yet Christians implore their God not to do wrong. The meanest thing charged against the Devil IS that he leads the children of men into tempta- tion, and yet, in the Lord's Prayer, God is insult- mgly asked not to imitate the king of fiends. " Lead us not into temptation." Why should God demand praise ? He is as he was. He has never learned anything ; has never practiced any self-denial ; was never tempt- ed, never touched by fear or hope, and never had a want Why should he demand our praise ? ^ Does anyone know that this God exists ; that he ever heard or answered any prayer? Is it known that he governs the world , that he inter- feres in the affairs of men ; that he protects the good or punishes the wicked ? Can evidence of this be found in the history of mankind ? If God ESSENCE OF REASON. 63 i governs the world, why should i^e credit him for ustifrj2irr^°' "''''«" *"■"" *** 'he evil r To ind ILM ^^ r '""'' ^^y "'« good is good and that evil ,s also good. If all is done by Su God we should make no di«inction betweiTn h s actions between actions pf the infinUeTv wis! s^Wnrlnd^"" ^r- 'I '^ thank WmtrX> DU^ieanH r^'* «'%''''°»"<» »'«> thank him for plague and famine. If we thank him for liberty the slave should raise his chained hands in Vo?' ship and thank God that he toils un^M withThe lash upon his nakod back. If we thank him for ,„Jh! •?* " 'I"' S°°^ »n'"'<"°*n quantify 'is sund thf ' ff T""' ^'^ *"" "-^ """o^^ unde word. '.<-^..?^'^i°."P'*'" the univeise. The word Ood ' IS a definition of human imwrance d^s Ea'^d"?"' *' "'' ""' '-»*• ThTto'd thought of whattn^rnn^tt'ir "p^pj^l^ use the word "God" do not know wh^fSeyt^ 64 ESSENCE OF REASON. talking about. This word fits nothing that has yet been discovered. Theology is the science of what no one knows anything about. It does not belong to the family of knowledge. When the hands of theology are laid on a man's head his brains aie consecrated to do nothing. Every time a minister is made, a man is lost. Nothing disgraces American civilization more than the theology preached in Christian churches. It is worse than childish ; it is old-womani.sh. The Dark Ages cast their shadows across the bright skies of the nineteenth century, and the relics of that benighted time,.the priests, are still walking the streets like gohsts of bad deeds. Every theology ends in a creed. A creed is the night-cap of religion. It is a sign that the mtellect is asleep. When faith is in, sense is out. A man with a creed has bought the coffin for his mind. The rest of -his life will be a funeral service for the dead. A creed is the grave of thought When a person subscribes to certain articles of belief, he has no further use for his brains. It does not require any mental exercise to believe. Belief does not signify any process of intellectual assimilation or digestion. When a man joins a church, he makes his last will and testament. Men and women go to a church and say to the world that they hgve faith in the God of the Bible who caused all the first-born of Egypt to be slain, and then go home and take their child- ren to their hearts with a love and tenderness H. ESSENCE OF RBASON. 65 that shows how much heff^r *u^ 1. t. .hey profess to. ™Me„ ^^uJ^^t^^'X^^ .'!}^" money iH3 ,^,,.„g .^ '»' "anhSJ a^d wt oP A theolo^ that I on^n . "^J •"' ^""-^ ""'^^"l- Nothinpcaiih<.|,.L "a«t, lor it is sure to fall. at. T?L^ii''r:s'fu:;"'f:^*,'h''fr''''''"8'''' creation of Adam and Evr ??,!^ '^''''''' "* "^^ the flood, and kindrlf ^f' ^* ^^'■''^" "^ E^en, religion ihe^ Jeip r^wiJeTot^"'*' •"" ""^ appreciate the luSusT? " ' ,°° ^'"P'"* *" with laughter How ilfh '^'""" '° '«at it their ignfranL. Le* is all "^"t, "" '° """^'^^ nowledgethatwe do not kno^wtS .1,"' "•''• -1 trft:rn '^^:i^^'^^'^^^:^e. s. - •^••'"HTi^-^'i.rtrtr h-rr^ tenT'o'n of SrtHa!""' l'''" """»"'' ^e at- humanity rera:^rdil1°r''■?l; -'?.'«. '° of the dead which worshiDi^H „L • '*''«'"" we want the relieion Iffif^-^^* '* outgrown ; 66 ESSENCE OP REASON. when they learn to trust their own reason and common sense. When men cease to fear God they will cease to worship him. We want no more objects of worship. We have thrown away our i»fferings ; we have wasted our libations by pouring them upon altars. The world has lost much and gained little by worship. If what has been done for gods had all been done for men, I dare not say how fair our world would be. Let us not forget that the altar was first a tomb — a place for dead men. It is no place for . live men tfo-day. We should not know where to find God if we wished to ask his help. He is never where he is wanted. He js always too late to prevent an accident. He is only a coroner. We are.told that " God will wipe all tears from our eyes." We can do that ourselves. How much better it would be to prevent our tears than io dry them— to stop the train before it takes its leap of death than to go to the funeral of the victims. Faith in God is good for nothing when there is a flaw in the bridge. I do not know whether it is Atheism to say that man has no other power but his own to depend upon, but I know it is a fact. Faith in God is a continual disappointment. It ends in despair, or in faith in man. The world i* turning away from worship. This is the assurance that a nobler duty is to be undertaken. Man can still bow his head in veneration of worth.^but he does not care to be kept on his knees to a mummy. ESSENCE OP REASON. «7 smXf aTof% ^" *' ^"~ of justice the smallest act of kindness weighs more than th^ largest confession of faith. Theoloeical faith m the land. It would be marked N. G wn,.w?r^^ '*" ** ™" on a smaller capital than would be necessary to fit out a travelling tnk« » uTcSvSiiret n^i^'cLi^r "-^ earth would exchaV Ws go^s f^ ^ p VK mKimT^ ''" angel hettr.tn. ,^"1' make him a tramp here. Work mav nnf k« onS Vhl'o ^;f ''~^^"-""' "'""""nor^ not"n tis Jwn.'"""* """' °" '"' ''"'* "^ "'"e". is 1!"'^""°'*' ""^ '"?''» *°o much noise. Faith met a lact, It has gone down herrir#> if tu- word has been the flee of eTery im^sit tn Hale'ffflr ''Tk^-"« to'SeTsays: "in not £^ done '"''^ ^"^ *'" ^ "'""• '"<' '' « SngT ^ftefc'To? '"'■"^^^"' "y '"'■* 5 K lo get jcft You cannot pass yourelf 6$ ESSENCE OP REASON. li!:.: Hi It ministers were obliged to fnrn.'ek *i,^ Of their sUtementMhe^to'ul/r'n'optS.'l^J vagabond religion, or none at alf K?,? "? not be afraid o^f un ust opWons Am^i^n^Ss fate of siyfnrwhattsTrr^' J^'f. *'" '""^ the right '' *'"' °^ <'°'"g ""hat is ruined because they do V^t'^know tLT there h andS '"tT ""•* 'Ty "'■'• """ avoid S and rum. They must be told better ouSmXI?' knowledge of good and evil fruftslif^,^ 11°" TP'"""''s estate, and its truits be free to all. and the old trees of ignorance ?hf K -^S^^Tv^hose timber has been usSi in the building of churches, should be uprooted burnt root, trunk, branch and leaf ^ift^^ knowledge was made a saint, and ignorance a demon. The old notion that man dS"^ ■ssBNOB or RCaSOH. 69 to know much if he only has religion, does not , tolly with the ideas of this century ^ hi/wh^i"'"* r°" "° "~""' of himself, of his birth, parentage, or anything else : not a line of what «; called the New Testament"" of his own wntmg. The history of him is altogether ^LZZ) V "'*"' P~P.'« ; ""d a'' to the alcounl g'ven of his resurrection and ascension, it was Ae nec«.sary counterpart to the story of his birth. His historians having brought him into ^fl k'" " ^"P"™"'"™' manner,le«.oblig^ the fir,t ^r. TJ"^'" '■" "•« ^"^ mannerfS ground ^ **""' """'' ^'" '■""«" '» the The most extraordinary of all the thinss called Zh'i"! 'ti'^ '" "•* New Testomentf is th« of the devil flying away with Jesus Christ and »ni fi.iP"'^?' '"8'!,"' P'""a='e of the temple and showing him and promising to him all Se he d^ not discover America, or is it only with kingdom, that his sooty highne& h J X All those mistakes and illusions and delusions you inThr'Sh " ""^ n^" *«' ' have shown you in the Bible must fade from the minds of intelligent men. Man should learn to rdv uLn himsetf_as reading Bibles will not p,o7«t Wm clothing wll To prevent famine one plow is worth a million sermons, and even patent medj! 7<* KSSINCE or RXA80N. Bl ' dear preachera 1 h^you to tell tht Znth ■^^t a ghost could not be a faiher Tetl Z^lu"'" be Wr.prtS^SnnteSt'^o^re" ^'" ^ 1 i CHAPTER Xn. SUPERSTITION. What is superstition ? ft is to believe in sDitP of evidence or without evidence to ac?o,rt?^ stition Is th^etSrt^;L;r;^K7hiL^^ ■WINCC OF KIASOH. I« evenr Eden and fastens its poisonous fanes in the hearts of men. It is the cfetdliest foe TthS wo?J^f rL""t" "i" "i;'"^ »•" Bible was the word of God, and that God made all thimrs from nothing. It taught us to believe that att« r«.f. ^S**;'' '*'■*" ^' "■"• '"at the father S Jesus Christ was a ghost, and that a grain of T^i^. "'^u''""' *•» ""^' » mountain and t^.n »1 ifll''' '''? '"."•"' "■"'- «'«•" be sent for rt^rt^ "T' '" ' '"''rf fi« «nd brimstone hL!5^ X: ',' '.' "** "^"^^ ^ ""wy people when they expect to spend eternity in such a place, for the Bible teaches us there U not a just Se*e"S.^? * V~* »~^ ""<» sinneth no See tcclesiastes 7 chap., 20 verse. ),=.;„ u"" "'"'"r' "'" F"'"« » "bite robe and Wieve in'fh!: l'^' , S''P!"«'«<"' taught us to Delieye in the Eden tragedy and rib story. lust ■magjne God who had millions of other wwWs t^rt^r^'^lr °" "'■' P~t«=«°" should quit wnrlTw^"" 't"^* """^ ~™« to die in our world because they say one man and one woman had eaten an apple, and on the other hand are ^aln ^^ *i?* '^"^ ''"'■'^ '■" *= boundless 5^^T JV^'* '^ *' P^^^*" »ho is call- ed the Son of God and sometimes God himse f would have nothing else to do th^to trt^ 12 KSSKlfCB OF RBASON. d«Th "^th J" T'*^ '■" "" «""«'" """•"'•on of fef»„^ToXiK?s«riS;- CHAPTER XIII. JUDGMENT DAV. ^ airs Zv t r '"'^' """"«' -^ s: ^IImV^ J ^ be forgiven you ; but if you re- collect that you have laughed at God's book you will see through the shadows of death^e ofX^il °° L^' ''"If """^ *« forced ron^*4 Forttnc^'ftrthX'o^yg-^ei't ^ft the world." "Yes sir WW u- ^ r ™ ''^°™ mviif" " n wen 1 don t like to talk about myself. But you have to. What kind of J Mn"T'" ^^.f ^' " ^«"' ' was a goo^* fellol l^^^.T ^*^"' ' '^^^^ ™y childreiC My tt was my heaven ; my fireside was my oarad^e folfine'^nthn/"' -V»^-%htsTn';iaws lallmg on the faces of tho.se I love, that to me KS8BNCI OF RBASON. .^ iney were too narrow for mc. They were i"" "="<:vc mat rib storv ?" •■ u/k.* — . — Do you mean that a27 ."r!"** "'' ''""y ' No. I did not Tot,n "'.^"'t.^'" business? wai a lit?Ie morJthan T" 'm °°^ » '""''• *« hell with him"'°"N;^r Wherl''ar"°''"r ■"^° " I'm from the world too »"n^ *"!!' /""" '" «ny church ?■'" v.. ■• ^"you belong to Me^s <^Ln JScil^r-'' ^Wh'at ^"^ business?" "Cashier in a bank » ' DM ^"""^ ever run off with any money?" «r Ar.^tj'^ tell sir " « U7-»!i u ■*. . ' * °on t »ke to <• A .- • 5 ''™ °fa bank did vou hkwV A savings bank." " How much ^^ off with ?" •• On*. i,.,„!i J ^ ''"■ yon """ " Did you take anvtMnf "f "'f'"''"'^ ^°"«''^" " Yes, sir » "What y'.?f ^^ *'°"8 *i«hyou?" •' Did you have a We.n^K•J!i^"''■8'''~^**'■fe'• " Yes %i, -' .. / J ' ^"^ children of your own ?" ve, bu ,urh ""^ *'°" ''*^'*«' them ?» ^qI beTiev^' ^etoUd TaU""'''''^.'" ^ "-at ' *-« «c wouiQ take care of them " «« u you heard of them since ?» "Ao^j, .. .?A->f you beheve that rib story?" •- Ak hi«. ^"^ ->.y- • believed all o"f i, sirlVoftt: S 14 ■SBBNCS OF XIA90N. f® If "2^ ***** l**^ ^*"^ "^ '»«'«• Stories yet the Bible. .• that I could show what my faith I'JJi^ If 'u^'°" !J*^^'^^^ •*' d'<> your ^'^ Yes wrth,,all my heart" "Give him a harp and a in CHAPTER XIV. MV OWN EXPEKIBNCE. Dear Iteader you may wish to know mv ex- perience on till, all important subject of rdWon „"»rV"i*"^ d'yil was taight to tueve in the Protestent re igion. but asyLs rolled by «J«!Srir'?"' "l'«"««"t on this subject, and 1 ahindoned it. as it was too narrow and shallow rh. .l^K^*^ that r«,son facts and science are the «d i?.li 11°"'"P '2- *'"~" "»»' he the Stand! Ae L^i iT^'Ik '^'•~" " *•" '«•'»• the sun of the brain. It is the compass of the mind, the ever consent northern star, the mountain p^k A« f,T'L''?^'=J'" ='°'«''' My mind is^ that I,nl7^?'/?K*'" ^"''""O" that substance is !l!i VA" *■!* ""'"»"« " "-ithout beginnine and will be without end. that it is theonetterna! existence. I do not believe in a God or in any »*" P°*«- •" space, making the worlds from a ™k°' 'r? "°"""8- I cannot concewTof something bemg created out of nothing, neither can I conceive of anything being created wX IE ■SUNCB or RIASON. 75 out a c. us Nc ihe, can I conceive of force existm;,' v,l,„.m .nd iwifore matter, that it is equal! yn^o „hle to . ,.iccive of matter without inte^.^nV!" '.'"f,'?.'"''' , '» '""Wive of infinite mtth.,mc, .ivcl,,,,- from eternity in infinite r„^.„i ."''■ " ' "^PO«">lc for there to be any end to s have travelled many times to the sky and ^the'liul/s,*' ^r*"' "-^y ■'"^ been cam-^ by the Gulf Stream from the shores of Florida ^H .K "'^ to be turned into a crystal of ice £ hove L' ''^''^r °^ Spitsbergen^ It ma> have hovered o^>er the streets of London and have formed a part of the Murky fog and no traveHer has ever accomplished such distances "^e " U .niS'il*"' IT " ^'^^ ^°'^"- " is distributinL E^«? M *^ *°'''^ *"''°"' » ^""d of time to utni JV'" ^""^ '"'''' '° ">« «»rth again to te Ts Se^^'J^''"""?- V"^ ^^^^^ou in turn IS utilized by animals, then man utilizes those animaU for food and this food is utiliz^ ^^ „" by the animalcules in our blood and its from ou^deart";:::^''"''^ ""^f ^''"''''=" originate. 1^ our dead bodies are utilized in producing othere oiftle^'^r".'^""" J°u"'"'=>' '"""Sb the"^tet and ?e»^vf k'"''"^ '*=°""= *=" renovated and ^l »!1""^'' °l^' ^»'"- 't " only child ish to say that man has a soul that returns to God or the devil after the air leaves his lungs wK 'r!^'^'"' ■"*" "'■ """^n pretends to kniw what God or a soul is, but all intelligent people know that vegetation, water and air, is the'Tpfrt ESSENCE OP REASON. 79 ' or life of man and animal, as I have given you sufficient proof to show that the Bible is only written by superstitious man and that there is no such a power as a God that made any one thing. Then it is not necessary to dwell on the subject of a soul which we know nothing about Your Bible has crumbled and fallen, and youf churches are built on a foundation ..f sand and their fall is certain. It is. man's laws and self respect that makes us become good citizens and live better lives and not the Bible. People mostly go to church to show their nice clothes and to advertise their business. Facts and science should be taught in the church instead of supposition. People should be taught that spunge bathing and pure air is of more benefit to our health than reading Bibles and making long prayers. You say the infidels call on God when they come to die. Some of them may do so but do you know the reason why, the seed of superstition was distilled into their young minds at their mother's knee to believe in a God that IS wicked and good. If you die with one sin on your soul this God will hand you over to the devil, to burn you in a lake of fire and brim- styne for eternity. Just imagine what church people teach their children. Is it any wonder they dread death or call for mercy, but why should they call on such a wicked God for mercy He ir.zde the devil and this lake of fire. GcxI keeps plenty of brimstone and fire in heaven as well. See Genesis 19 chap., 24 verse. Who 8o ESSENCE OF REASON. waned c>ty with brimstone and Are for 616^^ co.^e^«-rH^°,r„o^^^^^^^^ thine: before he Hm»h h.c — *"y" 5 ^iuic nc aiea. His reason was tnn miM neU°::^rdT ?he^^,?'™ -f^^"« such brave and noble mJ^^t ^'T"^'' u asking for 'value on their death beds from some where they will arrive after delS^" Threxp^ to amve ,n heaven or hell, to be locked up wS. fire ano brimstone for eternity. This is all the nducement the church holds out for man I ,! I'l"^' *'5ked for parents to dilt H su 'h po L" mto the m.nds of their children. This ." X =0 "»"y d;;ead death and hate life. Every child should be taught to doubt, to inquire to demand ^^n^enou'^rio t'""" "^"•■- "rai;! to'rS reason enough to become an agnostic Thpn yo:wrs::"th':tT""'K'°'''^'''^^'°''™'h'^a':3 p'^sorcellf'S: Un^s^s ^"^.T"'^'' '™"' ">« to enjoy life andtn^: V^te TdeXTi: a pleasure to die when we know that we on I vVo back to spend a few months in quiet veeetaLfn helpmg to build up some nice plant or flower in your garden, or song bird on the tree? nste"d of spendmg eternity in hell. ' "^ °'^ |)i ESSENCE OF REASON. 8l Could you find one person on earth that would have a desire to be locked up within the gates of a walled city, with an angry God for eternity. We have some nice homes and cities here on this earth, but we like to leave them for a few weeks about once a year. Just imagine yourself being compelled to spends eternity in one city, and if you should get the privilege to look over the walls you would see nothing but your brother man burning in a lake ot hre. This is the inducement the Bible holds out for those who believe in its teaching Church people call us agnostics, heathens, but I have shown you that they have reason enough to stand m the front ranks and dictate to the balance of the wor d where they are wrong in believing that the Bible is the word of God. i CHAPTER XV. QUESTIONS. u ^j ^T~J\J' ^-Campbell, promise to pay one hundred dollars ($,oo.oo) in cash to any'^rtho dox person on earth who can give evidence or ^"7: ^'wuV' ^^' "^ *^^ ^«"«-^"g questions :- 1st. What is God ? 2nd. What is the soul and spirit ? is fnvicih I u 'P'"^ ^^^^.""' ^^'^' ^"d ^"es and is invisible how can it have a heart, lungs, eyes. <9 BSSKNCK or REASON. hands and can breathe and walk, and be in the shapeofa dove at the same time? ^ *" "« ^!r «f* *'' ^'^'^S* possible with God ? 5th. Was Jesus Christ's Father a ghost ? Oth. How are we to know that an ancel saw 7th. Was this ghost in the form of a dove when It got acquainted with Mary ? or spaceV^ '^*'^' "^'^ ^"""^ """"^^ '^^ firmament. mf^^.K^**•'^ ^'"^ ^^^ set the material to rnake the sun. moon and stars and all other mat- ter that is m space ? ,ul^^\u ^^° "^^^ ** **^' ^*^ Go^ making space the earth, sun, moon, stars, etc. ? «» ^ . AH.'.!!'' .^r^^ '*'*' '* *^** '^^ ^o^ making Adam out of dust and air? fki^'*'' 1/ God's eyes are in every place have they seen the end of space yet ? fJJ^^' ^i^^^ language did the snake use in talkmg with Eve in the Garden of Eden ? 14th. Before the snake talked to Eve had it l^s and feet or wings ? 15th. What way did the unake convey Jesus to the top of the high mountain and jM^nacle? i6th. In what way did the snake tempt Jesus m the wilderness, and how did the snake know that Jesus was God ? \cn'Zl\ "o^ did so many species of animals know how to figure on the time to leave their homes in different parts of the world, in order to ■I KSINCI or REASON. 83 Ret aboard the ark before Noah pulled in the gangway, or plank ? f «j in me l8th. How did Noah know when all the tK ?""""'' •'"''""^'^ to take- passage in 19th. How did Noah find room for so many annr,als and their food in the ark, and ho^tas It kept clean and renovated ? ^ 20th. How did so many different tribes of people originate from Noah and his three boys ? tk. 21! ^"" J°" "'*"y "'"'•e questions but Let us see who will be the first to get the reward th?°t?uth" r T"' *"» '""^« q^u^fon'to ^ such ^IL^'l ° ''°" ^y '"y pe--^"" t° distil ch«^h 1^""^^'' ^*'°°^'- »"d "hy do you oot^l-P^'''^ ''!" "' "gnostics, heathens, for word^'of cy ^'"''^ "^^ ''°"« *" •- the i CHAPTER XVI. r CONCLUSION. in rte' c«^»''■"^'K ,^' education commence «4 ISSRNCB OP REASON. be modest enough to be truthful, honest enoug to admit their ignorance. Nothing should b taught as true that cannot be demonstrated. A] should be taught that there is nothing too sacre( to be investigated, nothing too holy to be undei stood. Each mind has the right to lift all cur tains, withdraw all veils, scale all walls, explor all recesses, all heights, all depths for itself, ii spite of church or priest or creed or book. In teliigence is the only light. It enables us tc keep the highway, to avoid the obstructions anc to tAke advantage of the forces of nature. It is the only lever capable of raising mankind. Tc develop the brain is to civilize the world. All should be taught that man must protect him- self, that there is no power superior to nature that cares for man, that nature has neither pity nor hatred, that her forces act without the slightest regard for man, that she produces with- out intention and destroys without regret. No- thing is greater, nothing is of more importance than to find amid the errors and darkness of this life, a shining truth. Truth is the intellectual wealth of the world. The noblest of occupation is to search for truth. Truth is the foundation, the superstructure and the glittering dome of progress. Truth is the mother of joy. Truth civilizes, enobles and purifies. The grandest ambition that can enter the mind is to know the truth. The man who finds a truth, lights a torch. There is no real investigation without freedom, freedom from the fear of gods and men. So all ESSENCE or REASON. 85 investigation and all experiment should be per- sued in the light of reason. For many centuries free speech has been an insult to God. Nothing has been more blasphemous than the expression of honest thought. For many ages the lips of the wise were sealed. The torches that truth had lighted, that courage carried and held aloft were extinguished with blood. Truth has always been in favor of free speech, has always asked to be investigated, has always longed to be known and understood. Freedom, discussion, honesty, investigation and courage are the friends and allies of truth. Truth loves the light and the open field. The brain must be develop- ed, the world must learn that credulity is not a virtue and that no question is settled until reason is fully satisfied. By the light of reason we divide the useful from the hurtful, the false from the true. We know that science has given us all we have of value. Science is the only civil- izer. It has freed the slave, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, lengthened life, givisn us homes and hearths, pictures and books, ships and rail- ways, telegraphs and cables, engines that tireless- ly turn the countless wheels, and it has destroyed the monsters, the phantoms, the winged horrors that filled the savage brain. Science is the real redeemer. It will put honesty above hypocrisy, mental veracity above all belief. It will teach the religion of usefulness. It will destroy bigotry, in all its forms. It will put thoughtful doubt above thoughtless faith. It will give us philoso- 86 B88BNCB or REASON. phers, thinkers, and savents instead of priests, theologians and saints. It will abolish poverty and crime, and greater, grander, nobler than all else it will make the whole world free. A new era is dawning on the world. We are beginning to believe in the religion of usefulness. The men who felled the forests, cultivated the earth, spanned the rivers with bridges of steel, built the railways and canals, the great ships, invented the locomptive and engines. The men who invented the telegraphs and cables and freighted the elec- tric spark with thought and love, the men who have explored the heavens and traced the orbits of th^ stars, who have read the story of the world in mountain range and billowed sea, the men who have lengthened life and conquered pain, the great painters and sculptors who have made the canvass speak, the marble live, the great agnostics who pull down the walls of super- stition and take their fellow men out of the prison cell of darkness to the light of free thought and liberty ; these are our christs, our apostles, and our saints. The triumphs of science are our miracles, the books filled with the facts of nature are our sacred scriptures and the force that is in every atom and on every star, in everything that lives and grows and thinks, that hopes and suf- fers, is the only possible God. Beyond the horizon of the nature, we cannot go. All our duties are w^itl^in our reach, all our obligations must be discharged here in this world. Let us love and labor, let us wait and work, Ipt us cultivate KSSENCE OP REASON. g^ courage and cheerfulness, open our hearts to the good, our minds to the true and let us hve free hves. Character is made in the shop, the count- mg-room, the law-cffice, wherever the daily work of life IS done and in whatever caUing our con- tribution to society is rendered. It is our work- day religion, not our Sunday talk about it that must move the world to higher levels, 'right pfmciples, and right methods wrought into busi- ness activities will tend to prevent evil not simply cure it, and this above everything else is the thing that we want. All should be taught that usefulness is the bud and flower and fruit of reason our lives are a kind of dock running out into the sea of eternity on which we wait for transportation to the vegetable and animal king- dom. Dear Reader, I hope my experience may prove a benefit and comfort to you when on your long journey through space and time.