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Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, July 26, 1908.

Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, July 26, 1908. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1908 blu1908072601 These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, July 26, 1908. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1908 $IMLS This electronic text file was created by Optical Character Recognitio n (OCR). No corrections have been made to the OCR-ed text and no editing has be en done to the content of the original document. Encoding has been done through an automated process using the recommendations for Level 1 of the TEI in Librar ies Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file. r lItftj UlIt y t1frf 0 f J f w BLUE GRAiSSair BLADEf Volume XVII Number 14 LEXINGTON KY JULY 26 1508 Published Weekly DEVOTED TO THE PROPAGANDA OF FREEDOM OF THOUGHT 3t J FJJANTZ ANjJjOIIN HOKT IIOt 11 JEnergetic V rkeisoP ho Frcotlionght Hittsts A fi BLUE GRASS BLADE John Hort and J Frantz Shall this sketch be deemed the May and December of Free thought In point of their respective ages such might be done but the plain facts Indicate that while age has mounted upon one of them he Is still young In the faith If activity and mental effort be considered The frontispiece this week gives Blade readers a pictorial representation of John Hort and J Frantz Both fire fast and firm friends and both are actively at work disseminating the gospel of Freethought John Hort Is probably the oldest living Freethinker In the world being now past one hundred and three years of age He was born In New York City April 1805 and has participated In two wars He was In the war of 1846 and took part in the Civil War during 1862 to He is as active and vigorous as many men at fifty or sixty years of age and ho still spends a considerable portion of his time distributing Freethought literature His name can be found upon the mailing lists of the oldest Freethought papers In the country some now dead and gone others still being published He has been of valuable assistance to the Blade and always gives his papers to those whom ho thinks will profit by It Tno patriotism of John Hort cannot be questioned He is thoroughly American So saturated is this patriotism in his being that he has painted his house In the national colors the red white and blue of the national emblem During his younger days he started out selling Freethought literature including Paines Age of Reason and many an argument did this force him Into He never grew tired of spreading Freethought principles and wherever he went the people came to know him a thinker Even now at his advanced age he does allTio can in that direction If he runs into a religious community he will carry a number of Blades pamphlets and other Freethought literature and rising from his bed at the hour of midnight he will sally through the town and place these under the doors of the different houses he passes until all are gone Securing a fresh supply ho goes another round and the process Is repeated until every inhabitant has had something concerning Freethought to read and while this is going on nobody knows where they came from Ho selects Saturday nights for his nocturnal visits as he assumes the people havemore time for reading on Sundays John Hort is a pure naturalist His dally life is as simple as ho can possibly make it and his dally practice is to walk over five or six miles for recreation and exercise By these means ho has retained a remarkable vigor and activity Manly efforts have been made to persuade him to express a belief in deity and religion because of his old age but ho engages in an Intellectual combat with his wouldbe advisers which ends by his assurance that he wants none of their religion and that ho is a member of the Materialist Association His homo is at Troy New York The companion in the picture Is J Frantz of San Francisco California He Is among the most vigorous workers for the cause of Freethought In America Active energetic willing courageous ambitious to succeed believer wearies In his efforts to do good and to spread knowledge among all men He and John Hort became fast friends at Shenectady New York during b 1ft J lecture In that city some years ago by Hugh Pentecost which Mr Frantz had arranged for They have been friends since- J Frantz is a Roumanian by birth He was born in a strictly orthodox atmosphere He came to America while still young but his mind had revolted against the dread of Christian superstition before leaving the land of his birth Since coming to America he has openly allied himself with the Freethought forces Ho has secured fiftythree members for the Materialist Association and a goodly number for the Church of Humanity He spends much of his time distributing Freethought literature and soliciting subscriptions for tie Blade He became a teacher of physical culture and vegetarianism Well developed of great muscular strength and energy he attracts attention wherever he goes He can be counted among the best friends the Blade can boast and ho has written a number of Freethought verses which he has had printed and distributed His life can be best told by himself It offers quite an object lesson and for the benefit of others who may be similarly situated we give it l in his own words as follows r came from Roumanla I was born and brought up among fanatics Was forced to say that I believed and was made to say prayers to an Imaginary god No explanation or reason was given me I was not more than seven years of age when I began to doubt The more I doubted the less sacred those things appeared to me When doubt entered my mind I went to my father and asked Whero is god papa Have you ever seen him Instead of giving me a reasonable answer my father slapped me and told me I must not ask such questions as they were not for man to know This made me think for myself If It was not for man to know how did my father know I wondered why he prayed and why he made me pray I saw Injustice nil around me I saw religion controlling human thought My doubts Increased and as I grew older I gave up all belief in god and having freed myself from all such Influences I can know that I am now a free man Roumanla may be considered another Russia regarding barbarism and Ignorance The clergy control But light is breaking in upon the people and it will not be long before reason Intelligence and common sense will free them from superstitious chains I am now trying to spread the light of Freethought in all places where I have an opportu nity I am a reader of nearly all the Freethought magazines and papers In America and am getting subscriptions for them also Concerning my nature I feel that I am better than the Christian god for I have never burned killed or drowned a human being in fact I never wilfully injure a fly Being a vegetarian I do not eat animal flesh and I am doing what I can to prevent tho destruction of life I do not feel that such n godIas the Christians have given to us deserves to be worshippedII would sooner worship a loaf of bread for I might stand a betterIchance of getting something out of It I have never had a days sickness since I became a vegetarian seven Years ago I know how to utilize my surroundings to suit my convenience and desire hence I never look for or expect any assistance from any super natural myth called god J 1BLUEGRASS BLADE 3 I Persistence of Superstition Human Brotherhood Rapidly Approaching under Genial Warmth of the Saving Gospel of Naturalism By Dr T J Bowles These letters are written for men and women who think and for those who can be stimulated and persuaded to think they are not addressed to those who have vested Interests hi superstition and who make their living by Its propagation I could bo justly chargeable with being superstitious myself If I indulged the hope of converting to Rationalism a necroman cer an exorcist a fortune teller a believer in a crucified saviour a believer in aper sonal God or divine revelation or any other form of superstition that gives place and power and revenue to Its devotees Neither are these letters written for that largo number of stupid and Ignorant persons who have been carried by tradition and false teachings so far c it Into the dis mal and murky sea of superstltlonthat they can no longer exercise the noble faculty of Reason Personally I entertain for these unfor tunate slaves of supernaturalism the most kindly sentiments and I rejoice that I never persecuted a human being for opin ions sake and when I read the sad history of the human race and learn on every page of this bloody volume that countless lions of grand men and noble women and Innocent children have been cruelly put to death by the devotees of superstition for opinions sake I shrink from the thought of saying a harsh word personally against these innocent victims of the heartless priests of superstition- In the glittering eyes of venomous serpents nnd In the red mouths of wild boosts superstition may bo seen and Rtudledand when wo read the history of Palestine and Rootinnd of Russia nail Ttnlv of Peru rind Mexico of Spain and Portugal and of Now In her early days wo are forced to say flint a Tina Constrictor to mild and beneficent reptile when compared to the hvdrnhPndPd monster of superstition Thin mast sublime fleiiro of nntlnulv the purest anti tin wisest tVblloRnnlipr In HP ancient world believer In one loll nail tmmnrtlityn teacher nt wheat font wn pan stmoft nail learn after flip lnn of more ttinn two thousand vfnrathl Treat nr1 rnod man Socrates was prupllv put to Tenth because bo pombntted the senseless superstition that then prevailed tint the earth and the nil wore swarming with n multitude pf lads All the devotees of nil the superstitions In nil aces of the world have done less service for the human race thnn the Illus trious and Immortnl Rnorntofi and In spite of this indlsputnblo historic fact there ore today in tho bright morning of the twenti eth century more thnn one hundred thous hireling defenders and courtiers of this 1nn J- monstrous old hag who would rejoice to good man and to every good woman who are nobly striving to drive this Infinite curse of the human race from this beautiful earth administer a fatal dose of hemlock to every Had it not been for the heroes and her olnes of mental liberty who have stood like a stone wall for the last three hundred years against the paid attorneys and motley hosts of superstition our civiliza ten would long ago have been as com pletely crushed out as were the splendid civilized nations of Greece and Rome two thousand years ago and we of today would bo suffering all the unspeakable horrors of tho Dark Ages Tho future hopes and the future happi ness of all men women and children de pend absolutely upon the complete extir pation root and branch of every vestige of tine Christian superstition the total overthrow of Its heartless and venomous priesthood The nineteenth century just ended was far more fruitful of happiness for the human race and for domestic animals and Infinitely moro marvelous for its achieve ments than any one or all of tho previous centuries of the last two thousand years The priests of tho Christian superstition are exceedingly anxious to conceal tho cause of this stupendous fact tho knowledge of their fellowmen tilt intelli gent men and educated women want to know why this Is so and they are jinw asking tho question why were all tlo best races of men shrouded in tho gloom and in the darkness of night for so many cen turies until all hope seemed to have tied from tho earth and gone back to Its native home In the skies Why was it until the dawn of tho nineteenth century that man was hopeless and helpless and his pilgrim ago en earth marked at every step with blood and tears and his life embittered by abject slavery constant war turbulanco and sorrow Tho answer to this question is not far to seek nor hard to findit was because of the universal belief of all mankind in superstitionsWhyand moro glorious than all the centuries of tho eternal past Why aro men women and children better healthier happier today than at any previous period since tho Jewish God was born of a virgin nineteen centuries ago In Palestine- It is because of the decay and the de cllno of this debasing and abominable superstition and the rapidly spreading boo lief throughout tho civilized world in tho grand and beautiful and beneficent gospel of Science and Reason Sorrowfully and painfully we look back Into tho dark and dreary and cheerless past and read with a shudder tho blood stained history of supernaturalism but Joy fully wo welcome tho bright light of tho now era and rejoice in tho certain knowledge that the brotherhood of man is rapid ly approaching under the beneficent and ro genial warmth of the rational and saving gospel of Naturalism Let it bo the joy and deght of each of each of us to spread this new evangel much yet remains to be done the work is not yet complete many of the bloody Im plements of superstition It is true have ceased from active work and have been laid away in the museums of the world but persecution on earth In a modified form for Christs sake and eternal torture In tho flames of hell for the glory of God are still remorsely in use by the devotees of superstition and it should be bread and meat to every good man and to every good woman to work constantly and not grow weary until every vestige of superstition Is driven from the brain of Its Ignorant that man should be gov erned by science and reason and work for tho happiness of the hum n race Instead of working for the glory of God had its birth In the brain of Rationalists and it has already filled the earth with millions of happy men happy women and happy children and this gospel is so sublime so humane and so fruitful of love and happi ness that it will continue to spread among civilized men until tho whole human family Is redeemed from the savage and degrad lug bondage of superstition Enjoying as we now do in a great degree tho precious and priceless fruit of science and reason it surpasses all human under standing how the tyrants and monsters of supernaturalIsm so long kept the divine seed from germinating and pressed for so many dark and bloody centuries to the lips of sorrowing man tho bitter dregs from the poisonous cup of superstition How long 0 how long will It yet be before mankind will learn that there is but one universe and that all the Gods and all tho devils and all the ghosts of supersti tion can never disturb for a single moment tho operation unbreakable lawstMuncie ndlana f WILL t By S E Kiser will start anew this morning with a higher fairer creed will cease to stand complaining of my ruthless neighbors greed will ceaso to sit repining while my dutys call Is clear will waste no moment whining and my heart shall know no fear will look sometimes about mo for tile things that merit pralso will search for hidden beauties that elude the grumblers gaze will try to find contentment in the paths that I must tread I will ceaso to have resentment when another moves ahead I will not bo swayed by envy when my rivals strength Is shown will not deny his merit but Ill strive to prove my own I will try to see the beauty spread before me rain or shine I will cease to preach your duty and moro concerned with mine beI m 4r BLUE GRASS BLADE Orthodoxy Full of Ptomaine How Canned Theology Is Dished Out to the Poor Would Not Imitate Bryan By Fra Elbertus Tho following account of a lecture cently delivered by Fra Elbertus Hubbard at East Aurora New York appeared In the Philadelphia North American of the current issue It was reported by Leigh Alit chell Hodge and Is decidedly complimentary of the speaker as well as the times for a dally newspaper to give the matter such prominence The reported lecture Is well worth reading It follows Preaching In the chapel this morning on The Procession of Life Elbert Hubbard broke all records In his eminent epigram matic career when he referred to orthodox religion as canned theology guaranteed under Poor Feud law He had before him one of the largest congregations ever gathered In this Roy croft church and the current was on full so that mental sparks flew from his lips as fiery spangles from a Fourthof July flowerpot And he preached what may yet bo re corded In Roycroftla as the most brilliant sermon of his pastorship Ho opened the service with a quota tion from Cardinal Newman Fear not that your life shall have an end but rather fear that It may have a beginning And with this for a text ho mentally rolled up his sleeves gave the reins of reason a double twist around his hands and drove the horses of his variegated vocabulary at a gallop through the roads of religion politics science and the arts with emphasis on tho firstmentioned Now and again his steeds took wings PcgasusIIke and touched high places coursing one minute here another there with results like these- shall speak to you this morning of the most curious phenomenon In nature man the only animal who sits in the grandstand and watches himself go by In the procession of life am not here to emit Class jokes about tho theories of Darwin as did Soapy Sam of Oxford or to emulate Mr William firennlngs Jyan who will get sec ond money In tho coming presidential race and who In Carnegie Hall last September Interrupted Sir Robert Call In tho midst of a speech with a solemn protest against the doctrines of monkey descent Monkey Our Uncle Darwin never said we descended from monkeyswo people In this land of the partially free and tho brave more or less lie said wo and tho monkeys had a common origin so tho monkey is only our undo at best In the days of our common ances tors some took to tho tall grass and had to stand up to see and that was the beginning of what we are now Others took to the woods and they are monkeys still In religion law and medicine as long as Ignorance asks Greed and Pretense will see a wrong In society I con gratulate you You are tho one to right that wrong You do not dispose of a man by hang 1 Ing him for often this is the surest way of fixing his place in history Tho only persons who live are those who die that others may live It is verily a great thing to think well of yourself But mark your own score and go off alone when you do It And how at tho last any man can look at himself In a mirror and blame any other man for anything I do not know A good part of the world still buys canned theology for its spiritual food Beware of it for it is full of ptomaine oven though It be labeled under the Poor Feud law And Is there any better name for orthodox religion than a Poor Feud The chief difference between Sir Wil liam Van Horne chairman of the board of the Canadian Pacific and myself Is that lie saw tho beauties of nature when ho lived out near my homo In Illinois where ho was born and I didnt Once In a while walking along tho country roads In spring I would pick up a hat and find a mans head under it And when I would start to pick up tho man he would say to me Thats all right pard Go along and mind your own business Theres a mulo under me The Fra believes in good roads now When you keep a thing long enough Its yours Thats what we call tho divine right of property If you want to know what you deserve take an Inventory of what you have Orthodox theology is the serum some folks Inject Into their children so that the ll immune from common sense ever afterward I donot know anything worse than a dogmatic liberal God will forgive the sinter but what hell do with the prig Is still a problem Tho dead carry In their clenched hands only that which they have given away Man is not yet created he is still In process of creation and tho only way wee have of making a man at this day is by taking the virtues of a dozen of tho best Bo very careful about secondhand thought To be on tho safe side make your own fresh every day The big thing for us to do at this pros ent time Is to get away from tho steam roller politically and theologically Thus spake the Fra and as you see turned himself Into an epigram factory f with a copious Sunday output Ho said much more too And when he had finish ed the convention crowds meandered down to tho Spring and worked up an appetite for dinner by emptying themselves of pralscful comment for tho glorious sum mer scene spread before them Some of them discussed tho remarkable address made last evening by Terrenco V years ago tho world know this man as grand master workman of tho Knights of Labor an organization which has dwindled to a mere handful since ho resigned its leadership Then under Mc Klnloy he became commissioner general of immigration and now ho Is tho chief of tho Division of Information in tho migration Bureau All of which sounding like a paragraph J from Whos Who is dull enough you hear something about this Information and what Mr Powderly untilIdone since Congress created it a year this month In official phraseology Its purpose promote tho beneficial distribution of mitted aliens and In words of one lable it Is to take or keep immigrants from tho crowded cities and put them where their work is needed and where theyll have a chance to grow up strong clean and healthy To put them where theyll raise good crops and families Instead of hell as Mr Powderly Immigrants But before you can place immigrants you must know where there Is place for them So for a year this Division of formation has scoured tho whole land for exact knowledge of economic conditions and all this material has been tabulated until the chief is a walking encyclopedia of tho countrys needs In tho way of work ers and Its rewards for those who aro will ing to work Ho has his facts from authoritative sources therefore It means something when ho says as he did last nightyThero Is work In this every man who knows how to do Itmarlt well those words who knows how to d- oItand there is no room for the loafer who works the other chap We need have no fear that immigra tion will crowd us out of our land or In any manner decrease our trade with tho rest of tho world Wo have room here for millions and millions more than have come and we need tho right sort of Im migrants They make tho best of citizens If yon doubt this you doubt the goodness of your own citizenship for you do not have to go back very far to trace yourself to an Immigrant But the tendency of those who come to this country from foreign lands Is to Join their brethren In tho cities and tho crowded centers of population to exist In slums and wear out their lives working amid tho most Intolerable of conditions What wo are trying to dowhat wo aro al ready doing Is to prepare for these new comers facts and figures set forth in their own tongues But this is not enough It Is not enough to hand a stranger In a now land a pamphlet oven though It bo printed In his own language Wo must seo that ho gets to tho place he should fill Wo must find out what ho can do and then placo him where there is work of that sort to bo done Find Jobs for All This wo aro doing Although tho division has been In operation only a few months we have already placed 1000 fam ilies and I believe that within ten years wo shall have developed a system which will make It possible for this government to obtain tho right sort of employment for its own citizens who aro out of work asIwell as for tho strangers who como to Its work In which Mr Powderly Is en gaged Is one of Roosevelts pot schemes and those who heard it described aro en thusiastic In their estimate of Its possi bilities for tho rjght distribution of In our land laborJ IBLUEGRASS BLADE 5 It was first advocated trade union all parts of the country voiced opposition claiming it would make IWhen foregone failures since the places could bo so easily filled by ap to tho Division of Information tho union men have seen how effort is made to take laborers away from the cities and keep newcomers from them they heartily indorse tho plan as a rule And tho facts and figures in the pos session of this Division of Information can bo had for the asking at any time Any American or foreigner who wants them is entitled to them DAVES LETTER TO HIS DEAR HEAVENLY PARENT My Dear Heavenly Father Was tho shed that Jesus was horned in a Burro Stable or a Calf shed or a chicken coop or a pig pen or a pigeon Roost I can see all kinds of things there in the fixtures which Papa has ov it but I cant bo certain which of them are the most at home They all seem to boo surprised but Jesus and Josef Jesus seems to the most at home of any but Josef is mad and Mary is ready to cry I think the Camel is tho most intelligent looking one their but wo cant seo his head and if we cud he might look different I think tho Burro wud look smarter if he wood turn his head away from us too Joe says one of the sheep herders is a cullld man Is he Is either of them any relation to Jesus I dldcnt no but one of them suite hav bin related to Mary Christ in sum way when she lived on the desert with her cousin Elizabeth mean the time that Mary arose and went into the hill country in haste Did she hurry faster that time than when they started to Egypt on tho Burro Was it their Burro Why did she hurry sol Was she afraid ov getting caut and who did she think wood catch herl Was their any sheepherders boarding at cousin ElIzaboths when she went their or was Uncle Joseph their It is a strange and funny story to me but is is plane enuf to Joe and its plane to Bob Burdet Bob was in tho funny business once so wo cant wonder that ho snvys but its all a mystery to aPpa Ho dont get rattled very easy on common family mysterys but this ono is a corker for him Ho has to give it up whenever ask anything about you and Mary and Jesus So I hope you will tell mo honestly and when you wrlghto you must remember- I am old enough to no that Santy Claus Is a humbug and that tho world Is not flat Our church is trying to colect a mile ov pennies to pay the preacher and every scalar at Sunday school that gets a foot will got a blue ticket for every foot Some have as many as they are feet high now They want me to bring a lot but think I will save mine for a kite then if I have any left I will by some marbles There alnt any way you can play with blue tickets with bible verses on them If want any I can trade marbles for them after while ever DAVE IAs Two Freethought ConventionsI Buckeye Secular Union and Materialist Association Convene at Canal Dover Ohio September 5 and 7 PRELIMINARY OUTLINE OF THE GATHERING Two conventions Buckeye Secular Union Materialist Association These conventions will tame place at Canal Dover Ohio Saturday Sunday and Monday September 5 and 1908 Arrangements have been made through President George O Roberts of the Buckeye Secular Union and Eliza Mowry Bllven of tho Materialist Association for special rates at the Central Hotel Canal Dover at 150 per day for all delegates and friends Tile conventions will take place at Hard estys Opera House and every Freethinker within easy reach of Canal Dover should make a special effort to be present in order to give encouragement to the work in which the ofllcers and members of these organiza tions are engaged Several of tile best known Freethought writers and speakers in America will bo In attendance This will afford a splendid opportunity to many for a happy commingling or a communion as it were among Freethinkers While the full program has not yet been completed it is known that among the speakers will bo Dr T J Bow les of Muncie Indiana one of the Blades principal contributors and author of the series of articles on the Persistence of Superstition Otto Wettstein of La Grange Illinois one of the strongest advocates in America of Atheism and Materialism Ma rllla M Rlcker whose picture and biogra phy recently appeared in the Blade and one of tho foremost women in all America Dr J B Wilson of Cincinnati of whom afire Blade or its friends cannot say too much Eliza Mowry Bllven tho indefatig able secretary of tho Materialist Associa tion Helen M Lucas of Marrietta Ohio a woman who Is doing more to advance the cause of humanity In her community than any other we know of John R Charles worth tho Blades editor and others Tho convention of tile Buckeye Secular Union will be held first This will called to order by President George O Roberts Following will come the conven tion of tile Materialist Association and Eliza Mowry Bllven will bring this to order According to tho present arrangements there will be n round table conference hold at the Central Hotel Saturday night at which all Freethinkers present will attend for tile purpose of devising ways and means for a moro successful and more systematic propaganda of Freethought principles and at tho samo time to outline tile work of the two conventions These are to be inverted into what we might conveniently call lovefeasts They must bo well attended Enough Freethinkers reside within a radius of one hun dred miles from Canal Dover to moro than fIll the Opera House to overflowing Let this be done It Is an opportune time Tile location is central The meetings will bo enlivened with vocal and Instrumental music and add to these the splendid speeches that will be made and It will be well worth the time and money spent in attending- As soon as the full programs are pleted the Blade will give publication there to for tile information of those desiring to attend PLATONIC LOVE- s J Takes a Dogfaff out of the System and t Gives Personal Reasons ClarkeiBy John F practicedIn theory it is fine in poetry it Is finer in dreams it is finest Plato wore a cloak of armor plate ex perimenting with it and thats how he came to call it plateonic love In pure idyllc a man in search of a soul mate or affinity seeks a woman with a longing for fellowship or chumagy and then hand in hand they walk through life breathing pure ether and thinking chaste thoughts unsullied by sordid sex considerations They see in na ture something that Dame Nature never saw Their souls are one All is positive with them there is no negative It is a game that maybe played but is is a goalless gamo and likely to become monotonous Queen Victoria and her body servant John Brown seem to have fulfilled all tho requirements for Platonic love God knows and He wont tell fie sod covers John and marble shades Vics bones they sleep in the common bed of Mother Earth Their souls may be happily united in the Empyrean or they may be molested by tho shade of the Prince Consort butting in On tho other hand their souls may be as absent as their bodies I had several girl chums when I was a school boy and I thought that it would be delightful if we could stop Time and live continually in a Platonic Eden and I told tho girls so but each informed mo that sho had outlined a future in which n dif ferent destiny beckoned All I now hope Is that each ono is happy in her destiny I had never read nor head of Plato nor his school of peculiar fondness but I wits think ing upon his line Somehow a chum of the opposite sex is sweeter and better than of the same sex In giving and receiving small confidences there is n line and a sensation of chaste thrills that add exhil aration and a sensation of purity If I had my life to live over I would not mind sacrificing It to a Platonic experiment in tho interest of science and personal tho subtle allurement may after all be tho old time Passionate Love in a mas querade I am fain to believe Whether Cupid would reveal himself gradually or butt in sporadically I know not but await for a confession from a former novice and later graduate 6 BLUE GRASS BLADE + + ++ + ++++ + ++ O+ + b 2 Current Comment on Public Events o NNHNNH NNNNHNH N +H N HO NNNNNNNH41 The people have come to look upon tho men who run these churches as a lot of contemptible hypocrites who wrap their comfortable robes about them and care nothing for the Sufferings of tne poor This is a terrible arraignment and it is directed against one of the most powerful church corporations in the country namely the Trinity corporation of New York It is not an accusation from unfriendly lips It is not a complaint emanating from some unorthodox individual It is not a charge made by infidelity It did not originate in some Freethouijht paper It came from one who has been through the mill one who has run the whole gamut of superstition and ought to know the truth In other words it is n charge made against those who manage Trinity church and its millions by Mad ison Peters one of tho best known preachers of gay and giddy Gotham But the accusation should not fall upon Trinity alone Innumerable other churches occupy precisely the tame attitude towards the people as this gigantic creature of Christ and corruption Tho one dominant idea of every church organization is to ac quire wealth and tin power and influence that wealth can They seek not the power that comes through knowledge Each foolish theological goose strives to keep its head above its fellows in the hope and ex pectation of appearing mightier grander and better than they Worldly show and display constitute the dolce far nlente of every orthodox Christian church They boast of the money they can control the size of the bank account its ability to keep up appearances the best and biggest choir the highest salaried jroucher tho most costly ornamentation all constituting a gross superflclalness without tho slightest thought of human needs human cares hu man suffering Trinity is not tho only guilty church organization but its sins aro many and large Drawing wealth from crime it has fattened and prospered and still babbles of a humble carpenter who had not where to lay his head Trinity like every other church is also a constant beggar Tho mite of the widow is still eagerly clutched after pennies snatched from tho hand of unsuspecting childhood dollars extracted from the pockets of labor and every church In tho country is expert in the art In the course of time when experience opens tho eyes of the unthinking masses and these make the discovery that our dally bread comes not from heaven but must be earned through tile sweat of human endeavor preachers will be put on tho working list and church organizations will have to main tain themselves or perish for lack of sup port And every church that Is content to struggle on In tho wake of human intelli gence will survive tho shock for a time while they who hold out and refuse will go all the sooner Rev Peters will do some good by his at tack on tile methods of Trinity and may succeed In opening wondering eyes but If ho only looks a little further ho will dis r 4 J l cover other similar organizations deserving a uose the same sort ut medicine The church in America Is still oil the limit for Heretics and it is reported that nuotner victim has been found in the per son ot Rev I L Aiuddox pastor of the 1irst Presbyterian church of Texarkaua Aiuansab said to bo one of the wealthiest congregations in tint state and his trial was to come oil July before tho Ouchita iresuytery at slope Heresy may bo a troublesome issue with tho church authorities but these hunts and these trials furnish food for Intellectual though provided the masses will stop and think Consider the character tho in tellectual standing of the men who have been put out of tile church for nonconformity with accepted doctrines of faith These men were supposedly educated for the ex press purpose of preaching Christ and him crucllled They may be supposed to have made a careful study of the subject Years of experience in the work have led them vastly different conclusions and an open re nuuclation follows While preaching mo faith the congregations accepted his word but the moment lie enters upon lines ot thought that are heterodox his spiritual masters call him off force him to a trial turn him out of the church and his placo is immediately filled by one stronger in the faith to tho end that tho people shall not bo led from church teachings According to tho published reports it is simply a caso between twcedledeo and tweedledum The reports state that Rev Maddox told his congregation that salva tion is an evolution from within and not an Importation from without This is charged to bo heresy It Is also reported that while ho admits the bible to be inspired ho holds that the writers of these socalled sacred books were neither omniscient or infallible This is also charged to be heresy And how near to the actual truth is this sug gested heresy Investigation will speedily convince his accusers that this heretical parson is right for once What seems to be a stumbling block in tho way of the presbytery is the report that the congregation is determined to stand by the accused preacher If they stick to this resolve tho church may loso tho entire congregation and tho latter de cide to keep him in spite of any trial or conviction No sooner had tho charges been made and a notice served upon him and tho date of his trial fixed than Rov Maddox submitted the issues to his con gregation and upon a show of hands being called for one solitary hand was held up against him This Is a straw In the wind and It plainly shows tho direction in which tho wind Is blowing Let the Prpsbytery fire him as it will the congregation remains evidently of the same opinion and tho Presbytery will be working to its own un doing May the time soon como and the doy soon dawn when all preachers will bo honest enough to tell their congregations moro truth Since tho above was written Rev Mad dox has been tried convicted and founa guilty Ed Some writer once said that wlnimin are curious critters and it might bo amend ed by making it read so that some men could be included in tho term Taking legal definitions as a guide wherein it is held that the singular implies the plural the masculine the feminine etc we would be safe in assuming that the author or the above statement about women had intended to include man but on account of tho tangled meshes of tho law a certain de gree of caution is necessary This brief introduction was suggested by reading an account of a damage suit brought by J L Nichols of Sapulpa lahoma against Alfred Stanford of thu same place on the ground that the latter did not keep an engagement he made with the wife of Nichols to elope with her at a given time whereby tho prospective elopee has suffered great mental pain and anguish This Is altogether a new departure in law and many of the disciples of Blackstone could afford to watch the outcome But what does this caso suggest In his petition tho husband alleges that he was fully aware of his wifes intentions to elope with Stanford that ho took no steps to prevent it and the inference is that he is as deeply chagrined at the failure of the en terprise as tho woman herself in that he had been expecting to get rid of her and had not succeeded On the other hand we are led to Infer that neither man really wanted her it is evident tho husband did not or he would have taken steps to havo interfered with the intended elopement It is also evident that her partner In tho agreement did not want her or ho would have kept his promise to havo skipped Now tho question for the court to decide is whether or not the woman has been In jured and if It shall so find to assess a proper amount of damages to compensate her for her loss of a chance to get herself talked about and for her suffering by reason thereof Wo do not know what lawyer brought tho suit Wo do not know however that the courts havo rigorously held to tho rule that one who seeks equity must do equity and como before tho court with clean hands rile woman In tho caso was a partner with the defendant in an unlawful undertaking and It Is oxtremey doubtful if she can prosecute her cause with success Had it been the husband vho had sued for dam ages because the male person to tho illegal contract had failed to tako an undesirable wlfo off his hands there might ho some ex cuse for bringing such a suit Nothing ventured nothing won is an old adage and It is equally applicable to tho case in point as any other From time to time tho reading public has been regaled with stories told of wonderful finds being mado in ruins of ancient cities and not infrequently aro somo of theso hold by theological professors to be con firmatory of tho blbie including both tho old and new testament These aro lauded as evidences of biblical truths as If a bible truth could ho of a nature different from secular truth and columns of sentimental gush gets into the public prints Once in a while or wo might say just occasionally tho tables get turned the other way and wo now have an amusing story told of a recent BLUE GRASS BLADE 7 find In Italy which heaped considerable of ridicule upon the learned theologians who attempted to decipher It For the sake of brevity we prefer to publish the clipping just as It was received at this office It readsCommendatore Bonl who has charge of the excavations in the Roman Forum brought to light the other day a curiously Inscribed stono tablet which owing to the archaic Latin it contained ho found It Im possible to read A number of learned Latlnlsts and archaeologists soon gathered about him This Is what they read QUE- STAELA VI DELGIA SINI While some declared that as que was an enclitic conjunction and that therefore the inscription must be Incomplete others asserted that the word was an abbreviation of queo and that the Inscription might bo read I am able to gaze upon the star without pain While the dispute was waxing fierce and learned a farmer of the Campagna passed by Attracted by the crowd he approached and asked for the reason of it He was told about tho inscription Ho gazed at it for several minutes and then read slowly Questa o la via dealt aslnl This is tho way of asses And the Latlnlsts the archaelogists and the other servants crept quietly away while the Commendatore In good modern Tuscan said things to his workmen as he mopped his brow Press dispatches from Manila state that a band of three hundred fanatics in Mindanao Philippine Islands all armed with bolos and spears under the leadership one of their tribe who claims to be possess ed of divinity is threatening the lives of tho inhabitants of a number of small vil lages wherein the population Is a mixture of natives Americans and Europeans Tile reports state that people are fleeing In all directions and wo can justly suppose that our beneflclent Uncle Sam will cover the territory thus affected with sufficient troops to prevent depredation and put down tho Insurrection by force of arms Tho above is an outgrowth of American government In tho archipelago but If we turn our attention homeward we would find in these United States an immense band of religious leaders all claiming divinity or divine guidance wino make war upon tho mind in an effort to subject humanity to tho degrading influences of an orthodox creed bollybutmind and intellect Doth aro committing a grevious wrong If Undo Sam would but give tho sumo serious consideration to tho intellect of his children at home as ho does to the lives of his subjects abroad tho standard of intelligence would speed pjeoplejumpthing stands in tho way That is tho de sire to get votes Tho two political parties from which tho next succeeding govern ment Is to bo drawn have both played a sinister game Into tho hands of tho church and If elected It is impossible to say which would play for fanaticism itho stronger Bryan or Taft Both havo dealt strong hands to tho church voters and if either bo elected it would bo but natural for tho church to anticipate some political conces sions from them The one point to be made is that Uncle Sam is quicK to put down all claims of dl viuitysnlp in me Philippine Islands es pecially when such claims result in per sonal dioster and loss Why should he not strive to put down dlviultyshlp claims in America especially these claims which re sult in false systems of education a per version of the mind and heart from things usetul and essential things useless ana nonessential t Having assumed a protect ing care over all his children it is a duty no owes to see that the rights of even one are as sacredly protected as the rights ot the multitude but Uncle Sam is a long way from this lofty station It may be that experience will bring that degree of en lightenment when through a real popular sulfgovbrumeut the rights of persons will be as important in governmental economy- as the rights of property Poor old Kentucky Well mayest thou cry save me from my friends Innumerable misrepresentations and exaggerations by pennyaline newspaper correspondents exploiting feuds that never existed and en larging upon sonic that did exist thy shifty politics and desperate plays for power have made for thee a name that thy sister states need not envy but in spite of It all we thy sons and daughters know that thou art not so black as thou hast been painted But Kentucky is in for it again The soil of this grand old Commonwealth has given birth to many strange forms of re ligious fantasy but from Glasgow this state comes tho report that some of her people are moving forward backward and in imitation of orthodox follies of many years ago a new sect has been created known by the name of the Joo Moon faith in which each member Is reqiured to wash another members feet as a part of tho di vine afflatus Feet washing may be good In any event it is conducive to health This scheme Is said to havo been originated and practiced fifty years ago by those de nominated as hardshell Baptists but died out for lack of support With plenty of soap a rough towel the application vigor ously given the Blade can see no personal harm In tho system but as an outward ex pression of an inward religious grace it is the very quintessence of folly Outsiders might be led to believe and with some degree of truth behind it that the members of this sect did their thinking with their feet thereby necessitating an extraordinary cleanliness about their pedal extremities It is not reported that any thing is done to the head It may bo that It is not required to be washed Some peo ple need their feet washing and if too lazy to perform tho operation themselves tho Joo Moon faith might prove beneficial to them The report does not state if all feet aro washed In tho same water or if fresh water is provided for each pair of feet If there Is but ono bowl and all use tho same water wo would hesitate about having to dispose of it at tho close of the ceremony This would be holy water with a vengeance During tho dedicatory services of n United Brethren church recently told at Stras burg Ohio Bishop J S Mills of Annvlllo Pennsylvania ono of tho speakers for tho occasion waxed eloquently warm and livered himself of n really good talk if only his auditors could have fully comprehended just what he said Read Life Is our greatest possession A few yearshenceand women If we could destroy all animal and vegetable life we would soon genuine unadulterated wisdom in mountainous chunks the above is entitled loan entire bakery The first two sentences are absolutely truo and the third sentence must be because it could not be otherwise If we were not and if we shall not be of what use was the very church which they were dedicating Did the speaker actually mean what he said Then again talkingtohumanity Is concerned he might have been But fancy the energy that had to be expend ed In the mental efforft required to tell us that if all animal and vegetable life could perishIfwould It not also take us along And if we went along would it not follow as a necessity that wo would have been destroyed Then how could we perish afterwards Is this mere moonshine or was he just simply talking Did he really understand what he was talking about Did his congregation grasp the meaning of what ho said This is the chief trouble with church congregations They sit still and listen to words never paying the slightest heed to what is said and hero was this preacher giving utterance to pure material ist doctrine and not even chided for it There is a sneaking suspicion that this preacher has been reading something worth while If he has he had better use con siderable caution or be may be jerked be fore n High Commission to answer f3 a charge of heresy This talk of his is as far from Christian theology as it is possible to be Coming from him many believe especially among those who heard him The Blade does not want to be understood as opposing the sentiments discussed as It Is simply throwing out a word of caution or a gentle hint to the preacher In ques tion if ho wishes to hold on to his present job Aunt Allies Proverbs Reason knows no fear Fear knows no reason Errors of belief keep mankind stuplfled Facts must triumph traditions fall Science slays myths knowledge repudi ates fables Bo not converted be convinced Reason bars folly only Ignorance per slsts in barring facts Progress bemoans superstition facts and fiction do not assimilate Reason has no tendency towards mind stride Is forward up Alpine Heights of freethought Alllo Lindsay Lynch S D Rev Alex S Arnold a Universalist preacher of Worchester Rhode Island takes up a five column article In wldo measure trying to explain that tho sin against the holy ghost Is a sit against the holy ghost But why so much ado about simply nothing t r II dof III 8 BLUE GRASS BLADE M BLUE GRASS BLADE Published weekly at Lexington Ky Founded by Charles Chilton Moore In and edited by him until his death February JAMES E HUGHES Publisher and Manager JOHN CHARLESWORTH Editor 1268 N Limestone Street Lexington Ky Box SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mall postpaid 150 per your in advance Five new yearly subscribers at one remittance 100 each Five trial subscriptions sent In with one remittance for six months cents each Trial subscriptions cents per month Foreign subscriptions postpaid 200 per year ADVERTISING RATES One Inch single column Insertion cents one month or four Insertions 100 six months 506 one year 800 Quarter column single Insertion 200 one month 400 six months 2000 one year 3000 Half column whole column or larger advertisements at special rates upon application The publisher has the right to reject any and all advertisements offered GENERAL BUSINESS RULES ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS to the Blado will bo discontinued at the expiration of the term for which the subscription has been paid up In advance The address slip on the paper will show sub scribers the date of expiration of subscription Back numbers or numbers omitted will be sent If asked for upon renewal In case of discontinuance SHOULD ANY SUBSCRIBER change his or her address advise this office giving both old and new address as desired THE OFFICE of publication of the Blade at 126118 North Lime stone Street Lexington Kentucky to which all Freethinkers be given a hearty welcome THE BLADE Is enterd at the Postolllce at Lexington Kentucky as secondclass mailing matter ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO TIlE BLUE GRASS BLADE P Box Lexington Ky A FOOLISH NOTION OF DEITY Man does not feel the need of god in prosperity but when adversity falls over him and the world has turned its back upon him he feels the need of an almighty father and in that hour min naturally turns to god The above argument was made a few days ago by a Christian friend who had been trying in vain to convince us that the Christian deity was a verity a real solid and substantial existence with the power and inclination to render aid to man in the hour of distress and misfortune It may be that many other Freethinkers have met with similar experiences Anyhow the argument is not altogether a new one It has been presented before New verbiage may be used to dress it up differently but it is the same doctrine contained in the text the lord will provide Any god who cannot be with man in prosperity but must bring misfortune upon him in order to induce a belief in his existence is not worth the price of powder to blow him into hades A real god on good ness bent with righteous intendment 1o thought save for the welfare and continued happiness of his crea tures would never create conditions that bring ad Kos U vow versity and suffering to induce a worship of himself If man cannot worship god in health better than in disease then god is altogether unnecessary We remember once hearing a story of a beautiful woman devout in her religious pretensions married rich and became happy Two children were bom Between her husband and her children she found many of lifes happiest moments but she ceased her attendance upon church and the story goes the clergy argued that she had forgotten god The har rowing tale relates how first the husband diedand then her children and being reduced to absolute pov erty she turned back to god and the church The inference to be drawn therefrom was in effect that god had intentionally taken her husband from her had taken off her children had reduced her to abject beggary in order to humble her and in her distress bring her to a worship of himself Now for such a god as that we can express only the utmost contempt Such a god is a monster of the most hideous form No man much less god would ever think of heaping such suffering upon a poor and helpless woman to impel attention to himself and an ultimate worship The wonder is that Christians do not perceive how they degrade their god by such arguments True indeed poverty is a great awakener but it does not always bring men to god Tile weaker human vessel the uneducated the nonthinker may express religion as a sort of last hope but if human aid be not extended there is little to hope for or expect The stronger minds enter upon a study of the conditions that have brought them where they are and finding out the efficient cause they seek to enforce a remedy not for themselves alone but for others also These latter become the workers the delvers the IIClperstof mankind and are the real saviors upon race alone can depend in the great and pressing hour of need Consider the brightness of day the glad eyes of childhood the sweet incense of human love and happi ness all that gives joy to life land here is more true worship than can be found in all the cloistered walls built by the hand of man for the glory of an imag inary god True work is true worship This true worship can be safely reared upon a purely human ideal and there is no cause for peopling the skies with gods ghosts and devils The earthly trinity of father mother child is deserving of more adoration than spectral deities created by man in the days of his ignorance In the sacrament of a pure and undefiled human love based upon earthly considerations buoyed by earthly hopes sustained by earthly benefits is a happiness sweeter grander greater more en CHW rc MBLUEGRASS BLADE during and substantial than the hags and hounds of superstition ever knew or dreamed Then let us put aside god in our zeal for man Let us strive manfully each to our part to increase the sum total of human happiness by destroying the false and foolish religious systems that blind man to his real interests here for some fancied interest here after FACT VS FICTION Henry Ward Beecher insisted that men should never ask questions if they could help it but the modern and by far the better plan is never to allow a thing to go unknown for the lack of asking a ques tion or two But for the ardent questioner our knowledge of nature would bo considerably circumscribed today But for the questioner many things that are now known would still be among the unknown No man can truthfully say that such or such a thing now unknown will never bo known for that would place a limitation to the possibilities of human development and human knowledge whereas against these possibilities no limit can he set The whole of Nature be longs to man just as ho learns to master it Every individual is the center of his own universe and from that center knowledge branches out in every direction Men have embarked upon two distinct fields of in vestigation One leads into theology the realm of speculation and guesswork The other deals ex clusively with the kingdom of Nature which is a literal kingdom The field of theology is coveredwith ancient and hideous forms of superstition In the natural field we see order beauty law dependence everywhere Amidst the great diversity of the forms of life there is unity Every living breathing grow ing thing must of a necessity move along one general line of development but carried out in a variety of waysThe great benefit that follows a scientific education whether as a training for special purposes or for knowledge is that the student is brought itno an im mediate contact with facts and while Agassiz de clared facts to be stupid things until brought into some connection with general law it is that very con nection which a scientific education brings about and the student soon learns to make his appeals directly to Nature instead of appealing to some god through prayer These appeals to nature conclude all debates and will decide ultimately all theories Nature is the court of last resort It is all phenomena all life and all existence If some creative deity exists that deity must also be a part of Nature and cannot from very necessity be independent and apart from it This excludes a personal deity and leaves the theo logian with a more impersonal deity an attribute or a quality on the order of the principle of gravitation a force to be noticed but not seen its effects to be experienced its results measured but not of itself anentityWe now reduced god to an absurdity an im personal principle hemmed in and bound by immovable law Then why pray to an impersonality Unable to extricate itself from its own environment or to escape the operation of law how is it possible for an intervention through supposed miraculous agencies to produce a change for the especial benefit of those who pray The iron necessity of natural law rules in all nature Not an atom escapes it Natural law rules in the formation of mountains in the movement of systems in the generation of life and specie so that there is nothing for a god to do nothing that a god can do- Theologians have made pretense at seeing the sup posed wisdom and power of an intelligent creator in natural law but the students of nature have pursued their investigations without regard to any deified agency implied or made manifest Such a system of investigation has given to the world such men as Huxley Darwin and last but not least the eminent Naturalist Prof Ernst Ilreckel Intelligence will tread carefully along the lines of thought these men have laid down satisfied with the knowledge thus to be obtained and scientific fact will soon displace theologicaJfiction We are going to make a vigorous campaign this fall for more subscribers in fact to double our preS- ent circulation and we urge that every Blade reader got in the band wagon The reading of opinions that are mere echoes of your own is simply time wasted opportunity thrown awayGlory is not to bo won by hooting the jejune hoots that tickle the ears of the ignorant majority Plutocracy smiles at a Lycurgus for having made money of iron that luxury might not corrupt the peo ple yet every grand empire and every aspiring re public that has passed from earth was slain with a dagger of gold- j 1 If 10 BLUE GRASS BLADE WHERES THAT SUBSCRIBER With this issue we renew our offer to accept a new subscriber for one year at fifty cents provided the new subscription be sent in with a renewal or two new subscriptions at one dollar each If five new sub scribers are sent in at once in one remittance at one dollar each the Blade will give as a premium to the person sending them a copy of Dr Wisons A trip to Rome or a copy of C C Moores Dog Fennel in the Orient This offer will stand good until October 1 next By that time the harvest will be in and the seasons work practically done Then comes the preparation for the winter reading and the Blade offers a fine opporunity to satisfy that want By working today you may succeed in getting a new sub scriber tomorrow If every friend would but pledge themselves to get only one the Blade would grow be yond our most sanguine expectations If we could write anything or say anything that would enthuse others as we feel enthused it would be said but our friends know the situation well enough The only thing to do is to get busy SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE Scientific exploration has again upset bible chro nology and yet in spite of these manifest and direct revelations men and women will insist that the bible record is true in all things But few people can be found in these days who would intelligently dispute the great antiquity of the earth Geological data successfully proves that Our own continent furnishes an abundance and variety of facts sufficient to attest it Every day some new fact appears tending to corroborate and we have now from the far West that is from the State of Washington a report to the effect that while sinking a 3000foot well on a farm near Lenox in that state about thirty miles south of Spokane the drill penetrated and brought to the surface a number of pebbles a quantity of beeswax and some wood indicating that the drill had penetrated what must be a submerged forest once flourishing at the surface The fact that these materials were found buried at a depth of 585 feet shows the sedimentary deposits that were laid upon it must have taken long ages to accumulate The pebbles indicate the presence of water upon the sur face The wood suggests forest growth and the bees wax constitutes a sure sign of animal life at least of the insect variety The geological formation of the state of Washington and especially in tho locality mentioned with these recent findings suggests that both sedimentary and igneous formations overlie the submerged forest There can be no doubt about the submerged forest and this must have been at the surface at some time in the remote past The alluvial soils at the present surface are of sedimentary origin while the strata throughwhich the drill penetrated bringing the ma terials to the surface confirm the theory that the earths crust in that part of the country was turned over by a tremendous seismic disturbance and was leveled by the force of a mighty river long since gone There is a strong indication here that thstrata probably to a depth of 2000 feet was built up by suc cessive eruptions of lava from great fissures in the earths crust and that the thick covering of basaltic ash was laid by tho winds following the eruptions- If evidence were demanded in these days that bible chronology was all at sea that evidence may be found in our own country The presence of glacial boulders in the Southern states the striation of rockevidently caused by moraines show how far the ice extended years ago through the continent of North America Turning to the delta of the Mississippi and the ex cavations made therein whereby forest growths haveibeen revealed to the wondering gaze of men at great depths will at once indicate the marvelous geologicalchanges that have been wrought while traces of human life in America even at that remote and almost unknown period cause still greater wonder when theological teachings ire considered by comparisonThe glory of science hoes upon tho work of its facts The weakness of theology lies in theIfact that it is a mere guess They see results and try to account for them by naming god Geology knows no god or superhuman influence With such calculation would be impossible for tho scientist would never know how much to concede to nature and how much to supernature The only safe plan was to leave god out of the reckoning and this is pre cisely what Science has done in all its departments Just as Science got away from god it began to de volop to unfold and the further Science investigates the further it leaves god in the savage and ignorant past where the idea really belongs No god no bible to explain his supposed will No bible preachers are not essential Without preachers the world is rid ofa number of drones who daily con sume without taking part in production THE INTELLECTUAL MARCH The inherent weakness of tho Christian form of I 1BLUEGRASS BLADE 11 faith is shown by the zeal with which its votaries will fly to this or that writing of men living and men dead for evidence of its supposed truth or for comfort and consolation when oppressed or depressed by the arguments advanced by unbelievers- If the Christian religion is true if it is from god or of god it ought to be true then it does not need artificial props to support it and should be suf ficiently stronge to make itself manifest Truth maybe temporarily obscured Truth may be feriously checked and hampered but in the end it will manifest itself by unmistakeable evidences that the world will accept itr1JIO votaries of faith when pretending to seek for truth trust more to emotion than to intellect moro to imagination than to fact They are like David Humes angels whom he described as hiding their eyes with their wings for be it known there are yet many believing eyes that dare not look to wards the light These still strive to reconcile hal lucination with fact theory with truth There is nothing more calculated to warp and dis turb the mental sobriety of the ignorant classes than some form ofreligious belief which by its pertinacity and fervor translates itself into practical activity In no other is this form of subversion of intellect so common as it is in that of religion for it is invariably accompaniedwith a perversion of judgment through mere emotion and this has become so common with tho believing element that it passes almost unnoticed The truth of this proposition nay be inferred from tho fact that orthodox beliefs long after they have been discredited by thinking men and women are still retained by the unthinking It is because they are built upon a terror of the unknown which has been fostered by priestcraft in every age usually to per sonal advantage until they become a stronger force in the minds of ignorance than the love of truth could possibly bring Not so many years ago the Presbyterian world dis carded the infamous doctrines of infant damnation predestination and foreordination Wider concep tions of the material universe forced them to this abandonment It was out of joint with the times Reluctantly indeed did some of the more devout con sent to accept the newer doctrines in place of the old and even to this day there yet lingers in the minds of some old fogeys an idea that there was con siderable virtue in such beliefs and would promul gate them anew should tho opporunity be accorded them In this we see the tenacity with which religions and religious beliefs cling about tho mind and while the indvidual may be even rational on other subjects they evince a form of insanity upon religious subjects ww Wisdom has forced an admission from unwilling lips that hell is not paved with infant skulls that no man is foreordained above his fellows for eternal bliss while others less fortunate in the sight of deity is predestinated for eternal blisters The relinquishment of such a belief was a great gain an enormous concession for the faithful to make Yet it was a step in the ladder of progress and stronger reforms may reasonably follow by keeping the pressure constant upon them The real seeker after truth hath no terrors for what is unknown It requires courage to attain that mental attitude in places where the grim theology of the past has exercised much influence The seekers after truth greets every new fact with a smile He knows that science is constantly making new revelations of fact and that mankind is made wiser happier and better because of these revelations Truth needs no extraneous evidences It is an au thority for itself Bring the world to a realization of this fact and orthodox advocates will be soon con vinced of their inconsistency of appealing to material things for proof of the socalled spiritualism Just as the belief in hell cannot prove hell to be a fact so belief in all forms of religious superstition cannot prove their truth eBlief proves nothing That New York magistrate who announced that he would make a fifty per cent reduction in tho amount of the lines imposed evidently regards crime in his bailiwick as a necessity rather than a luxury Is not this another hard slam against our socalled Christian civilization The democratic nominee for president is reported t as saying that ho would rather make religious than politicalspeeches While tho republican nominee would not make any serious objection a large pro portion of the population would bo willing to dispense with both It is the fellow who draws his information from the prescription department of the orthodox church who strives to relieve tho Almighty of his job and take personal control of the universe Pride is the sheet anchor of morality tho dynamics of noble deeds When love fails and hope flies pridetstill lingers at the last ditch with drawn sword the savage rearguard between desire and dishonor j Fads for all and all for each If we do our part will you try to do yours t t ae 12 BLUE GRASS BLADE 1 SOME BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS Just a Few Where The Text and Meaning Are at Variance By D F Marrs Christians affirm that the Bible is a vine revelation of truth unmixed with error that all its utterances are har monious and consistent one with another that it is absolutely without contradiction- In denial of this Liberals affirm that it Is a work of human origin that its utter ances are inharmonious and contradictory In proof of this the following passages are quoted This will treat mostly of contradictions concerning God God Is Visible In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne Isaiah 01 God Is Invisible And ho God said thou canst not seem face for there shall be no man see me and live Gen 3320 1st Kings 2219 2 God Is Visible- I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved Ex 3220 God Is Invisible No man hath seen God at any time John 118j3 God Is Visible Then went Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy elders of Israel and they saw the God of Israel Ex 241911 God Is Invisible Who only hath immortality dwelling In the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see TimG1G 4 God Does Repent And it repented the Lord that Lo had made man on the earth and it grieved him lit his heart Gen CC Goes Does Not Repent God is not a man that ho should repent Rum 2319 i God Does Repent The Lord repented that he had made paul king over Israel 1st Sam 1535 God Does Not Repent And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that ho should repent 1st Sam 1529 God Is Unchangeable a For I am the Lord I change not Mal 3C James 117 b With whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning James 117 God Is Changeable Wherefore the God of Israel sayeth I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me ever but now the Lord sayeth Be It far from me behold the days come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house 1st Sam 23030 7 God Tempts No Man k Let no man say when ho is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot ho tempted with evil neither ho tempeth any man James 113 God Does Tempt Man And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham Gen 221 8 God Does Right Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Gen 1825 God Does Wrong- I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Isaiah 457 Gods Statutes Are Right 41 The statutes of the Lord are right Pa 198 Gods Statutes Are Not All Right Therefore I gave them also statutes that were not good and judgments whereby they should not live Ezek 2025 10 God Cannot Be Heard Yo hath neither heard his voice at any time or seen his shape John 537 God Can Be Heard And Jo a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved SOnll whom I am well pleased Matt 317 Gen 310 God Cannot Lie It is impossible for God to lie Ileb G18 God Sends Lying Spirits to Deceive Now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee 1st Kings 2223 12 God Is Almighty In Power With God all things are possible Matt 1920 Rev 196 God Is Not Almighty In Power And the Lord was with Judah and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountains but could not drive out the Inhabitants or the valley because they had chariots of iron Judges 119 13 God Is Not the Author of Confusion The Lord Is good his mercy is everlast- t Ing Ps 1005 A just God isa 4521 God Is the Author of Confusion- I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Isa 457 God Is the Author of Confusion The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy In all his works PSt 14517 14 God Is Not the Author of Confusion- a Tlien God sent an evil spirit be tween Ablmelech and the men of Shecliem and the men of Shecliem dealt treacherously with Abimclech Judges 923 b But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him and Sauls servants said unto him behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee 1st Sum 101415 15 Man Is Immortal These shall go away into everlasting pun ishment but the righteous into life eternal Mutt 2540 Man Is Not Immortal a As the cloud is consumed anal vanlshcth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more Job 79 21 The dead know not anything neither have they any more a reward Eccl 95 Man Is Immortal Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my saying ho shall not see death John 851 Man Is Not Immortal For that which befalleth the Eons of mSn hefalleth beasts as one dleth so dleth the other yea they have all ono breath so that a man hath no proeminence above a beast Eccl 31922 Man Is Immortal Marvel not at this for the hour is com ing in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth John C28 29 18 Kindred To Be Honored Honor thy father raid thy mother Eph 02- v Kindred To Be Hated If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children I t and brethren and sisters he cannot bo my disciple Luke 1420 Kindred Should Be Honored Whosoever hateth his brother is a mur derer and ye know that no murdered hath eternal life abiding in him 1st John 315 PRIESTS OF MATERIALISM ReFUNERALS CHICAGO ILL Please enter me In your list of Freethought consolation bearers agree to officiate free at christenings and 1toPARKER SERCOMBE Of the Materialistic Working Priesthood A Volunteer From Maine HUn 01tD FALLS MEYour move to have addresses of those willing to assist in conducting Rationalistic funeral services is commendable I have no formula to go by but am will ing to appear and speak a few words ot rational import upon funeral occasions in this part of Maine or anywhere that the going and return can bo accomplished in two days time Should bo obliged to charge expenses and loss of time- MANLY A BRIGHAM A Kansas Volunteer BUCKLIN KANIn the Blade of July 12th I notice you offer to publish the ad dress of worthy persons to conduct funeral services I am ready to conduct these services for my expenses and a free will offering from tile relatives or friends The distance depends on whether I can reach tine place In time to perform my seems td me it would be a great thing for the cause of Free thought if persons that are lecturers or can hold funeral ser vices would pay the Blade for their ad Tine ad would help the paper and snow what we are doing and cause young men to aspire Count on me for an ad for six months If you will take pay for It Yours for tile truth MARION W MAR LEY The Blade does not wisp to charge any lecturer prospective or actual for any ad vertisement or announcement of lectures to bo made In its columns As a means of encouragement the Blade will he only too pleased to publish them free of any cost EditorIFrom a Blade Worker IRVING KANSAS I hereby enclose two of my latest poems and offer them to you for publication if you wish or think them worthy have distributed the copies of the Blade which you sent me and believe they will produce you some now pub scribers I recognlzb the Blade as one of tho best papers in tho Freethought field and am over ready to render any service to aid It In Its wdrk of spreading the glad tidings of truth I have n poem that I got back from Everybodles Magazine last week on account of Its being too liberal for them which I will submit to the Blade with my next letterJOHN T BAYS 13fANOTHER ONE HEARD FROM Chloan Sends In a Solar Plexus Upon His Critic From The Navy Yard By W H Cox writtenfrom attentiontoname In regard to the article referred The soul not found which appeared the Issue of June 14th While I am well 1my of tine fact that when a person for the benefit of the public they lay open to criticism and that when speaks to the public he does tho same thing but when a person calls a gethimthat John F Clarke and B Clavern are both men who can take care of themselves when partyfrontton Navy Yard eitherMrassertion that either of thoso gentlemen communitiesvy yard Whenever the creedlst makes a play and tries to show they have all the virtue In this old world grabbed they show their fatal mistake and fall flat It matters not one whit to me whether this getjustmore Tho true man today does not havo to show a membership card from somo church havetheThis old wornout church racket Is too often worked to suit the mass of tho American people In this enlightened ago wo tako a man for his actual worth as a good honest moral citizen Wo have ceased asking him updullyreligion to bo false and a fraud To recall tho latest sensation to occur hero from this standpoint I shall briefly stato tho uncivilized and inhuman act of tho deacon of the Episcopal church who has committed somo of tho most damnable crimes known and his name has been held posslblofromono of our banks and a bright light In tho church Tho crime for which this man stands accused and Is an exile front our city Is too revolting for mo to speak of hero and It Is of so recent dato that his young and small victims havo not yet fully recovered from his dastardly crimes Now let someone extol tho fine character of this Episcopal saint Mr F L Angle But to got back to my critic of tho navy yard- I will ask you what legal or moral right you havo to call either Clarke Clavern or myself a liar a bigot a blasphemer or an unscrupulous rascal Do you not think you havo overstepped tho bounds of decency for a Christian What right havo you to claim a higher piano of civilization than peoplo you do not know What school or college did you graduate from that you havo such a fine Insight that you can tell at a glance whether an article Is classic or Illiterate or whether It ema nated from tho man that carried a P H D or one who carried a II o d Did you know when you were writing your article of tho 15th when you took ex ceptions to tho three Cs that you were crlt Izlng men who knew as much as you do especially on tho subject they were hand you not know they would show a yellow streak If they were to lay down on your vllllflcatlon I am sure that neither man will do so And If you want to discuss this matter from a Bible standpoint and aro willing to come out in the open I feel sure that either party will throw down tho gauntlet and tkoyou on board for all they are worth And again my critic In speaking of Brain tissue gray matter etc this reminds me atrueor theological brainstorms and as a friend I would recommend an immediate vacation Into the Adirondack Mountains un til you fully recover from your hard and much overworked poor cramped little brain PRESS ON By Julia Coon There comes tho voice of many women weeping Like times of old Whllo Reason is dethroned and Justice sleeping goldAne tho shadows ever creeping Of grief untold From out the depths we hear now voices calling To win the fight The mist back from the mountain top is falling Before tho light And Greed must loosen soon her chains enthralling And bldo by right From out the East the first faint light Is stealing have faith press on A pealingPressFor labor shall no more in chains bo kneeling hope onfight on Bartow Florida FREETHOUGHT FUNERALS IN THE HOUR OF GREAT NEED Following is a list of the names and ad dresses of Liberal speakers who aro pre pared to conduct funeral services over the terrains of deceased Freethinkers- On account of probable delay It would bo advlslblo to call them by telegram Josephine K Henry Versailles Ky Dr J B Wilson East Fourth Street Cincinnati Ohio Parker II Sercombe Editor Tomorrow 130 East 5Cth Street Chicago Illinois John R Charlosworth Lexington Ky Marion W Marley Bucklln Kansas- A J Clausen St Ansgar Iowa THE IRONY OF FATE By A B Bennett For fatalism or all that it implies we have no use The inevitable laws of Nature are past finding out save by persistent toll and be suspended or amended any more than we can stop trees from growing or a river from flowing towards the seaShakespeare says that wo may suppresssthe passions in man for one or two tions but in the fourth they will break out like the pent up forces of somo mighty then creatures of environment i sired by circumstance or accident we come t a Methodist a Mormon a Roman Catholic Christian Scientist Mugwump Socialist political nondescript full of bun combe and bile struggling along to where we know not under the leadership of the professors of one or the other of the above cults Is It any wonder that wo are ing a nation of degenerates Nature is the prolific mother of becomIliving thing Even Nature knows destiny of the human race She some tall guessing and If she guess wrong she may have to go Into bankruptcy Wo may be the scum of the scum or the dregs of the whole conglomerations of our social ftEdisonfreedom of mind that passeth understand ingWe aro In tho limelight of that knowl edge that will make for Freethought With a School teaching the fundamental principles of Science and Philosophy Sec ularism may receive Its just rewards Success to the Correspondence School Tomorrow Magazine is the only publication In the world that deals with all human problems from tho Impersonal Viewpoint- It Is published expressly f those who wish to see how their own cherished be liefs and sacred notions appear In the nude stripped of all racial bins and preju reading this magazine you will learn to draw all your conclusions from fundamental principles e you will learn to think correctl- ytPECIALWo will send three month trial subscription for fifteen cents It you are not already a subscriber The regular price of ToMorrow is ten cents per copy or 100 per year This office may be withdrawn at any time so you had better write NOW TOMORROW PUBLISHING CO Hyde Park Chicago III mUl BLADEt14 BLUE GRASS H HN N H H H H N4N H NOH H H H N N N H NON N N NOHOO y y- i Cie Blades Cottttespondence I + + NHNHNN + HNNNNNHHNNHHNNHNNNHHHN Freedom of the Press RED ASH KYI enclose check for five dollars 500 credit me for one years subscription for the Blade Renewal If you have to fight for the right of mail Ing the Blade count on me as one to sup port you I mined coal In the North or England all the time of Bradlajghs par liamentary struggle the Freethinker Footes paper was prosecuted during that time mainly to handicap Bradlaugh Ask your editor what the poor people In England did when the liberty of the press was at stake Surely Americans wont be behind them in thatW T ROBINSON Ready To Join Fight UPLAND INDIf it comes to the battle viz Atheism v the Papacy count on mo for one In god we trust eaglet or two for shame to the Nations six by seven congressmen to have bowed to a scape goat belief In IdoltaryI M MILLER Old Subscriber Gone i WICKER MONTI enclose herewith a Postofflco Order for one dollar 100 as n subscription for such time as It may cover to the Blue Grass Blade I enclose also a copy of a funeral discourse from which you will learn that a former subscriber has finished his career Ho was greatly an ad mirer of Mr Moore and the Blade and continued a short time before his death only because of financial stringencyS The address which Is excellent will ap pear In a subsequent Issue of tho Blade Ed BRYANS DEMOCRACY WILBER NEB You will find enclosed clipping from Omaha Dally Bee of Juno 1st 1908 This explains that Mr W J Bryan Is keeping better company with or thodoxy than democracy W VILDA Splendid Sympathy deepInterestattack on the Blue Grass Blade but It Is my firm conviction that the dogs of war will not be let loose until after the coming presidential election If at all In your issue of July you say In any event our course Ic mapped out gal talent has been secured and It an ad verse ruling is made by the Postal authori ties then wo propose to carry tine case Into the courts and fight to the last ditch Should such a proceeding occur we shall In a large measure be guided by tho case of Mr Lewis tho St Louis publisher who carried his case into the courts after being made tho victim of a fraud order On my desk as I write is a copy or Edwin C Maddens book The United States Governments Shame The story of The Great Lewis Case In which the details are given in full of the fight that was waged for more than two years by the head of the Postofilce Depart ment to destroy the banking and publishing business of Mr Lewis by Issuing a fraud order against his banking business and re fusing to allow his papers to go through tho I read the story which shows how the freedom of the press is being destroyed Mr Lewis as yet has only succeeded in forcing the authorities to permit his papers to go In the malls he has not up to date been able to have the fraud order on his banking business lifted so cant stand that again The destruction of 21955 established papers in the United States during the past six years by the Postoffice authorities tho bitter fight that was made against Mr Lewis in which tho whole resources or government were pitted against turn and now tho threat to havo the Blue Grass Blade excluded from the malls should bo sufficient to arouso the people to tho danger that confronts them and Induce tho lovers of liberty all over tho land together In the work of putting a stop to Russian methods In America Should the fight be started against you then draw on me for five dollars JOSHUA T SMALL Some Splendid Lecturers CHICAGO ILL Enclosed I am sending you an announcement that should Interest all Chicago readers of your valuable publi cation The lectures which Prof do Tassy delivers every Sunday morning at oclock n m in tho Auditorium Recital Hall aro the most original and interesting that have been heard in Chicago for a long do Jassy a well known Orientalist of Paris throws the searchlight of comparative mythology and linguistics on the Bible with astonishing results Last Sunday his subject was Abraham and Drachma Sarah and Surynh and the story of Lot These lectures are held under the auspices of liberal minded persons and are free Everybody is welcome- In a country where hundreds of religious Journals are maintained chiefly by patent medicine vendors to fill the minds of people with unspeakable trash your Blue Grass Blade has an Important mission and its friends should rot leavo It suffer for lack of proper support Your prospective fight against the powers that be should make you smllCT S HOROVITZ M D Wouldnt Miss One Copy CHATTANOOGA TENNYour postal card of July 9th Is at hand Many thanks Mr Robinson received his first number or tine Blade all right Brother Hughes ono number of the Blade I have never received It Is number ten of July 28th please send that paper to mo I do not want to loso any papers for my book I havo all the rest or tho papers up to date ARTHUR STONE f Just a Bit Personal 1BRUNSWICK MAINEI was right glad to see your photo In a late issue of tho 1thesesee you to havo the privilege of grasping your hand telling you how I have enjoyed the weekly visits of the Blue Grass Blade for quite a number of years I am seventy slxtynlno and six months and you aro thirtyfive You are at the top of Lifes hill while I am just stepping off at the bottom ono the plain below Alas that spring should vanish with tho rose That youths sweet scented manuscript should close etc Old age is not n pleasant subject to dwell upon Is It Well I hope you will live till you aro oldns old as you want to be and continue to mako glad the hearts of many sub scribers yet to be and as the years go by you will be happy In the thought that you have done your part to spread the gospel of Freethought to the enjoyment and enlight enment of many I will only add that should you irato corrspondent that R Chaplain in tho Navy who considers It his duty to mall a copy of the Blade the hightoned clean Eouled 1 Assistant Postmaster Generals and should the Postmaster Generals con sider It their duty to stop Its circulation through our the peoples malls you may call on me and Ill aid you to tho extent of my ability But he wont and they wont I S CURTIS CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY Impressions Received During a Visit of Clone Inspection- By John F Clarke I went through what Is probably tho most magnificent building In existence yesterdayI to tho Congressional Library at WashingtonI the building a score of times but never took tho trouble to inspect it before My wlfo told me several years ago that I ought to see It As a library it is hard to surpass but the building Is about all thnt could be conceived The exterior Is white marble and tho In terior Is marble In all shades and styles Sculptures mosaics and perfect artizan ship make n harmonious dream In marble The names of literary musical and other great men aro over portals Tho arrange ment is faulty In tho grouping of names Homer is next to Michael Angelo In tho secular mind Mr Angelo is not In Homers class Painting yellow hoopskirts over mediocre meads In mimic and thus de noting saints to tho tho faithful is a thing apart for writing mental and moving de scriptions of men and things that awake fires In heart and brain thousands of years often ons Is dead Many quotations from noted men and wo men adorn tho walls Some emphatic statements Intended to uphold tho God Ideaare there beside those of arisen men who did not go beyond the realm of reason In coining wise sayings This great government cannot impress any truth Into a statement If it is erroneous at birth A library should not try to teach fiction as fact It t BLADEI if I Give Em Fits Thats what TilE SCARLET SHADOW Walter Hurts great rad ical novel doss to the forces of bigotry and su perstition And the sec ular press of the country goaded by the church element Is throwing a over It too No other novel of this decade has been so widely and so bitterly denounced by orthoddx critics which Is sufficient proof that It Is all right It has cre ated a sensation In con servative circles and aused consternation among the clergy- It Is enthusiastically endorsed by leading Freelthlnkers through out the world You all know how Hurt can write and In this book he at his best It nn elegant volume fit to ornament the finest library containing pages printed on heavy eggshell paper and bound In oxblood cloth Price J160 postpaid BLUE GRASS BLADE Lexington Ky O M ROBINSON Violin Maker 12 STST PAUL MIN Buy your violins and get your repair ing done by a man of 50 years experience and will guarantee everything or no sale The Wage Slave A Socialist Weekly that advocates Indus trial Unionism Revolutionary to the core EDITED A FREETHINKER The enemy of everything that supports the existing social order Send for sample copy Address The Wage Slave Box Hancock Mich M STIHTON Editor Be Sure and Subscribe For Secular Thought- A Fortnightly Journal of Rational Criti cism In Politics Science and Religion Organ of the CANADIAN SECULAR UNION AND THE TORONTO SECULAR SOCIETY Editor J Spencer Ellis Published at lS5 Queen St West ronto Canada Terms per annum In advance single copies 10 cents All communications for the Editorial de partment should be addressed J Spencer Ellis Secular Thought 185 Queen St West Toronto Can All Business communications orders for books printing etc should be addressed M ELLIs Proprietor and Publisher Secular Thought Queen St West Toronto Can MEDIUM SIZE Mens New Thin Model Watches HAMPDENNo 104 23 Jewels 30 Win McKinley 21 Jewels same 17 jewels General Stark Jewels 15 Jewels 7 Jewels 550 WALTHAM Riverside Maxlmus 23 Jewels 50 Riverside 19 Jewels 21 P S Bartlett 17 Jewels 1250 15 Jewels Jewels ELGINNo 156 or 162 Jewels Vcrltas 21 Jewels 243 17 Jewels 22 242 17 Jewels 241 17 Jewels 340 17 Jewels 15 Jewels Jewels ThJn1IodelCrown or Deuber filled gold case guaran teed by tho manufacturers for 20 years artistic hand chased or plain or hunt Ing case more In 25 year case more than In 20 year case In cases guaranteed for all time screw or hunting 10 more than In Silverine case Prices of solid gold cases on application Every Watch Guaranteed Fresh and New from Factory no shopkcnpcrs an accu rate time keeper and It well used good for fifty years or longer Will be kept in order tot ono year Beware of Special movements and cases mado nobody knows where and which you cannot price intelligently and buy everywhere Also beware of die work engraved casesthey are n fraud Those listed above are known to be the best watches made and It watch is new and perfect you are safe to buy them where the price is lowest I pay freight Describe closely what you want and let me send you cuts and pricesalso of my Freethought Badges and Ingersoll Spoons Ring Gauge and my groat little tract Theism In Tho Crucible free OTTO WETTSTEIN LaGrange Cook Co Ills o Six Popular Books Sent Free As a matter of advertisement and to In crease the circulation of our advanced thought literature we will send the following six books free to every reader of this magazine who will cooperate with CONCENTRATION The road to Success by Henry Harrison Brown This Is a book containing pages written In plain and sim ple language by this popular author of New Thought books It a clear and practical treatise on the attainment of success In every walk of life Price finely bound In cloth and gold 100 paper cover THE CELESTIAL LIFE by Frederick W Burry A new book of pages full of bril liant presentations of truth highly optimistic throughout and directing the way to light life and power Handsomely printed and bound Price cloth and gold paper cover 60c SPRIGS OF POETRY by Norris Sprigs tilj D Colorados favorite poet This book Is like n harp of a thousand strings five hundred poems on such a variety of subjects that no reader may tall to strike a harmon Ions chord It contains fifteen beautiful Illus trations Price leatherette 50ccloth and gold 100 LOST IN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT by J Howard Cashmere An answer to Ernest Haeckels Riddle of the Universe It pre sents a new hypothesis for the solution of problems of life and mind Over pages of Inspiration Bound only In cloth and gold Price SIDEREAL SIDELIGHTS by Charles Louis Brewer author of The Elder Brother and Steppingstones to Heaven This a well printed book containing a number of profound and brilliant lectures on Socialistic and New Thought lines Price In paper cover only THE TRUTH ABOUT NEW THOUGHT by Julia Seton Sears D The whole world asking What Is New Thought This booklet answers In a clear and concise fashion that satisfies Price If you wish to secure any or nil of the nbw books send ten cents In stamps or cum rsample copies of our Advanced Thou m vw llcatlons and we will send you epee blanks which will enable you to wa iP above books free Address THE BALANCE PUBLISHING v Welton Street Denver Colorado The Peoples Press Fearless in its advocacy of Freethought and Reform Published weekly at Blue Island Ave Chicago J B Lenau Publisher Official paper of the Materialist Association Subscription 50 Cents a Year In Canada or Foreign Countries 9 too a Year f l rv 4 1 f BLUE GRASS BLADEt TheVOLTAIRES WORKS I ever published in English has just been completed by the gNewBiographybyIDESPREAD hu authors a world The and 6Voltairecreationliberty if Ills volums i- XIV ly I prizmdClassicsVoltaire The wrillns rre ttalamea 4 yilfurya FORTY fSizeIllustrations of which 45 are hand colored 3 t6 dramas PhilosophicalDictina THE EDITION T8 a art of textJ1 a of a ylupTHE COMPLETE SET SENT FREE FOr APPROVAL- a of Redand the6e to the 15700InTe F 41largeREMEMBER THERE ARE BUT A FEW SETS CUT OUT COUPON SEND TODAY fW St Hubert 6uUb moritf bop AKRON OHIO r Craftsmeni woH Jof prefthe 10101 II wl Ifiwt N Signature ift dSlate0e Hate J L l tIlr + + f t A Future Life A Critical Inquiry Into the Scientific Value of the Alleged Evidences that Mans J Conscious Personality Survives the Life of the Body Embracing discussion of the Doctrines of Resurrec lion of the Body ReIncarnation Spiritism Annihilation Theories of Metaphysicians Phenomena of Spiritualism etc BY SINGLETON WATERS DAVIS An octavo volume of 172 pages with tine frontispiece Portrait of the author and full table of Contents well printed on Crystal Book paper and neatly bound in cloth A Future Lifo Is the title of a book just out In my opinion it takes rank with the best thought of the times on the subject Every conceivable phase of this mysterious subject is treated in the clearest scientific manner My Impressioi on reading it was that all that is fIsmay feel himself secure this very ex ceptional book is the product of a mature and excoptionallyflno analytical mind J Wilson D in the Blue Grass Blade Seventyfive Cents Postpaid to any point within the United States Foreign lOc extra Published by the Author at 854 E Lee St Los Angeles Calv 1 I+ + + + + + + + + + + No BeginningI By William H Maple 1 THE IDENITY OF GOD WITH TURE DEMONSTRATED itTheNeat cloth binding 183 pages two striking Illustrations 75 cents paper binding 36 cents postpaid INGERSOLL BEACON CO A78 LA SALLE ST CHICAGO

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