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Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, January 3, 1909.

Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, January 3, 1909. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1909 blu1909010301 These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, January 3, 1909. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1909 $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. BLUEiRASS BlADEj 40 Volume XVII Number 37 SL NGTONtY JANUARY 3 zyo9 Published Weekly DEVOTED TO THE PROPAGANDA OF FREEDOM OF JHOUGHTI t IiHARRISHOOVER f ilIn the Freethought Ranks ii hjrrIJ lJJIJl L UUj l ri immMr JrnJlI r 17 ttrwrrrr r BLUE GRASS BLADE Harris Hoover By Harriet M Closz The measure of time marked by the figures 1833 was fraught with destiny During that year the heavens were Illuminated with light and from remotest space a million meteors were rained upon the earth This visitation recurring at Infrequent Intervals awakened the scientific mind to research while wor shipful devotees of deity prostrated themselves In superstitious awe The claim of one lone star at Bethlehem marking the birthplace of a Saviour Is far outclassed by this shower of shining stars which make memorabel the birth year of Harris Hoover subject of this sketch Are we to judge a mans character by the company he keeps Then do not forget the fact that our magnificent emancipator Robert Ingersoll was born in 1833 and within a radius of two years appeared a great nUmber of men with hearts tilled with the love of liberty for humankind and as they approached the age of discretion they realized that It was folly to wait for the final adjustment of affairs In heaven so threw themselves Into the work of enlightenment with tfre commendable purpose of happi ness on earth It Is Inspiring to look upon the luminaries of greater or lesser brilliancy which appeared upon the horizon almost simultaneously with the men mentioned above and learning of the unselfish labors of Bradlaugh and Haeckel and Labouchere and Bjornsten and Wettstein we must admit the elements of equalization In troduced to balance theorthodox teachings of their contempor aries like Gibbons Spurgeon and Talmage Harris Hoover was born at Clearfield Penn April 21st 1833 His father being a teacher he acquired a good common school course which was supplemented by much reading and the acqui sition of proficiency In several of the higher branches such as the Blade Correspondence School affords He tilled the soil until twentyone years of age but his brain began to pulsate his pen caught the vibration and his first work for the press was done at the age of years and from that time to this It has not been Idle though of late has been less active In 1855 having contract ed the Western fever he struck Ore trail for Iowa and located In Webster City- Personally I the writer of these poor lines feel a sense of appreciation for my native town since discovering that this man once made his home here and the might have been Is a sad thought for me since I was not so fortunate as to be personally associated with him as my mother was during his stay in this city On July 4th 1859 hewas married to Mary E Beardsley and two children are the solace of their declining years On Juno 13 1801 he enlisted in the First Iowa Cavalry Volun teers and served continuously as a soldier until Sept 9th 1864 when he was mustered out of Uncle Sams service returned to Pennsylvania and purchased the old family farm where he lived until the memorable panlc of 73 swept away his accumulated savings after which dne removed to the county seat and was elected County Commissioner and later on was employed to write county history In Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio In 1881 he located In Ilttsburg the storm center of the steel section the city where the divine right of the boss to rule his hirelings is rigorouslY applied Hero he helped to organize the Plttsburg Liberal League and established Truth the organ of the above society and for five years was reporter solicitor secretary and general Jack of all trades and the last five years of the Societys life held the ofllce of President During the turbu lent times In the American Secular Union 1888 our friend stood firmly for the Integrity of administration according to his standard and opposed the emreucned management thereby losing some friends but with his characteristic tenacity of principle ho says do not regret anything I then said or did During his connection with the Pittsburg Secular Society this brother delivered Freethought and Scientific lectures and 30 funeral discourses besides holding numerous debates with clergymen He humbly admits that he was once foolish enough 1o join the Methodist Church but says in extenuation I was very young and knew no better but like the measles it ran its course and I recovered my reason And now at 75 years of age of which ho has been a tireless contributor to the Liberal press amongthem the Investigator Banner of Light Index RollgloPhliosophlcal Journal The Monist Lucifer Iron Clad Age Independent Pulpit Blue Grass Blade etc and during whlclwtlmfl his brain has been busy with the problems which press persistently for solution he says The longer I live the more I am convinced that all religion Is gross superstition It is a splendid method of ensnaring men and therefore a menace to the race Besides his voluminous prose productions ho writes readily rhyme and the poetical value of his verse Is unquestionableTo associated with men and women represented by standard bearers like Robert G Ingersoll and Elizabeth Cady Stanton Is Indeed a privilege and an education and to have held council and given advice to the younger aspirants like Helen Gardner and Editor Charlesworth earns for him our gratitude and the appreciation that his work which la now naturally grow ing wearIsome can be carried on by such capable campaigners During the St Louis Exposition our friend again took up the westwnd march on account of Illhealth In his family He located on an Arkansas claim A few years ago while clearing his claim he received a fall which ultimately brought on paralysis of the lowcrjjmbs and after nine months of hospital treatment ho stoically tells mo his hands are becoming useless also and that ho is now home to face the Inevitable but declares I have the courage to do it My first acquaintance with Infidel organizations impressed me because of the large numbers of aged people In the ranks and my thoughts reverted to tho Christian contention that unbelief would be discarded at deaths door but hero wore brilliant minds men and women treading the brink of uncertainty without faltering ails absolutely fearless for the future and our heroic brother Hoover prostrated with pain scouts the idea of recanting and scorns such intimations by Christians Ills will Is Indomit able In his present semihelpless state he made the thousand mile journey from tho Tennessee hospital to his home without company and though enduring constant suffering he has kept his mind busy havlng read tens of thousand of pages since his enforced stateof Idleness Our little Iowa town of Webster City may yet become famous for In January a meeting was held hero and a resolution passed In honor of old John Brown In which our friend wrote Slavery or Involuntary servitude shall bo prohibited In the terri tories Thus ho might lay claim to being the father of tho Republican party and our town its birthplace With duo defer ence to the progressive spirit of party originators I must record that our city has not yet extricated Itself from the rut of Repub lican party politics Ho further states that ho might lay claim to the authorship of the germ theory of disease since ho an nounced it In 1850 as a resultof the study of Tyndala Fragments of Science II I BLUE t 1 ASS BLADE 3 The Human Prayer The helping wish The aim of all WITHOUT THEOLOGY OR METAPHYSICS Nichts vom Verganglicheri7 Wles auch geshach Uns zu verewigen Sind wlr Ja da Goethe By Thaddeus Burr Wakeman Owing to the controversy that has arisen from the publica tion of the Human Prayer as it appeared in The Blue Grass Blade The Open Court and other publications of Rational thought the following explanation is now submitted In order that the reader may understand the prayer and the key given the whole must be read In conjunction with it THE PRAYER Inspired by The Choir Invisible + 0 World 0 Man and Soul of 1Ie+ The Endless ALL Our Three in ONE 0 May live with love and Joy In TheeIn THEE 0 May I learn to know Thee True So that my life may do The Good + So that my work may fruitful be + Tho Ages through + So bring our Republic of MAN Our Paradise of Earth to be For Each and Allfor Me and All t As best we can So on and ONFor evermore AmenAmen EXPLANATORY Tills prayer was contributed by Mr Thaddeus B Wakeman to Tho Open Court of April 1908 where it with a crit ical note by the editor Mr Wakeman says In letters to the editor with regard to the prayer It must be first noted that tho Scene of this Prayer Is the Earth the enduring Home of the Human Race and a part of tho Infinite untreated and endless correlating World whose tome our Now Is eternity itself there Is no other The Paradise of Eartn Is In process of evolution under tho fundamental law of human sociology history and religion towlt Human progress is a continuous process of integration and differentiation The Science Key Which opens now Our heaven on Earth Translation Naught of the transitory Howsoeer It may appear i Ourselves to eternalize For that are we here whereby the increasing cooperation of the Individual organs In heart head and hand must ever by Its Integrative helufulnoss work out a happier future Such Science now shows to be the chief end and object of human existence as a lOloanrl conse quently of all of Its parts and members Every general social integration is a religion and every incline thereunto a wish and n prayer i f appeared reciprocal So may do for human kltfd + All else should do In turn for me + So Duty meet with honest deeds And noblest mind s Thus may my Will as Thine be done And so fulfill our highest end As tAndhCHO So Each for All And All for Each IloThis prayer Iray help those who desire to bu mnvj effective mcinbers of this true ants higher Intonation this Religion of Science and Humanity to feed the heart out of which are the Issues of life by a thoughtful union by It with others as to the best means of finding that better life on earth Thus The Choir Invisible of George Eliot really longed for through the ages may become a voice over more powerful leading tho union welfare and progress of man as the music and gladness of the world Then under Evolution it might be a delight to find that all past faiths however Illusory In their origins have become the first and preparatory stages of this higher Religion the only JIIIIL II J 1 b Io BLUE GRASS BLADE Faith uniting love and aspiration with knowledge So take this prayer as a suggestion If It Is anything at all It Is really the most Important thing put In print for a very long time It Is the scientific solution many are afterbut so simple and comprehensive that It will have to he grown to or towards gradually It Is too Immense to bo readily grasped We simply wish and pray to Self and you and all to join and aid In a higher life integration and progress Why not The or Me of the first line Is our subjective consciousness or Ego which the objective World Man and Soul the soul meaning unconscious or subliminal action of our nervesystem constantly beget create and sustain or call It the Ego which attends the processes of that objective Three as a concomitant correlation THE KEY VERSE Recognizes the World as the endless All containing Man the human race on this Earth the Soul as the sum cf the human nerve process of which the Ego or I Is the result which wishes and so prays to live with love and Joy In The Infinite Monism that is In Thee objectively and In Thee subjectively VERSE 2Descends from the All to tho human Kind The Man on Earth and meets with the reciprocal relation of Each to All and of All to Each and the fact and sense of duty which is our obligation arising from human relations and which is to be satisfied by honest deeds to be performed with the noblest mind VERSE 3Dut to do these human duties It Is necessary to know the true In order to do the good so that the fruitful work for the good may carry our life with Its results the Ages through VERSE Recognizes our subjective Will and Its work as tho MY LADDIES LIFE LESSON 1wns rending my weo bonnie laddie n tale Ofa boy wile went sailing IIwnyJIn a flying machine with a goblin in green To the land whore the goblin folk stay Of the journey they made of the pranks that they played The adventures that fell to their lot And my woe laddies eyes told ofwonder surprise But of sweet simple faith in tho plot Put at last it came out that the tale was a dream And my lnddie was sorely distressed Ono dissatisfied look ho gave mo and tho book Then ho sobbed out his grief on my breast dear laddie T saidsuch a tale as Ive reads Could ho only a dream dont you know But a heartbreaking sigh voiced the pitiful cry Oh wanted it all to be so Oh my laddie dear laddie Earth morn of your lifeIWill lie fraught with tile moonshiny gleams With the shimmor and sheen and the silver and green Of tho tenuous tissue of dreams v But as frost on tho pnnp turns to sorrowful rain At the touch of tho sun they will And the cry and the plea of yonrhcart will still be Oh I wanted them all to be so 11 flower of Objective Nature and with It uniting as One to complete the highest end and aim of boUi by a life and workful union as One This is the truth of the passage In the Winters Tale which reads thus Nature Is made better by no man But Nature makes that man so oer that Art Which you say adds to Nature is an Art That Nature makes The Art Itself is Nature VERSE riThe enjl and aim of this union of Natural and Human Art Is the Cooperative Republic of Matt as Thomas Paine designed and as the Evolution Natural and Human will eventually transform Into the Paradise of Earth to con tinue for Each and All Indefinitely So on and on for ever more This endless progress of our Paradise of Earth Is the finale of Shakespeares Tempest and Goethes Faust and Is the human Heaven of Objective Science and of hu man aspiration Tile repetition of Amen Amen rep resents this union of the Objective and Subjective In this Paradise which will be the result of both as above noted by the In TheeIn Thee of the first verse which is thus realized as the conclusion of the Prayer THE ECHO recalls the means of the whole Prayer by which Its everprogressive Paradise Is to bo realized by the In cline and preparation of ALL our being towards tho higher Integration of mankind NOTJJIl will now bo seen that this Prayer Is not a Lords Prayer to be swallowed blindly It Is asubstltuto for all Lords Prayers which the progress of Science has shown to be wholly untrue and useless This prayer Is from tho very fact of Its existence a defiance If any one can find In It anything Inserted that ought to be omitted or anything omitted that ought to be Inserted let him show It In this paper or to the contributor Mr T B Wakeman Ed THE EMERGENCY FUND r The Blade extends its heartiest thanks and praise to those who have so nobly and cheerfully responded to the call for this fund and we can assure them that considerable good has been done thereby Up to and including the last day of December as shown by the report given below there has boon received the total sum of 57r 0 This has ena bled us to send and wo are nowsonding the Blade free of cost to 21 aged infirm indigent and incapable Freethink ers Wo have nearly fifty more on tho list who could ho cheered by such a contribution and these we intend to add thereto just as soon as tho condition of the fund will permit With January 1lfl09 wo renew tho fund by making a now start so that friends renewing their subscription if able and willing to do so nay add a trifle thereto for the benefit of their more unforti into brethren Tho close of tho fund for 1008 stands as follows Previously acknowledged 2950 Ton Arp 500 J S Oarriahnn 100 r Peak 1rO Total 3750 4 BLUE GRASS BLADE 5 Has Christianity Bettered Human Conditions Reference to History Betrays its Pernicious Influence upon the Race and How It Has Retarded Progress By John T Bays It a general belief that Christianity Is a progressive religion and that It has raised our standard of morals and education but the truth is for from that Instead of Christianity raising the standards of morals and education the standards wero raised in spite of Christi anity and to prove this I will go back and show you the world as Christianity found It and then show you the world as Christ ianity made It To hear a preacher tell of the world as Christianity found It would give you the Impression that Christianity found the hu man race all savages and transformed them to civilized men as Moses transformed the rod to a serpent But thank nature we havo other ways of gaining Information than from these prevaricators I shall quote ad verbum from the his torians as to tho period before the Christians gained sway A Dj In speak Ing of the period before the Christian con quest I will call It West says An area as large as the United States with a population of ono hundred millions rested in tho good Roman peace for nearly four hmidred years Never before or since has so largo a part of the world known such unbroken rest from tho horrors and wastes of war The people paid but little attention to the rulers and thought of them chiefly as tho symbol of the ruling providence which throughout the civilized world hail silenced war and faction and secured tie blessings of prosperity and peace before un known Capes Early Empire The reign of tho Autonines 9G192 AD has been called the golden ago of human ity Gibbon believed that a man if allow ed his choice would prefer to have lived then rather than at any other period of tho worlds history And if an angel of the old wero to strike a balance whether the domain ruled by Soverus Autonins was governed with greater Intelligence and greater humanity at that time or In tho present day whether civilization and national prosperity generally have since that tithe advanced or retro graded it Is very doubtful whether the decision would be in favor of the present Mouimseu The roads were safe Piracy ceased upon the seas and trade nourished as It was not to flourish again for a thousand yearsFrom frontier to frontier communication was safe and rapid The grand military and post roads ran in trunk linesa thou sand miles at a stretch from every fron tier towards the central heart of the em pire with u dense network of ramifications In every province Guide books described routes and distances inns abounded The imperial couriers that passed along the great highways hurried by a hundred and lltty milestones a day and private travel from the Thames to the Euphrates was swifter safer and moro comfortable than ever again until well Into the nineteenth ctntury Wests Ancient World Everywhere rude stockade villages changed into stately marts of trade huts into palaces footpaths into paved Roman roads Homan Irrigation made part of the African desert the garden of the world where from drifting sands desolate ruins mock the travel of today In Until Caesar found iw real towns In the third century that province had one hundred and sixteen flourishing cities with baths temples amphitheatres works of art roads aque ducts and schools of eloquence and rhet oric West The throb great centers of learning were tome Alexandria and Athens all of which had very extensive libraries and professor ships Marcus Aurellus began the practice of permanent State endowments And In connection with the Universities there wuro colleges and grammar schools endowed by tho State similar to ours of tile present flay And as to the morals of the people West says Woman became full tho equal of man In law and hJu companion Instead of his servant In ho family Plutarchs precepts on marriage fall little If 1 below nnv if muIru lays And his own family life afforded a beautiful ideal of domestic happiness There were a vast amount of public and private char ity Homes for poor children and orphan girls wero established Tacitus tells how after a great accident near Koual tho rich opened their houses and gave their wealth to relieve tho sufferers which shows that tho rich of that day wero far better morally than our plutocrats of the present ago As to tho treatment of animals West says There seems llttlo doubt that animals were better treated under the pagan Empire than in Southern Europe today And Slavery grew milder Emancipation became so common that on an average Household slaves were freed after six years broaden Philosophers were fond of dwelling upon the thought that all men are brothers Marcus Aa eHus said As Emperor im a Uonum hut us a man my city is the world I will quote sonic i the moral teachings and let the reader tilie the moral nature of the people by them The best way IJ penge thyself h not to become like the evil doer Suppose that men curse thee or klt- ltheoICa man stand by a pure spring and curse it the spring does not cease to send up clear water- Everything harmonizes with me which harmonizes with thee 0 Universe Noth ing is too early or too late which is In due time for thee Everything Is fruitful to me which thy seasons bring 0 Nature From thee are all things in thee are all things to thee all things return Marcus Au rellus think this Is a tine sample of reverence for those who feel grateful to the powers that made them Aurelius did not picture out sonic fabulous god and pay reverence to It for what Mother Nature does but paid his reverence to tho ono to whom it justly belonged Pass through this little space of time conformably to Nature and end thy jour ney in contentjust as olive branch falls when it is ripe blessing Nature who pro duced and thanking the tree on which it growMarais Aurellus Nothing is smaller than love of pleasure and love of gain and pride Nothing Is superior to magnanimity and lovo of man kind and benevolence- No man who loves money and pleasure and fame also loves mankind but only he who loves virtue When you die you will not exist but you will be something else of which the world has need you came into existence not when you chose but when tho world had need of you It Is not possible to be free from faults hut it Is possible to direct your efforts In cessantly to bring faultlessness Eplct etusThis empire was made up principally of liberals and free thinkers and the empire encouraged the utmost freedom of thought J r I BLUE GRASS BLADE upon all subjectsWest This Is some thing that cannot be said of any Christian nationI I have shown very fully that the world as the Christian religion found It was highly advanced In every respect and now I will show by the same unbiased authorities that the Christian religion pull ed down this highly advanced civilization and proved Itself a scourge to the earth We all know that Christianity was put In to power by Constantine who had been ofathe fourth century And so I hall continue to quote from the same authorities con cerning this period now from where Christianity takes hold of the world onward Arid let the reader decide whether the world advanced or retrograded The first heading I notice In this period In Wests Ancient World Is the following Decay in Literature Great names In poetry history and science cease Philos ophy and theology became a weary waste of controversy We have multitudes of Apologies for Christianity from the church Fathers The next heading Is Persecution by the Church In 312 as we saw Christianity secured perfect toleration for its worship and soon after It was given an especially favored place among the religions of the Empire Almost at once it began to use violence to stamp out other religions centuries to come this persecution by the church dwarfed Into Insignificance even the terrible persecutions it had suffered The motive too differed widely from that of the old imperial persecutions It was not political In general each persecuting sect since has justified Its action on the ground that belief in Its particular faith By A E Wade All phenomena manifest toui through our senses centers in conscious existence The Ego I myself is the renter of the boundless Universe which Is without limit or circumference How much so ever we may speculate or theorize about the non existence of spirit our conscious sense of existence asserts itself and no amount of reasoning can convince us that this body Is all there Is of man When we look abroad over the world we behold Innumerable bodies similar In all respects to this one which we Inhabit and manifesting all the doings which we are capable of and much more and we clude from anology that each one of these bodies Is actuated by an Ego the same as I myself We cannot fall to observe that we are all bound together In one great was necessary to salvation Therefore It seemed right and merciful to torture the bodies of heretics in order to save their souls and protect the souls of others Un der cover of such theory they now began a dark and bloody chapter in human history to last for over twelve hundred years period was one of Intellectual decay There were no more poets and no more new discoveries In science Hen the old science and literature were neglected peasantry became serfs theywere bound to their labor on the soil and chang ed masters with the land they tilled Christian religion brought on the caste system in all other lives as well as the peasants Every laborer or artisan was compelled to stay In the same vocation for all generations as it seemed until free dom of movement seemed lost In Its Industries and Its social relations as well as in government the Empire was becom ing despotic and oriental West The earth swarmed with the consuming hierarchy of extortion so that It was said that they who received taxes were more than they who paid them Goldsmith And these taxes were no longer spent In aiding Industry they went to support the machinery of government and the luxury of cause of the rapid Intellectual de cline of tho fourth century Is that many Christians were hostile to pagan science and literature whlle for a long time the Christian world produced little to take Its place Here West says pagan science but it was not because of the pagans hav ing developed the sciences that caused the Christians to be hostile to them but Chris I Humanitarianism commonwealth and that the good of each one Is more or less dependent on the wel fare of all No one can enrloh himself by robbing his neighbor without homier or later losing more than he will gain A conviction of this fact Is the origin of all human governments vrliliM are in itutud to compel men to obey this law But not only does the Liw of lUtrlbu tlon obtain in evil doing but also in all the good we may do to our fellow men The selfish man Is not selfish In the proper meaning of the word but he Is a foolish man The man who gains the confidence of his fellows and Is entrusted with a large sum of money and absconds Is blind to his own interests and will surely have to pay the penalty If ho Is not caught and punish ed by law his conscience If he has any will torment MB until he makes restitution pfr n1 tlanlty was hostile to science then for the same reason that they are now and always have been Science shows the Bible to be a lie and that Is why they threw away science when they were In power and why they would throw It away today should they get the power again During this dark and bloody epoch of Christian rule called the Dark Ages nearly all that civilization had been piling up for centuries war swept away and a period confusion lavless nass find Ignorance tho lowest point ever reached by European clvllzatlon was the result The whole 400 years from 400 to 800 A are properly called the Dark AgesWestWest was a Christian and shows some partiality In giving the account of them but Is not this a pretty bad statement for to have to make about the Influence of ones religion upon the world Classical literature suddenly became ex tinct The old Roman schools disappeared or were represented only by new monastic schools of meager Instruction The new ruling classes were grossly Ignorant and did not carp for the old literature and science even so far as It had survived WestI give page after page showing up the Christian rule but I think you all un derstand how It was in the Christian period commonly called the Dark Ages After tho church ruled for several centuries it bursted Into fragments and freethought and science began to revive and have not been put to sleep since The church did not com pletely lose Its grip but nearly all of its controlling power Now I shall leave It for the reader to decide whether Christianity las been for the betterment of the human race or not A man without a conscience Is little better off than a brute insensible to all enjoy ment but his brute nature Neither do we believe he can escape all punishment by taking his own life as many have at tempted to do We cannot believe that this is the only life we shall live It is against all reason and common senseiIf Matter and Force are Eternal then surely the Ego the source of all existence must be as endless as matter I may pass through a season of unconsciousness at death as when sound asleep but I shall doubtless awake again to another life of usefulness and activity Not only does the fear of something after death as Shakespeare says make cowards of us all but the hope of a Crown of Glory honor and praise of well doing would bo vain to tile martyr who gave his life for any great and noble cause If death ended Urbana Ill j t BLUE GRASS BLADE t AJj I Takes a Fall Out of Orthodoxy Text of an Address Recently Delivered at a Liberal Plcnlc Given In Moffitts Grove at Newton Iowa By Perry Engle We believe that church people are far better than their creeds Millions of noble then and women prompt ed by their generous hearts have labored and suffered for the salvation of others They read from their Bibles that all unbe lievers will bo lost These people believe that the Bible Is the Inspired word of God and Is Infallible Free press and Free thought call for facts Rev D Thomas said We have claimed too much for the Bible It is not necessary to believe that the bears devoured tin fortytwo children nor that Jonah was swallowed by tho whale Rev Kohler of Chicago said We are greatly Indebted to Voltaire Paine and Ingersoll whose bold and cutting wit has brought about our glorious freedom Peter Cooper said I regard tho Bible stories of the Creation the fall of man as mere legends If I believed that Daniel Isaiah and Paul were Inspired I would also Include Jeffer son Lincoln and Ingersoll An infallible revelation was never given to fallible men Contrast Davids cursing prayer In 109th Psalm with Give us this day our dally bread Light partakes of tho color of the glass through which It shines water tastes of the vessel in which It stands Tho Bible was written by many men sonic of whom are unknown We believe of man that death is a progressive step in life No God can be angry with the natural development that brings all things froth the lower to tho higher God or good is in all and above all As ail nature tends upward there can be no almighty devil or endless hell but In stead endless progress Man Is never saved but eternally progressed Good food properly cooked and properly eaten is always blessed No god would bless un healthy and badly cooked food There is not a life insurance company on earth that will take a greater risk against dyspepsia because tho food was blessed at tho table How about answering prayer One man is making hay another across the road is plowing corn One prays for rain tho other for dry weather Gen Stonewall Jackson prays for the success of the rebel armies Gen Howard prays for tho success of tho Union forces What is God to do Whui you ask God to do a thing you ask him to do either right or wrong Why ask a good Uod to do right Nobody wants him to do wrong Many people believe that creeds are of God and kill unbelievers In defense of them Meu and women rave been burned at the stake for believing that there was no God Also for believing that there was but one God Some believe that innocent babes will be roasted in an endless tell because its parents tailed to have its head wet by priest Men have been put to death for fieinjf a Catholic a Protestant a Baptist and a Quaker Men have been put to death for denying thq divinity of a priest for believing that Christ was not his own father for believing that three persons correctly added together make but one This age of progress Is not satisfied with muilimllled theology Orthodoxy has been answered by Science Geology Is Its emy Astronomy antagonizes It Ornithology guys It to death The old creeds have made the world mis erable Millions have been driven Insane millions have been imprisoned and murder ed for the love of God as set forth In the old creeds For many centuries the earth and skies were kept lurid with the Homes of tm endless hell None now but a lowforeheaded high paid evangelist could have the cheek to preach it Men now enjoy the luxury of thinking Thinking destroys superstition In thr old creeds that has masqueraded as religion for ages The world Is growing better Men are becoming more civilized and are civilizing old creeds and old theo6gy A great number of our ministers take the liberty of disagreeing In many things with their Presbyteries and Synods For this two hundred years ago they might have been burned for heresy Many church mem bers take the liberty of disagreeing with their pastor Most Christians are only nominally so Very few believe their creeds Not any live completely in accordance with tho socalled Christian doctrines Does any one lovo his enemies as ho does himself When smitten on one cheek does ho turn the other All Christians uo tako thought for the morrow They do not expect tlfelr God to feed them when hungry or cure them when sick Christians now when dying have more faith In paying a mortgage with a tenthou sand dollar Insurance policy than by prayer l THERES MILLIONS IN IT jRome Congratulates Itself upon the Election of Taft and Some Comments ThereonIt By The ChaplainfThe San Francisco Examiner recently puhlised IlkPopeHome November 4The election of Taft has produced general satisfaction here The general opinion Is tnat Mr Tafts election will mean a continuance of stability and a revival of business In view of this belief many Italian laborers expect to emi grate to America Tho Pope has cabled his congratulations to Mr Taft whose election to the Presidency is thought to guarantee the accept ance of he Popes proposals In the matter of compensation to the religious congregaitions of Porto Rico Political superstition is the same as relig t ious superstition and just as lard to erad icate i suppose all Infidel Republicans who t voted for Mr Taft will be happy now in helping Mr Taft Into the good graces of the Tlce Regent of God perhaps hell send them his blessing etafter he gets those Porto Rico millions Tho Repubs were all daft who voted for Taft For the rule of the Pope In the land t That they say is all free between you and me They were a hell of an Ignorant band- think thats all at present I might say something that would express my feelings on the Popes congratulations but your type would melt printing It Look out for press censorship now all along the line SAWING WOOD say that If were dying tonight And In dying had suffered no pain Id hato to think Id have to vise up And begin It all over again E A P No Beginning fj By William II Maple THE IDENITY OF GOD WITH TURE DEMONSTRATED The only hook of Its kind in existence Neat cloth binding pagjs two striking Illustrations 75 cents paper binding 35 cents BEACON CO 71 LA SALLE ST CHICAGO Is BLUE GRASS BLADE BLUE GRASS BLADE Published weekly at Lexington Ky Founded by Charles Chilton Moore In and edited by him until his death February JAMES HUGHES Publisher and Manager JOHN CHARLESWORTH Editor 1268 N Limestone Street Lexington Ky P O Box SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mall postpaid JlEO per year in advance Five new yearly subscribers at one remittance 1100 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 1100 six months J606 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 Blade will be discontinued at the expiration of the term for which the subscription has been paid up advance The address slip on the paper will show scribers the date of expiration of subscription Back numbers or numbers omitted will be sent If asked for upon renewal ii case of discontinuance SIIOTLD ANY SUBSCRIBER change his or her address advise thl office giving both old and new address as desired TUB OFFICE of publication of the Blade at 126118 North Lime stone Street Lexington Kentucky to which all Freethinkers will be given a hearty welcome THE BLADE Is enterd at the Postolllce at Lexington Kentucky sa secondclass moiling matter ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BLUE GRASS BLADE P Box Lexington Ky THE TRIUMPH OF PAINE The glorious day of a glorious triumph for Freethought und nil that it implies has dawned Greater andmore glorious still is the vindication of Thomas Paine the Revolutionary patriot emanating from tho discussion created by the election of William Howard Taft in spite of clerical opposition because of his religious convictionsit now candidly admitted that tho labors und struggles of Thomas Paine moro than a century ago made it possible that in America at tho very inception of tIll twentieth century a Unitarian one who by implication denies or questions the divinity of the Jesus of tho gospels can ho and has been elected by popular vote to the chief magistracy of tho nation Our readers will recall that some time ago one J O Martin of Dayton Ohio wrote to President Roosevelt concerning tho religious opinions of Judge Taft that Roosevelt replied with a commendable letter upon the constitutional religious liberty of tho American people but it now transpires that tho author of the original letter has etude an answer to Roosevelt which occupies nearly ono page ofit daily newspaper in which ho assumes to take the President to task for his utt ranrcs Concerning his defense of matter orthodox from the alleged assaults of tho President we have little conwrn here Our principal aim is to direct attention to the vindi cation of Paine against tho assaults of the orthodox and against the libelous charge mado by Roosevelt tnat Paine was a filthy littlo atheist It will also bo recalled that our distinguished Free thought advocate Franklin II Healdtt15o1 wrote a letter to President Roosevelt whichappeared in file Blade col limits asking for a retraction of that charge ho hail made against Paine but as yet we are not advised if anyreply has been made thereto In any event Roosevelt has nor hy word act or sign indicatedany intention to correct his manifest error andstill appears willing that his false state ment should go before the world as an expression of his opinion concerning the character of him who really gave old glory to the American people as tho emblem of a nation of free to tho point Mr Martin the Presidents correspondent claims to be an exminister of the gospel of Jesus Whether his ex is duo to the fact that he has had enough oforthodox presumptions tho Blade does not know It may be that ho is stillof an orthodox trend find we judge that he is from his efforts to defend religious tenets against what President Roosevelt has said And yet orthodox ho way but liberal ho certainly must be From out the mass of argument injected by him into this discussion wo cull the following gem which clearly and unmistakably clears tho ground for further action by President Roosevelt pro vided he has that moral courage which will enable him to admit an error clearly shown and is not influenced by per sonal pride and vanity to such an extent that he would bo unwilling to give justice whoro justice is due But read what Mr Martin has to say about Paine Now Mr President didnot tho inconsistency of your characterization a few years ago of Thomas Paine us a filthy littlo atheist who was then as Mr Taft is now a Unitarian have much to do with your position on this subject Let that bo as it may there are many who lieve that Thomas Paine made it possible for u Unitarian to bo elected President of tho United States in this year of Our Lord 1908and that ho didmore for civil and relig ious liberty than tiny man of his tinge Look at tho services ho rendered during tho Revolutionary periodat which time as ho himself expressed it tried mens souls His Rights of Mann was an epochmaking production known and acknowledged by his compeers and compatriots Now sir it will bo claimed your defending Mr Tafts right to hold tho religious belief of Thomas Paine is worthy of tho present exalted state of education and civilization Now Mr President before proceeding further in an swer to your assertions I desire to call your attention to a few quotations I believe in ono Godand no moro The world is my country and to do good is my religion The creation wo behold is tho overexisting word of God I have always strenuously supported tho right of every man to his opinion however different that opinion might bo to mine Ho who 4 BLUE GRASS BLADE denies to another this right makes a slave of himself to his present opinion because ho precludes himself the right of changing it The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason I have never used any other and 1 trust I never shall The above are the utterances of Thomas Paine of whom in the Life of Gouvernour Morris written by yourself on page 2S1 is the statement that Thomas Paine was a filthy little atheist This wits written in 1SOO and in the last edition of the book printed in 1UOG the charge still remains the same which charge is untrue as the foregoing quotations clearly prove It proves further that his religion was the very saute as that which Mr W 11 Taft the Presidentelect now entertains and which you are so strenuously defending Consistency thou art a dozen jewelseighteen carat jewels- is not this enough What Freethinker would ask for morel Let us rejoice that even in this late day the truth becomes manifest and the name of Thomas Paine is presented unsullied before the world in a previous issue wo asked what the President would do in view of the letter sent to him by Air Heald Wo now ask what will ho do in view of the continentwide publication of Air Martins response and in view of his remarks concerning the charac ter and integrity of Paine as above quoted Can President Roosevelt allow such a statement to go without making a good and sufficient answer if ho does he subjects himself to the charge of moral cowardice of being inconsistent and an ingrate lie is now given an opportunity to put himself right in the eyes of the great liberal world of men and women and in justice to himself ho should avail himself thereof without delay- j NEW YEARS GREETINGS With this issue the Blade and its readers enter upon another year together Let us all join in the hope that this year will prove bettor and nippier to each than the past year that wo may each know less sorrow and pain and that every passing hour will bring a new joy fulfill a hope and stake some kind promise good The year just closed has been both eventful and promising Important events in the history of Frecthought in America have been chronicled The Materialist Association has been successfully organized and placed upon an actual working basis The Church of Humanity has been established Those organizations are national in the scope of their operations Friendly competition between them may produce success for both Quito a number of local Free thought societies have been organized while in San Fran cisco a branch of the Materialist Association is reported in a flourishing condition The Buckeye Secular Union has embarked upon a wider scope of organized activity and preparations aro oven now being made for its next annual convention So much for organized Frcethouilit Contin L r ued effort wiso counsel fearless propaganda and good lead ur hip may produce even hotter results this year than last Speaking for itself the Blade can boast of a decided improvement for which numerous congratulations have been extended The change in the form of publication was a decided but costly improvement Additional writers of merit and ability have been added to its splendid corps of contributors furnisliing its readers with matter store varied und of bettor quality it has enjoyed an appreciable in crease in its subscription in spite of business depression and adversity but this increase has been less in proportiot to the increased cost of publication thereby entailing a financial loss as previously explained But the signs art hopeful With a return of normal conditions in the busi ness and industrial circles of the nation the Blade antici pates that it willbe able to show much better results and this gives us both encouragement and hope Peering into the future wo may safely predict better conditions throughout the Frcethought ranks in America Wo have the Annual Convention of the Buckeye Secular Union at Columbus to look forward to and all signs favor the prediction that it will be one of the best and largest gatherings of its kind ever held in this country under the auspices and in the name of organized Freethotight The Materialist Association will not meet in conven tion this year If the funds lure forthcoming it hopes to get out two publications for general distribution First will como the Wottstcin pamphlet or brochure consisting of his Canal Dover address and then follows the publication in book form of the symposium on No Future Life Both of these should bo published this year They will be if the members and friends of the Association will but rally to its support and furnish the necessary funds It is also gratifying to know that a larger number of Pubic celebrations are being arranged for this year which indicates greater activity among Freethinkers as concerns the public portion of their work This is an excellent sign ofu reawakening of the Vrec Bought hosts As the num her of Paino celebrations increase our propaganda assumes a more active phase and others derive encouragement theroIfrom Like begets like courage begets courage and liness brings friendship The Blade would like to see a revival if wo may call it such in the lecture work Not so utility years ago the cause could boast from eight to twelve lecturers in the field men and women each andnIl laboring for mental emancipation Today these aro absent None have taken their places We need competent and capable men and women who are willing to engage themselves in this work They should represent the cause in its entirety Although it has been twelve years since the Blades editor retired from the Freothought platform up to the time of the Canal Dover convention yet ho would resume this work to a limit ed extent as far as his editorial duties would permit if additional help could bo assured in the Blade office This would be a start and pave the way for others to follow L l0 BLUE GRASS BLADE All this however is speculative Moro active workers in prospective battlefields are a condition precedent and when these can be assured through the medium of local clubs or societies the lecturers will be forthcoming In any event this important branch of our common work should not be overlookedand the coming year ought to witness a general movement in this direction Wo must not fail to mention the Correspondence School While the number of students enrolled didnot como up to expectations wo have twentytwo pupils taking the lessons but only a part of these submit the necessary examinations Those failing are not deriving all the bene fits the school has to offer In spite of repeated admonitions no examinations are coming from them The few who do submit their pages for grading have made a truly remark able progress and their minds will bo attuned to the ad vanced stages of the second years course Under these conditions the tuition fees paid in will hardly cover the expense incurred in printing and postage while the labor expended in the preparation of the questions propounded each month the passing upon the examinations sent in is in all respects a labor of love alone but we do not regret this if only the desired results can be obtained In our next succeeding issue wo shall discuss the Correspondence School with a view of making the tuition free and general to all Blade readers To our subscribers our readers and friends to our amiable contemporaries in America and elsewhere wo ex tend fraternal greetings and indulge the fond hope that the new year may bring better health and greater strength in the prosecution of lifes duties May an abundant prosperity come to all who love mankindand are defenders of truth flay each tick of the clock cause you a new joy and every day dawn brighter and happier than yesterday IGNORANCE OF BIBLE WRITERS Sonic months ago while discussing religious subjects with an intellectual friend were asked Do you not really think that the Bible literature was written and compiled by a lot of ignorant men This is admittedly the ground taken or the position assumed by many Freethinkers In a comparative sense the question can be truthfully answered in the affirmative but generally speaking it would not be Compared with the extent of human knowledge today backed by centuries of experience each succeeding generation drawing to itself all the knowledge of its predecessors and adding thereto another and enlarged knowledgo all its own those who wrote and compiled the Biblo literature may bo considered as ignorant persons but we must give them all duo credit for having done the best they could under the circumstances and in the light afforded them But if we compare them with the people of their own day und age we must admit that they were far above the average in intelligence Tile At r 4 answer made at the time the question was put was in accord There is no record of any Biblo manuscript prior to with the statements here made about 700 years B C It must bo admitted that at such a remote period civilization at least among tho Jews was in its early infancy Vastly inferior in intellect to the sur rounding cults the early Jewish writers saw but they could not understand Designing and unscrupulous vanity invented an explanation for natural phenomena This expla nation satisfied for a time but as the individual thought be camo impressed with surrounding natural objects it was found that the explanations offered did not explain The mystery deepened and doubts were made known During the infancy of the race men adopted the best and easiest means known to them to express their ideas which was by the use of symbols Bible compilers and writers fell into tho same habit so that we may rightly consider the Bible as a collection of symbols andallegory used in an effort to explain natural phenomena as they understood it Thus when tike Christian lavishes his worshipful adoration upon tho Bible they are merelywor shipping tho symbols of knowledge and not knowledge itself To know is personal to believe is to be satisfied with information derived from others In his essay on Education Herbert Spencer re marks that iu the earlier stages of tho worlds history men resorted to ornamentation before utility and that oven day men dress their childrens minds as they do their bodies in thoprevailing fashions If then fashion determines so much in this day of progress and development how much greater would be the influence exercised upon tho mind more than two thousand years ago among a practically isolated people barbaric in impulse lacking even a sense of culture and refinement Reference is made however to the proverbs in the construction of which considerable knowledge and oven wisdom were essential and requisite and assuming that Solomon was the author ho must have possessed these qualifications Tho promises may bo accepted as true but the conclusion is erroneous As a matter of fact Solomon was the compiler and not the author of the proverbs This leads to tho inference that some ono else wrote them Tho further inference is that Solomon acquired possession through his office as king of some outside literature among them the proverbs and that ho rewrote changed modified and amended them to make them applicable to the Tows and JehovahBefore proceeding to consider questions involving phy sical principles with which Bible literature assumes to deal it is necessary that wo do so with clear ideas of what is naturally possible and what is naturally impossible This Bible writers have wholly failed to do They have assumed to chronicle events now known to bo physically impossible and have ignored tho possible As mankind is never freely willing to admit a truth that is of unpleasant character so the Bible worshippers unwilling to admit its known ii BLUE GRASS BLADEr 11 errors succeed in deceiving themselves and vainly imagine that they have also succeeded in deceiving others Not infrequently do we receive information from unpleasant sources and whether they like it or not the Bible believers tire hound to admit the truth of the Freethought position however much they may decline to make such an admission known Nine hundred and twentyfive American trusts with a capital of over 0000000000 says the London Clarion absorb all the wealth created by 3500000 men These millions of men are performing no other functions in the world than sustaining the gigantic corporations and the only use made of the capital tints created is to enrich and ratify a fow thousand millionaires CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCE During tile past two weeks or more the Blade has re ceived a number communications front its readers old friends relative to the observance of Christmas by Free thinkers and these have raised an exceedingly interest ing discussion of the subject In this as in many other questions oven Freethinkers are somewhat divided but all agree that the air of sanctified holiness with which the orthodox have surrounded the day and the religious im port given to it should ho disregarded while retaining in tinny respects tho custom and practices the season has developed Somo of our correspondents exhibit a tendency towards extremes and as a result find them expressing opposite views One writes that for years he has abstained front giving or receiving presents on that day for the only reason that tho Christmas world has surrounded tile custom with the mythical Santa Claus a genuine lie while another writes mother of children that she really enjoys tho Christmas tree and tho air of mystery enshrouding it in tho minds of her children For tho most part the others express an indifference upon tho subject Custom and habit partially inherited and partially ac quired by reason of association willus a general rule exercise somewhat of an influence upon the life of tho ma tured individual Folklore has played a prominent part in tho history of all nations Irrespective of tho fact that a grown person has discarded from his or her mind many of the vulgarisms and popular constructions placed upon such subjects there is a marked tendency among many people to observe them more by sanction than desire and to keep in tho prevailing fashions of the day und age Women allow their hair to grow long and men have their hair closely trimmed because of fashion and custom Tho snore may ho said of tho manner and difference of dross Freethinkers may observe Sunday as a day of rest although disregarding tho religious elements contained in oflicial sanction thereto and numerous other incidents connected with our daily habits could bo thus classified Secular considerations alono may frequently justify some of our 1 t acts without the slightest regard to theologicalconceptions Tho sumo argument can be advantageously used in regard to observing Christmas Parents who in their own childhood days were fooled into a belief in the existence of tho mythical Santa Glaus who made only annual visits on a certain day and in some mysterious way kept hid from human eyes still practice the salvo deceits upon their children well knowing that they ire teaching and promulgating an untruth by so doing All men and woolen love to see innocent childhood iilalpe in and partake of innocent enjoyments They love to see children happy But it is unnecessary to force upon them during tho period of helplessness a delusion thar must lie dispelled in a few years at least The pleasure derived from such a practice if they may bo called suc11I1C too fleeting and vague to justify and compensate for the an guish that must ho experienced when the fraud is discovered The Blade believes it would be far bettr to toll the little ones the truth for no moral virtue can possibly lie in deceitful practices The student of science and history knows that the Christmas festivalof tho Christian world profosseJly in cele bration of tho birthof a mythical mangod is In reality a borrowed institution having its origin in a solar event aid blued upon tho fact that on tho 25th lay of December of each year the sun leas started te upward journey front the winter solstice to the summer solstice and its thousands insist should bo made tile first dayof the new year the calendar being changed in accordance therewith But few professing Christians really know why they celebrate the day Freethinkers will give tacit observance thereto not as a holyday but as a holiday at a propitious season of tho year Whatever conduces to human happi tress without any attendant or resultant evils may bo f properly securedato suffer pain and anguish its value is exceedingly doubt fill The necessary copies of each issue of tho Blade from January to December 27 1508 comprising the issues that are to bo included in tho bound volume are now in our binding department and wo expect that within tho next few lays wo will bo able to ship theta to those friends who have subscribed for it Somo of our friends havo not yet paid tho amount of the subscription and these are now gently reminded that they are due Arrangements are being made for a number of articles from tho pens ofa dozen or more of the most prominent Frocthought writers in America tobo published in the Blade during 1009 Get your friends to subscribe now before it is too late to get tho benefits hero offered Wo cull easily fill about twelve more orders for tho bound volume of 190S provided they reach us in time Who wants them I p 12 BLUE GRASS BLADE Vigilance is Yet the Price of Liberty UaLnul innutiiice upon tree LlettOn cut ana a rew neoauns fur eautollitiny U toxj- Lae eteuua itlalisall ti faIt to ebaueuty uuittU ouueij la all UbvlUUI t ads not i u iiooScVclls recent leliei lu j c utuuli ol uuj v Ill regale iu IUilJiuUa tJubSilbn put all 1roleSl- uvuumiuuiioiis touuiry enouo luaiiuug from the protests taut have gone up on this question it butts us uiuugu iToiestant America was not yet ready u ue hauutd over tae rope ct Rome ins recent pioicst the patriotic utaTaus isew Yoni City was timely auu lu toe point They have voiced all other Protestant de nominations of this country They know too Church ct Itouie is as much a political organization as a religious one and there tore cannot bo trusted with the relus of this tree government They further know that it would be as dangerous to elect a Cath olic priest Bishop or Cardinal to the Pres- Idency as it would bo to put u crazy man in a powder house with a lighted torch Should It ever come to this then free speech free press and sweet liberty would be things only to be dreamed of We know the Catholic Church from her History We know the hierarchy is strictly against the Constitution of tho United States and the home of the free There is no other church in this country that takes part in political affairs There Is no other church in this country that fends and re ceives ambassadors There Is no other church that holds court at which royal cer emonial is observed embassies from for eign governments received and farreach ing questions of international Importance debated and settled The Roman Catholic Church never enters into a political contest without lirst looking to the advantage she is to derive She looks at every question from tbis point of view Every prelate and every priest is taught and sworn to hold the church above every other institution In tho world Head Pope Boniface VIII In his Bull Unam Sanctum Plus IX In his Syllabus of Leo XIII lu his Ency clicals of 1885 read Cardinal Gibbons in his Faith of Our Fathers Read these references closely See what those Popes have said in regard to church fund state Every loyal American citizen should bo posted on these questions At what period of time has tho Roman Catholic Church MvJII uvlJ uuihiug lor the cause 11ctllia1- LrteUUiu oyeteu uccuow incur or ui vUeU nab sue lUlieu blue LyltU1IJ lib agdnsL leLurlul cue Has al ttajb ucOll luo alCilcUcUl Ot people me uujS iutllp 11tenon sue uufu eu one uuiiuicu tiiuusuuu men wail uareu taiiiic and rciuoii tilt tuemsuives and to me very last me catuouc Lauren aiooa uy slavery sue was the last a give up her Slaves mo Laluouc churcu has opposed Luc separation cuurcu and state sue ass opposed the general education of the people and is today tho mortal enemy ot our public schools To the very last site opposed selfgovern mtut by tho people Sue is today tho staunch ueleuder of tho divine rigors of Zings AU good Catholics claim that tae Pope is Infallible and that ail Popes nave been true and worthy viceregents of Jesus Christ lie believes illS priest has the power to forgive sin and by prayer can lift a soul from hell to heaven With the Catholic Church in full control of this country what could the Freethinkers and scientific men expect Nothing short of a repetition of past history which means ueath There is no other church or political party in this country whose priests and Bishops Archbishops Cardinals and Ablegates are under oath to an Italian God Almighty Pope Leos letter to priest Quigley at Buffalo N Y when ho was to be consecra ted Bishop of Western New York lu Feb ruary 1897 stated that ho must first take the oath and make tho profession of faith articles professed by this Apostolic See in our name and that of the Roman Church The Buffalo Times Feb 24th 1897 published the solemn consecrating ceremony of priest Quigley It stated that the priestbishopelect knelt ut the feet of Archbishop Corrigan and took tho pre scribed oath This profession of faith and oath taken by all the obedient servants of an old monkPope should be read by all tho loyal citizens of tho country and then they may think that opposition to such men in public office in this land of tho free in mind and body Is not tho opposition of bigotry or Ignorance for Popery Is absolute slavery It has always always been thus and will always remain so as long as It has any political or temporal power The last Convention of the Federation of Catholic Clubs at Boston on August 10th lust has suggested some queer things to tho writer of this article First a cablegram jf congratulations In which tho Papal 4JJJ IIIII ut sing ti lS ahtU lens seat w laruallal- Ll Il 4t Lie aLbdu vi ttunull aUu iiutu ue UOllilcn bua a uiutliUfai iiot u eu Lead worn wouiu uu uuu liut uu receipt ot mo iapui ulessiiig they then procecu uo uuBiiitba as u iioiy orutr and as such moi iiiocceubU uo up mo worn uuiore tile convtuiibii come tue most important things reporitu iroui this body was tue pressure Lacy urougui to bear in getting congress to pubs a hill tor compensation lor damages susiamed m tae 1uilippiuesi and In pushing charges against Judge Vii Hey ot the United states Court In China on complaint ot Roman Catholics in Shang hai and in denoting the strength of the Federation m tho past year also devising a bciiciuo to have division of public school lunus Last but not least was the con demnation of Socialists and Freethinkers by Archbishop Wm II OCouucli of Boston and Bishop Francis Regis Cauovlu of Plttsburg Pa Both urged the delegates to resist the attacks of the enemies of the church such as socialists and Freethinkers Just unglue the result The priesthood for ages have been utterly incapable of battling this class of scientific men and women now clapping their hands and sicking on the dogs of war at doing some thing in which they themselves have made a dismal failure There is but one way in which this ig norant horde could battle against tho pen of reason and that Is with an ax It surely could not do so from reason for this is an article they do not possess The priests of superstition may as well ask tho glow worms and fireflies to battle the darkness of night as for tho Roman Catholic lalety to fight science u If the Catholic hierarchy had Its way education would bo under the control of the religious orders and the youth of our coun try would be taught tho doctrines of abso lutism in church and state It was so in France Clericalism was a constant men ace to tho Republic until at last the religious orders were banished education was taken under tho control of tho government and the decree was passed for the complete separation of church and state The American people cannot bo too often reminded that Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty Does Excellent Work OHIO Gentlemen publishers of tho best Prcctliought periodical published In the South to my knowledge have by handing out my Illado to friends had the good fortune to secure for this lay another subscriber Ho handed ma the price of his subscription which now send to you and you will please send tho Made to the namo given I hope ho will do as I have doneS FOGLESONG 1 lBLUEGRASS BLADE 18 r H H N N N N NON N H N HONOHOH NOHONONON fON NON N NON N NOO Iy Cie Blades eoltltspondenc y 00 ON N N N N N NN N N N fO ON NO NONON N H NH HO r Wants a Bound Volume TEXAS Heine a subscriber to your valuable publication now for many years nnd at present a recent delinquent nevertheless I desire to place an order for one bound volume of the Blade from January 19th to December 27th with my name printed on same provided you will hold the volume until ouch time as I can remit which I hope will be In the near fu ture or as soon as can make a landturn With best wishes for the future of the Blade amA II MELLY Ready To Help CALIFORNIA I approve of the plan of corporation and will do what I can to get now subscribers and will certainly buy stock to the extent of 1000 If the Incorporation plan Is approved by the present contributors of the Blue Grass DlndeJ R COLLINS Poems Promised poemsILife entitled Death If you would care to examine these poems with a view to publishing them I shall be to send them to you J Tho poems are of somewhat unusual length Life containing verses and Death verses ask nothing for these poems except that they be returned It not publishedBROADWELL Will Have Paine Dinner OHIO We will have our Tom Paine Dinner on January Sunday When can you come here to give us a lecture In Uhrlchsvlllo Could you make It on Saturday evening January The Opeia House vacant for that evening and I am holding It for ono week to see you can so arrange Let me know If the data suits you If not advise mo when you can come have boon so busy and havo been away etc that am behind the times Ohio mad on temperance or what Is known as Local Option nsper Rose Law which County Wo will soon havo to go to Kentucky for our Inspiration guess Hardesty has the Opera Houso K for the Debates hope wo shall have good crowds and success generally GEORGE I ROBERTS Blade Must Not Wane OHIO The article published In the Blade of Dec on page appalling In tho extreme It brings to my mind a Kentucky woman who claimed to bo a sanctified Methodist and went to a faroff land to rake In tho coin and then desired to return to her native land and gives God tho glory by saying Ho will save her alone and prays dally think when you know what sin Is you should not worship at a holy shrine for fear youd grieve Its Holy Presence to sin such a manner with Impunity Such creat ures should be cut off like tho barren fig tree spoken of In Holy Writ Put me down for ono dollar to the Emergen cy Fund No no never let tho good B wane I have read the Blade for years FRIEND Anxious for the Debate O11I0I see by the Blade that you are going to have a Debate at Canal Dover The mall agent who comes from there tells me the people of that locality are looking forward to the time with great expectations I would love to be there and I can arrange my work so I can am going to hear you give the skypilot his bumps Charlesworth there Is nothing doing hero to speak of that will Interest you but while tho religionists are hot after one another havo written an article against our worst enemy and while this subject on the tongues of nit I believe It worth publishing In the Blade So If In your opinion it Is the right stuff at the right time crowd It In now while the Iron Is hot Charlesworth It has distressed me very much to read the financial condition of tho Blade After the 1st of next July I hope to be able to assist you In this matter and If live will do so Our Club here Is not grow ing as rapidly as It should and we are now waiting until the Local Option election Is over which to be held on the 19th After that we are going to get down to business I hope In my next letter to report the birth of a good Club WM II COX Just a Few Pointers 01110I made no reply to your request for an opinion on the Blade Stock Company for the simple reason that wanted to study the pulse of our people Their replies Indicate that they realize your predicament only to an ex tent leaving you to sustain the entire cause by your own efforts with a mere handtomouth method If necessary This an Imposition of tho grossest kind Kindly consider this let ter personal Well do they show their patri otism when you aro doomed to extinction as In tho Postofllco scare But now realizing no Immediate danger they remain dormant I would kindly Insist on coming at them with tho following How much can depend on front each and every Individual Freethinker as subscriber to tho Blade payable yearly In advance 150 200 300 and as high as can bo reached Put up or leave mo to shut up Subscribers to answer per mall by check or stating tho time payment can bo expected I have found this tho only business method the practice of medicine which I have followed for years Dont come often but come hard when you do So far as I nm concerned I will pay per year from this on as long as I like tho Blade providing the rest of the subscribers will obligate themselves specifying tho various amounts to paid RespyA FRIEND Very Pointed Question MAINE Will you or some of your Intelligent contributors explain why Freethinkers and the Liberal press almost without exception fall right In with Christians In celebrating the mass for Christ have wondered If they repeat the Lords prayer In unison as they gather at the morning meal I respect the celebration of the Lords supper and the Articles of the Christian faith jUht as much as I do these other church feasts was the church many years and hence had some bad habits For several de cades I could hardly keep tobacco out of my mouth long enough to get a chew of the body of gsus or a lap at his blood but when I stuff ed off that old mossbacked superstition known as Christianity I began to clean house With my graduation from the old Into the new I did my best to get rid of every expression that could every become a reminder of the fake had so long fostered I never use the word Christmas In my conversation and for more than years have not accepted por made a present at that time and I have children rang ing all along from years to We cannot afford to lie to the children and teach them to become criminals Have you ever observed the vast number of thefts at this season of the year Do you not see how Inconsistent It for us to lend a hand In aid of perpetuating this criminal farce In celebrating the birthday of a mythical gsus Let us be consistentInt any rate It galls me awfully and I hope we may soon be able to abolish that JOHN P THORNDYKE Wants the Wettsteln Pamphlet OTIIOI want one dozen well bound copies of that splendid address of Mr Wettstelns The Ax at the Root I do not promise though to be satisfied with one dozen only I have a book here The Desert of Waiting It lx3J pages words on a page According to my estimate Mr Wettstelns ad dress put up In the same way would make pages It well written and should be well houndIT M LUCAS The True Christian Way CONNSome weeks ago I sent you a clip ping from the religious column of the Saturday Globe of Utica N Said clipping stated that tho days of Infidelity had passed that there were no Infidels In the country- Immediately sent The Globe a copy of The Blade containing a program of the convention we were about to hold at Canal Dover 0 and I wrote them referring to this convention otIFreethinkers and reminded them that Blade and numerous other papers and magazines were supported entirely by Infidel readIers and that trusted their desire to keep their readers well Informed and their love of truth nnd faIr dealing would prompt them In rectifying the statement made In a previous Issut of their paper But they have entirely Ignored the subject Mr Editor Is that the right way to do business or that the Christian way THOMAS TRU IIART Takes a Bound Volume IOWA Put me down for a bound volume of the Blade am trying to get our Public Cor ineglo Library Board to say that they would accept a copy as a present but I fear that I ant going to fall that because the Board Is composed of two ladles one a Presbyterian one a Methodist and one gentleman who Is also 1tMethodist but Inclined to be fair and liberalIbelieve that I can persuade them to It the Liberal people will chip In and pay for It would do so alone If I could afford to Hop Ing that the Blade will prosper remalnC B LeBARRON AI BLUE GRASS BLADE Naumann Orchestra D NAUMAN Violin ANNA L NAUMAN Piano OTTO S NAUMAN Cornet or Clarinet Other Instruments added if desired Over 500 pieces of the latest music suit able for any program always on hand Lock Box 800 Phone 12S- 1SIGOURNEY IOWA THE PLANETSIStie i THE ABC of Religion A COLLECTION OF POEMS From a TypeWritten Family Bible Without Policy or Piety But Full of Common Sense By JOSEPH HAIGH Chebanse Illinois 25 CENTS Address the Author or Blue Grass Blade FREETHOUGHT FUNERALS IN THE HOUR OF GREAT NEED Following is a list of the names and ad dresses of Liberal speakers who are pre pared to conduct funeral services over the remains of deceased Freethinkers On account of probable delay it would be ad visible to call them by telegram Josephine K Henry Versailles Ky Dr J B Wilson 206 East Fourth Street Cincinnati Ohio Parker H Sercombe Editor Tomorrow 139 East Street Chicago Illinois KyMarlonA J Clausen St Ansgar Iowa J C Hannon 3575 Wallace Philadelphia Pa Stanberry Alderman McConnellsvlUc O H H Lane 292 N Front at Now Hen Conn HOLIDAY RATES via QUEEN CRESCENT ROUTE Tickets on sale December 19 23 25 30 and January limit January 1909 Ask agents for particulars W C Agent The Peoples Press Fearless In Its advocacy of Freethought Published weekly at Blue Island Ave Chicago Ill J B Lenau Publishe- paper of the Materialist Aasociatior In Canada or Foreign Countries too a Yell Subscription 50 Cents a Year Silk Dresses Given Away An opportunity of a life time for women who love good clothes High School girls can obtain their graduation dresses without cost working girls and married women may secure fine fall or summer drctfep Large list of patterns to select from Dona tide offerno fraud no grafting or disagreeable duties to perform For full particulars send name address and a twocent postage stamp to 247 Hennepin Ave MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA ED S SHEAGREEN- Marriage and Divorce by OSEPH1NE HENRY VERSAILLES KENTUCKY Thousands of copies or this uptodalx pamphlet are now in circulation In On United States and England It treatr U forcible style of the most Important pob lem before the American people It should be read by both married and single by all men and women who desire domestic promptly filled by the autho Copy 25 Cents Copies One Do FOR THINKERS WHO THINK SEEDSBuck- bees Fullof Northern Seeds have a reputation years growing behind theta rays the Specialties BEANSF- arllesl Valentine 325llusltetNewWardwells Wax Davis While Wax Curries Rust Wax 55o PEASExtra Early Alaska Early Gradus Ilorslonls Market Garden luckhecs Lightning Express Jioo Lettuce Tomato and a pricesSendpIkestf1IH W BUCKBEE Give Em Fits s Thats what THE SCARLET SHADOW Walter Hurts great rad ical novel dos 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 orthodox critics which Is sufficient proof that s all right It has cre ated a tensatlon In con servative circles nnd aused consternation among the clergy- It enthuslastlcall endorsed by leading Freelthlnkers throughout the world You al know how Hurt can wrlto and In this bool he Is at his best It an 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 Fine Farm for Sale SPLENDID CHANCE TO OWN PAYIN SOIL IN BUCKEYE STATE Do you want a 218 acre farm Do you want It In Athens County Ohio Do you want the best of soil Twostory double barn almost new Also sixroom farm house good condition Abundance of best water throughout farm Two wells one cistern good outbuildings Entire farm under cultivation Small woodland beautiful pasturage apples and peaches In center of coal field Two shafts 4 mile east another going down shafts miles north and northwest ani more going down Coal feet to 14 feet never less than feet Onequarter mil to pike thew 312 miles to county seat Athens 8000 inhabitants Junction K M B O and H V U R in Hocking Valley Heirs are going to sell at once Bring check book you cant keep from buy Ing Sell as low as 50 per acre Athens O H S LARCH M D The Wage Slave Socialist Weekly that advocate Industrial Unionism Revolutionary to the core EDITED BY A FREETHINKER The enemy of everything that supports the existing social order Send for sample copy Address The Wage Slave Box Hancock Mich U BTIRTUM rtot BLUE GRASS BLATvw r 15 Be Sure and Subicrlrm Per Secular Thought Fortnightly Journal of Rational Criti clam In Politics Science and Religion Organ of the CANADIAN SECULAR UNION AND THE TORONTO SECULAR SOCIETY Editor J Spencer Ellis Published at 185 Queen St West To ronto Canada Terms tt per annum in advance single copies cents All communications for the Editorial de partment should be addressedyJ Spencer Ellis Secular Thought Queen St West Toronto Can All Business communications orders for ooks printing etc should be addressed C M ELLis Proprietor and Publisher Secular Thought 185 Queen St West Toronto Can DIAMONDS Order of me and save money I deal with the best cutters and largest Importers direct have forty years experience am an accurate judge and analyst of these beautiful gems and diagnose them in all their most delicate and Intrinsic characters I now do not carry stock but buy the goods for cash as I receive the orders thus obtaining best discounts This saves in terest on capital Invested rents salaries and the large per cent of loss Incidental to and unavoidable by all dealers who carry stock The small commission I will charge you for my time facilities and judgment will be trifling in comparison to the savings between the prices your retail jeweler MUST charge you and mine Send me a trial order Upon receipt of goods compare with others and if not satisfactory return and get your money Diamonds remount ed in latest artistic designs at lowest prices Full value allowed for old jewelry Send for cut prices of Watches Diamonds Jewelry Silver Plated or Optical goods Free Thought and other Badges Ingersoll spoons and my famous tract Theism In The Crucible free 4OTTO WETTSTEIN lLa Grange Cook Co EED5tk Please ifJ meriteel fy SPECIAL OFFER p FOR 10 CENTS posliuilil our r OUO COLLECTION II1lrlIIdhbIt e4ttrolee It IItue rllllblnurSd iiIllKtlon 0 sGREAT NOKT1IKUN SKKI hot ItmVtforcl llllnoN TOMORROW MAGAZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK TOMORROW does not draw Its inspira tion from Tradition Mysticism Super stition or Custom It is A Journal of Rationalism Dealing with the questions of Life from the impersonal standpoint and accepting the scientific interpretation of all phenomena TOMORROW is not for those who are partisannot for those who are wedded to some pet belief or ismnot for those who are governed by fear of God or of Public Opinion- TOMORROW Is for Free Soulsfor Men and Women who are not Afraid to Think in Harmony with Natures Laws Send 15 cents for Three Tenths Trial Subscription and our Special ok Offer lOc the Copy 100 he Year TOMORROW PUBLISHING CO 139 E 50th St CHICAGO ILL The Woman and The Prospector Is the title ofa romance every women and child should read It should be in the hands of all who lire opposed to superstition and graft as it is n protest against vaccination vivisection medical legislation and the ad ministration of drugs to human beings at the same time points out the only method for tho cure of the consumptive Tile b okj lot is really free butthe cost of advertising and postage wo figure at 10 cents so if you fyish n copy send us 10 cents and will to you A M PARKER 415 Croaker ti Los Angeles Calif t SEND 10c FOR SAMPLE OF Healds Religious Stickers The same being short quotations from Our Dear Heavenly Father Our Bless ed Savior Baalams Ass Mary Christ Our Friend the Devil and other person ages of sacred memory These are suitable for sticking on church doors and other objects where they will do the most good in spreading the glad tidings of great joy Until April 1909 address FRANKLIN HEALD CIrcleville Ohlc Do You Believe That We Humans are as Important ti Pigs Potatoes and Pups yon believe that we grownups and even the Children should know ai much about oumlvip as we know abou Fiche riiiwirs nnl FiogsV Do you believe In Keller Fiogeny a More Elevated Rare anyway If so ppnd l25 for a years subscription to the American Journal of Eugenics and be in the Van of Human Progress Published monthly at 649 South Mair St Los Angeles California U S Samples ten cents Trial three monthl t with pamphlet Institutional Marriage 3i t cents stamps The Holy Bible In a Nutshell A New Booklet showing up the contradlo 1Justtand destroy their godwebs Ready Soon Order Nowl Single copy 10c 3 for 25c 15 for 100 Address J FRANTZ 172S Ellis Street San Francisco Cal SEEDS SPECIAL OFFER to build Huilnru trial Prize CollectionItadlhiJTrrictlegrGt Trop1ClendIUUI le Write today i Mention this Paper SEND 10 CENTS b ibis alaable lnstruetlra fleet nook ESntTwNW socsr0AD 16 BLUE GRASS BLADE MERITORIOUSzs Advertising Attracts Business The rigHt kind of goods and prices to suit mean success but you must let the people know what you havea Wet Clinton Advertising CoIncorporated Louisville Ky Lexington Ky Art Calendars Leather Goods Aluminum Wares Buttons Rulers In fact everything that will tell the people where you are of business you are engaged in Special Designs for Freethinkers if Desired Does your business pay Do you wish it to pay better Then dont hide it Write us for information 41 IJIIU f

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