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Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, March 14, 1909.
Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.): n. Sunday, March 14, 1909. Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.). 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Blade Publishing Co., Lexington, Kentucky 1909 blu1909031401 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, March 14, 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. nurIIf i =jsLkiiaUi1 AD1dVolume XVII Number 46 LEXINGTON KY MARCH 14 I 009 DEVOTED TO THE PROPAGANDA OF FREEDOM OF THOUGHT lIIOItACEL GREEN True to the Causo of Humanity Without Fear or Favor J 000000 elO JI tO oo 11 J IIWWf 1111111111 flllil 41 jf 1111 J1 J 1fVffl urII J4 JfflIlIlllflItl4 l b 4 BLUE Gil ASS BLADE HORACE L GREEN BRILLIANT IN LIFE AND TRUE IN DEATH With reverence and lovo the whole Freethought world of America will breathe the name No less is the affection bestowed upon his beloved wife who worked with him lived with him suffered with him and died with him The law of love noer welded two hearts more firmly together and as the years come and go their mentaland moral worthwill make deeper and serious impressions on the minds of the livingHorace L Green was born in the little town of Virgil Courtland County New York State on the 18th day of February 1S28 The common schools of that period fur nished him with the rudiments of that liberal education which in his later years brought him to the front ranks of thegreat worlds heroes One term in a select school an other term in the village academy completed his education Work on a farm now fell to his lot and while still a youth ho embarked in the logging industry With it all he was a constant reader a close student and an ardent reasoner At the age of eighteen years he began teaching school and kept his position for seven successive terms Ho still kept on reading and under the tutelage of a firm of lawyers in Courtland village he read law being admitted to the New York bar in the year IS52 Ho now began to practice his new profession at Marathon Now Jersey Hero ho was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace Returning to Courtland he was elected Treasurer an office ho occupied and filled for four years The next few years saw him at Syra and Salamanca Ho was instrumental in organizing flip Syracuse Radical Club which closely identified him with the Frccthought movement and later he was made a member of the Executive Committee of the National Liberal League and secretary of the Now York State Freethinkers Association both of which were active organized bodies at that time For several years Mr Green had active charge of tltf Freethought propaganda in America in its organized capacity arranging for and organizing state andnational conventions and his great executive ability was universally recognized as a perfect tower of strength to the cause These brought him to the front of Freethought ranks He was a worker a soldier and a loader To him to his ef orts are due the many brilliant successes of tho past the force and power of tho Freethought bodies elements which arc sadly lacking today He is entitles to the honor and credit of being one of the fathers of religious liberty in America and it is with liberal hand and heart that these encomiums are accorded to his name andmemory Public lectures fell to his portion Freethought subjects r were his weapons Allying himself with the antislavery movement ho espoused the abolition cause and talked andiworked for its success North cast and west his voice was heard His appearance on tho platform was admitted by all to bo both pleasing and acceptable his discourses clear keen and logical At the same time ho was a vigorous a writer and his pen wrote volumes in behalf of mental years ago he started tho Freethinkers Magazine which was first lished at Buffalo New York This magazine became favored publication all over the country Tho best Freethought writers of America were on its staff contributors Born to be a reformer ho could bo no other than a Freethinker himself and ho labored longand well to instill the principles of Freethought in others The best andmost productive years of his life were given to the cause ho loved With excellent judgment ho brought forth ripe fruit His magazine however was never a paying proposition The struggle that continuously confronted him to keep up publish his magazine and live told upon his health and deeming the greater and wider west a more profitable field for his enterprise and campaign work ho moved to Chicago changed tho name to Freethought Maga zinc enlisted tho help of tho younger element in the cause mid for a time ho apparently prospered During all this timo his loving and faithful wife stood at his side encouraging cheering and accepting with heroic fortitude such as ho could win for her Panics beset the country The Freethought Magazine became a luxury to many a necessity to but few Lack ofmeans upon which to make a fair livelihood for himself and wife hastened ago were upon them Poverty stared them in the face Suffering became intense A heartless world was around and about them Unfeeling and unsympathetic neighbors know not tho tragedy of mind tho supremo tor turo they underwent Sadly may it bo told that ono morning friends and neighbors found this aged and loving couplo locked in each others arms sleeping tho last long sleep of deathWords utterly fail to picture tho mental heroism of this worthy pair Together in life they went together in death Ah friends hero in tho suffering of this noblo man and woman is a bitter lesson for tho Freethinkers of America Shall other leaders reformers advocates suffer tho same fato In a blaze of martyr glory tho names of Horace r Green and wife will live long in tho hearts of men andwomen Wi1 Ii BLUE GRASS BLADE 3 Embryonic Life of Italy and the Etruscans Before the Legends of Romulus and Remus Were Born Ancient Etrurla Led t the World In Point of Learn ing but Destruction Fol lowed the Priesthood By Judge Parish Ladcl Since Professor Hemul of Stanford versity has discovered the key to the In scriptions of ancient Etrurla and has given readings In the tongue of hat people till literary world will be anxious to learn all 1that can bo known concerning the early life of the people who occupied the land south of the Alps known as Italy Long before the shebear gave suck and the birds fed Romulus In their little ark on tho banks of the Tiber Italy was In ace vanco of all Europe in point of civilization Etrurla In tho lead All who make any pre tense to scholarship have read more or less of Roman history In this article It Is Italy before tho decrees of fate cast the Imperial mantle of tho gods over the des tinies of Romulus and Remns who quar reled and like Cain asd Abel Romulus killed his brother when ho planted his standards on tho seven hills of Roma If ancient history has as much fascination for tho reader as for o writer wo will seat ourselves on tho banks of tho ber and with tho Immortal Gibbon view tho germs of civilization which spread un ill the eagles carried the Roman Empire over a divided world an empire which roso as tho morning star declined faded and finally dlcappsared from view under tho rule of u llccntous Christian priest hood Under tho reign of the Caesura Rome represented tho civilized world Under the Christian priesthood It was represented by an Italian a monkey and a hand organ 1Homo dates back to 700 years before our era Before that time just how long we do not know most o tho country south of the Alps under the name of Ccn federacles was In a fairly high state of cultivation The Inscrlptona of tho early life of Italy are today almost a dead letter The few which have been partially disci phorcd glvo us only a meager look Into the background To these and a few Greek writers all our knowledge of tho ancient history of Italy Is confined What wo have from tho Inscriptions is mostly names without tho connecting links necessary to understand a language On this meager basis wo are forced construct a history of the rising Italian civilization Sonic ten hundred years before tho date fixed for tho fabled birth of Rome Italy was divided Into confederacies e loosely allied states generally known by the name of their cities Not having the time nor tho command of journalistic space this article will be largely confined to the con federated states of Etrurla tho land of tho Etruscans which In point of literary vancement and military strength led all tho other powers of the peninsula The country was Etrurla the people Etruscans who If not aborigines were of remote tiquity Their country lay north and west of tho Tiber anti Appenlnes Including the Arno In tho sixth century B E this people not only held tho land of Etrurla proper but quite an extent of country south of the bar At an early date which cannot bo fixed tho country was divided up Into twelve cities each with an adjacent territory all under one confederation While the list of these cities which has come down to our time Is qulto uncertain It Is maintained that Veil Tnrqulnll Caere Cliislnm Car tona Perusia Vnlci Volslnil Vetulonla Volaterrae and Arrotlum were the princi pal towns of tho confederacy Veil tho most Important of the twelve cities of Etrurla proper lay eleven miles northwest of Rome The Capital of tho confederation was totally destroyed by Camllhia II Cervotrl now occupies the slto of Gnora which was supposed to he a 1clasgln city before tho time of the Etruscans That this city was of such origin is attested by the find among Its ruins of Pelasgliv paint Ings and Inscriptions Among these ruins have been found the tombs of the TarfjUns names of tho sovereigns Vague tory s ows that one of the Tirqtilns when expelled front home took refuge here Cartcna now In ruins bull on a rock oncompBsml by a wall became tho most venerable slto In all Italy Front Herod oMis and Dloiiyalus wo have the statement that Cancun was a great and flourishing city of the Umbrinnu before the time of tho Etruscans The southern Capital of tho Umbrlans was Tnrqulnll where there has been found many sepulchral chambers painted in tho archaic style of the Etrus cans giving an Insight Into Uiolr religious beliefs such as scenes In the pother re glons where tine souls of mon are portrayed on the backs of horses and In cars led away by good or evil sprits Everywhere aro sun horses In the ctrase chariots boar hunters wrestlers pugilists dancing girls musicians etc The tombs at Cluslum containing the remains of rulers are very ancient The Necropolis has yielded more archaic treasures than any other Etruscan city It has been Inferred from the find of a large tumulus at Cucinnella resembling the tomb of Alyattee King cf Lydia that the Etruscans came from Asia Minor but this theory has been successfully over thrown Volslnil situated on the shores ot Lake Balsena was a powerful city and among the last to yield to the Roman arms Few monumental Inscriptions have been found hero while ierusia has contributed some 1200 among which the famous clphrls stone loaded with Inscriptions which so far has not been deciphered Here Prof Hcmplo will find a rich field to explore Volatarrae surrounded by massive waits live miles In circuit was tho last to fall by the hands of the Roman legions n oplo of this city cremated their dead and placed their ashes in sarcophagi 400 of these relics have been found on the sides of which religious subjects bear hunts horse races and gladiatorial com bats aro carved Etrurla according to Roman legends was a powerful state be fore the birth of Rome Varro says the Etruscans commenced their era 1014 E Sonic three centuries before the time of the fabled Roimuua when legends cease anal real history begins the IStrnicans a great and naval power wow In alliance with Cartfcage against Greece At ths time Rome wes one of tho Etru rian cities Holies wits In her manhood when her unbelieving children the Stoics became the targets of lens who from Olympius lofty heights hurled his bolts ot thunder on the rebellious heads cf Greece An Etruscan cemetery has been found onetho Esqulllno Hill where Call sblbonllu the Etruscan King was burled Llvy says that 507 I1 Las Persona sent an army to Home to restore one of the Tarqulns to tho supremacy of Etrurla the Cloaca Maxima the Capltolluu temple and the great Servian wall wore placed at Rome so after Route had become the leading power in Italy site followed In tho lines of Etruria adopting her manners and customs The Roman crcus gladiatorial ccmbats horse races triumphal proces 4 BLUE GRASS BLADE slons and even her gods were of Etrurian origin Not only this but her laws come from the same source So it seems to be that long centuries after the mouldering ruins of oriental civilization had ceased even to smoke Etrurla awoke from barbarism and relighted the fires of civiliza tion this time In Europe For a century after Rome had expelled the Etruscans from her borders an inces sant war with varying success was kept up between Rome and Veil In the year 535 B E the Etruscans sent a powerful fleet to drive the Greeks from Corrlca They attacked the Greek colony of Cumae in 525 B E and again in 474 In these contests their naval power was broken by Hlero I of Syracuse off the coast of Cu mae With this event the Etruscan power commenced to decline In 414 B C E their dominion in Campania was overthrown by the Semmltes of the north This was followed in 396 by an invasion of the Gauls who crossed the Apennines and destroyed the wealthy city of Mel pum About this time after a siege of ten JIyears Veil fell a prey to Home but the Gauls continued their devastation over Etrurla and after a vaIn attempt at Clusl 311jforced their way across the Clminian for est again defeated the Etruscans when the Tarquinll gave up their independence and became a province of Rome where they were allowed to retain their wealth their leading men being given positions by their conquerors The Etruscans maintained quite an ex tensive literature including history poems works on augury divination demons the cycle on Greek legends and the story of the Trojan war but all these works were destroyed except a few Etruscan words preserved by Dcsyhlusv varo et aI mostly proper nouns From this anal about inscriptions imperfectl deciphered we obtain all we have From their alphabet It has been claimed that the germs of the Latin dialect was derived About 4000 of these Inscriptions are devoted to the acts and doings of the king and his officials giving their names ages parentage and the religious side of their lives As the Etruscan and Greek religious systems run on parallel lines both of which were carried over to Rome the religion of the Etruscans can better be understood by following Roman history Like all other peoples the great ignorant mass of tno Etruscans was very much attached to their divinities They believed In a future life In gods and demons prayers sacri fices miracles and all the forms and ceremonies common to the earlier and later peoples from which the Christians bor rowed their all l Many of their affairs of state were under the control of horusplces and augurs Priests as with all other religious peoples presided over tho terrestrial world in structing the celestial beings what orders to give to hold the religious people The Etruscans divided the heavens into sixteen parts over each of which a god presided Their government was a loose federal union each state ruled by magis trates annually elected from a class of hereditary sacerdotal nobles The wife was on a social and in most respects a political equality with the husband The Etruscans were experts In medi cine astrology metallurgy engineering building roads tunnels tombs etc They had made some advance In astronomy manufactured jewelry coined money and constructed buildings of huge stone with out cement In most respects they were little behind One Cautious Representative Prevented a Violation of the Constitution and Caught Up with the Sly Move of the Church By Ernest Lamont During a recent discussion In Congress anent the Army Appropriation Bill an effort was made bv one of tho Representatives to induce Congress to violate the Constitution by directing that the sum of 15000 be used for the construction of a chapel in which to hold religious exercises In Fort Des MoInes Iowa Thanks to the foresight of Representative Macon of Arkansas this attempt at church graft was effectually checked and tho members of the House were given a practical lesson in what s meant by re ligious liberty in this land of tho free The following is taken from the Dally Congressional Record which will explain itself The point of order raised was sidered well taken and the allowance was not made Macon of Arkansas raised a point of order against the provls ion that 15000 of this sum may be used for the construction of a chapel on the military reservation at Fort Des Moines Ia This led to the following remarks Mr Hull Mr Chairman possibly the point of order is well taken I want to say that there is a regimental post there and they have no chapel and are anxious to have one The officers have asked for it and the department wants to build it out of this fund and they do not feel that they r the world of today The painted vasesIfound in their caller tombs came Greece and so largely represented painting carving and mythology Later these vases were of Etruscan origin The greatest amount of art is manifest in their tombs where were constructed reception rooms finely furnished where relatives and friends were wont to meet and talk over past and future events over mindful that the soul of the departed was with next contribution to the Blade u not objected to by the editor will probably be Criticisms on Government and its Pol iticians a relief from the treadmill of ancient history and the superstitions of downtrodden humanity Sometime I may return to pay my respects to the priesthood for their conspir acy to overthrow our personal rights and liberties 1 The Church and Congress I Representative have the right to take other buildings or barracks for a chapel Mr Macon Is there not some other place for them to worship in Mr Hull Yes they can go 412 miles into tho city and ttend churcn at the dif ferent churches but it Is not good discipline They have an excellent chnplp ithere and I wInk there is no difference of opinion among tho otllcers and men as to the desirability of a building Mr Macon How are they worshipping Hull At any place they can find Mr Macon Can they not continue to worship In that way Mr Hull Oh yes they could go with out worship I suppose Mr Macon Not necessarily They could worship in the open air If they were really anxious to do It Mr Hull They would freeze their noses at this time of the year with the thermom eter at four degrees below zero Mr Macon I will say to the gentleman that ho knows as well as any one in mo House that at this particular time we are running behind in our revenues I will ask him if he thinks it a wIse policy to inau gurate new Institutions of this kind while our revenues aro so low Mr Hull I did think it wise or I would not have favored It We have no increased the appropriation by It We may cut oft some new quarters some placo else by put ting this in We do not require that they shall use It but I presume it would bo something they would probably recognize i f W I BLUE GRASS BLADE 6 They have been wanting a chapel there for two or three years and their chaplain waited upon me when I was home and urged It so strongly that I have told him tnat I would do what I could to get It for him and that is all there Is tJ it Mr Macon Mr Chairman if I felt that these soldiers would not have an opportunity to worship Almighty God according tie dictates of their own conscience unless this chapel could be erected at this time I would not make the point of order but I verily believe thoy have a place now where they can worship God if they so desire and that this expense of 15000 Is unnecessaryand that when once started it will be a precedent for the establishment of other structures of this character and that there Is no telling where the end will be Therefore I insist upon the point of order A Good Report INDThe course of free Sunday lec tures which wo established hero at tho beginning of the year I am glad to inform you has been successful beyond our expectations and I believe If the Rationalists of every city in tho United States will adopt our plan the problem of Freethought propaganda will be effectively and permanently solved Out audiences oven on the worst and stormiest days have never fallen below one hundred people and tho voluntary contri butions have been sufficient to defray tho expense of hall rent and to liquidate the traveling expenses of ail our speakers and at no tlmo have we resorted to taking up collections and tho management have de cided NEVER to do this because we uo not wish to follow imitate or adopt any of the methods of tho priests of superstition The effects of the masterly series of lec tures already given may be judged when I tell you that the churches have united and organized a free course of Sunday lectures to be given at the same hour and only ono block distant from ours Your trip through Ohio and your debate at Canal Dover w ro certainly highly satisfactory and immensely beneficial to tho sacred cause of Rationalism find I rejoice in tho belief that mental liberty Is now spreading as never before and that the flag of freedom in the near future will wave in triumph over the dismantled ramparts of superstition built with the blood and bones of tho tolling millions With many kind wishes for your health and happiness I am alwaysT J BOWLES M D DEATHA SEQUEL TO LIFE PART 2 POPULAR LEGEND OF HEAVEN By Lawrence Broadwell Grand and beautiful Indeed is pictured heaven All brightness fills the space within its bounds Where stands the wondrous city of Jerusalem New Jerusalem glorious city of renown Whose streets are made of pearls of wondrous beauty With locks of sparkling diamonds and were told The lampposts are strangely carved of jasper Whilst the glittering streets are made of purest gold Mansions made of burnished silver and of crystal Rise grandeur far above tho glittering streets Splendid towers and hanging gardens filled with roses Gives the place a strange perfection quite unique Sandaled feet move quickly on the golden pavement Bearing up ethereal bodies thinly veiled Once they wero but lowly ugly earthy creatures Now the winds of heaven each day their souls regale Once they were borne down by earthly trials and troubles Till their souls were sick and weary weak and faint But through all they persevered la righteous doing And now they have been made Immortal saints In tho center of this splendid gorgeous city Peopled by celestial beings bright and fair Stands a palace wrapt In scintillating beauty Which Is by far the most capacious mansion there Within the gaudy portals of this palace Is a throne with pure white front and burnished sides And upon this throne there sits a wondrous being Whom no poets pen could ever quite describe Ills countenance Is one of sweet serenity iso cloud would dare appear upon his face His brightness tills tho space around about him Yea it reaches to tho citys outer gates His voice is low and sweet and strangely musical But determination thrills In every note No order here oer needs to bo rescinded There Is never any bickering or rote His power la quite beyond ones comprehensions Ho made the earth the moon the stars the sun And should lie breathe an angry breath upon them To nothingness theyd wither everyone There are legions of angels that attend him Everything is done as if by magic art Angels wings speed hero and there with loving messages A message for every saintly heart No saint Is over slighted or neglected Gods grace is all around them and above Their lives are one continuous span of happiness For hero reigns Joy and peace and boundless loveo f BLUE GRASS BLADE MANS ORIGIN AND DESTINY CHRISTIAN OBSTRUCTION TO PllOGRKSS TlIE STRUGGLE OF SCIENCE role LIFE AND EXISTENCE REVJEW OF TILE CHRISTIANITY OF TODAY By Dr A Hangman The process of transformation of ideas is slow and im perceptible The first one to promulgate a new idea or opinion in regard to a social feature will bo opposed by carryingIpersons to overcome the resistance it will find expression in an act ofviolence a revolution or an act of legislation No im provement has ever been introduced in society without meetingopposition by those whose material interest would be affected or by the ignorant who are afraid of some imaginary loss Even in science we find the same struggle of existence a new theory is severely attacked partly from conviction but often from personal motives envy or vanity As long as the attack is only directed against an idea it can do no harm truth can stand any test but if directed against the person of the author as it was customary in the good old times the case is different Undoubtedly many persons ha already dissented from the church before the Reformation but did not dare to betray their opinion for fear of the ferocious beasts in clerical gowns Huss was burned because of the weakness of his party Luther succeeded because the party was strong enough to fight the church Every great event in history is the outcome of the incessant hut slow movement of ideas Tile proverb The poll is mightier than the sword expresses this fact through the pen now ideas are promulgated if accepted by tile major t thay rule the world The sword has simply changed lianoY but it al ways wields the power To what an extent the brutal instinct was Mill predom inating near the end of the eighteenth century is vividly illustrated in the horrors of the French Revolution The only difference between these butcheries and the religious persecutions is that they were committed in the name of liberty instead of the name of God Those men who sent children to the guillotine did not know what liberty is they were brutes escaped from their cages Out of tile social chaos rose a great man Napoleon Tgreat in the customary estimate of history which applies this epithet to the man who wins the most battles and serif ees the greatest number of people for his own aggrandizement lie wits the embodiment of tile strongest annual instinct egoism who land as much regard for his subjects as a butcher for his cattle and sacrificed them by Ihousands to gratify his vanity and ambition And ho was worshipped u and adored by these slaves for whom in return ho enter tained tile profoundest contempt If wo talco Napoleon as a mere man divested of his political position and his torical halo wo find him an ordinary person with few estimable traits of character He was superstitious and religious as far as compatible with his ambitious plans For the sake of curiosity I will quote a few passages from an article in the Atlanta Constitution headed Napoleons Religion The most conspicuous and most constantly consulted of fill his works was the new testament this one of the few volumes which he carried with him in all his campaigns and which was kept regularly on iris table for reference The book was to him a source of abiding interest and delight if not of deep spiritualCOnsolation His philosophy ifnot his practice was based on its teachings and he was ever ready to point a moral or adorn a tale in some analogy from its sublime pages He had the profoundest admiration for the sermon on tile mount And on one occasion he settled a dispute by requiring the contestants to read that sermon in his presence Once when he was asked what was the really sublime ho re sponded instantly Read the Lords prayer Napoleon rarely failed to quote the authority and lessons of the new testament when opportune occasion arose Ho was not onlya sincere believer in Christ but ho had the profouijdest reverence for his character The sublime solitariness of this mans genius is without tiny historical parallel A kingof the kings on earth there was no one to whom ho wouldacknowledge allegiance to whom ho Would bow SIlO God and tho savior Christ Imn a monarchof Gods creation he said on one occasion and I bow only to him and Jesus Christ What did the author intend to prove by this article the value of tho new testament because Napoleon condescended to use it or the religious spirit of tho latter Imagine Napoleon reading the sermon on the mount Love thy enemy etc on the eve ofit battle in which thousands of his followers were to be killed because his vanity was offended his boundless ambition unsatisfied Tho Christian doctrine hadno more influence over Napoleon than over tho rest of the world ho made it subservient to his personal interest Iam a monarch of Gods creationthat is what tho clerical nnd worldly rulers have said at all times The more humility they show towards tho imaginary God the greater tho arrogance against the dupes that believe it By tho grace of God is the customary phrase with which the special mandates of kings commence this day but the true version ought to read By tho stupidity and ignorance of the people We have taken the ground that religion is really only a subordinate factor in tho evolution of maul a more physiological manifestation an adjuvant of tho biological laws 7IBLUE GRASS BLADE which rule the world and that those nations who freed themselves from its baneful influence proved thereby their superiority Reformation started among the nations still in the van of progress and all the great discoveries and inventions of which our century is justly proud were made in England America Germany and France Italy has little Russia less share in the progress of the world but Spain the country which has always been governed by the greatest rulers the world ever had the Popes in Rome has contributed absolutely nothing to the advance of science and civilization Its greatest literary work is the burlesque Don Quixote there is no Spanish name among the authors of scientific works and no technical in vention of any importance has ever emanated from this landwhere the saints and the bullfights reign supreme Hero we seo tho vaunted humanizing influence of religion demonstrated or rather the result of inferior mental capacity of which the orthodox belief is a conspicuous symptom CHAPTER VII CHRISTENDOM IN THE PRESENT RELIGION AND PROGRESS Having failed to detect a trace of the beneficial influence claimed for Christianity in the history of the last eighteen hundred years we will investigate the part it plays in the affairs of the world at this date Viewing the civilized nations of today wo find still a hostile relation a general distrust and every state armed to the teeth ready for defense or attack Are those incessant wars necessary or can they be abolished Goethe says The best man can not live in peace if it does not suit his bad neighbor As long as there are so many bad neigh bors or semibarbarous nations under despotic rule there will be wars but there exists no physical necessity why the political wars among tho civilized nations should bo continued Political harmony or coalition among the in telligent progressive nations is a postulation within tho limits of possibility Why are tho wars fought In olden times wars were fought for the sake of conquest and plunder A few hundred years ago Europe was overrun by wild tribes from Asia which drove many people from their habitations and the changes of population caused by this invasion are still traceable today But in the present this code ofwar faro is entirely out of question Out of the roaming tribes havo developed settled nations following the peace able occupation of cultivating the soil being hound to tho land by the strongest ties the labor of their hands Every foot of land is occupied and devoted to agricultural pur poses What then is gained by tho wars Wars are the result of personal egotism a few the fittest to survive profit by them the others lose Tho form of government does not alter this fact republics have wars as well as tho monarchies and from tho same cause let us take for instance the FrenchGerman war Napoleon III felt his throne slinking but rather than to abdicate and to go to some other country where he could live a quiet but humbler life ho cast his fortune upon the luck of war well knowing that if he succeeded tho whole French nation would prostrate itself at his feet satisfied with the crumbs of glory falling off his table He knew from the example of his great uncle Napoleon Iwho was worshipped by the slaves whom ho despised The French nation that is a minority representing public opinion greeted the frivolous declaration of war with enthusiasm anticipating an easy victory and annexation of territory inhabited bya foreign people Supposing this object had been attained what benefit would the inhabitants of Franco have derived from this addition to their territory None whatever Tho peasant living in the province would have been recompen sated for the loss of his son and increased taxation by the consoling knowledge that a few persons in Paris were enjoying all tho material benefits of the war while ho re ceived for his share a portion of tho glory an emptyname But tho luckof war turned against France and what she intended to do was done to leer by Germany a few provinces taken away Since then Franco has been a republic but her policy is still tho same Tile fact is that a ma jority of her population which furnish food for the cannon have no policyor opinion whatever They are ignorant Christians who believe that godsends tho wars and sacrifice their lives expecting to bo resurrected and rewarded after death They could not see that they were responsible them selves for tho disastrous consequences of tho war and did not for a moment consider that they thought it quite in order for their own army to invade Germany and take away from her the left bank of tho Rhine How different it had been if the people had deposed their emperor and revoked the declaration of war But it is tho same with every nation on earth the Ameri can and probably the Australian excepted The ignorant majority believe in tho divine dispensation of wars they imagine that they fight for their country while in reality they give up their lives for tho benefit of a few who repay this sacrifice with contempt They can not see how irra tional it is to hate and kill a man who has never hurt them whom they dont know and have seen before The poet Heine gives a striking illustration of the narrow minded patriotism He says Tho Tyroliens are honest brave and ofan unfathomable stupidity All they knew about the question at issue was that the emperor of Austria wears white trousers and the emperor of France red ones IUd they went and died for the white trousers National pride and conceit is an egoism of the lowest type A man who prides himself because ho is accidently born in a certain country and speaks its language has seldom any other qualities to be proud of As long as the mass of the people are moral cowards and see in the wars tho hand of providence instead of natural results of their own stupidity and brutality tho Christian nations will con tinue to bo more beastly than the beast and destroy them selves for the glory of god To be eontinnedI S BLUE GRASS BLADE BLUE GRASS BLADE Published weekly at Lexington Ky Founded by Charles Chilton Moore In and edited by hint until his death February JAMES E HUGHES Publisher and Manager JOHN R CHARLESWORTH Editor 1211 N Limestone Street Lexlncton Ky P Box Ml SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mall postpaid 16 per year In advance Five new yearly subscribers at one remittance 101 each Five trial subscriptions sent In with one remittance for six months cents each Trial subscriptions cents per month Foreign subscriptions postpaid JlH per year ADVERTISING RATES One Inch single column insertion II cents one month or four Insertions 111 six months 1501 one year SMI Quarter column single Insertion St one month S4lt six months 11001 one year 1010 Half column whole column or larger advertisements at ipeclal rates upon application The publisher has the right to reject any and all advertisement 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 In advance The address slip on the paper will ahow scribers the date of expiration of subscription Back numbers or numbers omitted will be sent if asked for upon renewal li case of dlsclntinuanc SHOULD ANY SUBSCRIBER change his or her address advise th office giving both old and new address as desired THE OFFICE of of the Blade is at ISIllf North Lime to which all Freethinkers will b oretbe rftontuCkY THE BLADE Is enterd at the Postofflc at Lexington Kentucky as secondclass mailing matter ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BLUE GRASS BLADE P Box lit Lexington K- yEDITORIAL POTPOURI It is more pleasant and profitable to seek and commend virtue than to be constantly hurling anathemas at vice t The characteristic symbol of this ago is the question mark t Humanity would be bound to feel ill at easo in the pres ence of Omniscience to be confronted and interrogated by the fellow who knows it all The Sphinx of Time is propounding serious question to the American nation which when solved will not ba well for parsons Tile fairest promises made by the orthodox faith are but artificial flowers and are as unprofitable as the icy kiss of a Venus do Medici Now that In god we trust has been restored to the gold coins it seems as though the marines and soldiers are mov ing toward tho battle ships Tho Trinity Church corporation has established a press bureau in connection with its church news service and no item is to be given for publication unless it comes from or receives tho sanction of tho agent in charge Two things are suggested here First that Trinity is afraid of public criticism even with god behind it and second that it may bo a move for a more systematic control of the press by the church power In any event the movement is worth watching According to the Los Angeles Evening News the preachI ers in Joplin have been engaged in a fervent campaign of prayer to secure a higher tariff in zinc So far as we know this is the first time the aid of the deity has been invoked in behalf of tariff reform The tariff for revenue boomersIhad better looker leedle oudt t Goodby I shall trouble you no more Hereafter Ishall bo a wanderer on the face of tho earth These three sentences written by Theo B Rogers of North Ridgeville Lorain county form his farewell to his wifeHe was superintendent ofa Congregationalist Sunday school a deacon in the church and clerk of the Church board Ho and Miss Alida Balcomb a young worker in tho church became friends and after she left to teach school they corresponded Tho wife found the letters Quito a religious moral here Smuggling spirits is a new phase of law violation with which the customs authorities of Australia have now to deal American Freethinkers well remember as they have occasion to Leland Stanford founder of tho University in California Ho has a brother T W Stanford still living and the head of the spiritualist organization in Australia The latter is now to be subjected to a rigid examination on a charge ofsmuggling and the case will be watched with considerable interest Recently a Melbourne Spiritualist newspaper printed a list of articles which Stanfords medium materialized at local seances The customs of ficials read the articles thereby discovering what dutiable materials had been delivered into Australia without pay ment of the duty levied under tho tariff Tho officials applied to Stanford for payment of tho duties Stanford claimed tho articles were not dutiable as they had not been imported in tho ordinary sense of tho word but had been transported with instantaneousness of thought from India The customs officials still skeptical reported the facts to thoir superiors Among tho wonderful things claimed to havo been materializedand which aro now exhibited in Stanfords spiritualistic museum are Assyrian and Babylonian manuscripts live birds and shakes and certain other commercialarticles which Australia docs not permit any body to import without payment of the prescribed tariff dutiesYouth ever hopeful joyous and bright its face turned toward tho future concerned for the present boldly refuses to Ho among the mummied cats and bats of theology From IfBLUEGRASSBLADE 9 f Indiana comes tho report that oven death was preferable to attending church Leo Harris but sixteen years ofage had been ordered to attend church by his father The mind of tho youth rebelledagainst tho command and procuring a revolver ho brought death and tho grave to himselfrather than undergo tho torture his father had mapped out for him Beneficent religion IN MEMORIAM Eugene Montague Macdonald editor of tho Truthsccker is suffering for many months from the dread white plague consumption found surcease only in deathwhich came to him on tho night of Friday February 20 at Lib erty Now York He practically died in the arms of his wife MondayMarchJersey Prof Thaddeus B Wakeman a lifelong friend IngersollMissapostlo of liberty Mrs E P Farrell sister of Mrssoll Dr E n Foote Theodore Schrocder and many other American Freethinkers of name and fame were present at obsequiesThe tho Blade had of Editor Macdonalds death camo with tho Truthsceker account of what had hap pened To his family and friends tho Blade extends its heartfelt sympathy and condolence and shares in the sor row thoy experience at his loss Editor Macdonald was born February 4 1S55 and was therefore just past 54 years of age still a comparatively young man in the literary acceptation of youth His first connection with tho Truthsceker was as a printer for D M Bennett founder of tho paper and in turn became its editor and later its solo owner While nothing is saidat this time as to tho probable GeorgeMacdonaldpaper during Editor Macdonalds illness will succeed him assisted by L K Vashbuni tho latter formerly being editor of tho Boston Investigator In any event the an publicationGOD AND NATURE God is good and bountiful merciful and kind in his deal ings with mankind Nature is cruel and heartless indifferent to human suffering and woe unheeding tho cry of distress These tire the orthodox arguments Because some imaginary god is told by some and be peoplethroughwise or beneficent Because Nature lays before all her children equaloppor L tunities and is unmindful to how those opportunities are utilized it does not follow that Nature is cruel and heart less or indifferent It is erroneous to assume that a god acts specially for- man r and that Nature acts for the rest of tho physical uni verse outside of man Such an argument is advanced for responsibilityjustice Man is a part of tho physical universe and what acts for one part must act for the other t Take two seeds Let one be feeble tho other strong IIheatsuUen dowed do not develop upon an equality nor produce equally Every day wo are confronted with the great and serious fact that thousands are reaping whero they do not sow while other thousands are sowing every day but through environment are deprived of tho privilege of reaping It is not always tho worthy or the most deserving who are most prosperous To say that god made man made these environments placed man among them and left him to such a fate is to accuse the deity of actual and positive crime but considering them from a purely naturalviewpoint minus god or godthoughts wo can readily understand that some mien have been made tho helpless victims of other mens rapacity and greed When things go wrong and disaster comes the believer gOllFancJtho creator Thus wo have two important theories lying at tho base of all religious or theological concepts namely an attempt to explain things the ignorant mind cannot un derstand and an effort to justify wrong in u world that is supposed to bo godgoverned Strip all religious sentiment of these notions and it has no further excuse to offer for its existence Theology must assume that god has doro his best and the result has been untold ages of chaos and unimaginable suffering Theology next fell back upon tho spectacle of this god providing a redeemer for the purpose of saving a mere few out of the general wreck Poor god A devil could have done no worse and tho chances lire that he would have done better If these be the work ofa god then in deed is humanity much better off without him Of course it is not to bo expected that any argument could convince the mint or woman who does not want to bo convinced but surely to a reflective mind there must come tho conscious ness that human conditions are not compatible with tho belief that they are godmade godcreated and godgovcrnod WHAT RELIGION IS Religion in any shapo or form wherever existing or by r 10 BLUE GRASS BLADE whatever means it manifests itself is an evidence of human weakness and ignorant despair All religions burgeoned and bloomed in tho primary emotion of savage ignorance nourished by the human feel ing of dependence and powerlessness to resist evil and all modern religious systems are made to conform to the same elementsIt noteworthy fact that all savage peoples are more or less religious Atheism is to bo found among the cul tured and enlightened only The most intensely religious periods in the great worlds history were the most notorious ly brutish and corrupt In the name of and under sanc tion by religion tho most degrading crimes have been com mitted Religion born of savages propagated by savages for the benefit of savages is fit only for savages and a number of those still kneeling at its shrine are but slightly superior in sentiment and feeling to a savage Religion is admittedly a fact in our human nature for its baneful influences are at work on every hand But it was not and is not a necessary fact Tho race would have been infinitely better off today had religion never been known It hardened narrowed and dwarfed tho heart and sympathy of man and it affrighted tho minds of women andchildren All the figures are on the debit side of religions account with tho race with but a few scattering ciphers to its credit Man may study its pages with profit It will point out to him through experience the particu lar matters and things he should studiously avoid Not by emulation but by refusing to follow the examples it has setReligion docs not nor can it mean the same thing to allmen as evidenced by the great variety ofsocalled re ligious conceptions and practices a fact pointing to the inevitable conclusion that it is not true Were religion true there could never he such wide divergences of opinion con corning its meaning and assumed importance nor would men have tortured each under its influences with such fiendish may furnish a mistaken mental stimulant to ignorance it is a noteworthy fact that atheism is always and everywhere recognized as a correlative of education It demands education for courage sufficient to deny and ques tion the miraculous or supernatural Ignorance is capable of rising to so eminent a stage And yet religion was never more active and aggressive than it is now in America Having failed to command an intelligent fippro hation and support religion now seeks to establish itself by forceThere are utility who insist that in this day religion impotent for harm Wo have but to view the persistent efforts among the several State legislatures meal in the National Congress to be convinced that religion is deter mined to engraft itself upon the government to prolong its life and power In this it is an intolerable nuisance and it is the plain dutyof honest and liberal people to oppose it Why should man bo bothered through religion at all Wwpm Does any man think that he can really avert tho wrathof tho almighty or make sure a certain felicity Once and not so very long ago superstition heldsuch sway over the human mind that fear became a sufficient motive to make all men formally if not vitally religious The molern view of religion is that every religious faith is damaging and hurtful that is capable of converting even one man into a trembling terrorstricken slave Religion however is growing less objective and more subjective Once man laid their possessions on tho altars ofreligion for tho purpose of placating deity Today they are simply asked to surrender their minds and thoughts Religion now simply demands intellectual stultification with no regard for moralrighteousness THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS A Review Every new truth must fight its way against orthodoxy Tho Christian world does not desire truth it seeks simply an advocacy Desire leads to delusion The vast majority of professing Christians still prefer to believe a lie rather than to make an alliance with truth In his recent work Tho Truth About Jesus IT Man gasarian of tho Independent Religious Society of Chicago has given all that can bo given all that is to bo given of tho supposed central figure of tho Christian form of faith and a careful perusal of its interesting pages is well calcu lated to unsettle all belief in tho historicity of the mythical Jesus of the gospels Every scrap of evidence is carefully considered Even tho gospel stories are subjected to a rigid andcritical examination Profane writers ofa contemporary character are brought to tho front and the profound silence of tho centuries dark as the Egyptian night is made tho subject of much forcefulcomment That the gospel Jesus was not an actual historical person is readily admitted by every careful student of history Tho impossibility of tine existence ofsuch a character de manding fable and fairy tales to support it is thoroughly gone into by Mr Mangasarian and ho has omitted nothing that is calculated to throw light on the subject under in vestigation With it all ho demonstrates the unreality of Christianity and gives a consensus of intelligent opinion concerning tho same In the ManIMgasarian concludes that Jesus was a myth and had no real existence To support this view ho makes reference to tho legends entertained by the surrounding religious cults from which the builders of tho Jesus faith obtained their material The narrative of the book is admirably constructed It is full of interest from the first page to the last A largo number of illustrations are given to demonstrate the dif ferent conceptions of tho mangod myth It consists of 300 pages printed in good readable type and on a good quality of paper The Blade hopes it will enjoy a large circulation which it richly deserves It is published by the Inpcndcnt Religious Society 300 Wabash Avenue Chicago Ill 4 r I BLUE GRASS BLADE 11 BODY AND BEADS Some preachers are daisies Rev Robert Watson pastor of the Church of the Covenant of Cincinnati Ohio is among that number Ho has a side partner of equal merit The latter is Rev John IIerget who conducts the New Jerusalem Special from the Ninth Street Baptist Church also of the same city Beingministers of the gospel and especially ordained andconsecrated to preach they very naturally detest vice in all its forms and daily praying for the lord to lead them not into temptation they do little enough to aid the lord in the performance of the task they leave assigned to himTho right thinking rightminded man desirous of keep ing strictly in the straight and narorw path knowing the location of evil will turn his steps in opposite direction and by sodoing keeps himself beyond temptations danger ous reach If fully employed ho has little timo to study mischief because too absorbed with the stern duties of life Preachers however as a rule are moro idlers having no aim or purpose in life beyond a good living at other peo ples expense and unless they could find an opportunity for nosing into other peoples business they would die of ennui Tile Blade does not know the meaning or character of the Salome dance From all accounts wo have a vague sus picion that it is not exactly proper and is rather suggestive Tho two preachers above mentioned know all about it for they have had actualexperience From all reports it appears that a certain company of theater performers wcro advertised to present a sort of biblical play in which a young lady Salome in love with John the Baptist gives the particular dance in question This was in a Cincinnati theater The preachers saw the announcement and hied to the Mayor with a request that ho interfere and stop the dance on the ground that it was immoral Tho mayor refused The manager of the opera house criedOn with the lance and Salome danced Had nothing else happened tho affair would have been tame But something did happen Tho two preachers aforesaid met by appointment and together wOnt to see tho play and the dance They were naturally shocked for as they report tho dansucsc was attired in nothing more substantial than a few freckles and sonic gaudy beads Body and heads That is how these preachers put itnnd to make sure they went fully armed with opera glasses the better to see between tho beads Assuming that the dance as presented is immoral these preachers had no business there They knew it was immoral before going to see it because they had so protested to the Mayor Under the circumstances they wont with full knowledge of its character and went armed with scien tific instruments to enable them to get a better view If god made man in his own image and that must include woman then tho human form must be as gods form If one is immoral so is tho other Pure thoughts engender purity but to those of impure mind nothing is or can bo pure The degree of purity in a preachers nand is determined front numerous newspaper reports and records of the different penitentiaries When the devil was said to have sought to tempt St Dunstan the blocksmith by getting him to run off after the girls he grabbed Satan by the nasal organ with a pair of redhot pincers and made the Evil one skidoo Not so with these Cincinnati preachers The bizarre has an attraction for them It was impossible for them to passup even a Salome dance and they took opera glasses along the better vision to obtain They saw- theywell there is enough said Norvalis once wrote You touch heaven when you lay your hand upon a human body but these preachers had to bo satisfied with a mere glimpse and were doubtless a trifle rited because that glimpse was partially marred by the beads used for adorn ment Fewer beads would have suited them better Yes some preachers are daisies LEAVEN STILL WORKING Discontented with the practical result of the recent debate at Canal Dover Ohio tho protestant element sought revenge upon come one by importing pretended excatholic prVet to deliver an harangue against the church of Rome Unable to successfully assail the Freethought position in this re ligious controversy the protestants vainly imagined they would have matters all their own way by lighting into the Catholics But they had as usual reckoned without their host Tho result is they have been given what is commonly called a doublecross After one T Augustine Dwyer claiming to be a reformed Catholic had given vent to his foulvaporings Rev Bernardino in charge of the Catholic church at Canal Dover held a public meeting whereat the said Dwyer was denounced as an imposter and proof to tho contrarywas openly challenged Now the protestants are in the middle ofa bad fix From all this however Free thought will bo tho ultimate gainer Out of religious dis sension and strife tho truth will brightly shine and both sides Catholic and protestant will be a loser We are looking to YOU for at least one new sub scriber during the present year The Editor invites correspondence regarding lec tures in Indiana during April Efforts are being made to get up a debate for the Editor with Rev Stafford a Methodist preacher of Marietta Ohio CONCERNING CAPITALS lly May BealsIIofTpauir Why yes theres a life force nobody denies It Unless like our friend Shaw you capitalize it Mysterious Yes Sos electricity But none of us give It a capital E Lets cut out tho spooks and discuss natures laws With lower case letters for all but the Cause n I 12 BLUE GRASS BLADE I RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Helen Philbrick Throws a Bomb Into Los Angeles School Board In Defense- of her Daughters Rights By Franklin H Heald Aunt Helen Philbrick of 457 Ulysses St Los Angeles In defense of her only child Faith who Is an unusually bright little girl and intelligent enough to be a pronounced Atheist with a big A wrote the follow ing letter which explains itself without comment 457 Ulysses St Jan 13 09 Board of Public Education Los Angeles CalifGentlemenIt will be necessary for daughterIfrom the Loretta School unless she Is less victimized by political coercion known as piety by tho dupes of Capitalism known as Jesuss Little Lambs- I have borne tno inquisitor methods of said political coercion for three years now as patiently as possible iue child has no brothers or sisters anu nce is still more at the mercy of the pious canaille She did not begin the fight She was timid and mortally afraid when she first came as result of her persecution in the Montana schools for the samu crlmeun belief in the dogmas of hypocrisy afrad that the children would discover that She was not as ignorant as they are The dis covery was brought about by information given by four little bloodwashed lambs who would smell far better it they were given an occasional bath in just plain soap and water and ever since jho Informing the inquisition has ueen kept up It has gone on until the cnlld begins to beg to stay at home and unless there Is a change for the better in her room and on the school grounds in general I shall re move her from school an let the Public School system take steps to force me to send her I am not anxious for any rows I am too busy liutIf necessary we will make a test case antI see if Cali fornia is still in the Dark Ages of Political Coercion managed by religious persecu tion Very sincerely HELEN II iHILBRICK Socialist and Atheist or In other words a woman with just ordinary common sense To which she received the following prompt Angeles City Schools Office of 19 1909 Mrs Helen H Phllbrick 457 Ulysses St Los Angeles Cal My dear Mrs Phllbrick I have taken up the matter of your complaint with the Principal of the Loretto Street School She assures me that she will do all she can to prevent any further trouble of the kind of which you speak Verv sincerely- E MOOHE Supt This is the same liberalminded Superin tendent of City Schools who a year ago exploded a social bombshell in the Angel City by ordering and enforcing the order that there should bo no religious doings for Christs sake or words to that effect in the Los Angeles schools during the usual Christmas orgies Evidently he also made good In behalf of little Faith as she says little faith in god but faith in tho truths and good principle inasmucn as she is now treated with the greatest respect even by the pious school maam PRAYER ANSWERED Crusading Women Given a Setback by Former Preacher who had Turned Saloonkeeper By Dudley Buck Some time ago in this townJackson Michigana number of women engaged in a prohibition crusade went to the saloon of Ed Shafer and kneeling upon the floor inside began praying that the Lord would put wisdom before tho saloon man and convince him of the error of his way Shafer had formerly been a Lutheran preacher and having quit the pulpit be cause of Its tyranny and inconsistency had turned saloonkeeper as ho had no trade at his command to earn a living Upon hearing tho women pray Shafor who is no slouch at the same kind of business quietly waited until they had finished and then he began By this time tho room was full and crowds stood on the outside During Shafers prayer many of the women struggled vainly to get out but the crowd held them and made them wait until he had prayed his prayer out Tho prayer Sha for gave was one that will long bo remem bered in this community and was as fol lows God thou who madest the heavens and tho earth and created man in thine own imago thou who didst teach thy ser vant Noah to make and use wine thou who doth command In thy holy word Drink yea drink abundantly Drink thy wine with a merry heart Let him drink and forget his poverty Give wino unto those that bo of heavy hearts and Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomachs sake and tlilno often Infirm ities Wo also read In thy word how Jesus did convert water into wino show ing plainly that ho considered wino better than water for man to drink and how ho chose wine instead of water as the emblem of his blood and commanded his followers to forever drink it in commemoration of him We also find that thy servant Martin Luther the great reformer did say He who loves not women wine and song remains a fool his whole life long O Lord we pray thee to have pity upon these women who rebel against thy word and who are not grateful to thee for thy precious gifts and who dress extravagant ly and drive their husbands to overwork to drink to dishonesty to bankruptcy to crime and to suicide They adorn their costly headgear with tho bodies of inno cent birds whose sweet lives were wicked ly sacrificed to feed their cruel vanity They wear not the complexion thou provid est them with but compress their 36Inch waist into 16inch corsets They wear false hair store teeth tight shoes and bustles and pads their bosoms with moss cotton and steel springs O God thou knowest that crusading women generally have drunken husbands or sons made so by unhappy homes or husbands with feeble minus who meekly submit to the authority of their wives and hide behind their skirts O Lord have mercy upon such women who bring dis grace and humiliation upon their families and do not punish them according to their deserts but constrain tnem to not be gad ding brawlers but as commanded in thy word to be discreet keepers at home obedient to their husbands that tho word of God be not blasphemed and to pluck the beams out of their own eyes before they sally forth with hatchets and prayers and with exho tatlons and epithets to re move tho motes from the eyes of their neighbors O God teach these women to realize that they are making fools of themselves Convince them that violence will not pro mote temperance but that it will beget violence and retaliation and leads to evils infinitely greater than they seek to remove Teach them that tho only temperance ac ceptable to dice is that which proceeus from the heart and is voluntary selfcon trol That hatchet temperance like pad lock virtue shotgun honor and sheriff honesty is a stench in th sight 0 God give us all wisdom to study deeply thy moral law and to comprehend thy will and may all the temptations and trials of life prove a means of grace to fit us for tho life beyond Teach us to real ize tno great truu where Lero is no cross tnero is no crown that without tempta tion there can bo no virtue Till our hearts with love and our headr with wisdom mi ally irecelvo us into my ueavenly kingdom and thine shall be the glory forever Amen I rBLUEGRASS BLADE 13 I y 1 4TChe Blades Cott responde nee 1 What the Debate Has Done NEW HAVEN OHIOI saw a state ment of your debate with Rev Keyscr at Canal Dover I was very much pleased to know that there was one man that had the nerve to speak for the cause of Free thought I have been an advocate of Free thought for a great many years but on ac count of poor health have been unable to take any active part In It And for some time have taken no literature at all And have begun to hear that the cause was dead as I have seen from time to time our great men have dice and I was afraid there was none to take their place But It gave me pleasure when I read your debate In the Cleveland News I took Mr Greens Freethought Magazine for a great many years I hope you will not take offense at my liberty In writing to you for I have a great Interest in the cause of Freethought and would like to see it prosper very much Years ago I took the Freethought litera ture but of late years my health failed and have not been able to do any work at all so I had to drop the reading matter that I was so much Interested in Now Friend Charlesworth if I may be permitted to call you friend if you should have any Free thought papers to spare and would send me one sometime I shall always remember you as a kind friend Will be glad to hear from you at any time I remain your true friendTHOS S CHARITY Sends Congratulations OHIOI hasten to congratulate you over the success of your lecture trip I am greatly delighted with the effect of the de bate and yet I am not at all surprised it is an old argument of mine that when wo can get our side of tho religious subject presented to the people in a clean forcible scholarly manner we wit find a host on our side The thinkers that is doubters are largely people of fair culture and finement to whom coarse ridicule and vin dictive abuse are distasteful Many of them while they cannot believe that re ligion Is true have a feeling that the churches are helpful to morality and gen eral refinement Only this week a business man of this place tried to induce my broth er to Join church Within a year this same man admitted to mo that I had convinced him that human conduct was as fixed as gravitation and when laboring with my brother ho admitted that ho did not y think the bible inspired only in the sense that Shakespeare was Inspired But WIllhe argued you and are raising families and wo want to surround them with good Influences What Rationalism needs to prove to the world is that it is made of the Ideas and advocated by tho men and women who will help to surround the young as well as tne old with helpful InfluencesIt me with au enthusiasm akin to that which the Methodists call conversion when I rood of the help you received from those grand peoplo in Tuscarawas and other counties and I was glad and proud of the fact that many of the names brought up visions of familiar faces May only GOOD come to them one and all With best wishes for you and yours nmLOU LAWRENCE To Subscribe and Write OHIOSend me your heathen paper The Blue Grass Blade or have you another name for it That was tho name of it when I was a subscriber to it under Char lies management Would bo pleased to be an occasional contributor to its columns If consistent Hope you beat that sky pilot at Canal Dover In your discussion JAS S DAVIS Blade and Bound Volume PHILADELPHIA PA Kindly enter my subscription for one year to Blue Grass Blade beginning with current issue and mail me invoice covering the cost of same I should like tho bound volume also which you advertise in Tomorrow for November and you may send me tho same by express prepaid adding expressage to In voice if you have a copy left Send by Adams Express Thanking you I remain very respectfullyDR C RICKERSON Subscribes to Bound Volume CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS It Is with pleasure that I acknowledge receipt of your esteemed favor of the 13th Inst I do not remember but If not too late would be pleased to have my name printed on bound volume of tho Blade you send me Also I would appreciate If you would at once en roll me on your subscription Us for your next issue of bound volume as I consider your literary productions the finest and best suited to this modern ago and would not miss having your publication for any thing In the United States it knew there was not a chance to come In at the elev enth hour and get a bound volume Very truly yours A M MEULY WATERPOWER MOTORS and WATERFANS Machine and Hardware Specialties at order CLEVELAND SPECIALTY MFG CO ClevelanuSo Brooklyn THE WHEEL OF OhioIA Monthly Paper Life Publishing Co St Edited by W Cope DEALS WITH ORIGINS The origin of Marriage of Ethics of igion of Brotherhood of the belief In Im mortality It treats broaaiy of Love of Human Instincts and Ideals It takes In the whole Wheel of Life treating all sub jtcs In such a clear plain and cnlny way that the dust Is shaken out and they be come as Interesting as a novel to even the casual reader Send 10 cents for a aix months trial subscription or i quarter for a year to the Life Pub Co St Louis Mo POPULAR LINE SOUTHBetween AtlantaBirmingham KnoxvilleAshville SavannahJacksonville Mobile Vicksburg Shreveport New Orleans and Texas Points For rates and printed matter ad dressW 0 Rinearson P A Cincinnati Ohio Mans Origin and Destiny By Dr A Hausman Alameda California This is the Greatest Book of modern times on the theory of Evolution applied to Sociology It will shortly be issued in book form by the Blue Grass mode making a book of nearly 500 pages Tile author has dedicated it to Prof Ernst Hucckel and the great Jena philosopher has accepted the dedication 200 X200 Subscribe Now and Save Money All charges of postage will be prepaid upon advance subscriptions The first chapters are now in the press and publication in book form will immediately follow its serial publication in the hlade columns Subscribe Now Subscribe Now JAMES E HUGHES Lexington Ky The Peoples Press Fearless in 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oxblood cloth Price JlBO postpaid BLUE GRASS DLADE Lexington Ky r mr BLUE GRASS BLADE U Be bure and SubicnrM Secular Thought Fortnightly Journal of Rational Criti cism In Politics Science ane Religion Organ of the CANADIAN SECULAR UNION AND THE TORONTO SECULAR SOCIETY Editor J Spencer Ellis Published at 1851h Queen St West To ronto Canada Terms Jl 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 ha addressed ELLIs Proprietor and Publisher Secular Thought Toronto Can GRADUATION GIFTS What can be nicer and more suitable for such gifts than a genuine Diamond daintily mounted In Ring Pin Stud or otherwise These can be had for 10 20 and up They are Indestructible a Joy forever and will last as long as the world will revolve In Its orbit neither do they ever depreciate In value Or a Gold Watch which Is 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WETTSTEIN La Grange Cook County SEEDS PIeIPlanter uperlor SPECIAL OFFER IweFAMOUS COLLECTION lOaIis 10u100Writetlth OuldGREATRose St Rockford Illlnoli 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 nil phenomena TOMORROW is not for those who are partisannot for those who nrn 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 Months Trial Subscription and our Special Book Offer lOc the Copy 100 the Year TOMORROW PUBLISHING CO 139 E 50th St CHICAGO ILL The Woman and The Prospector Is the title of a romance every woman and child should rend It should be in the hands of nil who are opposed to 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