Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-11-15


use ana authority of reason is like adrninisterir
medicine to the dead.-TOm Paine
: PEORIA, October S. 1877.
:. 7othe Editor Of the ". 7. Observer:
. SIR:-Last June. in San Francisco, of
% cred thousand dollars in gold-not as
% % wager. but as Il giff-to any one VIII
IS would suhstantiate the absurd story tha
- 10 Thomas Paine died in agony and teal
no frightened by the clanking chains of devils
also offered the same amount to any min
IN lister who would prove that Voltaire d
or not pass away as serenely us the comm.
or the dawn. Afterwards | was intorne,
Oh that you had accepted the offer. and l.at
: called upon me to deposit the money. Act
ing upon this information. sent YOU tn,
}. following letter:
10 tile Editrr o tile n. y. Obcyrer:
: | have been informed that you accepted
: IN your paper. an oiicl lilde by ne to any
c!er"iInan in S"c Francisco. Tha, oai,,
W.. that wouIu pay one Thousand ,io'.
lars lii gold to any minister in that ,.:.
VINO would prove that Thomas Paine ~,
IA tclrof because OF religious opinions hy
- r&' expressed, rr that NOltaire did no,
pass ava. '. .Av'l a5 the coming of tie
dawn.
For many years religious journals and
ministers have lern circulating certain pre-
tended accounts OF the fiighltul arunies
endured by Paine and Noltairc wien dy-
I ing; that these great men 1T the moment of
death were terrified because they had given
! tEeir honest opinions upon the sulcct of
religion to their ftllow-nicn. The in,arin;
ton of the religious world has been taxed
to the utmost in inycntiny absurd and in
famous accounts of the last moments of
these intellectual giants. Every Sunday
school paper. thousands of itIiotic tracts.
and countless stupidiies called sermons.
have been filled with these calumnies.
Paine and Noltairc were both believers
in'God--.hothh hoped for inmoltality-both
believed in special Provilence-both denied
the divinity OF Jesus Christ. While theolo-
gEins most chccrfiiliy admit that most
murhercrS die without fear. they DENY the
possibility OF any man who has expressed
his disbelief in the inspiration OF tie Bible.
dying except in an agony of terror. Thcse
stories are used in reviyals and in Sunday
schools, and sa;:ve long been considered of
great value.
| am anxious that these sl;fn;lcrs should
cease. ais Gcsirous OF seeing Justice
done. even at this late day. TO the dead.
For the purpose of ascertaining the cyi-
dence upon which these deatll-bcu accounts
really rest. make you the following bropo-
stion:
Fust-As TO TECMAs PAINE: will de-
post with tie First National Bank of Pc
oria. Illinois. one thousand dollars in gold. |
upon the following conditions: This .
money shall be subject to your order wien
you shall. in the manner hereinafter pro-
vided. s,lbstantiate that Thomas Paine ad-
mitted tile Bible to bc an inspired book. Or
that he recanted his intilcl opinions-or
that he died regrctting that he had disbe-
lieved the Bible--or that he died calling
upon Jesus Christ in any religious sense
whatever.
in order that tribunal may be created
to try this question. you may select one
man. | will select another. and the two thus
chosen shall select Il third, and any two of
the three may decide the matter
As there will be certain costs and eXpcn-
ditures on both sides. such costs and ex-
penditures shall be paid by the defeated
party.
In addition to the one thousand dollars
in gold, | will dcrosit bond with good
and sufficient security in the sum of two
thousand dollars, conditioned for the pay
ment of all costs in case am defeated.
shall require Of you a like bond.
From t e date of accepting this offer you
may have ninety days to collect and pre-
sent your testimony. giving me notice OF
time and place of taking dispositions.
shall have Il like time to take evidence up
on my side. giving you like notice. and you
shall then have thirty days to take further
testimony in reply TO what | may offer.
The ease shall then he argued before the
persons chosen; and their decisions shall
be final as to us.
lift arbitrator chosen by me shall die.
| shall have the right TO choose another.
You shall lave the same right. II the
third one. chosen 'y our two, shtl. die.
ths iyo shall choose another: and all VI
caAcic-. from Whatever cause, shall 5a
chosen upon the same principle.
Tie af)iiratOrs si.all 81, when and w;icyt
q minority sbsN determine. and shall have
fun louot ~ pas upon al questions aris
ing as TO cox, >t,.ey Of evidence, and up
on all subjects.
Sccond.-As TO VoLTAlRE: | make the
same proposition. If you will substanti-
ate that Voltaire died expressing remorse
or showing in any way that he was in !
mental agony because he had attacked .
CathOlicism-Or because lie had denied the I
Inspiration of the BibIe-Or because be had
denied the divinity of Christ. ,
| make these propositions because |
want your people to stop slanderng the I
dead. {
If the propositions do not suit you in !
any particular. please state your objections ,
and will modify them in any way con-
sistent with the object in view. t
If Paine and VOltaire died filled with ,
childish and silly fear. | want to know it, |
md | want the world to know it. On the /
,ther hand. if the believers in superstition I
AVE made and circulated these cruel SIAN b
lers concerning the mighty dead, want II
he world to know that. s
As soon as you notify me Of the accept S
nee Of these propositions will send you a
he certificate of the bank that the money I
as been deposited upon the foregoing \
onditions, together with copies OF bonds c,
Or costs. Yours truly, 81
II. q. INGERSOIL. u