Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-11-29
tom PAINE AGAIN.

IN. 1. OD-e YER. November ], ISL.
In the Observer Of Seoitm ,e:. 27,l, ja re-
Sponsc 10 nume, Gus &. IS j ON diff, Ell
parts OF ihe cOunny for iD.oi .n,,ioD and
in fu!il'ment of a promise. We presented a
mass of testimony. ci,iejv ON persons
with whom We had ben ne. .onallv at
uuaruIcu. CrtaDvisuHc ''rU r'otu VI Out 'ts-
sci lions in ,cna!d 10 ..'e dis -Oiu:e lie end
miserable END of P; ne. il WAS not pleas-
ing subject for d:>cr on. aId an anolO.2v
or 1T least an eGplaDat'O1. is due 10 our
,eaGers ior resuD;ng ii. anG for occuryiny
so much space. or aDF SAGE. in exhibiting
The ruth and ,:Ie ? oOs in Is:alu 10 the
character of man who bad become so de-
b., sad by his in en- ~er. nee. and so vile in
his habiis. as TO be eaclGGcd. for many
wears before and up 10 Ire time of his
death. from all decent soc;e.y.
Our reasons for tuiin.g up the subject at
al. End for ~ esen'ing at his simc SO much
=, ,I;iional testimony in regard to the facts
Of ,.,e case. ore these: At diffe, ent periods
for The last ti:,y yea'-. efforts have Deen
made bv int,:els 10 revive and honor tie
m mo: V of one w.,Ose fiiends would hon.
or him most by sufle'ing bis name to sink
in,o oblivion. if that were possible. About
two wears since. Rev. o. Il. Fro'hingham.
O: this city. came to their aid. and under
look a sort of championship Of Paine,
making in public discourse this state
ment: No private character has been
more toully caIumni'ied in the name OF
God than that Of Thomas Paine (Mr.
F, ,othingham. it will be remembered, is
the one WHO recently, in public discourse,
announced lie downfall Of Christianity.
although he very kindly made the allow
ance ,h;i, lit may be o thousand ye:'rs be-
fore i,s decay will be visible 10 all eyes
1T is our private opinion that il will DC at
least a tbopsand and one.) Rev. John w.
Chadwick. minister of tie same order OF
unbeIie;. who signs himself, minister OF
ne Second UO;iarian Society in Brook
Ivn." has devoted two discOurses to the
same end. eulo: izing Paine. In one OF
these. which We have before us in a hand
,o,uely printed pamphlet. "Method ana
yalue of his (Paine's )Ecli2iOus Teachings.
he saws? ..Chrisiian usage has determine"
,,,,t ,r inti,|el means one who does not be-
reye in Christianity as a supernatural re-
Uoion: IN the Bible rs supernatural DOOR
in Jesus AS a supcrna, ,ui-.l person. And III
n,is sense Paine was an infidel. and So
thank God. am L. 1t is proper TO ado tha'
Unit,rians generally decline all RESPONSE
biliiv for The utteiaDces Of both OF these
men. and that they compose denomin:l-
t:on. or rather two denominations, OF theii
own.
| There i, also certain class OF intidels
who are not quite prepared to meet the
odium ,hat attaches to the name; they call
themselves Christians. but t;,eir sympath-
les are all with ,e enemies Of Christianity
and ,hey are no. always able to conceal It,
They have not he courage to their Opin'
ions. like Mr.. Rockingham and Mr. Chad
wick. and they work Only sideways 10
ward the same end. We have been no lit
tie amused since our last article on this
subject appeared. to read some Of the ar
ticles that have been written on the other
though prOfessedly on no side, and TO oD-
serve how sincerely these men deprecate
the discussion of the character of Paine,
as an Improbable topic. 1t never appear
ed to theln Improbable when the discus
sion was on the other side.
Then, 100. we have for months past been
RECEIVING letters from different parts OF the
country. asking authentic information on
the subject and stating that the followers
of Paine are making extraordinary enorts
to circulate his writings against the Chris
tan religion. and in order to give curren'
cy to these writings they are endeaVorlnss
to rescue his name from the disgs7:se
into which it sank during the latter years
of his life. Paine spent several OF MS las'
years in furnishing a commentary upon hls
intidel principles. This commentary was
contained in his besotted, degraded LIE and
miserable end, but his friends do not wlsn
the commentary to go out in connecuon
with his writings. They prefer to nave