The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-08-28
PAGAN PESSIMIST'S.
WHY THE MODERN AEATHEN RAGE
Aad tho People Imagine vAin nThlhgs-neeiaratioas
oftht New York Free Thinkers Convention,
The Greed OF the 90 M.you.pl.Ass RslIs.
!oa-Sone Aodnt " Demands.

Watkins, n. " August o7.-Thc follow.
Representations were adopted to-day at tho
New York State Free Thinkers Association:
Fint-That discussions in science, the In.
ventions OF the mechanical arts and tho
general progress OF society in knowledge,
refinement, comfort aud good mora .,
which distinguish the present from the
past, arc the natural outgrowttI OF the cut.
tivation Of the human intellect and freedom
In the various departments Of enquiry.
second-That the only men in tho
world who cannot rejoice in this freedom
of thought and whose material interests
are promoted by ignorance are the clergy,
who oppose It and its advocates, because
the spirit Of untrammelled research in tho
field OF criticism threatens to destroy the
claim they make in behalf OF the Bible
that It Is a revelation from heaven, plainly
and infAllibly inspired, and that they aro
the divincly commissioned and only M.
thoritive expoundes Of It's contents. We
owe It, however, In justice 10 the Bible TO
say that the Bible teaches no such doctrine,
but they claim WIS hoisted by the English
clergy at the time OF its translation TO serve
their selfish and ambitious ends, since the
only nassagein 1t tll Timothy iii-l) which
served 70 teach that dogma OF plenary in.
spiration has been correctly rendered by
the revision Of the new testament and
proved 10 teach that proitabcness OF any
writing is test of its inspiration.
Third-That war upon the church un.
like war upon us, il simply one OF unset.
fshness, that our motto being "Euual
rights for all and special favors for none"
We now earnestly. contend for the right to
believe her creeds in all their variety, and
contend Tor the right to reject them; that
ait We ask under secular constitution OF
government, designed TO serve the purposes
OF this world, is that there should be no
discrimination made by law in favor OF
any class OF citizens OIL account OF their re.
ligious opinion us is the case OF the ex.
emption OF church property from iaxntion,
and in the employment, at publ" es D snsc,
OF a chaplain to say prhytrs FIR tLe re.
ligious qualification OF Congr, ssnan. s,l-
diers and sailors. and others v bo nav be
there.
Fourth-That, whereas the clur.h, nj.
though a small minority Of the people in
point oi numbers. exercises her power for
evil by dint Of her organization and tho
sleepless vigilance Of her agents, in watch.
ing their chance and carrying out their
purposes. We earnestly urge upon the free
thinkers OF the United States the duty OF
associa,ing together in local leagues aux.
Hilary TO the n. l.. L.. for the purpose OF
defending acknowledgement the wiles Of
the church and preserving the security OF
the National Constitution. TO this end
we advise the formation Of liberul
libraries for circulating liberal books, news
papers and pamphlets among the people.
Flith-rhat We. scorn to play into
the hands Of our enemies by any
apologetic explanations, detenses and dis.
avo~a!s on the vile and hackneycd sub
ject OF obscenity into which We arc treach-
erously inyeigled, believing that wherever
there are free thinkers at all they are al
most without exception remarkable for.
intelligence, purity, patriotism and gencr.
al excellence Of character in all
relations in life. Neither can we
condescend 10 retalia upon an adversary
as we easily might by calling public atten-
tion to the statistics Of the prisons and
penitentiaries OF the country and and iu-
stituting comparison between the number
OF clergvmen and church members on the
one hand and free thinkers on the other,
who have forfeited their liberty by form
ing the criminal class OF society,
Sixth-That We as liberals OF this coun.
try embrace the spiritnalists, nationalists,
| aia OF ri 1,n ,t ~ :.
ers,. who although honestly differing from
each other in their speculative
opinions, agree in their practical opposi-
tion-sto the encroachment OF tho
church ], and in pressing the secu-
lar character OF 4, the national
constitution and bylaws, and VIC earnestly
urge that they in journals and public
meetings and efforts OF all kinds try TO Gull
tivate mutual respect and consideration as
allies in great general work, not using
their weapons upon each other. but re-
serving them in all their sharpness for the
common enemy.
The following on '"Woman and her
cause" was adopted: I.gE eUU5
"WHEREAs, Under Middle Roman laws
woman had secured great property rights
and personal independence, which contin.
ued until Christianity become the domi-
nant religion OF Rome. And
| "WHEaEAs, To the same foul touch OF
eccleslasticism can be traced the departure
OF woman's property and personal rights
under the common laws; and
WHEREAS, Through the acceptance Of
these systems Of jurisprudence By the
! United States Mt large and the several
States individually, there already exists n
union OF church and State control over the
rights OF woman.
Resoleed-That in the opinion OF this
convention no invidions distinction shonld
be made which denies to woman the right
to be man 3 competitor for any position to
which he is eligible.
Heso'trd-That having abolished the SOW.
ercien rights Of Kings and Priests We be.
lieve in the same rights Of labor; that it
should be The sovereign Of earth; that labor
creates the wealth Of the world and
the wealth OF the world should be
justly distributed among those who pro-
duce it. " e extend our hearty sympathy
to those many tolers in our land and Others
| who do not receive their due reward. It
is the churches and theology that have
crushed the Masses it is other worldlincss
that has made this world hill To those
who earn their bread by the sweat Of their
face. We believe in the dignity OF work.
and it is through work that the Worship OF
the future shall be expressed.