Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-09-01
INGE RSOLLUSM.
The Doctrine Expoundcd by the Free
Thlmkers, AsSOcinlIOn.

Thinkers Association.
Watkins GLEN, N Y, Aug. 27-Res9.
lutions were adopted by the Free Thinkers
Association, to-day, declaring that the discus.
sions in science, inventions, the mechanical
arts, the general progress Of society in kuowl.
edge and refinement, the comfort and good
morals, which distinguish the present from the
past, are the natural Outgrowth Of the cultiva.
ton OF the human intellect and freedom Of the
various paths OF enquiry. The only men in
The world who can not rejoice in the freedom
OF thought, whose material interests are
promoted by ignorance, are the clergy
VINO oppose it aud its advocates be
cause the spirit Of untrammclcd re-
search In the field Of criticism threat.
ems TO destroy the claim they make in
behalf Of the Bible that it was salvation from
heaven plainly and infullibly inspired, and
they are the divin,ly commissioned and only
authoritative expouDder5 of its contents. The
Bibie Itself teaches no such doctrine, but the
claim was hoiscd by the English clergy at
the time OF its translation to serve their self
lsh, ambitious ends, since the only passage in
1t cd Timothy iii II which serves to teach
that dogma of plenory inspiration, has been
correctly rendered by the Revised New Tesla
ment and proved to teach that the profitable
ness OF any writing is u test its inspiration
That war upon the church, unlike war upon
us. IS one OF unselfishuess, our motto being
Equal rights for all, special favors for
none" We earnestly contend for the right
to believe her creeds in all their variety uud
Tor the right to reject them. All we ask un.
der the secular constitution of government
designed to serve the purposes Of the world
Is, that there should be no discrimination
made by law in favor of any class of citizens
on account of religious opinion, as in the
case OF the exemption Of church property
from taxation and the employment at the
public expense Of chaplains to say prayers
Tor the religious qualification OF Con
gressmen, soldiers sailors and others
lhat the church, although a small
minority of the people in point of numbers,
exercises her power for evil by dint of organ.
ization, 10y sleepless vigilance, her agents
watching their chance and carrying cut their
purposes. We earnestly urge upon the Free
Thinkers of the United States the duty Of
assoclating together in local leagues auXil
larry to the National League
For the Purpose Of Defending Thcm,-
selves
against the wiles of the church. AMI for pre-.
serving the secularity of the National Consti.
tuition. To this end We advise the promotion
OF liberal Libraries for circulating liberal
books, newspapers aud pamphlets among the
people the encouragement of u monthly pa
per called Man :" the employment by the
National league OF general agents to be sll,,.
ported by the monthly contributions Of local
leagues, whose duty will be to visit and en-.
courage leagues aud organize new ones. Ia
increase the circulation Of liberal Journals
and then marshal the hosts Of Tie Free
Thinkers Do tina, the public may know who
they are, their Of inicns and purposes. That
we scofh 10 play into the hands Of our enc
mics by any apologize explanations, de
fences or disavowas on the vile and hack
ncycd subject of diligently into which We are
treacherously nveigled. believing that
wherever there ale free Free Thinkers at all.
they age almost without exception remarka-
ailie Tor intelligence, purity, patriotism
ana general excellence OF character
IN all the relations of lite Meth.
er can WE Condescrnd to rclulia'c upon
our adversarics by calliug public attention To
The statistics OF the prisons aud pcniientiaics.
| lnstltutlng comparison between the num-
lers OF clergymen and church members on
one hand and Free Thinkers on the oli.er,
who have forfeited their libcity be- Joining
The criminal class of so iriy. That we. rs
liberals, embrace tn SprItlmli,ts, The M
tionalsts, Dcs :, Aguosic. ana other Glasses
OF thinkers, who, although honestly differ
Ing from each other in their speculative
opinions. agree in their practical opposition
10 Tie enCronchinenls II the church and IN pre-
serving the secular character of the National
constitution and laws. We earnestly url!p
that in their ,urnas, public meetings and
forts of all kinds they Try to cultivate mu.
tual respect aud consideration as allies in
tho great moral work not using their
weapons upon each other, but rcseryinr
them IN all their sharpness for the common
enemy That in the opinion of the conycn-
ton no invidiOus distinction should be
ma which denies to woman the right 10
he mans competitor for any position TO
which she is eligible. That having abolish
cd the sovereign rights Of king, and princes.
we believe in the same rights FIR Ia. or, thai
II should be tue sovereign OF the earth
that labor creates the wealth of the world
and that the wealth of the world III ,uld he
Justly distributed among those VIII produce
II. We extend our hearty symra'hy to
those many labGicrs III uur own land
aud others who do hot receive their
due reward and We assert that free
thought makes place for industrial
Liberty The churches and theo.oty have
crushed the masses and other woiltlliuess has
made this world II hell to those who earn
their bread by the sweat ot their brow We
believe IL tho diauiy Of work, and it is
Though work that the worship Of the future
Shall be expressed. That We look with favor
upon the efforts of the lihrrala Ut the West to
found National Liberal Orphans Home at
Liberal Mo-. and most heartily recommend
the noble enterprise to the earnest consideIa
lion OF our friends and solicit their support
aud aid