The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-04
FreetnouE nl In the OHIO Campaign.

Judge hoauIy, VINO h5kb W w Heue
Governor OF the Christian State Of Ohio, is
a Freethinker, and is or has been Vice
President OF the Association Of Freethink-
ers. His friends explain-his friends have
been kept very busy explaining in his be-
half-that there is nothing Objectionable in
the doctrines Of Freethinkers. Let them
speak for themselves.
they have been holding convention at
Rochester. In the published proceedings
Of Saturday last we find their Declaration
of.Principles." God and the Bible do not
once appear in their declarations. They
pledge themselves to "the demonstration,
construction and establishment OF new
order based on liberty, science and human
ity, thus to constitute real providence and
inspiration in regard to the entire direction
Of the world in all its departments OF
life, whether OF thought, art, industry,
poljlics or morals" There Is no need Of a
God in the system, and no place for the
inspired Scriptures. It's Trinity is
made up Of liberty, science and hu-
manity. Able a man and earnest a
patriot as he was, would the people Of
Ohio make Tom Paine their Governor II he
were in the flesh?
Let us see how the Declaration Of Prin.
ciples was interpreted and applied. John
Z Remsberg, Of Kansas, spoke on 1.-THE
False Claims OF Christianity" "He would
no. allow that It had done the world any
good at all and denied that the Church was
a teacher OF morality. 1t had, on the con-
trary, filed the world with artificial vices
and artificial virtues. 1t was opposed to
all progression and learning. 1t was not
alone in its charities. .nfdels had been
n, charitable as the Church. It was op.
posed to liberty, and some OF the strongest
names in our history twere OF those who
had not been church members The
Church sanctioned slavery and the Bible
was not an advocate Of temperance. 1t
speaks Of giving wine and the benefits oil
drinking wine, and in 1t there was only
one instance where man asked for water,
and he was in hell. All the great move
msnts OF the world, the speaker claimed,
sprang from infdels, and when they were
successful the Church stole them"
Charles Watts, OF London, took for his
subject "The Decline Of Christianity and
Triumph OF Free Thought" This speak
er claimed that there was no. con-
tinuity in the doctrines or teachings OF
Christianity. The ethics OF the New Tee
lament might not decay but they were in
the world long before Christianity was
heard Of, and formed no necessary part OF
the Christian system. One proof Of Chris
tianitys decline was in its failure to in
spre its adherents to respect the princi-
pie OF liberty and justice toward those
who differed from them. Another proof
was the vain endeavor which was now
made 10 harmonize Christian teachings
with modern thought. Another was the
unwillingness Of the ablest men In the
Church to publicly debate the relative val
ne Of their system and that Of secularism.
This age is pre-eminently one OF critical
examination, not Of implicit belief; OF in
tellectual doubt, not blind acceptance Of
priestly begotten dogmas. Mr.. Watts
urged his hearers to exercise their reason
ing powers, to dedicate their lives to the
destruction OF the shams and errors OF our
time, and to establish the reign OF thought
and the power OF intellectual grandeur"
Though Voltaire were available timber"
the people Of Ohio would not consent that
he should rule over them. Judge Hoadly
has a right to associate himself with whom
he pleases and to think what he pleases.
The people whose votes he asks have
right to know where be stands on 80 i'm
portant a matter.