The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-07-06
Nh, T,.,n shall Make You Free.


The Truth shall Make You Free.
The writer is somewhat interested
in Your Free Thought column, and Is
much surprised, Mr.. Editor, that
some one has not, ere this, thrown In
shovefull or two Of red hot brim'
stone. However, perhaps there is not
SO much of this article lying around
loose as once upon time. There
has been wonderful change wrought
since the days Of Jonathan Edwards,
Brains are no longer held in leading
strings. Individual manhood and
womauhood has been asserted, and
out of it has grown a larger field of
thought and a nearer approach to ma
ture and natures God. Men have
discovered that it is the truth that
makes them free and not traditional
dogmas, although proclaimed with
loud trumpets aud with great show
of authority.
In connection with the progress of
free thought during the past century
allow me to briefly refer, to two
prominent milestones:
lst. AS men and women have awak-
ened from the lethargy of supersti-
ton, broken the shackels forged by
designing priests, through the dark
ages, and stepped out into the broad
fields of nature and drawn upon its
inspiration, the world has grown bet
ter, stronger and purer, and the bonds
of universal brotherhood strengthen
ed-cemented anew by the universal
spirit of all existence. And while all
this has been going on the church
the teacher-has kept even pace, only
about half a league behind. Her in
depreciation of Scripture is upon diff
ferent lines, than formerly, notably
as to her treatment of the fairer sex,
the ribbed part of humanity-that
grew out of an after thought. Now,
the doctrine of that sour old bachel-
dor who said 81 suffer not woman
to teach" is rejected, or at least new
exegesis given it, and the rib has
grown to be our sister-God bless
her-and today she stands clothed in
the majesty of true womanhood and
motherhood and none dare to make
her afraid. She not only teaches 1.-The
young idea how to shoot, but she
teaches in the church, even donnlng
the clerical robe. She attends the
college, knocks at the door of science,
enters the professions and takes part
in the transactions of the great com
mercial marts of the world. And the
church enters no protest; Paul is re-
jected. He planted in vain or Apol-
lis failed to use his watering pot. But
VII. 5,.vav anu.ruucn raw u prug fess.
kept at the masthead BY the spirit Of
the universe, has given the increase.
I'd. Lastly allow me, briefy-hav.
ing been reader of'the SITTER from
its inception | know that it believes
in ideas, not words, to refer to the
immense progress made in according
liberty of conscience. The presen
century began its round with gar
ments dripping with the blood o
witches-hung for Christ's sake. Il
its youthful days the fires Of hell wer'
continually raked over that the saints
in heaven might enjoy looking owe
the battlements of heaven and seeing
their fathers, mothers, wives, hus
bands, brothers, sisters and children
writing in the exquisite torture o
the damned. The unbeliever, th,
infidel and the hereto were desplset
and were scarcely allowed, owing t,
a Christian boycott, to earn living
by the honest sweat of the brow. How
is it today? Why, no ones father
mother, husband, wife, brother, sis
ter or child is going to hell-its thu
| other fellows. And the place (hell,
itself has undergone a wonderful cool
ing process. SO much SO, indeed
that if the same ratio of progress il
continued the next century will wit
ness its use as an ice house. roda,
no man is estimated by the creed ht
believes in 1t is everywhere &C
kuowledged that man may be ;
good citizen though he utterly refuses
to believe that Jonah swallowed th,
whale; that woman may be mode
of virtue, a loving wife and tender
mother, though she loathes the rit
theory Of her being that man me,
cherish his wife, as his companion
not his slave, and brstow richness