Blue-grass blade., 1899-12-10
$1.O0 A YEAR

pie, and partial laws will cease, and
you will no longer hear the cry OF
"hard tines" for as a rule, hard
times and crime are the productions
of ignorance, and the darkest OF all
ignorance is superstitious religious
belief
Thousands OF millions have been
paid in the last 1900 years, by hon.
est, ignorant people to keep up re-
ligion-far more money than the en-
tire world has today.
Thousands OF millions have been
taken from the people to pay interest
on war debts, and to manufacture
weapons by which one Christian ma
tion wants to vanquish another.
Do you call this civilization?
Would II not be better that your
name should be read by future gen.
erations as light giver, or teach
er Of morality higher than the world
now possesses, than to say you we're
worth $1,000, 900, and gave $50, 200
to the church?
Christians pray for the sick to re-
cover; in times Of drouth they pray
for rain to fall, and II these happen
they will say that their prayers
have been answered. But these
things are ruled by the laws of ma
ture and would have happened just
the same II they had not been pray
ed for.
If prayers are answered In forgiv-
ing sins, or in other ways, then why
not pray for rain to fall in the sun
shine, when no clouds are visible?
Then it would win for you believers
in prayer, the world over.
But the light of reason bas dawn
ed, and people seek tangible evil
dence, and they cannot see that
prayers are answered.
The supreme power we can neith-
er help nor hurt by our prayers or
curses.
Some years ago thousands prayed
for the recovery OF President Gar
field. He died. Then Christians
said that God saw fit to take him
away. II God sees fit to do as he
pleases then why pray for anything?
Prayeris principally directing and
requesting. They request the wisest
being to do things they want him to
pa-sa;i ,saa 49, - - n
change his mind by prayer?
When Christians are cornered on
this point they fall back on the Laz-
arus story. But, Christians, before
you can prove anything by the Bible
you must prove that it is authentic.
You must prove, beyond the pos
sibility of doubt, that it could not
have been changed since first writ
ten, and you must remember that
printing was not invented until
1888.
You must prove beyond the pos
sibility of doubt that Paul, Peter,
Mark and all of the supposed authors
of the Bible were. actually inspired.
The saying q that they were inspired
If indeed they ever said so-is not
proving that they were inspired. II
they were inspired they could only
know it themselves, and you can on
ly have their word for it in writing
or print.
If it be possible that thouands of
American citizens were humbugged
by 10 Smith, to believe that the
book OF Mormon was inspired. while
in it you read accounts of miracles
having been performed, can you not
understand that it was far more pos
sible to humbug people with religion
1899 years ago, when the masses
were more ignorant than now?
If you want the present supersti-
ton continued how do you expect
the race to be bettered by teaching
a falsehoodY Would it not be better
to teach that the wrong doing of
each person will follow him until he
has paid, in this life, the penalty Of
his crime?
The doctrine OF the forgiveness of
sin has been pernicious in its effects
upon society; and society has been
partially demoralized by this doc
trine that the vilest sinner may,
at any time, obtain complete for
giveness for all crimes committed.
The principles of moral science
teach us that this is impossible;
hence it will be seen that no sin can
be forgiven but must work out its
own legitimate conseq uences.
Christians ask us "If the Infidel
doctrine is right why does it not
grow more rapidly?"
When you are forcing your Bible
into the public schools, according to
the Michigan Supreme court decis-
ion, and according to Judge Edwards
decision in Waverly, Pennsylvania,
and forcing children into Sunday
Schools, refusing to hear our evi-
dence in your churches, Furnishing
honest men for sending through the
mails what Christians are allowed to
send, allowing churches to go un-
taxed, voting for dishonest believers
rather than for honest Liberals, hav-
ing hundreds OF millions of dollars at
your command, paying over 500, 900
yearly out of public treasures Qs not