West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-11-12
A DEFENSE
Of the Life and Deeds of Thomas
Paine.
A Pioneer In Freedom OF Thought and
Action.
specIaI ar.icle lor INC Arrns

Special article Tor The Argus
We expect criticism for the following
article, yet we arc proud to be criticised for
defending one who said, ''to do good is my
religion and the world is my home" One
who spent his en,ire life for the freedom OF
mankind, and ono who FIRST looked behind
the throne aud exposed her evils, aud
SECOND. he looked behind the altar.
We believed In giving honor where honor
is due, and we believe that Thomas Paine
did as much for mankind in exposing the
evils behind the altar as lac did in exposing
the evils around the thrones OF kings.
When Thomas Paine left England and
came to America 10 alleviate the to,tures Of
the American people he found the people
clamoring for little alienation from King
George. They were willing TO make the
brick If Pharaoh would furnish the straw
They were not dreaming OF independence
until Thomas Paine published his pamphle,
called "Common Sense" which advocated
freedom of mind and body. both of which
were bound by English fe,iers.
Some people seem 10 shu ldcr a, the term
Free Thinker" bu, why is iie l. II rot
because they fear that freedom of though,
will expose some egotism on superstition :
We might as we'll say that Il was wrong for
bird 10 fly as to say IL is wrong for an
individual 10 be a free thinker q. e1 10
to think for himself since wings are made
to fly and though, TO be exercised
When the American patriots were called
rebels, Paine replied ''He thar rebels
agains, reason is real rebel but he that
rebels in defense of reason agains, tyranny,
has better title 10 defender Of faith than
King George"
Day and night he labored; month sftr
month year after year hc gave himself 10
the great cause until there was govern.
men, binner Of stars floating over couti-
nent redeemed AID consecraied 10 The
happiness Of mankind.
Al The close Of the Revolution no one
500 higher in America than Tn mas
Paine. lie could have been what the
world IS pleased 10 call respectable. lie
could have died surrounded by clefgymen.
warriors aud statesmen and have had n
monument coyered with lies; but he chose
rather 10 benefit mankind and instead Of
pausing after doing so much for the benefit
Of mankind by looking behind the throne,
he concluded to look behind the pulpit and
expose lis errors and tyranny.
lie had drafted constitution for both
America and France and would the French
people have listened 10 him there would
have been no necessity for Reign of
Terror the streets would not have been
filed with blood Yet the Reign Of Terror
was great factor in alleviating the dis
asirous executions that were praciised in the
creeds by the clashing Of the divine rights
that were claimed by the Kings and Popes
lie claimed that II was little use 10 free the
body and leave the mind in chains and
never did The world make any progress until
the Reign Of Terror made il possible
Tor people TO think and act according to the
dictates Of their conscience.
The guillotine, the burning ~ the stake
and al religious prosecutions disappeared
with the Reign Of Terror Wonders have
been accomplished by science since the
mind IT The masses have b-cn loosed from
chains Men Of science have dispersed the
gloomy cavefns 81 superstition and have
transformed them into temples II thought
and the demons Of the past are angels Of
to-day.
Thomas Paine was ono Of the principal
intellectual hcfOes-one Of the men to whom
We ave ind,med. Ills name will be forever
associated with this great Republic. IS
long az free government exists hc will be
admired and hono'cd by all The unpraiu
diced people Of America
lie lived long aud accepted hatred and
reproaeh as hIs portion. Ills friends were
untrue TO him because be was true 10 them
Ills life was what many, cali failure and
what history calls success. There we're
many other illusirious men IN his day, but
they were IN some way connected with
crceds OF dogmas, consequently Thomas
Paine was The helm ~ ship that sailed 10
freedom and reformation
II 10 love your feliow.man more Than
self Is goodness. Thomas Psine was good.
n 70 be in advance II yonr iimc--io be n
pioneer in the direction Of reht--is great
ness. Thomas Paine NNs great.
II 20 discharge your duty in the presence
81 death wis heroic, Thomas Paine A. heroic.
Thomas Paine was q hero.
a few more years and mankind will
vencraie The man who said "Any system
Of religion that shocks The mind ct a child
cannot be true system. The world is my
country, and 20 DO good is my religion"
SALLA MANnER.
Terra Alta, w. Va.