Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.), January 31, 1909
THOMAS PAINE
All Liberal Men and Women are Exhorted to Aid in Making the Centennial a Success
By George Dahlhamer
How the name of Thomas Paine thrills the heart and soul of man as he reads the wonderful truths he uttered when the mass of people were in ignorance; how wonderfully he predicts, with almost superhuman foresight, the things that are coming true.
For instance, he said if America would free herself from England she would become one of the greatest nations on the globe.
I wish our Christian brethren could give Biblical prophecies to be fulfilled as accurately as that.
His noble, generous heart, filled with love for downtrodden humanity! With the same zeal and courage he wrote his Age of Reason to free the mind of his fellow man from the then existing superstitions.
The sacrifices he made, the toil and hardships he endured to help man to his right place in life, and then to be vilified, his character blackened, and his name dragged to the very depth of pollution by Christians, should be enough to make any man who has brains to read and think abhor and detest a system that will degrade a man by whose efforts they enjoy the privileges they do.
Freethinkers and Liberal people everywhere should give the matter more thought and consideration, and all put a shoulder to the wheel to give the cause and him the honor and justice due them.
Let us one and all give him honor and praise for his noble deeds.
June 8, 1909, will be one hundred years since his death, and the Paine Historical Society will hold an anniversary in commemoration of the event at New Rochelle, New York, and all who can should contribute to the cause to make it a rousing demonstration worthy of his name and deeds.
All who can contribute will remit funds to Dr. E. H. Foote, 120 Lexington Avenue, New York.
Dear Liberals, do not neglect this important matter. Think of the glorious liberty we enjoy tendered us by Thomas Paine.