Evening star (Washington, D.C.), January 30, 1878
TALK BY THE “LIBERAL LEAGUE” LAST NIGHT
Last evening at Talmadge Hall the birthday of Thomas Paine was celebrated under the auspices of the Liberal League. There were present about seventy-five persons, among them Col. H. H. Bingham, who called the meeting to order; Major J. Weed Corey, who presided; James Holmes, Col. W. H. Burr, J. J. Coombs, George Holmes, Dr. Wanstall, J. W. Le Barnes, Dr. Mary Walker and Mary A. Tillotson, (the bloomers,) Augustus Watson, Dr. Wm. Boyd, Mrs. Dr. Ellis, Dr. Wright and Gen. J. C. Smith. It was 8½ o’clock when the assemblage was called to order by Col. Bingham, who stated that they honored Thomas Paine because of his great services to mankind and to his country; and though they were few in number, when they assembled for the truth and the right they would be powerful.
PAINE NOT AN ATHEIST.
Major Corey followed, saying that they claimed the right to do their own thinking and speaking, and were in favor of universal mental liberty for all persons. One of their objects is to maintain the principles of the government, which would not have been brought into existence were it not for the influence of Thomas Paine. He then glanced over the life of Paine, noting the principal events, and claiming that it was Paine who first dared use the words “Free and Independent States,” and “Times which tried men’s souls,” words now used frequently, but the credit is seldom or never given the author. He quoted from Paine as to his escape from the guillotine, that life was saved by the interposition of Divine Providence, and also from his Age of Reason the words: “I believe in one God and no more, and I hope for happiness beyond this life,” and for these sentiments he had been reviled. Tom Paine was not an atheist. He wrote against atheism, and the speaker predicted that in less than ten years Trinitarians will be appealing to the works of Tom Paine to prove the existence of a God.
PAINE THE AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
Col. Burr next spoke and referred to the challenge of Bob Ingersoll for proof that Paine died a drunken, beastly death, and claimed that he had forever silenced that slander. It was a significant fact that in the lecture of Ingersoll on “Ghosts” the name of Paine was always received with applause. He claimed that Paine and none other was the author of the letters of Junius, and also the author of the Declaration of Independence, which had been claimed by Jefferson, and that was the whitest lie ever told by that great statesman.
MRS. DR. LAWRENCE ON THE SUBJECT OF HELL.
Mrs. Dr. Lawrence next spoke, and remarking that the God of the Old Testament was represented as a tyrannical one, she said that all the predictions of the prophecies were fulfilled in the birth of the Saviour. In Christianity there was a panacea for all ills—that is pure Christianity—but, she asked, are the teachings of Christ followed? In the churches there are long, meaningless prayers and sentimental songs, which they call religion. The people do not get the truth. Costly churches are erected with their spires piercing the clouds, and they are dedicated to fashion. To do good was her religion. Tom Paine was arraigned for speaking his mind, and if Christ came on earth to-day she thought he would again scourge them out of the temple. She read the report of the atrocities in the Trenton penitentiary, and said that no one could commit them unless they believed in hell and eternal damnation. Hell was a necessity with the ministry, for if there was none their occupation would be gone. She honored Paine for his manliness and speaking his thoughts.
Col. Bingham in a few remarks congratulated the audience on the celebration and the meeting closed.