Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.), March 10, 1907
The Paine Memorial Association of Philadelphia and Paine Historical Society of New York Now One
WOULD HAVE PREACHERS PAY THEIR RAILROADS
Elbert Hubbard, the Philistine, said last night that the greatest American that resided in Philadelphia in 1776 was THOMAS PAINE. BUT HE WAS AS POPULAR WITH AMERICA WHEN HE MARRIED AMERICA WITH IDEAS. The lecture was delivered in Horticultural Hall when Ingersoll delivered his lecture for the benefit of Walt Whitman. The hall was filled and many had to stand. Fra Elbertus is the Ingersoll of the present day and every liberal should hear him, for he not only described the evils and the injustices and persecutions of the reformers, but gave his remedy for their abolition.
In the Paine number of the Blade, Dr. J. B. Wilson tells of a number of lies still circulated about Paine and certain places where Paine’s services were unrecognized, as says Time, “the time will come when his picture will be as familiar to American school children as that of Washington.” Mr. Wakeman has pointed out the suppression of Paine’s name and services from the school histories. The filthy little “Atheist” is printed in the life of Governor Morris. Mr. Foley said that at this Paine dinner, by the strange irony of fate, Paine’s religion had to be protected by his infidel friends, which is true. We owe, says John F. Clarke, Paine a tribute. How are you going to pay it? Apply the Zeitgeist.
HUBBARD’S PHILOSOPHY.
For nineteen centuries we have been taught to work for the glory of God, and now we are learning our duty is to work for the good of man.
He talks and calls his hearers to have faith in the good they have done. And we are promised to have most of what has been in the Paine number of the Blade. If the Paine admirers want Paine to have recognition accorded his merits they can best attain these results by sending their names to Dr. Foote or the secretary. Do not expect the preachers to honor Paine. We want the names of those who love Paine and think an injustice has been done his memory.
We believe there ought to be at least one in every State in the Union, and we want a list of names from which to select our vice-presidents. Please send your name at once to Dr. Foote. Enclose 10¢ that it may be enrolled for the centennial memorial of Paine’s death.
Let the choir sing, “He gave his life for me.”
WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR HIM?
There is not one of the Blade readers in twenty-five that have contributed as much as the price of a church stew, and those who have borne the burden complain of those who do nothing but talk. Every religious paper did all they could to call attention to the Torrey and Alexander Mission, and the Liberal press should help Paine to be presented to the world in a manner that will insure a permanent place in history.
Fra Elbertus further says:
“I say the unbeliever should pay their share to honor their patron saint, Thomas Paine.”
I paid to the Blade fund to send Dr. Wilson to Rome. I also paid to send Dr. M. D. Conway, and I am glad that my name is written there.
All names and amounts sent will be acknowledged by Dr. Foote or in the Blade. Let the Blade start the ball at once. We want to know if there are any Paine admirers and how many.
The N.L.P. and A.S.U. are dead, and the Paine Associations can be followed by some other. We could have distributed 266 Blades if we had them.
Yours truly,
Jas. B. Elliott,
Secretary,
Paine Memorial Association,
3515 Wallace St., Philadelphia, Pa.