| Edward Jayne American Atheists--Brief Survey
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Eighteenth Century DEISTS--American Presidents: Washington DEISTS--other: Benjamin Franklin: A DISSERTATION ON LIBERTY AND NECESSITY, PLEASURE AND
PAIN (1725) ELIHU PALMER (1764-1806). America's first Atheist--influenced by d'Holbach. Blind from yellow fever, Palmer was Paine's only friend in his final years. Unlike deists, Palmer believed Christ was flawed, that civilization would have been better without Christianity, that a strictly naturalist ethic is needed. PRINCIPLES OF NATURE (1801-2)--Palmer's single book. Early 19th Century Deist Magazines: TEMPLE OF REASON (in NY and Philadelphia) Important Early 19th Century Freethinkers: ABNER KNEELAND (1774-1844)-- self-taught Universalist minister who renounced Christianity in 1829, a founding editor of BOSTON INVESTIGATOR in 1831; prosecuted for blasphemy, then jailed for 60 days, 1834-36; 1842 chairman of a Van Buren Democratic county convention in 1842. A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY in 1829-- 6 quick eds. FRANCES WRIGHT (1795-1858)-- notorious feminist, founding editor of NEW HARMONY GAZETTE, later FREE ENQUIRER. ROBERT DALE OWEN (1801-77)-- son of Robert Owen, lover of Frances Wright, co-editor of FREE ENQUIRER, later an apostate-- an influential congressman & war Democrat. also George Houston Not to omit RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803-82)-- unitarian minister who left the church because he rejected transubstantiation. At least once he challenged the possibility of an afterlife, though he returned to the concept late in life. Significant Early 19th Century Freethought Events: 1825-27: Robert Owen's cooperative colony at New Harmony, Indiana. 1834-36: formation of the United Moral and Philosophical Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge by Kneeland and Benjamin Offen at Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 1845: formation of the Infidel Society for the Promotion of Mental Liberty in N.Y.--lasted 3 years. 1854: the Hartford Bible Convention--a freethought meeting. 1857: formation of the Infidel Association of the United States in Philadelphia. Its report: MINUTES OF THE INFIDEL CONVENTION HELD IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. 1860-90: the GOLDEN AGE of American freethought. Darwinism was a major issue. Traveling lecturers were popular. Important Late 19th Century Freethinkers: DEROBIGNE MORTIMER BENNETT (1818-82). Began TRUTH SEEKER in 1873. Produced more than 20 volumes of writings. Sentenced to 13 months in jail by Comstock in 1880, after which he served as U.S. delegate to the International Freethought Congress at Brussels. ROBERT INGERSOLL (1833-99). First agnostic lecture, "Progress," in 1860. The chief publicist of the Republican party. At his oratorical peak between 1875 and 1895. A standing repertoire of 30 lectures, including "Some Mistakes of Moses," "Whhy I Am an Agnostic," "The Ghosts," "The Gods," "What Do We Have to Do to Be Saved?" "What is Religion?" and "The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child." Often crowds of 3,000; an indoor audience of 50,000 in Chicago in 1876. Good friends included Edison, Twain, Carnegie, and Burbank. SAMUEL PORTER PUTNAM (1838-96). a Congregational minister who quit in 1871 and joined the Unitarian Church until 1877. Gave extensive lectures between 1887 and 1894. Elected president of the Freethought Federation of America in 1892. Asphyxiated while sleeping with a young freethought lecturer, May Collins. 400 YEARS OF FREETHOUGHT (1894) BENJAMIN FRANKLIN UNDERWOOD (1839-1914)-- influenced by Darwin and Huxley --- argued that a personal God is inconsistent with infinity. An editor of both INDEX and OPEN COURT. THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON CIVILIZATION (1871) also H.L. Green Late 19th Century Secular Scholars: JOHN W. DRAPER (1811-82)-- chemist, physiologist, and astronomer. HISTORY OF THE INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPE (1862) HENRY CHARLES LEA (1825-1909)-- SUPERSTITION AND FORCE (1866) ANDREW D. WHITE (1832-1918) HISTORY OF THE WARFARE OF SCIENCE WITH THEOLOGY IN CHRISTENDOM (1876) Not to omit MARK TWAIN (1835-1910)-- toward the end of his career the author of "The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg" (1899), "Extracts from Eve's Diary" (1904), "Eve's Diary" (1906), "What is Man?" (1906), LETTERS FROM THE EARTH (1906, pub. 1969), and THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER (1916). Late 19th Century Women associated with freethought: Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) Major Late 19th Century patrons of freethought: Edison Late 19th Century Freethought Magazines: TRUTH SEEKER (1872- Founded by DeRobigne Mortimer Bennett until his death in 1882, then Eugene Macdonald until his death in 1909, George McDonald until 1937, then Charles Lee Smith until his death in 1964. Influential despite its circulation never more than 6,000. By 1981 its circulation was only about 300. FREETHOUGHT Principal Late 19th Century Freethought Organizations: National Liberal League (1876-1902) Major 20th Century Freethinkers CLARENCE DARROW (1857-1938)-- Worked with the reformist John Peter Altgeld in the 1890s, and served in the Illinois Legislature in 1902. Several major labor trials, then the 1925 Scopes trial after having defended Loeb & Leopold in 1924. THE STORY OF MY LIFE (1932)-- intellectual autobiography CHARLES LEE SMITH (1887-1964)-- troublemaker ejected from Little Rock, Arkansas, started the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ATHEISM (the "4 A's) in 1925, with over 3,000 members and chapters on 20 campuses until it was terminated by the Depression in 1932. Wrote an incomprehensible book, SENSISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE WEST (1981). Editor of TRUTH SEEKER from 1937 until his death, turned anti-semitic in the 1950s. JOSEPH LEWIS (1889-1968)-- President of Freethinkers of America from 1925 until his death in 1968. Initiated the BULLETIN, FREETHINKERS OF AMERICA in 1937, changed to FREETHINKER in the mid-forties, and AGE OF REASON in the 1950s, then folded when he died. A frequent TV guest, and he filed numerous suits to separate politics from religion. Had his own publishing house, the Freethought Press Association, and wrote and published more than a score of books. THE TYRANNY OF GOD (1921) EMANUEL HALDEMAN-JULIUS (1889-1951)-- began as a socialist, acquainted with Mark Twain in his old age; married the actress, heiress Marcet Haldeman in 1916, and gradually shifted from socialism to atueism. Later he began publishing the Little Blue Books as well as the journal AMERICAN FREEMAN. Was responsible for selling more than 3 million books. Published Joseph McCabe's "Black International Series," linking the Vatican with Axis powers as well as expose of J. Edgar Hoover. FBI prosecution aborted when he drowned in his swimming pool. MADALYN MURRAY O'HAIR (1919-96)-- initiated the 1962-63 lawsuit that led to a Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the Lord's Prayer from public schools. Formed the Society of Separationists, later renamed AMERICAN ATHEISTS, and published the journal AMERICAN ATHEIST. Many TV appearances. Rejected by her son Bill as explained in his book, MY LIFE WITHOUT GOD. Also Marshall Gauvin Not to omit H.L. MENCKEN (1880-1956)-- editor of the BALTIMORE SUN, SMART SET, and AMERICAN MERCURY. author of 28 books, including the following upon religious issues-- THE PHILOSOPHY OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE (1928) 20th Century Freethought Magazines: AMERICAN FREEMAN-- by Haldeman-Julius until he died in 1951 Important 20th Century Freethought Publishers: The Truth Seeker Company-- probably the most important
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