heroes, martyrs, philosophers and philanthropists of the earth, enjoying their reward. All who have yearned for good and truth and suffered for their sake, will wear the crowns of glory. And the humble and peaceful, and loving and good, will all enjoy the reward, without regard to creed, color or nation. But the theologian says: "No such thing, sir; God has a plan, a complicated plan, a technical system, by which he selects his own, and unfortunately your heroes and statesmen, philosophers and philanthropists, martyrs for good and lovers of peace, are not in the bill. There is another test altogether. Have they believed in certain books and dogmas? Have they attended our ministations? Have we received them into our fold, and given them their certificates? If not, they are lost. This is not a question of goodness at all. The wretch whom you see in that dungeon, who will be hanged to-morrow for robbery and murder, has confessed and received the sacrament, and goes to Paradise direct; while your Washingtons and Jeffersons and Lincolns are not in the book of life. Heaven will be crowded with the weak, wicked, loathsome and abject, the degraded and debased, who have thrown themselves upon the merits of the Savior, because they had none of their own; while the great and noble and wise and good will be found in the place of torment." And this technical cheat, by which virtue and manliness are discarded by God himself, and vice and deformity accepted in their place, is set before us as moral and just religion. The stamp is accepted, though it be found on the vilest metal; the gold is refused, however pure and bright.

In finance our Government is doing the same thing. It must have a complicated system which the people cannot understand, where a plain course is indicated. The same simple rules that suffice for the guidance of an individual are the very ones to adjust affairs of State. If John Jones owed a million of dollars on notes bearing interest, and on others bearing no interest, he would have as many of the no interest notes out as his friends would accept. He would put out the entire million, if he could, and pay no interest at all. And if he could not manage all, yet he would have as many non-interest paying notes out as possible. This is precisely what Congress has not had the good sense or honesty to do. Government repudiates its own currency, and then, to keep it from depreciating below safe shaving rates for the shylocks, it buys up, every month or so, a portion of its own paper at a discount; and in order to show that it is able to buy at any time, it keeps constantly on hand (beyond the requirements for accruing liabilities) a hundred millions of dollars in gold idle in the Treasury. Think of John Jones keeping a hundred thousand dollars idle in his safe, when he might use it to pay his debts and stop the accumulation of interest! If he did so foolish a thing his relatives would have him sent to the insane asylum, as incompetent to manage his own affairs; yet that is just what our Government has been doing for years.

The country needs a certain amount of paper money,

and instead of Government supplying every dollar and saving so much interest, it sells bonds to bankers, pays them interest on the bonds, and then allows them to supply the paper it might itself supply. The bankers make the money which the public purse loses. Let the Government have all paper but its own withdrawn from circulation. Let it pay out currency, bearing no interest, always convertible into bonds at a low interest. Let it do this, and we shall have a financial system at once simple, economical, safe and efficient. It would have many advantages. First-It would save a vast fund of interest. Second-It would give the country, by a fixed law, all the paper it wanted, and no more. Third-Inflation and contraction would no longer be under the control of any man or set of men for purposes of speculation. And, fourthIt would soon show a very interesting fact to the political economist, namely, how much paper the country can take without undue inflation. But this system would be COMMON SENSE, and therefore will not suit those who do not want plain dealing and direct truth. The people alone can insist upon its adoption. They must get common sense first, and force it on the churches and the Government.

A DISAPPOINTMENT.-During the recent visit of Charles H. Foster to this city many persons in the habit of attending the Mediums' Seance, at Mercantile Library Hall, have expressed a desire to see Mr. Foster on the stand; and in response to this general wish, the President of the Society called upon him and he readily consented to join the other mediums in conducting the seance. He told several other persons that he had made such engagement; so there was no mistake about it. He was advertised, and the admission price placed at 50 cents, in order that the Society might derive some benefit. At this price the Hall on Sunday afternoon was crowded, but Mr. Foster did not appear. He was sent for, and it was ascertained that he had accepted an invitation to dine with some friends, and in spite of his prior engagement, he absolutely refused to attend the seance, giving no other reason except that he did not want to leave his turkey. Comment is quite unnecessary. The man seems to have no moral sense. After announcing to the audience that Foster would not be present, and stating that the money would be refunded at the door, the usual seance was held, the principal tests being given by Mrs.

Kerns.

WE have received a copy of Social Life, a Story for the Times, by Marion Todd, formerly of Grass Valley, which we will notice more fully as soon as time will permit. Mr. and Mrs. Todd conduct a department in Lois Waisbrooker's paper, Our Age, besides which they not only find time to lecture two or three times a week, but Mrs. Todd has written this volume of 142 pages, which she will send by mail for 50 cents, postage paid. Address the author, Marion Todd, Ypsalanti, Michigan.

It is easier to admit than to examine; and, for this very reason, the mentally ignorant are credulous, and disinclined to make the effort necessary to arive at scepticism.

CALVARY CHURCH-INFIDELITY DEMOLISHED.

Last Sunday evening we attended Calvary Church on Powell street. In the pulpit was a young man fresh from the shady cloisters of some theological seminary, and had come out into the world to air the wisdom there acquired. He was a brave young man, and evidently knew no better than to encounter the Goliah of scepticism and infidelity, with the little sling and stones the seminary had provided him, confident of complete success. He little knew the strength, vitality, prowess and abundant resource of his giant adversary. He had read of David's victory, and promised himself an equal success, with as trifling means. His opening words were bold, and fair and candid enough. He said he loved the bible; loved it because he believed it to be true, to be God's word. Should it prove otherwise, he must reject it; he could no longer love or defend it. Infidels, sceptics, said it was not true, that science had so revealed; and if it should so appear, it must be discarded. Here was the basis of a fine sermon, and we listened attentively to what followed; but what a falling off was there. The reverend gentleman (Robinson by name) simply set up the flimsy straw infidel of the theological seminary, cuffed him about with the greatest ease, and ended like David, in chopping off his head. But the healthy robust and lively infidel of the outer world is not so easily handled, and is not even aware of the triumphant overthrow of his clerical effigy. The reverend gentleman said he found a perfect agreement between real science and the Mosaic account of creation; that on all general points they are in perfect harmony. Moses spoke of a God, a beginning, a time when God made life, and gave man dominion over all the beasts of the field; and science, to-day, says that Moses was right in all these things, hence his firm belief that Moses was inspired of God.

Science does not, as the gentleman seemed to think, content itself with saying that there was a time when there was no beautiful earth, no life, no man; it inquires into the time when, and the manner how, the present state of things was brought about. It pursues with laborious research all the minor processes, and it discovers order, and law and regularity in all. Now, does Moses (admitting him to be the author of the Pentateuch) agree with modern science on this subject of creation, in any particular? We opine not.

If Moses says anything distinctly, it is that the world was made about six thousand years ago; and the names and ages of men are given down to historic times, so there can be no mistake. No scientist believes this. Moses also says that the world was made in about six days, which made him very tired, so he had to rest on the seventh day; but that it required only a part of one of these, days to make all the planets, the sun, and stars, and that these were created to give light to this little speck of creation where we live. No intelligent person believes this story. Moses says that after God had made the animals, male and female, he made man without woman, and then took the woman from man's side, as the result of an after

thought. It is derogatory to any sensible idea of God to think that he should have made such a blunder, and it is against all the analogies of science that the male and female were not produced together, as in other species.

Moses says that on one of the six days God made man and brought the newly made animals to him to be named; but after the revelations of geology, the disclosures of the fossil world, and the wide spread knowledge of the globe, with its varied races and climates, who believes this story? Certainly no man of science.

Moses says there was a tree planted, whose fruit could open the eyes and teach a knowledge of good and evil. How preposterous! There could have been no such tree, not even figuratively. Knowledge comes only of observation and reason, and not by the eating of any kind of fruit; nor, as the bible elsewhere intimates, by eating butter and honey; nor, as Mr. Robinson seems to think, by study in theological colleges. It comes from research into the laws of Nature.

Moses represents that man was made pure and good and innocent, and by eating of this fruit he fell, became wicked and depraved, was scattered over the earth, changed in form and feature, and degenerated to the deformity in which we now find him. But science tells us that he never fell; that he progressed upward to be what he now is, and that the progression is still going on.

Moses tells us that God selected a particular race of people (his race, of course), and favored them, and ordered them to slaughter men, women and children of their enemies, in sheer wantonness, saving only the young virgins for themselves. Common sense tells us that it is degrading to God to attribute to him such orders.

We might cite a hundred other passages from the books of Moses, which are not only repugnant to infidel geologists and scientists, but utterly inconsistent with any sensible theory of God and humanity. We conjure the gentleman to look back over his discourse and see if it be not utterly lame and inconclusive. Let him take up the few points we have here given! Let him ask himself, Does the bible say these things? And if it does, Are they true as generally believed? (We admit some of them may be true as riddles in ancient astronomy. By the way, Robinson should attend Prof. Chaney's course of lectures.) Let him come again before that intelligent congregation, read these propositions, and make away with them, and he will prove that he is fitted to feed men with strong meat, to lead in the van of Christian philosophy. At least we trust he will not again, as he did last Sunday evening, administer skimmed milk, to what he must have supposed were purblind puppies. It is time the churches of San Francisco were converted into temples of light. It is disgraceful to our age and nation that we present to the opposite shores of Asia, with the one hand modern science and with the other the ancient superstitions of Egypt and Hindoostan.

The success of a human life is commensurate with its usefulness. Never let your dignity or pride prevent you from descending to perform whatever duty circumstances impose upon you,

THE LIBERAL BOOK BUSINESS.

LETTER FROM HERMAN SNOW.

The Banner of Light of the 20th June contains the following:

DEAR BANNER: I write now for a special and somewhat personal object, but one in which, as I think, you as well as myself will feel a personal interest. After a long and careful consideration of the subject, I have at length made up my mind to sell out my business here as soon as I am able to secure a suitable successor. It is not necessary for me to trouble you with the special reason for my course. I will say, however, that it is not because there is a want of fair business prospects. Oh the contrary, there is such a constant and strong tendency toward enlargement, that, with a person of firm health and good mercantile capacities, a very large business in the Liberal Book Trade might soon be established in this grand and rapidly advancing region of the Pacific. Already, during my nearly seven years of effort, I have been able to concentrate the Spiritual and Liberal patronage of almost the entire country-fron the British territory on the north, to Mexico and even South America at the south, and from the Salt Lake valley on the east, to many of the islands of the Pacific, and in some cases to China on the west. And I do not wish to surrender my important foothold in this far West of our country, unless it be to some one fitted to do the work at least as well as myself. And it is such an one that I am now anxious to secure as my successor a desire in which, as I doubt not, I shall have the hearty sympathy and co-operation of the Banner firm, who, perhaps, more than all others, must be interested that an efficient and reliable person be found to take my place. One thing more should be said, to prevent unnecessary trouble to all concerned: A cash capital of from $3,000 to 4,000 will be necessary to maintain the business in its present shape; but a considerably larger capital might, nay, ought to be employed in order to the proper enlargement of the business in the hands of some enterprising person well posted in the general book trade. Most cordially and fraternally

yours,

San Francisco, Cal., June 1st, 1874.

HERMAN SNOW.

The reason why Mr. Snow desires to sell is that his health is gradually failing, and he is unable to devote that attention to the business which is required to maintain it in its present prosperous condition. After spending years in building up a good trade it would be unwise to discontinue the business, which to a fit successor cannot fail to be profitable. The Common Sense Publishing Company is undoubtedly more favorably situated for conducting such a trade than any private individual can be, and the only reason why the Company does not purchase the stock and good will of Mr. Snow is the lack of capital for such an extension of its business. Mr. Snow wants cash; while all the available means of the Company are now required to carry on its own legitimate business, that of publishing the paper, and job printing. As soon as sufficient stock is sold to enable the Company to enter actively into the bookselling trade, arrangments will be made to do so either under Mr. Snow's good will or otherwise. Meantime whoever may purchase from Mr. Snow will have a good field for business, and will undoubtedly be able to make it as it has been a profitable one.--ED.

BEECHER-TILTON.

Some of the most wishy washy stuff that has appeared Beecher-Tilton scandal, of which the Evening Post has put in our trashy San Francisco press has been vented on the forth the most boshy. The explanations of Beecher's conduct given by the Post might be taken for the emanations of an idiot, did they not so plainly bear the marks of a man who knows better than he says. The fact is, these papers dare not tell the truth; and they attempt to cover up Beecher's guilt by foul aspersions on the character of the man Beecher injured. The following, from the Post, is a specimen:

"Theodore Tilton, it is said, has more damaging things against Beecher in reserve. If he has, it will be a pity if they don't choke him before he gets them out. The way in which this admirer of the Woodhull peddles out his own shame is far more disgusting than any charges he can make against Beecher."

How is it one man's crime becomes another man's shame? Beecher, while professedly Tilton's friend, was for years his secret foe, and when finally Tilton learned the truth, and had the magnanimity to forbear personal vengeance ; aye, even, out of consideration for others, to conceal the crime, Beecher allowed this much injured and long suffering man to be branded as a slanderer, in order that he himself might escape the just condemnation of his acts. Bad as was Beecher's seduction of Mrs. Tilton, his heartless treatment of the husband of his victim was infinitely worse. It was cowardly in the extreme, and no amount of abuse of Tilton now can gloss over this fact. An honorable man would at least have called off his dogs; and a high-souled man would have come out boldly and declared that Mr. Tilton was blameless. The matter had two years ago reached that point where such a declaration was demanded, be the consequences what they might. There are times when the truth may well be concealed; but when the worse comes to the worst, then let the truth come out, and those stand or fall who may. Mr. Tilton deserves great credit for bearing in silence for years the foul imputations cast upon him; and no honorable man will now blame him for turning upon his persecutors. would have been better if Mrs. Tilton had saved him the necessity; but if she would not, it was his right to defend himself; and to do so in his own way. If he chose to tell a portion of the story first, and let his enemies squirm themselves into a corner where he can pin them fast with the facts he still retains, that is his right, and we are glad he has exercised it.

It

BUSINESS MEN who are friendly to COMMON SENSE should aid it by advertising in its columns. Our circulation is now 1,200 copies, and is constantly increasing. The paper circulates among the best classes of people, and advertising in its columns will pay as a business investment, to say nothing of aid to the cause. If you have nothing else to advertise, you can at least put your business card in the paper.

LOCAL OPTION-DASHAWAY HALL DISCUSSION.

Notwithstanding the recent defeat the Prohibitionists. have sustained at the polls, the discussion of the subject still continues, with increasing interest. Dr. Rockwood opened the debate before the Society for Self-Culture on Sunday last, the points made by him being given on page 97 of this issue.

Mr. Rosenbaum contended that if alcohol was as bad as represented, it should be abolished altogether; he would not temporize with a positive evil. He did not think it bad; on the contrary, he asserted that alcohol as a beverage is a positive good, and cited Greece and Rome and other wine growing countries as examples of progress and refinement! Compare the wine-consuming Caucasian race with the heathen abstainers. He admitted the evil of its abuse, but we can abuse the best gifts of heaven, and that would be no reason for their abolition. He contended that the rise of free thought under Luther was favorable to sociability and Sunday enjoyment, and maintained that personal liberty in that respect is essentially German. He considered the Calvinistic school as detrimental to personal liberty, and stigmatized the emotionalists as worthy successors of the bigoted Genevan.

Mrs. Fanny Allyn believed both sides, partially, because she was of an inquiring disposition, and wanted to go to the bottom of things. It has done much good already. It has made timid women know their power; it has shown them that they can mingle with the roughest of California male bipeds without being contaminated. It will do more than that; it will bring people to think. We must go back of Local Option for the causes that produce the present condition of society; we must investigate antenatal conditions, and if we cannot have religious regeneration, let us have right generation. Let us not make this temperance question a finality. It is only the means of developing the godlike that is in man and woman. Let us have free amusement, free art galleries and theatres, everything that tends to expand and cultivate the mind and body.

Mr. Loyd gave his experience as a tippler. He almost despaired of returning to total abstinence when every other door is a grogshop.

Prof. Chaney reviewed Mr. Rosenbaum's alcoholic proposition. He wanted to know, if wine indicated such ̄a high civilization as Greece once enjoyed, why doesn't it work that way now? Look at Greece to-day, and see what two thousand years of wine drinking has done for her! The Professor described the effects of alcohol on the human system. He admitted that the law in question is not perfect, but it is the best we can do under the circum

WOMAN SUFFRAGE CELEBRATION

Mrs. Sarah Wallace writes to Laura De Force Gordon concerning the celebration of the 27th of July, "that being the fifth anniversary of the first Woman Suffrage organization on the Pacific Coast, and from which association sprung the present Incorporated State Society." Mrs. Wallace says: The friends are enthusiaitic and most sanguine of a united, successful and glorious good time on the 27th, and regard the occasion the California woman's Fourth of July. It is true she is not yet emancipated from long years of slavery and unrewarded toil, but the hour of her glorious transition is near, as is brightly shown in the events of the past few years, and the cheering prospects of women's political future. Let the Suffragists on the coast unite in consecrating the occasion of the 27th to the great principles of equal rights and human justice, and in the future, to work to that end.

DR. BARLOW J. SMITH, of the Allo-Hygienopathic Home on California street, last week Wednesday gave the first of a series of lectures, intended solely for women. It was better attended than was anticipated, and much interest was evinced. The Doctor said four-fifths of the diseases

physicians are called upon to treat, are the result of impure food, or the too free use of good food. He acknowledged that men have gone as far as they can in physiology, and if they go farther they must learn from the experiences of women. The Doctor invited the ladies to ask any questions, or advance any idea they saw fit, and quite a lively discussion on dress reform ensued. The Doctor said he did not blame women for following the dictates of fashion, when it is against the law for a woman to wear in the street a costume that would be as comfortable for her as his own; and farther, said he doubted whether women could change their dress very much until their political status is changed. The lecture was entertaining and instructive, and was delivered in an easy, conversational style, which made his hearers feel at home with him and his subject.

SACRAMENTAL WINE.-Some Christians do not use fermented wine at the sacrament, and deny that the wine taken by Christ was fermented; but we know that this is a mistake, and I can testify, from personal observation on the spot, that the Syrian wines. are particularly heady and alcoholic, so much so that I was one of a large party who were all much the worse for drinking freely of a Syrian wine which appeared to be as mild as milk, and resembled where the sun is powerful, such as Spain, Persia, Syria a light burgundy. In fact all wine-growing countries. and California, produce wines containing a very large percentage of alcohols. The most charitable view to take of Christ's rude answer to his mother, "What business is that of yours?" is that the wine had got into his head.Don Fulano.

Every law passed sustaining usury or interest for money encourages speculation, gambling and idle living; renders honest toil despicable, conflicts with the right of the laborer, and under it money, instead of aiding the worker, becomes his competitor and his most deadly foe.-Toledo Sun.