42
WHY
I AM AN AGNOSTIC.
introduction from Benjamin Franklin, at that time the greatest American. In Philadelphia, Paine was employed to write for the Pennsylvania Magazine. We know that he wrote at least five articles. The first was against slavery, the second against duelling, the third on the treatthat the object should be ment of prisoners -showing to reform, not to punish and degrade-the fourth on the rights of woman, and the fifth in favor of forming societies for the prevention of cruelty to children and animals. From this you see that he suggested the great reforms of our century. The truth is that he labored all his life for the good of his fellow-men, and did as much to found the Great Republic as any man who ever stood beneath our flag. He gave his thoughts about religion-about the bIessed Scriptures, about the superstitions of his time. He was perfectly sincere and what he said was kind .and fair. ’ The Age of Reason filled with hatred the hearts of those who loved their enemies, and the occupant of every orthodox pulpit became, and still is, a passionate maligner of Thomas Paine. No one has answered-no one will answer, his