New Series, Vol. VII., No. 29     Valley Falls, Kansas, Friday, December 6, E.M. 289     Whole No. 327

[Left of the Mast-Head] We date from the first of January, 1601. This era is call the Era of Man (E. M.) to distinguish it from the theological epoch that preceded it. In that epoch the earth was supposed to be flat, the Sun was its attendant Light revolving about it. Above was heaven where God reigned supreme over all potentates and powers; on earth ruled the Pope as the vice-general of God; below was the kingdom of the Devil, Hell. [?] taught the Bible. Then came the New Astronomy, the astronomy of Copernicus, Galileo and Bruno. It demonstrated that the earth is a globe revolving around the sun; that the stars are worlds and suns; that there is no "up" or "down" in space. Bruno sealed his devotion to the new truth with his life on 17th day of February, 1600. During the 17th century Grolius wrote the first work upon international law.

[Right of the Mast-Head] Our name, "Lucifer," comes to us from astronomy. Its etymology: Lus (Lucius, Light, and Ferre, to bring or bear. It was originally applied to the Morning Star. To [?] this illustrious name was bedimmed by theologians, see Webster's Dictionary, page [7?1] - note by Henderson. [?] also page 1621;
     "Lucifer" 's in fact no profane or Satanic name. It is the Latin "Luciferus," the Light-bringer, the morning star, equivalent to the Greek "Phosphorus," and was a Christian name in early times, borne even by one of the Popes. It only acquired its present association from the apostrophe of the ruined king of Babylon, in Isaiah, as a fallen star.
     As the night of theology wanes, and as the Daylight of Science advances[,] the grand old name will regain its pristine significance. Again will "Luciferus" be hailed "Son of the Morning!" "Herald of the Dawn!" "Harbinger of the Good Time[s] coming!"

[First column:] LUCIFER---THE LIGHT-BEARER.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.

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     No communications unless accompanied by the real name of the author.
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OLD AUTHORITIES AGAINST MODERN DESPOTISM.
The sun might as easily be spared from the universe as free speech from the liberal institutions of society.---

[Second column:] MAN'S INHUMANITY TO WOMEN.
Makes Countless Thousands Mourn.
     (And still another noble-hearted, level-headed woman stands up to be counted among the number of those who believe that the time has come for concerted action against the abusers of wives and mothers under legal sanctions. If the recital of facts such as these -- facts hitherto hidden as much as possible from sight and sound -- if such recitals fail to rouse the honest indignation fo fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons everywhere, and if those fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons make no sound and put forth no effort to abolish these abuses and to inaugurate a social system under which such crimes against womanhood would be impossible, then let humanity despair of ever seeing the time when asylums for the insane, almshouses, dens of prostitution, prisons and the scaffold will cease to exist on this planet.--ED. LUCIFER.)
     I have just read the "Markland Letter" and "An Awful Letter" and others published in LUCIFER, and I can truly say that "H.M.L.'s cry for freedom is more common than one would think unless they have given the subject careful consideration and investigation, for such sufferings are care-

[Third column:] weakness. But from our own weakness let us draw strength. Let us gather up our full united force and -- with LUCIFER to start the ball rolling -- all together let us work for the cause and for the emancipation of our sex.
St. Joseph, MO.          Mrs. E. A. ABBEY.

Open Letter to the U. S. Court.
C. G. Foster, Topeka, Kansas:     Judge: Allow me to speak as counsel for the defense in the case of the United States against the proprietors of LUCIFER, Valley Falls, Kansas. On general principles when the laws are such that one class of persons may do what others may not, it has a tendency to bring the Judical branch of the government into disrepute. Take this case. The crime charged is obscenity. It would hardly be claimed it is more a crime to send obscene matter through the mails than to talk obscenely in public. Yet this last is permitted right in the court rooms all over the country. Let there come up a trial for divorce, seduction or rape, what will the Judge not listen to from the lawyers and witnesses? You know all about this, Judge.

[Fourth column:] To All Reform Journals.
Individualist, Denver, Colo.
     No more important move could be made at the present time than to call a conference of social reform thnkers and writers to the hall in Chicago. Such conference would facilitate the interchange of views and bring about the harmony of action that is so necessary to effective and practical work.
     I do not believe in parties, constitutions, by-laws and platforms, but I do emphatically insist that many of the supposed differences that divide and separate social and industrial thinkers and agitators, result almost wholly from lack of personal acquaintance, differences in phraseology and a disposition on the part of too many earnest, but narrow-minded crusaders to think that theirs is