Francisco Ferrer; his life, work and martyrdom, with message written ...

86 Francisco Ferrer,
was acquitted, and in 1909, when a court-martial under
church domination refused to hear his defense and ordered
his execution. The old Inquisition used to say,
"Without the shedding of blood," which meant death
by fire. Ferrer was shot. He was to kneel with bandaged
eyes. He asked to stand and receive death with
open eyes. He was allowed to stand, but not unbandaged.
He dared to face death unflinching. But did his executioners
fear to have their instruments look him in the
eye Fortunately their bullets through his brain meant
instant death.
From every civilized people there rose at once cries
of horror and indignation ! Here is the tragedy of Bruno
reenacted in our era of science and humanity ! What
can we, what can humanity do that it may never happen
again What it can and must do is to stand together
so that, by union of peoples and their nations, Spain
and its church shall learn that the lesson and message
of Ferrer is the condition that humanity noiv imposes
upon rulers who would continue to govern or to exist!
There must be a real practical separation of church and
state, and the state must do the work that Ferrer began,
of making known to each rising generation the zvorld
of which it is really a part, and the conditions of a happy
lot, fate, and duty in it.—From The Truth Seeker.
ife' W «r
H. PERCY WARD'S TRIBUTE
Mr. H. Percy Ward, Rationalist lecturer in Giicago
and author of a brochure, "Why Spain Shot Ferrer,"
writes us as follows
"On August 15, 1907, it was my pleasure and honor
to preside over a meeting of welcome to Ferrer held
under the auspices of the Liverpool Secular Society
(England), of which I was the lecturer and organizer.
He was brimful of enthusiasm, and refinement shone
through his every feature, word and act. It will ever
be one of the proudest recollections of my life that I
was privileged to grasp the hand and listen to the voice
of this noble martyr for Freethought.
"How can Freethinkers best avenge the murder of
Ferrer With the bomb or bullet, the dagger or dyna-