Orson S. Murray was a radical reformer whose controversial views made him a pariah. He was one of those persons who was far ahead of his time, a free thinker whose experiments with truth provide lessons for us today. He grew to maturity in Vermont during the Second Great Awakening. A devout Baptist during his youth, he became a minister only to eventually renounce not only his own religion but all religions. He was a seeker of truth in the most profound sense and experimented with many diverse ideas and practices.

An abolitionist, temperance advocate, women's rights supporter, and vegetarian, he published three newspapers: the Vermont Telegraph on a weekly basis from 1835-1843; The Regenerator on bi-weekly basis from 1844-1849, and on a monthly basis from 1850-1854; and Murray's Review on a monthly basis from 1854-1856.