The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-12-10
For ne Hrdld Of Freedom.
A Nee Religious Society.
a. 1eEc

LAWRENCE, NOV. ~, 1857
Mn. EprToR-Some inquiry having been
made by various individuals respecting the
character and objects of the new Religious
Society, recently formed in this place,
committee was appointed at our last meet
ing to prepare a short address to the pub
lie. and present it, with our Constitution,
to each of the papers in town for publiea-
ton.
This Committee would state, that in
forming the "Society of Religious Rrp-l
/ gress., its members were actuated BY the
simple desire to present the all-powerful and
and everywhere prevailing "religious ele-
ment" to the public, Under guise some
what different from the one in which 1t Is
ordinarily arrayed by the popular church.
Their object is not to destroy, or unne-
cessarily oppose existing organizations. On
the contrary, they invite persons OF every
religious faith to meet with them and aid
them in their efforts to do good to their fei-
low men. Their object is not SO much to
teach particular religious creed as TO dis-
cuss all creeds. As will be seen by the ac-
companying Constitution, tie Society con-
templates no creed-making, Or creed assert
ing as such whatever. 1t extt 'nds Its arms
of welcome to all sincere relig ionlsts, OF
every name and cline; welcoming alike to
its fold, Jew and Mohammedan, Pa gan and
Catholic, Protestant and Rationalist. II
asks no questions of any man as to hi re-
ligious faith believing with Peter, h'aI
sin every nation, he that feareth God ana
worketh righteousness is accepted with
him." Its object is to present broad hui
manitarian basis, upon which every sincere
and upright person can unite, to promote
the reign of righteousness upon the earth.
The members of this association stand
pledged to only two things, viz: to seek af-
ter and labor for the spread of truth in the
world, and the application of truth to life.
No man can be unwelcome to our Society,
who has this grand object in view. But we
think, that in order to arrive at the truth,
the fullest and freest inquiry should be in
stituted upon all subjects. We do not call
any man master, or purpose yielding our
assent to any dogma because it is inculcat-
ed in Holy or unholy writ, if it conflicts
with Reason.
We believe that the time has fully come
for Reason to assert her prerogatives, and
for her to be enthroned upon the altar of
Religion. The attempt has too long been
made to divorce Reason from Faith-to
teach that Reason will lead to infdelity-
and must not be obeyed fully in religious
matters. Now, we most emphatically be-
lieve, that SO far from Religion and Reason
being in the least degree inimical to each
other, they are twin-born sisters, and both
of them the fair daughters of the church of
the living God. In other words, the church
in Heaven being the bride-the LamSs
wife-Religion and Reason are the fruits
Of that mystic union, the heavenly visitants
sent down to earth by the mighty Jehovah,
to adorn and beautify it with their sacred
presence.
In every community, AMI we trust ours is
not an exception, pure-minded men and
women are to be found, who cannot receive
prevailing religious dogmas, and yet they
long and thirst for some kind of religious
teaching. They do not find food for their
souls in existing religious organizations,
and at the same time they are believers in
and lovers of pure and undefled religion.
Such persons are sometimes termed infidels
by those who know them not but it often
happens that they possess the highest at
tributes of faith and goodness. Others are
driven to infdelity, because the churches
say there can be no religion without sur
rendering reason, and this they are unwil-
ling to do.
1t is our object, if possible, to restrain
all such persons from falling into the yawn-
ing gulf of frigid inhdelity, by presenting to
them religious faith, founded upon Rea-
son, and counting the fullest and freest ex-
animation of its claims.
But our Society does not confne its at
tention to the theoretical part of religion.
1t aims also at promoting practical Chris
tianity. Its members, therefore, are divid-
ed into four Committees, whose object it is
to devise ways and means to promote the
! objects indicated by the names of the Com
mittees. These are, list. The Committee
on Benevolence. I'd. The Committee on
! Public Reforms. Sd. The Committee on
Intellectual Culture. And 4th. The Com
mittee on Spiritual Culture. Each one of
these Committees has its appropriate bus
! mess to attend to, in addition to the public
discussions that we hold every Sunday
, evening.
The following is our Constitution, viz:
We, the undersigned, being convinced
that the prevailing religious sentiments Of
the age do not meet the present moral and
spiritual wants of the human family, do
hereby form ourselves into Religious or
; ganization, and agree to be governed by
the following Constitution, viz:
Article 1. This Association shall be
termed " The Society of Religious Pro-
, gress."
Art. 2. The objects of this Association
shall be two-fold: LIST. To ascertain the
, truth upon all moral and religious subjects.
I'd. To apply that truth to our lives, and to
the elevation of the human family.
Art. 3. The members of this Association
hereby agree, in their weekly and other
meetings, and at all other times and places,
: as far as Is consistent with their business
relations and the proprieties of life, to Ia
D Dor for the calculation and advancement Of
: humanitary principles in morals and theol-
: ogy.
( Art. 4. This Association shall hold week
ly meetings for free inquiry, in a religious
and moral point of view, upon all topics
connected with the welfare Of man.
Art. 5. This Association shall never de-
I bar any person, whether member Of this
organization or not, from expressing his OF
her opinion upon the subject under discus
sion at any meeting: provided undue per-
sonalities, and other indecorous express
sions, are avoided.
Art. 8. The officers of this Association
shall be President, Vice President, Secre-
2 tary, Treasurer and Librarian, who shall
? constitute an Executive Committee, and be