New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-05-23
TIE FREE RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS.

To NE Editor OF The Tribune
SIR: The Free Religious Associa ion holds its First
Animal Meeting in Boston next week II will occupy
one of the largest halls in the CITY and will challenge
the attention of the public during an entire day
morning afternoon, I'D evening. The Association
was formed just ore year ago. on the simple idea OF
religious freedom. 1t has creed TO establish OF
prOmulgate. or course it has no money, for money
is given to maintain creeds. 1t has done" nothing
1t has attemp.e ed nothing 1t has employed no lee
tuTeIs, paid no preachers, published no books, held
no conventions 1t has not even constitution and
bylaws 1t has made no attack other sects. All
that it processes TO do yet is TO offer platform
and an audience to earnest men and women who pc
lieve that the religious problem Of the age is I'M
solved, and who seeking its solution on the
ground of intellectual liberty. They have only an
idea but so pregnant the idea that it has excited
interest all the country and even in Europe 1t
has been thought of sufficient importance to be de-
nounced, argued against carcatured laughed at, by
secular newspapers and by religious journals Lead
ing Radicals of England have written letters asking
questions about it, and expressing sympathy with it.
1t has brought 20 light vast amount Of concealed
dsquet and passionate desire for unity in I'M
sectaran bonds for unsecaran purposes. II has re-
vealed the existence of similar enterprises that
carried on obscurey in different parts of the country
and has started other enterprises of similar kind in
other communities These things prove the vitality
of the idea in its largest and most indefinite FORM
Could it be expressed more definitely, ii would be
more effective. But the managers must be CAREFUL
and avoid the dangerous destinations Of system The
idea is too good to be Tsked. it is small achieve
ment TO assemble earnest of various inconsistent
and antagOnistic opinions, the same platform, on
equal terms 20 answer the same questions 1t Is no
small achievement 10 collect immense audience to
listen TO the different answers. Such meetings will
teach many things-the possibility of AMIGA
bic relations among men of differing beliefs,
the habit of entertaining more than one
stereotyped set of answers TO leading ques
tOns; the duty of hearing what all earnest people
have TO say on vital matters; the relative weight
and pcrtnency Of the solutions offered on the prob
lem of the age the wisdom of generosity, and the
need of some deeper moro substantial and more
comprehensive basis for cooperation in thought and
work The destruction Of sectariansm is one Of the
improvements which the modern world cries out for
loudly That the real lovers Of truth and goodness
should agree is more important than the special
articles on which they agree. Concord among re
ligious" men would be a thousand times better than
discord among Christian men. II the Free Re
ligious Association can do anything to promote that
it will deserve praise for it viii gather multitude
of stragglers into a fold and il will make some who
are now IN folds dissatisfied with the narrowness of
their quarters.
Nav q, lSGS.