The Portland daily press., 1869-05-29

TIC ADDRESSES.
Especial Dispatch to the Daily PressJ
BOSTON, May %. In some respects the con-
Vention to-day has been more remarkable than
any that has occurred during the week. 1t
certainly presented very singular spectacle
TO the looker-on. There was Rev. Rowland
Connor, who was too liberal even for Uniyer-
salism, side by side with David A. Wasson. a
noted and noteworthy spiritualst, and the
veteran reformer, Aaron A. Powell, in close
consultation with the able recruit he found in
Julia Ward Howe. William Denton was
there, the man with no religion at all. and
Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose doctrines are So
mythical that it is doubtful if he understands
them himself Mrs. Cora L. v. once Hatch
but now Tappan; Rev. Francis e. Abbott, who
says that Boston Radicals are not liberal
enough for him; Rev. o. b. rockingham and
Jewish Rabbi led the convention, whose OBJ
lect was to brush away the cobwebs and let the
light of truth shine upon the world.
Tho President, Rev. o. B. rockingham,
called the meeting to order and made a few re-
marks. The organization, he said, was not a
sectarian organization, from the fact that diff
Guilty is found in putting its ideas before the
public We are outside of all bodies connected
by special ties of agreement; we are not of the
same mind among ourselves, although we are
of the same spirit. Our ideas are scattered
throughout the country, and their liberaIity is
gradually becoming part Of the national poll
cy The supremacy of reason, in politics, in
religion, and by all the religions of life, spirit
of unselfshness and correct cropping for the
truth, express in nutshell the principles of
this organization. Religion literally means
unity; the power that binds men together, that
binds all souls to the Divine. AS interpreted
by the religious world it means war and dis
cord. Christendom is an army of sects; each
sect takes up the little portion that belongs to
it and can go no further. We go down below
all these sects and stand upon their founda-
ton. Mr.. rockingham recognized the Su-
preme Being as the soul of all things, and con-
cluded by saying that the work Of the associa-
ton was to educate the people to O true COM
prehension of His nature.
DR.. .Ellinger of New York, editor ofthe Jew
ish Times, spoke of the general ignorance in
regard to Judaism. 1t is one God and one hu-
manity endowed by God with an immortal,
spirit There is a Son of God who never dies:
who performs wonders but not miracles; who
IS born of woman but is not divine-and that in
the doctrine of Judaism. The revelation of
goa winch 1t teaches is a never-ending revela-
ton. The grand developments OF human ge.
MUS during the past century are the natural
outgrowth Of Judaism; the offspring of free
dom of will. The Bible is simply the Magma
Chdrta Of the human race, and the first book
OF the Divine creation of humanity. True Ju-
daism knows no such uncertainty as man born
in sin from which he cannot be released with
out believing something inconceiyable 1t
scorns the doctrine of vicarious atonement-is
opposed to all things that tend to build up bar
riers between man and man.
Rev. Jesse III. Jones OF New York was in
troduced as one who would speak Orthodox,
religion He desired to say few words in
Dehaif OF that Jesus, who, rejected eighteen
hundred years ago, has now been rejected
again. Christ revealed new law of moral ac-
tion-the law of love. Before his day, selfish
ness was the cornerstone of all human life
DIR. Hopkins said that every man who wished
to be Christian perfectly would be willing to
be damned for the glory Of God, and this is
exactly the idea OF love. Again, Christ re-
vealed God in a totally new character, as the
embodinest Of this law, and proposed to effect
complete revolution in the human race; to
weed out selfishness, root and branch. Other
systems polished human nature and human
society, but christianity revolutionized it. =
Christ taught the idea that the more you have
the more you have to serve, instead of the gem
orally received doctrine that the more you have
the more you have to serve you. Christ also
revealed the idea that all human beings should
work together in political government with
out distinction of color, race or sex. He was
"the great agitator of mankind" By the put
ting of his ideas into words and their realiza-
ton in daily life, He proposed to convince the
world of their truth
Rev. Francis E. Abbott, of Dover N. Fl.
who affirms that Boston Radicals are rot yet
up to his stand point of libeiality saw in the
world two extremes of christianity, the princi-
pies of authority exemplifed in the Catholic
church, and that of freedom enunciated by the
free-religionists. He stood pledged to liberty,
pue and simple, and secuted the idea Of a
compromise between the two. When ono
passes out OF the circle of authority he is at
once separated from christianity. Therefore,
is no Radical christian. Mr. Abbott holds
the name is q cloak which had better be dis
clrded, because it does not express the real
truth
Prof. William Denton, a free thinker and q
Spirltualst was the next speaker. He dis
sented from the views of all who had preceded
him, only agreeing with Mr.. Abbott in the
statement that the largest liberty was necessa-
~ for soul-development.
Ralph Waldo Emerson next stumbled upon
the platform, and read metaphysical essay
upon the duties of man to man.
In the afternoon Mrs. Julia Ward Howe
read an essay, as yesterday announced, and ad-
dresses were made by Col. T. w. Higginson
and others, Mr.. Higginson averring that there
could be no exclusiveness in religion.
Notwithstanding the storm this evening the
attendance was large. Rev. d. A. Wassop
made long and recondite address, followed by
Rev. Rowland Connor, Lucy Stone, Horace L.
Seaver, editor of the Boston Investigator, Mrs.
Cora L. V. ii. d. Toppan and Rev. j. Weiss.
The convention adjourned sine die.
THE SHAKER CONVENTION
assembled in the Meonian this afternoon. Per-
haps fifty of these peculiar people were pres
ent on the platform, exhibiting singular spec
tacle with their blue and drab overcoats,
straight hair, muslin caps and plain attire El-
der Frederick Evans explained the objects of
the society, which were still further illustrated
by Albert Lomas, of Watervliet, N. Y. He
said the blssful subject of marriage was the
most beautiful order of God upon the earthly
plan, but there.is higher order than that We
make no objection to its use but to its abuse.
We prefer to be christians rather than to mar
ry. The institution is not one which a con.
sistent christian can join. If the angels mar
ry they are not christian angels. There never
has been any call on us to beget children for
the filling up of the world Ministers who
marry are no more christians than the laity
In word, Mr.. Lomls thought the idea OF sem
sual pleasure inconsistent with a proper per-
formance of our duties to God He did not be-
lleye that there had been or ever will be child
born under christian auspices.
Paulina Bates, of Watervliet, Elders John
Vance, of Alfred, Me-, William Leonard, OF
Harvard, Mass, Calvin Fairchild, OF Hancock,
N. H.. and Ederess Antoinette Doolittle also
made short addresses. Several sacred songs
were sung in the singularly vivacious manner
of this society, and the meeting adjourned.
THE UNIvERsALIsT CONFERENCE
OF churches was presided over by the Rev. DR..
Fay, at School street church. Brief and in
cfru ad1 IL ID