Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-03
Promotion of Worthy Naval Omccr-
Hanged HHimseIf-'' Free Religious AS
northumberland Court of Inquiry. etc.

guns was fred, in honor of the promotion Of
Commodore Steedman, who has received his
commission as rear admiral, from Washington.
Rear Admiral Green has lust been promoted to
the same position, and salute Of Thirteen guns
was fired from the Congress, of Which lie had
cOIntIfaiidi
The "free religious association" meeting in
fremont Temple to-day was well attended Rev.
O. b. rockingham called the audience to order.
He said the association was not a Boston inSti-
tuition, 1t was not even managed by Boston
mel. The city of New York, through its pubic
press had given the association cordial well
come. The object Of the organization, at first,
he said, was to have every religion on earth
represented on the platform. Alterward 1t be-
came distinctive in its character, with puf'
pose, and it was not necessary to further enunci-
ate its principle Of cordially to all religions and
hostility to nome
Rev. John Weiss read an essay on the attitude
of science toward religion. Scientific natural
Ism, Itself he said, was divided into sides, aud
the independence of the soul OF the material
body and its pernlatiens continuance were ques-
tions which the greatest minds declined to
answer, for the reason that science had not yet
put facts sufficient into the case. Vitality Ill
the human structure, so far as observed, went 10
dlSproYe the theory Of personal continuance
after death, thotgh the essaylst said he was far
from undertaking its mortal probability. Re-
ligion was simply recurrence to the human
iiind of the facts of the universe. Science pene'
flied religion by hints at more practical treat
itiert DC those facts, thus throwing the pulpit
into disCieGh,
Rev. DR.. c. A. tafto1, after pleasant allu.
sion to Mr.. Weiss, said the "whirligig OF time
brought about strange changes. Formerly, "
was alleged chat the negro was akin TO tile ape
Now Darwin said the white man was no better,
and placed the two races In one boat. lie was
not going to attefhFt shaking off the relation
ship, because the negro Vas poor nor that OF
man with the animal even. He denied that
God was not concealed but revealed ny me
Works: Nature Was the crystal through when
m an saw him: The seven wonders Of old were
now seven million woldets He had no fear of
being swamped in physical science; Human
nature, he commended, was not bad, and re VINO
claimed that it was did not believe in God.
Rev. Henry Ierson of England spoke of the
maiiier III which the objects Of the association
were viewed Id tie bla werld He said the
thoughts that were now c0tEiug nj the surface
in speech were as the thoughts OF sfSld m
trammeled by direction in any set course. He
was often astonished at what stupid things had
beef believed, The belief, he said, that per-
vaded the unthinkirg minds Of Europe in regard
to free thinkers, was, that they were atheists,
and Huxley, Tyndall and Others shared the
obloquy of the belief. For himself, he desired
to find all the truth he could and preach it
from his pulpit, without regard to the narrow
limits of any church. The Unitarians generally
III England followed the same course, He adj
yised tic association to be not anxious to an
swer questions.
VIM. H. Spencer said all knew What an I'M
welcome visitor science was considered in the
former ages Of religion. 1t was hated, feared,
and, at every new discovery, was prosecuted.
Now it would be acknowledged by thinking
people that science helped religion; ennobed it,
though sectarians were slow to recognize the
aid, because it overturned some Of their pet
theories of origin etc.
Col. T. W. Hggnson spoke of the luxury OF
a religion that did not degrade men, and how
much that luxury depends upon the absence of
the eleiient Of fear Ii atheism was true, who
would not accept it, Whatever might COME
from science, let it come. If man was morally
| certain that there was no heaven beyond the
grave, he had the present, and let him be thank
| full for it, A few words for woman suffrage,
and reference to the apti-sl avery agitations OF
| years past closed Col: Higgnsoh's remarks
In the afternoon, extracts OF letters from
| Gerritt Smith, William LLOYD Garrison and
! Rabbi Wise of Cincinnati, we're read; and VIM
| j. Potter of New Bedford read an essay on the
origin of Christianity, and its relations to Other
| present faiths. His theory was the tendency to
unifCatiou of all religious ideas.
The absence of Rabbi Wise was regretted, and
| Mr.. rockingham gave synopsis Of the paper
| expected from him, first delivered as lecture
| in Steinway hall, New York.
Lucretia Mott followed in long and Interest
| ing address, relating her experience in England
| Ill 1914, anu SUltIH IldI HOW III IellSlOuS
| tiers she was happy in being able to discover
| nothing but an increasing unity OF feeling The
practice of frightening little children in Sabbath
school teaching, she was glad to see, was going
out of vogue, but regretted the general eXtraV-
agance of the age, which, in obStructing the
holy marriage relation, tended to lessen her
hope in the future Of America.
Rev. D. II. WATSON spoke at some length, on
what he understood to be Col. Higginson's I'M
| concern. He would tolerate discussion, but he
| had not arrived at a state such as appeared to
be inferred by the colonel's willingness to lose
| God, unless the latter could demonstrate that
| the universe was divine.
| 3 Mr. Russell of Salem came to Col. Higgin-
| sons defence
At the evening session, the evils of dog
| matism and superstition were discussed, Rev.
| o. B. rockingham reading the leading essay
on the subject. He asked if superstition was
not thing that had and did exist. 1t was a
popular deluson that existed now. 1t was the
universal horror and the universal favorite. 1t
was sometimes said that religion and supersti-
ton were one and the same thing. Ignorance
was charged with being the mother OF super
stition; it would not be fair to say that he in
augurated supernaturalsm. Prayer, The said,
was supernaturaliSm, on the principle of
pump that was dry, and long working of the
handle was necessary to an answer from the
source of supply. To be successful, prayer
should be humble and earnest, but the time was
coming when prayer with the lips for what men
I'D earn by labor, would cease. The Romish
and the Protestant churches we've alike
in one regard: Their power was dam
gerous, as arresting the working of thought.
The source of superstition was dread of the I'M
known.
Prof William Denton, Sprituast said he
understood that the essayist applied science and
common sense to religion, as in other matters,
and in that regard he agreed with him; for,
when that course was followed, the reign of
superstition was forever broken. There were,
he said, in Boston 100 heather temples, and the
Bible was the idol of their priests and worship
pers. He accepted the Darwinism theory. he
did not object to the Bible, if it was placed on
level with other books, and defended Spiritual
ism from Mr.. Frothingham's attack, saying
that SpiritualiSts had done more to break down
superstition than Others by bringing ont the
truth. They had demonstrated that there was
a world beyond the present. destroyed he'll, and
sent Jehovah to the place where he had threat
ened to send uubelievers. Denton's remarks
were warmly applauded from the rear of the
hall, which was evidently packed with his
friends. The better portion of the audience re-
ceived his pointed passages IN silence
ERev. j. Villa Blake, of the Parker fraternity,
said that what he had heard tonight did not
tend to make radical of him. He asked MIR:
rockingham if he continued to pray as he did
a year ago, so feryently, and ii he intended, IN
the future, to practice what he preached. Mr..
Blake claimed to be a conservative. He dldn't
believe In miracles, present or past, because he
didn't want to lose his faith in the past. In re-
gard to the observance of Sunday, Christ walked
right into the teeth of the Jewish law, recogniZ-
ing holy day of the week. and even Paul wrote
against placing one day above another.
Mr.. rockingham explained that what he
meant by prayer was, the asking of favors that
could be otherwise obtained; but he reiterated
his belief that men would ultimately cease to
pray
Aaron NJ. Powell closed the meeting, with
critical review of its proceedings
The Indian delegation, lately at Washington,
arrived here this evening, and are domciled at
the st. James.
Henry P. Moody, aged thirty-ive, hanged
himself to-day.
A Jury verdict, in the supreme judicial court,
n,rn rIr. NJ Ihnmns L Teital Shnnn damanes