The New York herald., 1873-10-17
FREE RELIGION.


OF Free Reltg observation-disclosures by Pro-
lessor Younaans, the Rev. John Weiss,
the Rev. j. Chadwick and Mrs. Black
well-The Evangelical Alliance Criti-
cfzed.
The third days proceedings OF the session OF the
Conference or .Free Religionists" was commenced
yesterday morning. with smaller attendance
than on the previous day, and the proceedings
were remarkably cherries and dul
the PRAYER TEST.
The question OF the efficacy Of prayer was intro
duced by short speech by Mr.. Frothingham, who
presided, after which papers were read by Proies-
sor Youmans and the Rev. John Weiss on the sub
ject OF the efficacy OF prayer.
paper was also read by Rev. J. Chadwick, OF
BROOKLYN, on sPositivsm in Religion
Mrs. ANToINETTE BROWN BLACKWELL read
paper on Truth in Nature" whether the
Bible was the manifestation OF God might be dis
puted, but we have the universe. and that Is un-
uuestonably His. Science then was the revelation
OF God. One branch OF anatomists finds no per-
sonality IN life Whether not we can find a per-
sonaI God in immortal life in science may yet be
open to question. Mans religious nature and its
personal responsibility are only learnt by q survey
OF the laws OF nature. Even our school brethren
test nature by the Bible. We test the Bible by
nature To me it seems that popular speculative
science is more less athelstlc pantheistic, when
led to investigate science in the light OF theories.
Unless we discredit his wisdom, must believe that
God has revealed his true character In Cosmos
If He must live in human souls, He must limit Him.
sell to our conception. But in things, his modes
OF speech have no limit, they are as boundless as
Himself. We have only carefully to read the lacts
OF nature to obtain the legitimate conception OF
His relation to ourselves. The truth as TO mans
character and his final destiny may be learned
revelation. To me the scientific evidence OF
mind Is indestructibie; is as certain that
ao''''us to rs that it is " reality, that L is
o personal entity, then there can be
no longer any doubt as to It's immortality. l. is
not science that can or does deny Immortality.
Science has not yet shown that any forces can be
barteredfor any other form. In this age the peo-
pie will never reject science, and the inquiry to-
day by tens of thousands is thls-'ls the Bible and
science in accord 7" Faith is good, but sight is
better. II the Father has written the laws IN the
minds and the bodies of men then they can be ac-
cepted as final evidences OF the manifestation OF
truth.
Mr.. FRorH1NGuAM after apologizing for the alb
sence of a gentleman who was to have been
present and read paper ION the influence OF
addressed the audience on this subject at some
length, after which the Conference adjourned
THE EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session there was larger at-
tendance than on any previous evening, and the
space OF the he'll OF the Cooper Institute was about
twothirds occupied. Mr.. rockingham presided,
and introduced the essayst Of the evening, the
Rev. John Weiss.
Mr.. WEISS read paper on dogma In Connection
with the Evangelical Alliance.n After defining
dogma as believed by the orthodox, he said:-You
might as well declaim Greek TRACE ~ to orchard
trees as elaborate a scheme OF redemption for
cussing and describing with considerable carica-
ture the popular and orthodox scheme OF saliva
ton, he said the CONSCIOUSNESS OF right and wrong
is the immediate discovery OF the laws OF nature
The scheme of 1900 years ago Is rebuked by the
millions OF godly men and women, many OF whom
we're as upright as Socrates without his genius,
who liued before that period. The dognatists do
not omit practical ethics and they are not omitted
from their mode OF conversion. Men are SO
brought up that ethics are incomplete without |
weighted in the world until the arrival OF st. Paus I
Epstles. The mind has got to watch its doc
trine SO closely that morals get loose.
mind that Is well Piled with evangelical
phrases gets the sentiment and the passion OF 1t;
just as novel reading grows and the latest passion
in music. He noticed 1t was easier to Come to
Jesus" in the vestry than to practice the precepts
OF Jesus on the street. This system may save SIN
ners but il mas very bad luck In reforming them.
With rare exceptions In this country the swindlng
Is contracted lor by othodox professors. Swindlers
gamblers and thieves have been brought up in
Let there be new departure, and let facts be
notched In nature; let the great scheme OF atone
ment be mutual redemption. How could IT benefit
America II all Its people believed the articles OF
orthodoxy; Ii America continued Its money max
ing II the articles save and the dollars damn
After continuance Of this strain Of remark,
which was interspersed here and there with wit
ticisms Mr. Weiss concluded by thanking the audi
ence for their courtesy in listening to him.
Mr.. ELLINGER followed by the reading OF paper
on "fhe Evangelical Alliance" the burden OF
which was complaint that the Alliance declined |
to take up the consideration OF ''Science.n
The Convention finally adjourned at about ten
O'Clock.