, 1873-01-16
Annual Meeting Of the Chicago Con-
ference Of Churches.
A BomoShell in the Camp---Rev. Dr..
Weiss on "An Act Of
Faith"
Laird Golfers Vigorous Protest against
. Extreme Radical Tendencies. -
Proposed Establishment of a Uni
tartan Bookstore. =

t<&1AAh AAoS3A~b1%OA~s
: The annual meeting Of tho Chicago Confer
euce Of the Unitarian Churches was inauguratad
on Tuesday evening BY at eloquent Eermon by
tie Rev. Y. Il. Cudworth, Of Boston, Yesterday
morning the session Was resumed, by reading
tie Scriptures and psaye.:, both by Mr.. Cud-
worth. .lr. D. L. Snory, the President, then
assumed the chair. and welcomed tho delegates,
knd hoped the SESSION would ba one of pleasure
and profit =,
sEcRErAnr's nEroBr. -
Mr. George N. Carpenter, the Secretary, then
+. read the -oport for the year 1879, showing that
in fifteen churches embraced IN the Confer
ence. there were 871 families which regularly
attended the services Of the Church, forming q
congregation OF $3.50 people. Nino churches
hold tvo services on Sunday, and three
one service. The number of Sunday School
scholars is 1,450. The aggregate number OF
books in these schools is 6,952. The oldest
church in the Conference is the Church OF the
Messiah, in Chicago, which WIS organized in
1856 The youngest church is at Valparaiso,
Ind, and was organized in 1871. Five churches
ere without pastors. Among tho changes Of
!. the year, Eey. G. l. Staples, Rev. lr. Powell,
md Rev. Mr. Stone resigned. Rev. J. o. HeW-
lit came to the church from thu Baptist deuom-
ioation.
The report was accepted.
The Chair appointed the ney. G. ". Wendte,
Artemus Career, and Dr.. Il. n. Foster a Com
mittee to nominate officers for the ensuing year,
to report at the afternoon Beesion.
ASAcr OF FAITH.
Rev. John Weiss then read his celebrated and
much considered essay On q An Act Of Faith"
He eaid he would discriminate between an active
faith, theological statement, and b monument
OF religious sentiment. Real faith is based on
knowledge and scientific method. After
, review of the vital part which faith
had played in times past, the es-
esyist asked it We must reject as false
the dictupa that correct opinion is essential TO
salvation If We reject the old way Of securing
salvation, must We give up faithitself? Not so;
faith is mans great enterprise. Without this
vital quality, this life OF ours is poor parody
upon our ancestry. But what kind of faith?
say faith based upon real knowledge Let us
discard those fetions Of religion which are no
longer teuAhIe. The only dangerous skepti~
cism il the disappointment Of q aconscience which
has loved and lhyiahed itself upon things ct
doubtful reputation. Can faith spring from
misguided direction No. We must
rely upon nothing vague knowledge is the sun-
stance Of things hoped for, the evidence OF
things not aeen. Salvation depends upon giving
moral earnestness q right and sure method. and
epalpable object. Firth is not expectation nor
emotional instinct, as Of the character Of tho
Iutnfe Lie 1oI example We mhy expect II, oe-
neVe 1t, bnt that Is not an act q 1hlth aa there
is no evidential knowledge. Secondly: It is
not form OF pIonablhty, or nkehhooa; nor
speculation. YOU - s9rna'se 1nat the oteator
y ps1s9us 9;. 1ms s!GoV onV = paes91n?- 1a
non, anu 0ilers IN oneIen1 m1nas. 1nls
however, Is nor talth. Ah aet o. talt9 10 an g.
roctaslon based upon observation. hhcWleoee
o. tne san9tufe ana me1nod ot the e1telnai
Woi1o' ena tne nino OF man, gives 1ne only 1oun-
aatlon of 1aith- Inc man ana woman have tue
best faata who have the best knoWledge. hnoTl-
edge indeed, Is one great act Of the play OF faith,
and the man hAed with It Will have Ills earnest
expectation sweetened with the earth-saP which
knowledge draws up In our views. Ii know
1atu1hl laws, l can eonade IN then direction
lhey oTe the angels Of the infinite, and recon-
mend natural reAg1on, which Keeps uni
verse all the time obedlent. are the
great :aon5lments -. ol the sout ever
e1Gngulsheo oy intelligence! mol but glor1-
knoHledge, and We must make our fenglon
more oso Totts ana p1acsiea II most ;, s9; leSSa
anont to form mora codes tor tbs 10y dally NE. we
:aon "ont tracts ana poiyglot bloles, but aootc-
N"4Ss ~ @AA@A@ uoA1'1@ees t14o ~ @Ato
"cak and compulsory spellng-DooK. FACTS
arc the substance OF things hoped for the evi-
oence OF things not seen, and on them We
ground our expectations Don't e1erciso falth
npon the future; nov and here ls our mission
1rnsI tha al-embraelng Proydence. ihcre Is
Gothlne that ne need to dread inns Is dong the
1ne aes OF living, WILL pc an act OF faith
DEAunnEn DY LAIRD COLLIER
!, Aes- Lard Collier then SAID tns. co mad heard
tne essay ohy N part, nut notWlthstaneilng that
ae naa listened attentlvely; he could not say thas
ne nag been able TO eaten me thread upon
saia Hch A. sne essay @aShs ~ h1xe Deen hnns En- ae
n9a el7en them, Gut that the statements OF NJ.
Meiss wero unmstorlc aud untrue Il Was false
.nat Ine people hd not need theology; The
people we're now looking moro toward religion,
- s!o 4oso " en14att tI1ln eso1 oeto1e. io
sato ;. ne nae ot.en tnongnt ne never Would 50
Ky so -. ui'a3An ,.;ah = conierence agnin. ae
sns Ma aot WISH ii Hfsepot1ea IN LIE CHICAGO
,an NJ eaa . ne 1a rs mee.ng Thefe some
ti,ea, ea altt w. eue ~ Molo ous ana advanced tne
. sleu,y .nat Iho hneaon o.. 2 coqld De !nuilt
rsad ~ ~ 80 aeoo ~ tne M9a1a. }a II was op