Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-07
Free Religious Association.
Convention at Che Church of the Messiah
 Interesting Addresses.

Convention at the Church of the Messiah
 Interesting Addresses.
 The National Free Religious association
 opened series of meetings yesterday after
 noon at the Church of the Messiah on Or
 ange street. The attendance was not very
 large, owing to the weather, but select. The
 following are some of those present s. l..
 G. Crane of Hartford, Miss Leonard of Meriden, Miss Treat of New Britain, Fred
 J. Hinckley of Providence, Rhode Island,
 Wm, J. Potter of New Bedford, MT. and Mrs. w. H. Spencer of Florence, Mass, Judge Sheldon and wife, Edward R. Whit l ing, Frank Field of Hartford, MT. and Mrs. Curtis of Hartford, Rabbi Kleeberg, W. M. 1 Sutter.
 Rev. MT. Houghton, in an eloquent and ! cordial address, welcomed the visitors. In 1t ! he said that all men and especially all clergy | men should welcome a full and free investi- eation into life to discover the laws that gov ern it and lead it on to it's destiny. In refer ring to the fact that free religionists are not usually welcome in New Haven churches he | said that some one must break into new ter ritory and that it was the first principle of I the Universalist church that sincere search CT after truth had the right to say whatever l was right and proper. In this city of theo- 1 logical bigotry he wished it known that there l was one place where the honest thoughts of people could find honest expression. In con- I cIusion he said: ''While as church we may not be responsible for all you say, yet we | welcome you as co-workers ln laborlng to l ease the burdens humanity must bear" He 1 then introduced William J. Potter of New Bedford Mass, the president of the National l Free Religious society, who delivered an 1 interesting address upon "The Religion | of Humanity" MT. Potter after l some interesting preliminary remarks an- l aounced his theme for the afternoon, "The Religion of Humanity The discourse was
 an able one, and much food for thought was given. After the discourse the secretary of | the association in few remarks gave an ac- I count of the society from it's commencement l in 1867 up to the present time, it's aims and | purposes, and extended an invitation to
 those present to join the association, as they l could do so by paying one dollar yearly. ! Mrs. Anna Garland Spencer. of Florence, ' Mass, spoke on ''Ethical Unity the Nations \ Life" She said We need not only moral purpose, but we need good moral purpose | It never happens that all the good ones are l on one side and the bad on the other. As 8 ! witness see the difference between the north l ern and southern views of chattle slavery and 1 the Roman Catholic view of legal marriage. f All have an ideal of society which takes it's purpose from what should be, but there is a I serious difference between them of moral 1 judgment. We can get moral unity only by 1 scientific study of human conditions.
 William M. Salter, of New York, spoke on
 Religion and the Social Ideal" Christian | ity has long been emphasizing the value of | individualism. In latter years our highest idea has been for each to save his own soul. All morality involves social relations. Jus
 tice, love and kindness are known only as
 characterizing relations between man and
 man. Use superiority and strength for ser.
 vice and not for oppression. The social ideal l rnl1St 6aal xuith all human ralakinna