Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-09-12
ON COMMON GROUND
They Love Their God and Their
FeIlowmen.
THE CONGRESS OF RELIGION MEETS,

Christian, jew, Brahmin, Buddhist, With
Other Shades OF Theology Gather in a
Most Notable Conference-Representa
tive Men from All Over the World As
sembled to Find Out Where They Agree
Preliminary Addresses-world's Fair
Notes.
CHICAGO, Sept. IA professional in
! which the religions of the world were rep
resented signalized the opening of the
Worlds Parliament of Religions at the
ART institute. 1t was professional that
| had world of meaning in it; one that
would have been impossible not many
years ago. Jew marched with Gentle
aud Roman Catholic with Protestant
The religious beliefs of India, OF China,
and of Japan were represented, as well as
those of the English-speaking nations
All attired in their priestly robes and
wearing the insignia of their office
marched in peace and fellowship to the
platform, while the audience rose and
| cheered at the sight. First came Cardinal
Gibbons escorted by President Bonney
| Then came Mrs. Potter Palmer and Mrs.
| Charles Henrotin, representing the board
! OF lady managers.
| Some Elements of the Procession.
There were following in the procession
an archbishop of Zante, Greece; Metho-
dist minister from Chicago; a Roman
| Catholic archbishop of Chicago; several
| Lutherans from Germany and Sweden.
two or three East Indian Brahmius and
| Buddhists; a Chicago Presbyterian clergy
man; Chinese Buddhist; Chicago Israel
lite; a couple of Bombay theologians, and,
in fact, the most heterodoX line of religion
lists ever seen since the world begun. As
this remarkable parade reached the hall
the audience rose and joined in singing
| Praise God from Whom All Blessings
Flow" a hymn that, as it acknowledges
| the Christian doctrines of the Trinity, was
hardly appropriate in such a gathering.
| The Prayer of All Who Believe in God.
The next thing on the programme was
| more universal than the hymn. Cardinal
| Gibbons led the heterodox gathering in
prayer and the petition he put up was the
| Lords Prayer" and there was not one
OF those present who could not, whether
| he did or no, join in the prayer. For the
| Mohammedan, the Buddhist, the Brah-
min, all of whom were present believe in
a supreme being. The scene was a novel
one, for many of the visitors from the ORR
eat We're clad in their native costumes.
! the prelates in some instances in their
| robes of Office. There was not q vacant
seat in the hall and many were standing
| against the walls and in other places
| where a view Of the platform could be
| had.
| The Versatile President Bonney.
There is one man connected with these
| Worlds fair congresses who has hardly
had the credit that he deserves, and that
is President Bonney. Being the head of
these gatherings to this gentleman has
fallen the duty of welcoming the various
bodies which have met under the auspices
of the Worlds Auxiliary. He has had
to speak TO woman suffragists, spirit
ualists, civil engineers, social reformers
OF all kinds, and in fact to the believers in
or agitators OF everything that is current
in the world of progress. And he has
shown a versatility of speech tnat has
enabled him to speak to them all in such
la manner as TO tell them 'what they were
there for' without making a single mis-
take. Every one of his brief addresses has
been felicitous and just what the occasion
called for.
How He Talked to Heterodoxy.
! And in addressing this congress-prob-
ably the one in addressing which it was
the easiest to say something that would
rankle-he was especially happy. He said
In brief that they should all give thanks
for being able to take part in so grand a
congress, one that so FULLY exemplified
peace and progress, and which would have
so great an influence on the world. After
reviewing the programme of the congress,
he welcomed all in the name of the
brotherhood of religion.
Rev. John Henry Burrows, chairman Of
the committee on organization, then ad-
dressed the congress. He said that never
before had such a congress been under
taken, and not long ago it would have
been deemed impossible to carry it to sue