Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-15

It remained for the nineteenth century. and
the last decade OF that century. to produce
a parliament of religions. OF all the can
ferences. worldwide In their scope. planned
and carried out In connection with the Co
lumbar Exposition, the most striking. and
perhaps the most far reaching IN It's In
fuence has been the Parliament Of Reli-
Gions. now sitting. Men OF all countries
and all creeds have spoken and sought to
exhibit to the world. so far as the feeble
tongue Of man can exhibit such things the
truths and beauties Of their faith. Catholic
and Protestant. Jew and Armenian, have
spoken eloquently. The Hindoo has reveal
ed the mystic beauties Of Indian trans
cendentalism. the Chinese has explained
the Confucian idea Of human conduct and
oyer-ruling providence. and a richly robed
shinto priest has pleaded eloquentiy for the
native religion Of Japan Christ and Bud
dha. Moses and Mohammed have been
preached from the same pulpit Even a
German philosopher with a newly-invented
religion. II II can be called such. that SEEM
ed to deny the essential doctrines Of all
other religions. was given q hearing, IL evil
IDENTIFY being believed that the sublime and
comforting truths that men hold precious as
having a divine source cannot suffer by
comparison with gloomy. hopeless systems
or theories constructed by men whose vani-
~ induces them to rank their reason above
all things else. Theosophy Is to have q
hearing. and before the Parliament is over.
every creed. and every shade Of belief, will
have been expounded by capable men or
women. There may be differences Of opin-
ion as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of such a gather
Ing. but reflection must result IN the con-
clusion that the effect cannot be other than
good Merely as a means Of spreading
knowledge. the Parliament has accomplish
ed. and will accomplish. much. for the record
It will leave will contain Information such
as has never sen gathered together before
Of the beliefs, and religious aspirations of
men In every part of the globe. The as
sembling of the Parliament will promote
the spirit OF tolerance. Christianity has
learned there that In regions Of the earth
supposed to be given up to heathenism. de-
voted men are engaged. according to the
Light that has been given them. IN endeav-
oring to uplift their fellows. The religious
aspiration il there. and according to the
Christian view. needs only the WALKING
knowledge Of Christ to bring men now In
darkness into the light
1t Is hardly likely that this one Parlia-
ment viii result In the abandonment at
once. In any part Of the world of any form
OF religion. but may II not be that this will
be step toward the promised day when all
the world will acknowledge but one God
and one faith? In religious matters as well
as In regard to material things. the law of
the survival Of the nttest. which is neces-
sarily tie truest. must prevail. and with
that In mind. no one who believes his Is the
true church, should fear the effect of a
gathering such as the remarkable and sig
nificant one In Chicago. 1t is a curious and
Interesting fact that the Lords prayer,
which Is known as the universal prayer"
Is the prayer Of the Parliament. 1t is the
prayer that men Of all creeds can say with
heartfelt earnestness. The whole spirit
and intent Of the Parliament Is Christian"
IT could have been held only In a Christian
land where the divine lessons Of love and
charity had been taught