Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-16
GREAT HARMONY
Prevails Among All Sects at
the Religious Congress.
Everybody Now in the Prevailing
State of Doubt or Enthusiasm.


4
| No event for years, possibly no event In
history. has proved so sudden and snrpris-
ing success as this Congress Of Religion,
| and Its projectors were almost carried OIL
| their feet by il. II is not generally known,
but the scheme resulted from a sort Of ac-
| eident, and its inception and evolution
we're on this wise; First, as soon as con-
sress voted that Chicago should b the
place for the fair the ministers OF this city
1y common impulse resolved that they
would waive all claims to summer vaeA-
lion and not only do their lest, but cayi
in extra help. They have kept the prom
ise nobly and l am sorry to add that the
people have appreciated it little too well
70 suit my convenience. have not been
able to get within ten yards of hearing
at Mr.. Moody's, and at Dr. Barrows' church
found at least 400 people leaving for want
Of room.
II was decided also that tent meetings
should be held near the fairs gates and
that so far as possible the missionaries Of
the various societies should have their
home vacation and that there should be
preaching by them in Turkish, Greek
Italian, Chinese and possibly some of the
India languages. Only part Of this pro-
graInme has been carried out, for the
piaisance people are confessedly the most
irreligious of their several races and Sun
day is the day when they do their widest.
as, though the gates are open, no other
part of the fair Is really ON exhibition.
Out Of this plan, however, grew that Of
religious congress and to Dr. Barrows
more than any other one man must the
credit be given. The world was ripe for
it, 1t appears that all the races Of man
are just at this time in a state of doubt or
a state of revived enthusiasm and are
either ready to re-examine the grounds Of
their faith or eager to set them forth to
others.
The Japanese are in effect nation Of
agnostics. Their higher classes express
disbelief in any supernatural agency what
ever or cool indifference to all faiths.
There IS general skepticism in China.
The missionary spirit seems TO be reviving
again among the Mohammedans, but
among their most active men religion has
taken on a selni-scientiflc cast. Babu Pro
tab Chunder Mozoomdar. the first Hindoo
TO give his views here, says that the pro-
gressive Hindoos hold almost exactly the
same views as the Cnitarians of this
country He is the founder Of the Brah-
mo Somaj, or worshippers Of the one su-
rreme God, and is at present the guest of
come religious families here. The Budd-
hists In like manner admit that new move
ments are going on among them and smil-
ingly claim that there are more Buddhists
In the United States than there are Christ
ians in China and Japan. In short the
whole world Is in q state of religious un-
rest and the parliament was an assured
success almost as soon as ii was proposed.
The missionaries In heather lands were
unanimous in its favor, the great leaders
Of Christendom nearly SO. The names
OF those willing to serve on the advisory
board soon reached 1890. Prominent
among its promoters In distant lands are
such men as Professor Isaac T. Headland
of the Imperial university at Pekin. Rev
]. 5. Chandler of Madura. South India;
Rev. George d. Marsh, American mission
ary in Bulgaria, Rev. George T. Candlin
Of Tientsin, China; Rev Yoshiias Hiraiwa
pf the Methodist seminary in Tokyo and
leader among the native Christians, and
hers. The leading native members Of
he bar Ia India took great interest in it
md one OF them, still deyout Brahmin,
wrote, "The time is at hand when the best
religion must come to the front" OF
course he added that he did not fear com
parison. OF the old and retired mission
aries it j. claimed by the managers that
every one has been an enthusiastic advo-
nate Of the congress.
Mozoomdar, as the Babu above named is
Usually called, arrived week before the
congress convened With him came II.
Dharmapala, who is the guest Of promi
cent Christian families and Veerachand
iandhi, who is the honored guest Of DR..
3arrows. He il priest Of Jainism and
ras elected n representative here by his
'ellow priests. He has not yet said enough
tor US to comprehend the difference be
'veen Jainism and Buddhism or Brah-
ninism. Another of that party is Il. Is.
Nagarkar, Brabmin priest, who is the
guest Of Marvin Huehitt, well known in
abroad circles. All these gentlemen
t,cak English with ciearness and fuency
md are not at all backward in giving
heir views to newspaper men. As they
Travelled together from India by way Of
London, did the Worlds fair together and
are sociable AMI pleasant guests in the
snne Christian families, it wonld seem
that there is not such painful separation
| of sects as we had supposed ''on Ind.a's
coral strand" "
Ottoman Empire day at the fair was the
| seventeenth anniversary Of the accession
Of Sultan Abdul Hsmed /. to the Turkish
throne and every Turk, Egyptian and loyal
| Armenian got himself up regardless.
Somewhat 20 my surprise few Greeks
| also took an interest in It, "a there are
still nearly as many Greeks in Turkey as
| in Greece. The Dutch celebrated on the
birthday Of little Queen WilhelmiDa and
their orators told us some very good things
about the DItch settlement Of New York
and how they established religious liberty
In the new world. Today the railroad
representatives are making grand racket
nver the formal opening Of the Maaches-
Ter railroad six:v-three years ago. New
Mexico has her little demonstration to
morrow, but It Is stated that fewer people
Iare here from tSat territory than from
any other or any state in the Union The
native Mexicans are not q travelling peo-
lple and the Americans, chiefly silver
siners, feel tolerably poor just at present.
On the 10Th Iowa will parade through
1.-The grounds with Governor Boies at the
Ihead Of the iine, and. as they claim, some
ID. 60 people from that state on view. The
Istate cadets viii show their training on
tie 2ist and Governor Boies and other
VIII speak On the 9th Indiana will dc
herself proud and the siiyery tones Of Sen
str Voorhees,. Ben Harrison and others
win be heard Fit is possible for him u
come, the old man eloquent. Coiots
Richard W. Thompson, VIII also be will
US and give us his personal recollections o
the day IN 1915, when Indiana wasforniail.
admitted to the Union OF course Gov
ernor Matthews, his brows bound will
the laureis Of the late militia victory q
Roby fwherc the prize fighters retrease'
withou. firing shot will lead the proces
Ision- The granger states are nov swell
ipg the admissions well up towards th
21G, $50 mark daily. The stock pavilion
jamn.ed and the great cow contest an
steam churns attract even sarger crowd
slan the Art palace.
-.
BY fits and starts, a. II wen, have bee
searching out Canada's exhibits in all th
buildings for month, and trying TO q
them classified. This for two reasons
Jus: naturally like the Canadians and the
have 50 far outdone expectations that
special feature should be made Of the
show. In the fisheries It IL Of course 70 !
taken for granted that they excel all oil
: ers. ~ that II their speciality: but 1t
, really q surprise to find them 70 near q
i head IN horticulture. The finest appl'
come from the Annapolis valley in No,
Sc6efa, and Ontario displays thirty yeigl