Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-10-05

Chicago, Sept Bottle parliament of
religions, just closed, has attracted and
held the attention Of the civilized world
for two weeks. 1t has been one Of the
most remarkable gatherings of men
ever brought together, and for the
time being seemed to overshadOw the
great fair itself. For the first time
i'm the history of the world, leading
representatives of various creeds have
assembled together traternally to
listen to religious truths, and the effect
of this unprecedented symposium can
not fail to broaden wonderfully human
thought.
The opening session of the parliament
of religions was probably its most
impressive. There were brought to-
gether then for the first time upon
one platform representativ of the
oldest and the youngest religions
Amid cheers from 4 1000 people the fol
lowers of Buddha and Brahma, John
Wesley and Mohammed, Calvin and
Confucius, in short, representatives
of almost every known creed of the
Orient ard the Occident, assembled the
stage in the hall of Columbus i'll the
Art institute and took seats side by
side. This intermingling of religions
was incomparably picturesque, the
picturesqueneSS being heightened by
the distinctive dress of the OrientalS
The representatives of India were ar
lnyed in orange and white robes;
those of Greece in funeral black with
curiOuSly shaped hats; those of China
in loose, flowing garment of white,
lined with red, and those of Japan
III a long robe of brilliant colorS. In
the center of all, scholarly and digni-
fed, sat Cardinal Gibbons, the great
Catholic prelate, in his rich red robe
of office Around and about in strilIin,g
contrast with the Oriental priests We're
the conventionally attired, representa-
tive American clergymen. The impress
sive session was opened by the audience
of 400 rising and singing the hymn
that begins From All mat Dwell Be
Meath the Skies" Following the sing
ing Cardinal Gibbons offered prayer
President Bonney, of the worlds con-
gress auxiliary delivered an address
of welcome and responses were made
by the dignitaries of the many sectS
represented.
The mere enumeration of those who
responded for their various creeds will
serve to show the cosmopolitan charac-
ter of the parliament Archbishop
Feehan of Chicago spoke as the repre-
sentative head of the Catholic church
in this exposition city. Rev, Augusta
]. Chaplin, Il woman, added words of
welcome to the distinguished clergy on
behalf of her sex. Rev. Alexander
Mckenzie, Of Massachusetts, appeared
as the representative of the New Eng
land Puritan. Most Rev. DiOnysiOs
Latas, tie archbishop of Zante, Greece,
spoke as the representative of the
Greek church, closing his address with
these eloquent words:
IAN men have a common creator
without any distinction between the
rich and the poor, the ruler and the
rule,l All men have a common creator
without any distinction of cline or
race without distinction of nationality
or ancestry, of name OF nobility. All
men have a common creator and con
sequetly Il common father in God.
(Applause.) l raise UP my hands and L
bless with heartfelt love the great coun-
try and the happy, glorious people of
the United states" (CheerS.)
This indeed is glorious" cried PreSi-
dent Bonney, rising as the archbishop
resumed his seat, sentiment that the
audience cheered heartily.
Z. c.. Mozoomdan, of India, author
of The Oriental Christ" was then in
troduced us the representative of the
Brahmins. He was followed by dis
ungushed disciple of Confucius, Pung
Ouang Yu, secretary of the Chinese
legation in Washington. An enthusias-
tic reception marked Pung Quang Iu's
introduction, inspired, no doubt, by
memory of the persecution OF Chinese
in this country. Men and women in
the audience rose to their feet and
waved hats and handkerchiefs wildly.
lhe diplomats address, which was
very brief and kindly, was read by Dr.
information that the empire Of China
had responded personally to the call of
the parliament of religions by naming
Pung Quang Yu as ChinaS representa-
tive. Prince Serge WolkOnsky, of Rus
STA, a bright speaker, followed. After
him representative of the Shirto faith,
the state religion of Japan, Rt. Rev.
Reuchi Shibata, was introduced. The
Japanese bishops address was read by
DR.. Barrows. Count A. Bernstortf
then spoke for Germany; NJ. Bony
Marry for France; Archbishop Red
wood. of New Zealand, for the Catho
lie >.lrch: III. Dharmapala, of Ceylon
for 475OOO.Uvv Bhuddists; Carl yol
Bergen for Sweden; Vichand A. Chan
di, a lawyer of Bombay, ON behalf OF
the Jain religion of India; Prof. MlnaF
Scherez, editor of an Armenian news
paper published in London, for the Al
menians; Prof. G. n Chakravartl To-
the theosOphiSts of India; Swan
Vivekananda, of Bombay, as thu
representative of the most ancien
order of monks; Principal Grant, a:
representative of Canada; Miss Jeanne
Sarabji, of Bombay, as a representativ,
of the Parsees; B. B. Nargarkar, anoth
er citizen of Bombay, as IN apostle O.
the theistic movement Ill India. know
as the religion OF the Brahma Somaj
Rev. Alfred w. Momeric. D. D.. O
London, as the representative of tn