Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-04
UNITARIAN TALKS.
Addresses Before the Conference at All
Souls Church.

At the afternoon session Of the Unitarian
conference at All Souls Church yesterday, Rev.
Joseph Nav of Philadelphia read a valuable
paper on the subject of Good Citizenship"
In the course of his address he said that we
call that state free in which every citizen
possesses full franchise to mold the social con-
ditions under which be has to live. 1t is the
highest achievement of social man. In free
state only is a man fully a man. A free state is
made up OF free men, .'who their duties know.
but know their rights and knowing. dare MINI
tain" The great state, the noble state, must
be made up of men full of noble sentiments,
willing to do the duties ii rests upon the indi-
yidual citizen. Good citizenship implies this
willingness. The good citizen makes
the welfare of the state his per-
sonal concern and proposes to give time.
thought and pains to its source. Above all
things he will be independent-no mans man,
no party's man. Washington called party
spirit 1.-The worst enemy of free institutions "
He who wears the livery of party impairs his
own manliness. In warfare every man must
be under orders. The first work of good
citizenship today is to run down those knaves.
and especially to take from the political classes
the vast resources which present methods put
into their hands. The public business should
be conducted on business principles. In its
dealings with all others a great nation will be
man. The unification of all people is plainly
the divine ideal.
Rev. W. II. Johnson of Wilmington. Del.
had for his subject. 1.-The Ideal Church" In
his opinion the ideal church will be absolutely
democratic. She will set human freedom and
the fullest development of the individual above
all other considerations. She will espouse the
peoples cause and help them fight their battle
against every form of oppression. She will
throw her whole weight on the side of the weak
and will insist on even-hauded justice.
The future church of America" he said,
will lead the march toward higher level of
national life and larger measure of liberty.
She will realize the prediction of prominent
Episcopal clergyman of final step in Christi
anity. by which, having left behind the stage
of dogmatism and the stage of mysticism, she
will enter on the ultimate stage of conduct.
She will be working church. combining
museum. library and lecture hall with cathe
drai. Music. poetry and art will unite in draw
ing thither and entertaining and instructing
the people. Instead of many feeble churches
poorly equipped. she will be the center of all
manner of helpful and inspiring activities.
radatiug intellectual and spiritual life into the
entire community. When will these millennial
conditions come? Not for many long day.
But 1T is our part faithfully and hopefully to
work toward them.
At the night session the main topic discussed
was The Progressive Church: What 1t Should
Do. Four short addresses were delivered upon
it in the following subjects: ITO Make Religion
Reasonable" by Rev. NJ. st. C. Wright; ITO
Increase Spiritual Life in the Community" bv
Rev. j. S. Hodgins; FOR Social Progress" BY
Rev. c. E. st. John: ''To Emphasize the Ameri-
can Idea in Public and Private Life Equally"
by Rev. s. II. Calthrop of Syracuse n. Y.