The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-15
HOW DARE YOU JUDGE?
The Pertinent Query Addressed to
the Religious Congress
bY AN EMINENT BUDDHIST PRIEST.

He Scores tho Christians for Their Lack
of knowledge Concerning the Religion
Professsd by -Four Hundred and Seventy
five Millions OF People.
CHICAGO. Sept. 15 "How dare you
gudgeP"
Arrayed In robes Of spotless white, which
seemed all the whittier by reason of his
swarthy countenance and wealth of jet
BLACK hair, with arm aud index finger ex-
tended and every muscle of his body
quivering with excitement, Dharmapala,
the eminent Buddhist priest and scholar
firm Calcutta, stood upon the edge OF the
pl form In the Hall of Washington yes
terday afternoon and thus hurled defiance
at the audience before him. A volley of
cheers was the response Beyond the
striking figure from the Orient, dwelling
intently upon every word, sat the vener-
able Edward Everett Hale, who had just
come from an adjoining hall. On his
right was the negro prince from Africa,
on his left Mrs. Ormiston Chant, the En-
g'ish Radical. Next to her, his head en-
circled in a turban of white, Dakoyoshi
Matuysama, tho advocate of Shintoism,
side by side with the negro Protap
Chunder Mazoomdar, the philosopher of
the Brahmo- Homaj 1t was q striking
scene and striking occasion.
The Buddhist had been introduced after
an address OF remarkable liberality by
Rev. DR.. r. l.. Rexford, of Boston. He
expressed his qualification that an oppor-
tuuity had been afforded him of crossing
the water to participate IN the parliament
aud said that it mattered little what a
mans dogma, or what his theology, II he
was only sincere and true in the light
within him. Then, surveying the audi
I.n Il 1., Il
of you have read the life of Buddha?"
Five hands, four of them belonging to
women, were timidly held up.
Five only" said the Buddhist, with a
tone and look of disdain. -Four hundred
and seventy-f1ve millions accept our re-
1igion Of love and hope. You call your
self nation; great nation, and yet you
do not know tho history of this great
teacher. How dare you judgep" and the
audience cheered again and again.
"You complain that you do not make
converts among us" he continued. You
preach a God of love, but in your actions
you are selfish. You make of an ignorant
OF unsophisticated man a perfect hypo-
erite. You have used the story of life
crushing bloody Juggernaut to secure tho
means to save alleged heathens. Jugger-
haut has been popularized by Christian
missionaries, and yet ommission COM
posed of eminent Engllshmon has declared
that the Christian idea of Juggernaut was
myth, that death and blood were repul
aive to our people. This Christian story
has been exploded. 1t has gone into oh.
livion."
And SO the Orientalist went on, scoring
bis carers and defending his own creed.
= Ie -J..ed how many had read the life OF
Mohammed, the prophet of Arabia, and
when four hands went up he asked why
they should denounce Mohammedanism
when they knew nothing Of it or its
founder And with every sentence he car.
Kied his audience with him.
Quite as radical in its way was the ad.
dress of Rev. DIR. Rexford, the Boston
Universalist divine, and he took for his
subject The religious intent" He said
he had no sympathy with the people who
wanted to be separated from the bonds
ahat bound them to the tragic past
Ts pgtferred to keep his share of the
bond; that he could rejoice in the develop
ment of mankind, in glorying that evolu
Honnry religion that brought them where
ehsy were today Ho did not believe in
zss-~seIuR OF fallen man, but of an unde
weloped man. Revelation was never Of
vine message until it was understood.
Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbot was another ot
the leading speakers Of the day, taking
for his topic, Religion essentially a char
Pcteristio of humanity" He spoke in his
usually eloquent strain. Temples aut
priests, he said, were the creators of re
1igion. They had made 1t. Christ camt
not to create religion, but to develop thai
which was already in existence. Soienc,
was thought Of man trying to find th'
reality that lay behind the mysteries o.
nature. All life was search after the In
nnite. Agnostics might call out to then
TO stop, but they had TO go on, becaus,
shey could not help it, The blemishes ono
blurs of human handiwork were upor
Christianity, but 1t was not Christianity
concerning which they desired TO tell thei
Brothers from across the sea, but Christ.
Mrs Lydia H. Dickinson in an address
upon "The Divine Basis of Cooperation
pf Man and Woman" said that woman
was not subject to man nor man to woman
They were one, and that precluded thu
Idea OF subjection. Truth was masculin,
and love feminine.