The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-04-03
RELIGION AT THE FAIR.
YOU CAN GET EVERY KIND IF YOU
WILL SEARCH FOR 1T.
,hicago Has All the Old Kinds and
Very Novel Faith Which Will Interest
IL not Instruct You.

III the people who go 10 the Chicago
have time TO spare after going through tn
multitude of buildings to look at the dis
play, they are to have chance 10 hear all
sorts of philosophers and social and relig-
,ous doctors talk in many languages upon
every kind of troublesome and insoluble
question A great feature of the exhibit
ton Is to be sundry parliaments, as they
are denominated In the scheme Of the
managers.
The parliament to which the Chicago
people seem TO be looking forward with the
most eagerness, is 1.-THE worlds first par
lament of religions" IL Is to be convened
on the l1th of next September, and it will
be a polyglot congress representative OF
"all the shades of Chris tianity, including
the orthodox Greek and Russian churches,
northern and southern Buddhism, Confu-
cianism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, Juda-
ism, Mohammedanism, and the various
forms of Hinduism" The historic ecumen-
Ical councils of Christendom were narrow
lnd provincial affairs when compared with
the coming Chicago novelty, az the Tri-
bune of that town tells u.s. They ''only had
reference TO one shade of religious opin-
lon," but Chicago will mix up all shades.
II will set up modern Pantheon in the
Hall of Columbus in the new art palace on
the Lake Front.
Every kind of religion will get show,
md each will get fair field in the compe-
'ition., for enlightened Chicago has no
0rejudices in the matter. Christian mis-
sionaries from the east will sit ION terms
of religious equality" with their old adver-
saries, Zitzuzen Ashitu, the Buddhist
monk, III. Dharmapala, the secretary OF
the Buddhist society of the Buddha Gaia
Maha Bodhi, which is engaged in an at
tempt TO substitute Buddhism for Chris
tianity the world over, and Moslem, Zorro
astrian and Mohammedan scholars An
especially exilarating part of the enter
tainment will he the reading by proxy OF a
paper on orthodox Hinduism by Nikanth
Vithal Shastri, 1.-THE peculiar features of
caste preventing orthodox adherents of
that faith crossing the ocean" Other elo-
quent speakers expected are Mr.. Jinanji
Jamshedii Modi, Bombay Zoroastrian :;
Mr.. Pung Kwang Yu of China and Pro
fessor Bunyiunanjio of Japan.
Evidently the Parliament of Religions
will be high treat, but ws are surprised
that we do not find Hierophant OLcorT
among the delegates and oratorss Neither
do we see the name of the Yankee Mnham-
medan. WEBB. though they both speak a
language which is understood in Chicago.
Nor eau we make out exactly what the
parliament proposes to accomplish, though
of course there. would be no reason for its
existence il it really had a definite end In
view. 1t is possible. however, that the
Chicago scheme is TO get up some sort
of new and compound religion. which
shall include and satisfy every variety %
| religious or irreigions opinion. The sub
| jects for polyglot debate, as laid down IL
| the official programme Of the proceeding
| suggest that the basis of the religion
| which would he favored by Chicago ma,
be theism or belief in the existence o
| a GOD.
The discussions will continue daily from
the llth to the 21th of September and n
the end of the Parliament approaches, thi
theistic purpose is to be brought out NOR
prominently. The great theme of discus
sion on Sept. 20 will be 1.-The religious unio
of the whole human family" and on tn
next day, at the final session, the Parlia
ment will consider the elements of perfec
religion as recognized and set forth in tn
different faiths" with view to determin
ing the characteristics of the ultimate re
ligion" and "the centre of the coming
religious unity of mankind"
1t is big job to get up new and ecleC
tic religion satisfactory all around; bu
Chicago is confident that il can finish M
the business on the 21th of next Septem
ber.-lN. Y. Sun.