The morning call., 1894-05-26
THE FRUIT OF THE PARLIAMENT.

When the managers Of the Worlds Fair
at Chicago resolved to add TO the other
attractions of that show parliament Of
Religions" they did not foresee the COM
motion which the step would create in the
religious world. Nor indeed did that
commoti0n manifest itself while the par
lament was in session. So much was said
that was worth hearing and so many pos
sbilities were suggested that now the Off
cial account of the proceedings just pub
liShed in two large volumes of 1000 pages
each is commanding large attention, and is
exercising influence in places far from
Chicago
As rule the book makes for liberation.
One of the places where its evidences are
seen is Berlin. The Reichstadt has re-
pealed the Falk laws and the law forbid
ding the Jesuits from living in Germany.
From 1872 to 1878 Bismarck drove through
the Relchstag a series of laws designed to
cripple the Catholic church in Germany.
He persevered in his policy until DR..
Windhorst organized the Catholic Center
party. which, by casting solid vote on
the Government measures generally, COM
PEELED the Chancellor TO halt ia his cam
Daign against the church. Still the prOhiDi-
tory laws against the Jesuits remained on
the statute book, and it has been understood
that they were approved by the Emperor.
His Majesty's views have not aVailed to
prevent their repeal by the ReichsTag. and
now the Jesuits, who are under the ban of
the law in France, are free to return to all
parts of the German Empire.
In Italy the advanced school of politi-
clans, which adheres to the views of
CavOur and Ricasoli, is making itself heard
in favor of what they call the irenicon,
meaning a communion of faiths. True, the
Parliament of Religions was condemned
by a syllabus, but the view of the Nuova
Antologia, which is perhaps the most In
fuental organ of modern Italian opinion,
openly takes the ground that Italy should
respond gratefully to the olive branch
rendered by the United States, and should
cast about for a basis of a movement in
favor of common liberty in matters Of
faith.
We may perhaps trace the working of
the parliament in the pending schism in
the Presbyterian church In this country.
1t is evident that the Briggs controversy is
going TO be revived with no diminution of
acrimony, and with the peculiar feature
that the preponderance of the clergy are
on one side and the laity largely on the
other. In the synod now sitting at Phila-
| delphia an overwhelming preponderance
| of clergymen are on the side of the party
which condemned Dr. Briggs. while the
| lay members of the body are almost
| equally strong in condemnation of the SEN
! tence. The latter have shown how they
feel on the subject by Withdrawing their
| subscriptions to the fund for the publca-
ton Of religious tracts. The situation re-
! minds observers of the great schsm of
| 1914, when the Free Kirk split off from the
! Established Church of Scotland.
! The same agency may be detected in the
change Of front by the Church of England
! and It's sister church in this country on the
| subject of Darwinism. An admirable
| article on the evolution of clerical opinion
on the "Origin Of Species" appears in the
June number of the Popular Science
! Monthly. 1t shows what progress scien-
tfic opinion is making in circles which ten
years ago were closed to it, and how the
very church organizations which had DO
words Of condemnation or contempt too
strong for Darwin when he wrote, now
recognize that he is a powerful ally of
religious truth.
In word, the effect of the Parliament
of Religions has been TO awaken religious
| inquiry everywhere and in every sect.
That this will tend to promote liberation
and to pave the way for cooperative work
by the churches in the direction of charity,
| benevolence and education is too plain to
need demonstration. La opening the con-
gress at Chicago Mr.. Bonney called for the
cooperation of all who love justice and
have faith in equal religious liberty for ali
men. II looks as though the seed had not
| fallen IN harrln ground