The morning call., 1894-04-17

crosses, but he Is absent from the city.
Rev. Dr. Hirst presided and addressed the
congress, Introducing his subject by allud-
ing to the Congress of Religions at Chicago.
which he said marked the beginning of a
new era, as it was movement in the
right direction toward the universal
brotherhood of man.
This age is tremul0us with the supreme
question of individualism," he said. This
turns man to God. This religious con-
gress once more emphasizes the fact that
we are hopefully and positively turning
toward man. 1t heralds the dawn OF that
better day when the battledrums are
heard no longer and the flags are furled in
the parliament of man in the cOnfedera-
ton of the world. Phillips Brooks said of
the parliament of religions that it seemed
to him to be a very noble thing. that it had
a deeper significance and pulses with a
richer and a mightier hope. II we were to
analyZe the advancement OF the world we
would find one of the chief causes to be
that broad spreading OF the truth.
zone of the leading characteristics OF this
age is the recOgn ton of the fact there is a
change in the form of religious thought.
This change OF expression by best tbnke
is because they found the old formulas
broader relations. One phalanx now,
brothers: on, on! One king, one king
dom, his. The song of this congress shall
be helpful to US al"
DIR. Hirst announced that it was desired
to make the opening session as informal
as possible and he called on abb Voor-
sanger. The rabbi arose and was received
with applause.
In substance e said he thought the pho
tograph of an old Semitic stood befo re the
congress. While the Jewish faith believes
in its right to first place. it recognizes all
other men as the eQual-b0rn children Of
God. His people are perfectly satisfied
that gentiles should have the loaves and
fishes, only they wanted one loaf. The
prophets OF old did not believe in building
up barriers between man and man. They
| looked forward to the time when error and
superstition should be no more-an era Of
peace. The old Israellte has learned this
| through his long tramp, and learned thai
perishabIe is the flesh and eternal is God
alone; that the truth shines upon all the
| world, and God, in its distribution, can be
only universal. $50 we stand before you
| today" he said. land say that the revela-
ton of Sinai is not for us alone, but tor
| the world. In this we agree. God is uni
versal, the father, and we his children.
| We hail the congress and the better under
standing 1t will bring"
DR.. Williams of the Plymouth Congre.
| gatonal Church followed, and at once
|
/ his brother, the learned rabbi.
He took it tha: gatherings Of this kind
indicate a universal desire TO come to-
geiher and move along on the same lines,
| This congress is the same in prayer, in
desire and longing as that at the Colum-
bian Exposition. He hoped that the con-
gregatlon and speakers wogld carry away
better thoughts, and the effect would be
felt in ali places.
The chairman suggested that papers
would be limited to thirty minutes. and
also that printed report of Midwinter
| Congress transactions would be published
| in two volumes. Then he introduced DR..
| Horatio SiebbDs of the First Unitarian
| Church, who read a long paper on "The
| father hood of God and the brotherhood of
man." Rather this was the title on the
| programme, but he remarked that his dis
| course would be confined to the father
hood of God. which implied the brother
| hood of man.
| In the course of bis scholarly discourse
| Mr.. Stebbins said that "God the Father"
suggests to him a place in the heavenly
hierarchy, even as the father of home
mas peculiar place in the child's mind
| Theology has no right to these words. He
| coincided with Emerson, who upon be-
holding flower SAID, "The spirit that gave