The Washington times., 1894-10-21
TWO IMPORTANT CONVENTIONS.
by he Pastor Of the Peoples Church

by the Pastor of the Peoples church,
The week beginning August Witnessed in
Washington two Of the most significant con-
ventons held within our limits for a long
time. viz: that Of the Brotherhood Of ST. An
drew and that Of the Spiritualists OF the
United States. These bodies derived their
Importance. not so much from the numbers
they brought or represented, as from the
ideas for which they stand and the purposes
for which they came together. To the super
fetal onlooler the ideas and purposes ofthese
conventions would seem. indeed, TO have little
in common; as little, perhaps, as their respec-
tive members had Of conscious sympathy or
fellowship with each other. But to the
thoughtful obseryer-the student Of social
forces-the great undercuuent in these or
ganizations was seen TO be moving, con
seiously or unconsci0uslv. in the same d.
rection. The Brotherhood OF st. Andre " de-
clares its sole object TO be "the spread Of
Christ's kingdom among young men.
This means-if itmeans anything worthy,
anything more than the cheapest sort Of
cant-the adoption by these young men Of the
Christ-purpose and spirit Of life; thar is. the
conservation Of themselves TO the constant
and loving service of their fellows.
This, take it, is movement on the part
Of young men in the Episcopal Church to
practicalize Christianity, to apply some Of its
principles TO daily life here and now, TO bring
something more Of the kingdom Of heaven
into the business and bosoms Of men right
here on the earth. I am the more inclined 10
this view because several OF the leading men
Of this church, both il the clergy and laity Of
this country, as well as England, have been
striving most earnestly 10 stimulate the
church to effort in this direction.
The seed sown by Canon Kingsley through
such worEE as Alton Locke; by Canon
Freemouth in his mastery works, "Ihe
World as the Subject Of Redemption and
; "Tbe Gospel OF the Secular Life, 50 1 cannot
but think has something to do with this
: growing crop OF earnest young workers.
k Then, too Henry George and Prof r. 7. Ely,
both earnest laymen Of this church. have
done much to raise the aims and quicken the
energies Of its young men.
I am disposed, therefore, TO see in this
brotherhood Of St Andrew the promise Of a
mighty power for the spread Of Gods king
dom-the kingdom Of righteousness. Of peace
and JOY in a loving spirit-richt here on this
planet. II the movement means anything
less practical than this it can have no qerma-
nent place in the life Of the future For the
religion Of the future, and the near future,
too. viii not content itself with helping men 70
"Read their titles clear to mansions IN
A.
thing is done to secure for them decent
homes in which to live and rear their chill
dren here on the earth. trust that these
Young men are building better even than they
know. and that the steps they are taking in
the right direction viii lift them to heights
where a broader and grander field OF activity
viii invite and attract them to still nobler en-
desvOrs.
Nor does the movement for organized effort
among the Spiritualists seem to me any less
significant. it is distinct confession on the
part Of these people that the indiyidualism
which has prevailed among them In the past
is utterly inadequate to the work OF the fu-
ture. It was inevitable that the earlier period
oItheir history should be indiyidualistic and
TO alarge extent chaotic. They were, and
still are, a peculiarly heterogeneous company.
They came, and are still coming, in great
numbers, from every branch Of the Christian
Church, and from that large and more diver
siled multitude outside Of ali the churches.
They were drawn generally not by the phil
osophy but by the phenomena OF Spiritualism.
Whether these phenomena were genuine or
fraudulent, or partly both is not important
TO our present purpose. 1t suffices to say
that they have been sufficiently convincing
10 secure hundreds OF thousands Of converts
IN this county. And if we are to count the
people stin holding their places in the
churches, who have seen and partly believed,
we shall have to number them by millions.
now to great numbers of those who have been
longest in the ranks, Spiritualism has become
chiefly philosophy and religion.
The phenomenal is to them its least i'm
portant feature. The continuity Of life: the
Powerlessness OF death to effect change in
character; the possibility and actuality OF
intercourse between spirits in the body and
those who have passed out; the close and
intimate relation between the life of every
to-GEy and every tomorrow; the final triumph