Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-11


The names of the men who are on the
program comprise nearly all the not.d al
wires of the Unitarian Church, ana large
number Of prominent men vino ar" lay
members of the church. 1t is possible that
during the conference one OF the we'll
known ministers may be selected 10 pc
come pastor of All Souls Church IN TINS
city.
1t is expected that in the addresses to be
delivered there will be considerable said as
to what Unitarianism consists or. Inc
last conference at Saratoga made a Gecla-
ration as to the principles OF the chufch
in the following language:
1.-THE national conference OF Unitarian
and other Christian churches accepts the
religion of Jesus. holding, in accordance
with his teaching, that practical relision
is summed up IN love 10 God ana love 10
man."
Origin of Unitarinnism.
There is a general impression that Uni
taranism Is rather new. the origin OF the
church is generally supposed to be about
the time of Dr. Charming. This was the
time Of separation. but not of the begin
Ming Unitarianism began to show itself IN
New England about one hundred and n1ty
years ago The tendencies which led to
the final division of the Congregational
Church had been slowly working toward Il
crisis, which came during the ireat
Awakening" the famous revival under
Those who greatly favored the NJ athods OF
Edwards ard Whitfield continued to DE
orthodox, as their successors have to this
day. Those who did not accept the doc
trine ard especially those who did not De
Heye ir the methods Of Edwards and Whit
field, were tine predecessors OF those VINO
became more and more liberal IN their
thinking, until at the beginning OF the
present century they openly avowed them
selves to be Unitarian Congregationalists.
About seventy-five years ago, in DR..
Channings time, the opposing forces III
the Congregation al Churches of New Eng
land became so inharmoniouS that it was
no longer possible to work together. At
ordinations and other ecclesiastical gath
erings Orthodox CongreGationalfsts began
to draw together. They refused exchanges
with those who were not considered sound
in doctrine. For about seventy-five years
the liberal party had been growing. In
the old, first churches of New England,
naturally. those who accepted what was
called the creed of orthodoxy joined the
church. Those who did not accept the
creed were in the parish, but not members
of the church.
In time it came to pass that in some
parishes the liberals were in the majority,
but they We're not church members. In
other parishes the orthodox were in the
majority, and they We're church members.
When the legal decision finally made
by the supreme court OF Massachusetts
giving the property to the parish. in each
case where division occurred. the prop
erty went with the church when tire church
was in the majority, and went with the
parish without the church when the church
was in the minority. AS a relic of the
old time wher Orthodox and Unitarian
Congregationalists belong TO the same body
there is still in Massachusetts the Congre-
gatonal convention, which holds and ad-
ministers funds mpartially for the benefit
of both Orthodox and Unitarian Congre-
gatonalist ministers
Layman's Opinion.
Geo. w. Stone, prominent member of
the American Unitarian Association, WAS
asked what lay member would say about
Unitarianism, and replied:
The Unitarian Church does not stand in
opposition to any other religious organiza
ton of any kind. 1t has no quarrel even
with those who are nearest to it. 1t does
NOT believe that any religion is false in
every particular. 1t does not believe that
any earnest effort to find the truth and do
the right has ever been a total failure. 1t
believes that all churches throughout the
world, according to the fidelity of their
members are progressing from the ancient
barbarism towards the light and peace of
perfect civilization. 1t believes in heaven
upon the earth; in God ruling the world
He has created; in human nature capable
of accepting every invitation which has
been offered to it by the divine love and
wisdom"
Mr.. Stone also pointed out that at Wash
ington there had always been a distin-
guished line of statesmen, members of the
Unitarian Church, from the time of John
Adams to the present time. when 1t is SO
ably represented by Senators Hoar, Chand-
Ter and Morrill,, and by several men in the
lower house of Congress. Mr.. Stone added:
-Four Presidents of the United States have
been Unitarians-John Adams. John Quincy
Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Willard Fill
more-many United States Senators, justices
Supreme poets,
authors. The most widely known men in
the classes referred to-Longfellow, Holmes,
Lowell Bryant, Curtis and many others
lived and died Untarians."