The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-15
SECOND ANNUAL CONGRESS- OF LIB
ERAL RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

SECOND ANNUAL CONGRESS OF LIB
ERAL RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Second Annual Congress of
the Liberal Religious Societies met in
Sinai Temple, Chicago, June 2, 3, 4.
The attendance was notably less, and
there was lack of the enthusiasm of
last year. All this is accounted for
by the mistrust which has been gen.
Grated among various liberal bodies
and individuals by the policy of the
Congress, lest it's real outcome, if not
its avowed purpose, was to build up
another liberal sect instead of unity
ing and federating the existing lib
eral bodies. This policy has been
deplored by many friends OF liberal
religion on the ground that it would
weaken rather than strengthen the
work of liberal religious thought, and
this has led to the withdrawal of
many from the Congress who signed
the call for its first meeting and par
ticipated in its organization.
Many excellent addresses were
given during the sessions of the Con
gress. Among them may be men
toned those of DR.. Hirsch and DIR. j.
M. Pullman, and the papers of DR..
Alfred Momerie, of England, remem-
bered by his connection with the Par
lament of Religions, upon "The Es-
sentials of Religion;" President Cone
on "The Higher Criticism and its
Ethical Relations" and Rev. Mr.. Fa-
vile of the Orthodox church on 1.-THE
Interchange of Ministerial Courtesies
across Theological Chasms."
This report will be devoted, how
ever, to the business side of the Con-
gress as most important. DR.. I'll. w.
Thomas was reelected President, and
Jenkin Lloyd Jones Secretary for the
coming year.
Reports were read by the different
committees appointed last year.
These showed that the activities of
the Congress had been confined to
the dissemination of it's ideas through
the "New Unity" and the "Non-Sec-
tartan" which have been adopted as
it's organs, and to few addresses,
lectures and sermons which have been
given by various clergymen living in
Chicago and vicinity upon the cause
of liberal religion in places in Illinois
and Indiana, easy of access. A branch
Congress has been organized in Hi
nois which has put missionary in
the field who has preached at various
points and started societies at Free
port, Nunda, etc.
The interest of the Congress cul-
minated in the debate on 1.-THE Policy
of the Congress: How far can the
Liberal Denominations be Federated?
Where Federation is impossible, what
still remains for the Congress to do7"
The discussion of this important topic
was led by Rev. Arthur M. Judy,
of the Unitarian church of Davenport.
To understand this debate and its
import, it will be necessary to review
briefly the history of the Congress.
The Congress was originally called
for the purpose of finding what could
be done together among liberals. Re-
ports were submitted at the first Con-
gress upon having common head
quarters in cities for the liberal de-
nominations, upon the feasibility of
union publication, upon founding
summer school and also theological
school for training of ministers in re-
ligion without reference to denomina-
tional bias. All that could be ex-
pected was accomplished general
acquaintanceship and an increased
sense of unity of aim among liberal
workers of different names.
A permanent organization was
formed and arrangements made for
future incorporation. Among other
things the constitution stated the
purpose of the Congress to be''to fos-
ter and encourage the organization of
non sectarian churches and kindred
societies, "and "to secure closer and
more helpful association of these,
ETC."
This action led many to feel that
the Congress might be turned into a
new sect which it certainly would be