Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-21
THE FIRST CONGRESS
Those Interested in Religious Edu-
cation Assemble Here.
INTERESTING PAPERS PRESENTED
Theme of the Addresses at the
Opening Session.
F U T q r e P CIR A M S

The opening session of the first Congress
of Religious Education was held last even
ing at the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church. There was q large attendance al
though many members of the American So
ciety of Religious Education, under whose
auspices this first congress is held. did not
reach the city until today. The congress
will last through Thursday evening.
The theme of the addresses that were de-
llvered last evening was Religious Educa-
ton and National Prosperity" There were
three speakers, Rev. w. H. Milburn, DIR. J..
E. Grammar, leading Episcopal minister
of Baltimore, and Senator Thurston of Ne
braska.
Last evenings meeting was presided over
by Gen. John Eaton, who made a brief
statement at the opening. The Y choir, R.
S. Fountain, chorister, furnished the music,
from the Scripture. A hymn written es-
pecially for the congress by Rev. DR.. Ran
kin of Howard University was sung by
choir and congregation. Then Gen. Eaton
introduced Rev. w. H. Milburn, the blind
chaplain of the Senate.
In the course of his address Mr.. NIilburn
took occasion to remark that certain classes
of people see fit to circulate declarations as
for gain of members generally of the ns-
tional legislature. This, Mr.. Milburn as
serted was foul Islander.
The average of the intelligence" he
said, the character, the behavior and the
general department of the members of the
Senate and House is incomparably higher
than it was in what people are so fond of
calling the good old times.
DIR. Grammar took the ground that, as
Bcnaparte had said, the kingdom Of God
alone could last, because it was founded
not on force, but on love. No nation whose
corner stone was not righteousness could
endure. He said: In the light we enjoy
we cannot conceive of any true prosperity
without religion. What is government
without religion? All legislation must be
futile unless it spring from the hearts
of the people. And when the heart of
man is inspired by the love of God and
his fellow men, there will be no i'll to our
neiGhbor. The prosperity of the ancient
ratiCns was transient. 1t is written time
and time again in Gods own handwriting
that the nations that will not serve Him
He will destroy"
Senator Thurston made able and elo-
quent address, referring to the evidences
of Divine influence in the making of the
republic. He referred to Washington S
first act after taking the oath of office, of
kissing the Bible. The pilgrim fathers
first written constitution was inspired by
the word of God. He declared that God
had guided the armies of the Union
through its struggles for the preservation
Ol the ana nau raised up ADra-
ham Lincoln to be the emancipation of the
slaves.
This Mornings Session.
When the session of the congress was
called to order this morning by DR.. ]. NJ
Gregory, the attendance vas by no means
large, but in the gathering We're n number
of the most prominent Washington pas
tors, as well several men and women
who are actively identified with Sunday
school work in different denominations.
After the regular devotional exercises F.
b. Palmer, Phi. D., the principal of the
State Normal School at Fredonia, n Y,
read a scholarly paper On the theme, Re
ligious Education Defin ID" After giving a
careful metaphysical definition of the term
DIR. Palmer considered the problems of
when such education should be begun, how
best begun and how continued Children
OF course, are not all equally advanced at
any particular age, and the time and
methods should be varied to suit each par
ticular case. Max Muller, the famous Ger
man savant, has sail that he has never
met with a people SO low that they did
not have some conception of a God. This
concept seems to be inherent even in child
hood, ana the process of DEVELOPMENT is
education, in the proper meaning of the
wcrd, rather than the system of implanting
from without.
AS to methods, DIR. Palmer said that a
dry lesson in the catechism is better than
a delightful tale that fails to point good
moral Yet between the catechetical and
the purely illustrative methods lies the
best and natural method. The most i'm
portant thing is to teach the personality of
God, such a personality that He shall be a
real power and factor liz human life
In conclusion, Dr. Palmer paid a high
tribute to the Importance of the work to
which the American Society of Religious
Education has been called. Upon the soci-
ETY. devolveS the responsibility to build up
common religious life on the founda ton
OF common religious intelligence. The
possibilities Of future usefulness which
open out before the society can be but i'm
perfectly apprehended at this early stage
of it's history.
Discussed by MIR. Willis.
The reading of the paper was followed by
a discussion on the theme, which was
opened by Mr.. Edwin Willis, ex-ass istant
secretary of agriculture. Mr.. Willis said
that 1t would not be easy to improve upon
the definition of religious education which
had been adopted by the society and was
used upon the program: The term relig-
ious education, as used herein, is intended
to cover all processes employed among
children and adults to impart knowledge
of sacred things, to develop the spiritual
powe-s and to conform the life to relig-
ious ideal" STILL said Mr.. Willis, it might
be possible to throw some side lights upon
the subject. The best foundation for char
acter, he said, is an inherent quality rath-
er than an extraTeous motive-the power
to project itself rather than to await the
impetus.
The one is self-sustainng, continuous. to
be relied upon, the other subject to the
vGcillation of every wind that blows
So that education is the most to be COM
mended which develops inherent strength
d4sciplines the energies, gives facts enough
for nutrition without Indigestion, and starts
the disciple on his course Of life with DOW
CT to discriminate and purpose to do the
right thing though the heavens fall
True religious education is not a par
oxysm, spasm, sporadic. 1t is a life not
to be measured by its facility to fall from
grace. 1t is a persistent purpose with a
steady force in the divine direction, and