New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-29
RELIGION AGAINST RELIGION.
np srrvERMAN TALKS OF BATTLES OF THE
FAITH. AND SAYS THEY HAVE Numbered
TRUE RELIGIOUS ACHIEVEMENT.

FAITH, AND SAYS THEY HAVE HINDERED
TRUE RELIGIOUS ACHIEVEMENT
The Rev Dr. Joseph Sverman took for his sub
ject at the Temple Emanuel yesterday: Religion
Against Religion. or Inconsistencies in Faith and
Practice" He said In part:
The ultimate object of religion in general is 10 re-
deem mankind from error and sin Lead It up 70
worship OF God Father OF All and teach II TO
OF the Father In Heaven. advisedly say there
has been little progress heaverward We cannot
deny the advance that society has made In the
abolition OF slavery in some countries ana IN eevat
ing the sphere Of woman. but those achieVements
can hardly be asCribed 10 the direct Influence OF re-
Ngon. They came from The natural evolution OF
civilization, and in some instar ces IN spite OF the
There have been few material gains Of the direct
objects for which religion exists no spiritual ava
kening no aPprecable decline Of human seliishness
or gain In human brotherhooos. what are me
causes? First, religions thems elves are TO blame
for failure 70 achieve thelr oDJee's, InSaTau %
pursuing their objects with Vgor rehglons engaged
In mental contests with one another IL is surprls-
ing that a religion whose object IL peace. rove ana
brotherhood should have worked so much strife IN
the world As far back "a We can trace the his
tory OF mankind we ma these battles OF me
faiths these clashings OF the creeds, from the time
Father Abraham compelled 10 abandon Chal-
dea because he had set up different religion from
that OF his fellow-countrYmHn DOWN 10 me f.s}p-
tian persecution Of the Jewish race. 10 the Baby
lonisn era. 10 the Spanish lnquisition-lndeed'
through the history OF ChIislahllE ahu the 0ppres-
sion OF the heather and Mahometans. in all ages.
we find the same war OF religion agalnst renslon;
today we are not free from religious wars; There
il at
Cofholic and Protestant churches. and perhaps all
Christian churches combine 10 ook with disfavor
mon The Jewish Church ! the term Church
advisedlv for not all the individual members OF the
chrcbes a re set IN following the teaching they re-
Give from their leaders The entire conflict pollt-
cai Intellectual civil and commercial has centred
about theology. II theology were the same as re-
ligion. . -. ,-... IL,
secondly we must endeavOr rot 70 destroy relg-
ions bur advance those that exist. The best men
and women are not those who try 70 build ~ their
own churches but those who are Interested In the
advancement Of all churches and believe that al
religions that exist are necessary. For my part ]
yvould not have one religion less IN the world !
think there f. still atheism ana heathensm IN the
uyorId because there not mere religions.
Tn irdy we need a different kind OF religious con-
troversv | would not restrain freedom Of discus
sion but rather let IL be permeated by fairness.
frankness and love.
Fourthly we must inaugurate strict conss-
tency in faith and practice Every religion must be
held scrupulously 10 practise all rs professions
The day has gone by when religion can preach
deavor to establish discussion ard division among
,,.,-,-,
tween theology and religion-for most OF the n
fict has been about theology and involved religion
therein because did not understand that the
two are Identical. Theology Is knowledge. merely
speculative knowledge. about God Religion Is the
vrrorshp OF God and service of man. Al che signs
~ inc times indicate that the conflict Of religions
"a about ended and with the dawn OF the twentieth
century there will be a new humanity
ming the same Cod united In loving the truth and
uplifting the world.