The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-13
LOCAL FREE THINKERS
They Meet and Organize "The Peo-
pies Church"
NEARLY & HUNDRED OF THEM
IN ATTENDANCE.
Well-Known Citizens Elected As Of
f1cers-The Meeting Opened With
the Singing OF "America"-An
Address By DR.. Ravlin.

Nearly a hundred free thinkers or
ganized the Peoples church Of Salt
Lake City at meeting held last even
ing in Gladstone hall. This was done
after the conclusion of an appreciative
lecture by DR.. n. Z. Ravlin, lately of
California. DR.. Ravlin, who will be the
pastor was formerly a Baptist minis
ter in Chicago. The doctor took an
active part in the organization, ard
put the question on the voting for
trustees and officers elected, who were
the following: DR.. a. S. Chapman, Pro
fessor n. 3. Johnson, T. z. Hinshaw,
Mrs. Robert Vincent, August Stein.
Warren Foster, Mrs. James Geary, Mrs.
Sarah Bond and Mrs. w. j. Barnett.
DR.. Chapman was chosen president;
Professor Johnson vice president, ME-
Hinshaw secretary, and Mrs. Vincent
treasurer. However, DR.. Chapman was
not present, and his positive acceptance
was not recorded.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The following resolutions, as a basis
of the organization, We're adopted:
Whereas. There are many people in this
city who are termed Acn-church goerS,
and who are such FOR the reason that they
cannot subscribe to the doctrines taught,
Whereas It is desirable that those who
have progressed out of and beyond the
erstwhila limits of religious thought
should be associated in some form; there
fore,
Resolved, That we proceed to organize
ourselves into a body to be known as
The Peoples Church of Salt Lake City.
Resolved That civil and religious lib
erty is the inalienable blrthrlght OF all
people, irrespective of race, color OF creed,
and that every one should be free to
worship God or not to worship accord
ing to the dictates of conscience;
Resolved, That it is not our purpose to
antagCnize existing churches, demanding
nothing for ourselves we 90 not grant 70
them, and insisting there shall be no war
fare unless they themselves are the as
greSsors.
Resolved. That we hail as the harbinger
OF : brighter day the broad and liberal
trei&l of modern religious thought.
Resolved, That 10 do good and make this
world better and the people happier, is
and shall be our mission.
We most cordially invite all those who
love their fellow men to unite with Us
in AcOmulgating such knowledge as shall
tate human suffering. In short, we invite
ali who are interested in rational religion,
ethical culture and social progress to CO.
operate with US to this end.
DIR. RAVLIN'S LECTURE.
The doctor prefaced his address by
replying to a criticism made by ar
eY ening paper on his last Sundays lee
ture. He challenged a debate upon tbs
theory that Adam, the man God, was
or was not the result of the evolutions
in natures laboratories.
DR.. Ravlin elaborated upon his views
of the principles underlying the mole.
culac construction of worlds and tbs
Darwinian theory of evolution, an6
followed with an exposition of his be
lief in the necessity and opportunity q
establishing his church in the loca
field. When in the midst of his theme
he declared that the principles taught
by Jesus Christ were socialiStic, com
munistic and humanitarian, and thai
they were broken up in Jerusalem By
the same influences that were trying II
disrupt the United States today, by
arraying the rich and powerful agains
the poor and weak The history O.
American Jurisprudence he likened tt
that Of a. family Of Shylocks.
Mr.. Ravlin enlarged upon the cardi
nal principles set forth in the resolu
ticns. lie asserted that the organiza
tiCn was not a. church, theological,
speaking, and he expressed the belle
that fully a thousand free thinker
were in this city. and would identif,
themselves with the body as organized
il they cared naught for the sighting
remarks Of those who saw fit to crit
else them.
The meeting commenced by the doc
tor announcing: THE assembly vii
sing 'America-My Country, IT'S o
Thee etc, as it used to be, and as w
trust il will be again.
At the close q brief benediction wa
pronounced. Several announcement
were made, one that a musical and dra
matte entertainment would be given a
Unity hall Tuesday evening for tn
benefit nj the church