The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-07
SECULAR LEAGUE on OPTIMISM
A Varied Program and Lively
and Earnest Discussion

and Earnest Discussion.
At the meeting Of the Secular League
yesterday afternoon. al Macc.tbee Tenn
pie Mr.. Clifford Howard presented the
prelude on The Destiny of the I'M
verse" DR.. /. r. Elemm read poem
from the German of Schiller. entitled
The Three Rings" and Mr. w H Burr
delivered the chief address on "Pesein-
ism The speaker quoted from ali the
pessiLiists from Solomon and Job TO Hart
mann. Schopenhauer and Dean Swift and
sought TO show that all is vanity, that
life IS not worth having as 4 gift. that
pain is almost constant. that pleasure IS
SO ephemeral that nobody is really hap
~, that earth is q vale of tears, and that
the best we can do is to get out of it as
soon as possible and into one that per-
haps is no better. He was unable TO see
what there was in this existence to make
anybody an optimist, or to make any
body see anything in it but a sad joke.
This address was discussed by Rev. Mr..
Wheeler. Major Pechin. DR.. CrofTut, Mr..
+. Il. Woodbury., Mr.. Godding. Mr..
Cowden. Mrs. Josephine Murphy and Mrs.
Kendall
Mr. Pechin was an optimist. but insist
ed that whether we lived in shadow or
sunshine depended largely on our tenn
pcraments and feelings, which, in turn,
resulted from environments of condition.
DR.. Croffut doubted that there We're
four pessimists. and insisted that IN this
tolerably comfortable and cheerful world
all ought TO be optimists. The moral con-
dition depended largely no doubt ON good
digestion ana probably q dyspepuc must
naturally be pessimist \ cheerful creed
and good health act and react on each
other. The speaker repeated Ingersoll s
creed. Happiness is the only good: the
time TO he happy is now. the place 10 be
happy is here; the way 10 be happy Is to
make others happy. If a man would
heartily believe this and earnestly go
| about practicing II he could not be
| pessimist. To any man inclined to be
melancholy or misanthropic. he recon-
| mended the panacea Of going out and do
ing something for some neighbour friend
! or stranger. and prophesied that the rem
edy would begin to work in an hour. He
| also instanced the Improvement IN the
conduct of the world during the last fifty
years in regard 10 drinking, gambling,
intolerance and other offenses against hu-
man rights
J
Whereas the American Republic is founded on
mans relation 10 his fcllow-inan and not on ms
/ belief in any supernatural being; and
/, Whereas the public welfare depends on personal
/ uyrightncss and courage. and on wise and Just
4 Whereas the worship Of God is a private priv
/ ilege and not 4 public function; therefore, he II
/ Resolved. That all churches should he built on
| private property and erected and supported eK-
cclusiycly With private funds; and therefore
Resolved. That the Secular League, OF Washing
/ ton. earnestly urges the enactment INTO law OF
House hil No. 500. directing the Secretary ot
War immediately TO remove all religious edilfces
from the military reservations OF the United
States.
The following resolutions were report
| ed Icy a committee appointed last week
and We're unanimously adopted:
Whereas during more than a century Of the
political existence OF the District OF Columbia
! Congress has never enacted for IL general sun
dly- law; and
obsolete IN that State before the District ces-
sion. have never been enforced in this District;
1 Where's. through the cosmopolitan civilization
Of thc National Capital. expressed in municipal
ordinances. police regulations and the manners
and customs Of the people there has gradually
grown up The best observance OF Sunday known
in the United States; one IN which the rights o.
J all individuals arc fully projected and 80 secl
can use the state Tor the persecution Of oihel
I scots; and
Whereas few individuals, not content with be
ing free TO observe Sunday a they choose, wisl
10 destroy the like freedom enjoyed 10y other
and ior this purpose have prepared SUNDAY
IiN' in which the least penalty is - and tn
highest $50; and
Whereas the practice Is, if fines are not paid
II put the offender the chain-sang in stripc'
: clothes until lee works out the ilne at the rat
Of - Is cents day, making the disgracciu
imprisonment Tor poor man torn Of fron
fifteen days 10 five months. even II incurred 10
an act rot injurious others; and
Whereas this bin Is 50 drawn that the pre-
tended exemption clause would not prevent IN
arrest ana much trouble 10 morally disposed an
( layv-shidin- people. and would not exempt Secu
larists, Sevcnt-day Haptists or IsTaelites there
. Resolved. That we denouncc the PROPOSED 'Srn
day bin disETJccft'l TO its authors ana to II
weil-irioImcd supporters.
Resolved. That we refuse TO believe that an
] lut very small number OF the Clergy and lll
: agVsi members Of The District CHURCHES favor
liIl 50 monstrous in lis operation upon the othc
2i7.Er inhabitants.
Resolved That We remind members Of The cmi
ucutiv respectable ChuFeh.nan's League thai thcl
ri2l's TO observe Sunday they please have ne'e
Resolved. That if this shameful machinatio
should result in the punishment Of Secularists
Advcntists. Seventh day Baptists and lsraelites
and in placing many Of them in the cham gan
for innocent acts On Sunday, there would. per
haps be more honesty, morality, conscientiousnes
and religious faith on the chain-gang than else
whore.
Resolved That If the result should be 10 hanis
these persecutcd classes from the District IL woul
| De a repetition a small scale OF the Danish
Inrnt Of the Huguenots from France.
Resolved, That the Secular League renews If
pledge TO all lawful means TO defend IN
tivil and religious rights of the Inhabitants
This District. and calls on ali patriotic citizen
10 aid IN this purpose.
Next Sunday at 3 O'Clock p. Mrs
Woodward will present the prelude. "Un
der the Surface" A poem on "Memor
and Remorse'' will be read by Mrs. L. {
: Compton. and DR.. William Howard Wi
deliver the principal discourse on 9TH