The evening times., 1899-10-17
lHE UNITARIAN COUNCIL
Second Session of the National
Conference Held Today.
An Address Delivered by Senator
George II. Hoar-The Creed and Its
Objects Exclaimed - DIR. Edward
Everett Hale Reads a Report-An
Eloquent Speech by the Secretary.

The second session of the National Uni
tartan Conference was held this morning al
O'Clock at All Souls Church, corner of
Fourteenth and L Streets northwest The
session was largely attended, the church
being filled with delegates.
The first hour was devoted TO commun-
ion services, at which Rev. Robert Collyer,
OF New York, and Rev. Charles Gaines, ID.
D., OF Boston, oficiajed. Immediately fol-
lowing the ceremony Senator George F.
Hoar, OF Massachusetts,, president of the
conference, delivered the address of well
come in which he gave utterance to his
views upon expansion. He said in part:
The seekers of the light are one, and all
who love God and man are welcome here.
AS TO the objection that Unitarianism is
undefinable, / thank God for it. The hu-
man soul, Immortality, God, are likewise
indefinable. Yet We know our own when
We see il. Those who sooth their own sor-
rows by soothing the sorrows of others;
VINO when Duty says, Thou must reply,
i cam those who prove their patriotism
by preventing their country from going
Nrong-they may not understand the theo-
logical mystery, but they prize the Ten
Commandments. II We would blot out
Unitarianism from the history of this
country we must efface the names OF many
great statesmen, orators, philanthropists,
soldiers, and, ] may say, nearly all great
poets.
The difference between Unitarianism
and other creeds is less a matter of belief
than a matter of emphasis, and they lay
special emphasis on hope. Man abideth
in faith, hope, and charity. Hope is the
central figure because without ii faith
would be impossible and charity wasted.
Hope believes in the final triumph OF faith.
Ii does not care for prospect in which
the larger part of mankind is destined to
perish. The literature of a free country
is hopeful. that OF despotic countries is
prone 10 gloom.
Speaking for himself, he did not believe
in fatalism or In blind force.
He continued: Il believe that nations
must work out their own salvation without
coercion; that free institutions cannot be
given by one people to another, but must
be an indigenous force; that a republic is
greater than an empire; that Washington
was better than Napoleon; that the United
States, when President Mckinley was in
augurated was better and greater than
any other nation on earth; and that what
ever clouds darken the horizon, the world
Il ElbhllS DElAEls NI4dl lOuds - DclAtI ludu
yesterday, and tomorrow better than to-
day
Senator Hoar's remarks were enthusias-
tically applauded.
Dr. Edward Everett Hale. of Boston was
next called upon TO read the report of the
council. He began by giving a brief his
tory OF the establishment and development
OF UnitaTianism and OF the work of the
sect during the first few years in establish
ing schools and endowing colleges represen-
tative OF the Unitarian church. He said
that the increase of the Unitarian church
was especially within the ranks of other
denominations.
'Unitarianism is often ably proclaimed, -
said he, from Presbyterian and other or
thodox churches. An Episcopal bishop once
said with truth that the congregation of
his own cathedral was made up of Unita-
Jian cIanks. ANY church which accepts the
religion Of Jesus Christ is entitled 10 send
its delegates 10 this conference. 1t is a con-
ference unhampered by ecclesiastical lines. s.
Dr. Hale went on to say that the extern
sion OF full and undefiled religion in
the next half century may depend upon
the public utterances of laymen quite as
much as the pulpits Of the ordained clergy.
Rev. Samuel A. Eliot, of Boston. the sec
retary of the American Unitarian Asso-
citation next delivered a powerful and elo-
quent address in which he urged that the
work OF this conference be not performed
I'm a mere peTfunctory manner but that
il be entered into with spirit and feeling.
He said in part: See TO il that your
association is not merely a desirable ex-
pediency nor an accident OF religious his
tory; not legal title to a good Inherit
ance nor an assertion of ecclesiastical au-
thority; but that ii is a living entith the
embodiment OF z patriotic purpose. the
experience OF moral ideal. Thus only
ean you hope that your message will have
the energy which Will transform your fell
loW-men.'
The following assistant secretaries were
appointed: Mrs. Isabel c. Barrows. Rev.
James NJ Whtson, Pl. D.; Rev. Walter T
Salter. Rev. Walter Reid Hunt, and Rev.
William Claiming Brown. The following
committees were announced: Business com
mittee-George A. King. Washington;
James p. Hamilton, Worcester; Charles H.
SteaTns, Brookline; Mrs. Abby A. Peter
senr Jamaica Plain; Courtney Guild, Bos-
ton; Judge Thomas j. Morris Baltimore.
and Henry J. Hosmer. Concord, ". H. Ac-
counts-Enoch Lewis, Philadelphia; Dun
can Smith, New York, and Gen. w. w.
Blackman Boston. Credentials-Arthur
Bradley. Reene, n. H.. Rev. Charles B. Ell
der, Cleveland; Rev. w. C. Brown, Herbert
{. Parsons, Greenfield, Mass, and Rev.
David Utter. Denver, Col. Nominations
George II. Ellis, Boston; Fey. Charles E.
st. John, Pittsburg, Mass; Rev. w. w
Fem, Chicago; Henry F. Blount Wash
lngton, and Mrs. Emily A. Fifeld. Dor
chester, Mass.
At 10 o'clock a recess was taken, and al
2:3O O'Clock the biennial meeting of the
Noman's National Alliance was convened