Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-16
SECULAR LEAGUE BANQUET
Members and Guests Assemble at Final
Meeting of the Season.
President Kirk Serves as TOastmaster
Prof. Coleman and others.


members of the Secular League took place
at a banquet given by the organization
last evening at the Hotel Dewey. The
league held its last regular meeting prioI
to the summer recess Sunday. and at that
time it was determined to close the season
with a social session. More than half q
hundred members and several invited
guests met last evening in the parlors of
the hotel, where a preliminary reception
was held Shortly before o'clock the
party adjourned to the dining hall, which
was tastefully decorated for the occasion.
The arrangements varied somewhat from
the ordinary, there being one long table
and a number of smaller ones Cut flowers
were used in profusion. Prominent among
the decorations was a gilded bust OF
Thomas Paine, the philosopher
Mr.. Hyland c. Kirk, president of the
league. officiated as postmaster. He bade
the guests be seated. and for an hour the
attention of all was directed to discussing
an elaborate menu. When the crockery
had been removed President Kirk raped
for order and announced the toasts Gen.
William Birney, a prominent member OF
the league, was expected to speak on
"Secularism." but absence from the city
prevented his attending the banquet. In
his stead, however, Major John W. Powell
was introduced
Relief of the League.
According to Major Powell, the belief OF
the league is best explained as "crankism.
He went on to say that cranks serve GER
tain good purposes in the machinery OF
the world, as it is the crank that turns the
wheel of progress today. The speaker de-
clared that the best way to reach common
conclusions upon things concerning Whlch
men must take action is for them to get
differences.
The next speaker was MIR. Maurice Pc
chin, his topic being Secular Religion.
Honesty, equal rights and justice he de-
clared to be the religion, part of the re-
ligion, of the members of the league. The
organization, according to Mr.. Pechin,
lacked the usual characteristics of the
churches. with the possible exception that
the collection plate is passed around by the
league as wei as by the church. During
the course of his remarks the speaker
stated that a proposition to incorporate
the league is being considered. Should this
be done, he added, he felt sure the mem
bers would not ask to have their property
exempted from taxation on the ground that
they constitute a religious charitable or
beneficiary institution.
Two Kinds of Truth
In discussing The Search for Truth"
Prof. William NJ. Coleman remarked that
two kinds of truth exist. One is ordinarily
heard from persons on the witness stand,
while the other is a higher kind, that which
is looked for by the Secular League.
Prof David Eccles declared that he knew
OF no infallible rue for the recognition OF
truth in connection with a dissertation on
How to Recognize Truth"
Divinity Shapes Our Ends was the topic
assigned to Mr.. George A. Warren. In his
opinion the moving consideration in all
Things human is the almighty dollar. The
speaker took occasion to say that while
the Phllippine war is said to be based on
Christianity, 1t is really for grab
Mr. S. H. Agnew spoke on the Divinity
of Reason"
Remarks We're made by others on TOPICS
as follows: The Divinity Of Justice. Prof.
L. r. klemm; The Divinity of Labor Mr.
H. W. selah; The Divinity of Beau}y- Miss
henrietta {. Morrison; The Divinity of
Love, Mr.. Clifford Howard; The Divinity of
Humor, Mr.. Chas. G. Carter
Inc officers of the league are: President,
Hyland {. Kirk: vice president, Chas c.
Carter; secretary, H. w. Selah; treasurer,
Miss Henrietta G. Morrison
The banquet was arranged by a commit
tee consisting Of Mr.. VIM. L. Watson, Dr.
L. X. hlemm, Mrs. a. E. Carter, Mrs. NJ.
W. Lang, Miss II. c. Morrison Mr.. Horace
f. Drake, 1r., Mr., Louis Holmes Miss f.
Hazelton Wilson. Mr.. Maurice Pechin, DR..
John J. Shirley, Mrs. H. NJ Shannon, Miss
May White, Miss G. E. Metcalf, Mr.. Geo. A.
Warren, Mr.. VIM. ]. Johnson Mr.. III. b.
Gibbs and Mr. D. NJ Mcpherson.
Those Present.
Those in attendance included Maj. John
w Powell Prof. VIM. NJ Coleman, Prof.
David Eccles, Mr.. C. c. Carter, Capt. John
McElvey, Mr.. Maurice Pechin, DR.. L. r.
klemm, Mrs. c. c. Carter, Mr. z. A. Tfb-
belts, Mrs. L. n. Tibbetts Judge George
Hickenlooper. Mrs. II. W. Selah, H c.
Kirk, George A Warren. Gertrude f. Met
calf, Mrs. Townshend, S H. Agnew. ]. B.
Agate. Thomas Robinson, NJ. D., Mrs c. A.
Metcaf. Mr.. and Mrs. S. X. Hall Miss
Blanche Hall, r. Z. L. Newberne VIM P
Seville, J. r. Hayes, NJ. D., II. w. Selah.
Donald Mcpherson, Sherman A. Cuneo,
Mrs Jennie L. Munroe, Mrs. Hersey Mum
roe, NJ. w. Lang, Mrs. NJ. W. Lang. Helena
Hartnett Mitchell, Rebecca E. Berry, Geo
r Davis, Henrietta Camille Morrison, VIM.
L. watson, Henry Clay Williss J. j. Shir-
ley, Nj. D.. II. NJ. Shannon, Mrs. H. NJ.
shannon, E. Hazelton Wilson, R Brauner,
Charles Newburgh and William H. Glib.