The sun., 1900-11-23
The Delusion OF Common Worship

The State Conference Of Religion. whose
sessions ended in New York last evening,
j. composed OF representatives OF many
Christian denominations and Of the Jews.
Its purpose being to harmonize the dif-
ferent manifestations of the religious SEN
timent, representatives Of all religions
should be eligible, logically. to JOIN in it.
Perhaps practically they are admissible,
and from the character Of scheme OF
common worship prepared for II by COM
mittee appointed for the purpose We as-
sumo that they are made welcome
The Conference treated various ques-
,ons, religious and social. but. with one
exception. they seemed to have only very
shadowy relation to the particular end IL
was organized 10 secure. This exception
was a discussion on The Possibilities
Of Common Worship in which the Rev DR.
HEBEE NEWTON Of the Episcopal Church
took tho Leading part; but go far "a his
paper has been reported II also appears TO
have been general only
As the sense Of a common life grows
said DR. NEWTON. for instance. the sense
Of a possible common worship grows with
it" But must not worship TO be common
proceed from common conception Of the
Being worshpped? II is based on faith.
and faith differs radically in Christian,
Jew and pagan. without doctrine directing
It the worship has no intelligent impulse
As DR. BERKowIT7, a Jewish rabbi Of Phil
adelphia said: must worship as a jew
you as n Christian Forms Of worship
are moulded by the character Of the belief
"a
possible except in the common absence
Of any definite belief? Underlying every
religion and determining the form Of its
worship and furnishing the reason for il
"a a form Of belief The worship is a rite.
II l. nor mere abstract worship. hut the
expression of devotion 70 q Divine Power
as conceived 10y the religion and pro-
claimed by It's tenots. IL is not merely a
sentimental exercise FOR tho deectation
OF people hut Is prescribed by authority
IA an act which in IL very form is ohliga-
tory Ask Roman Catholic about the
matter ask Protestant: ask a Moham-
medan
The committee of this Conference ~
Religion 10 whom the practical question
Of providing "A form of common worship
was referred consists Of Or NEWTON an
fpi-copanan. Dr. GoTTuEII. Jc-S, and
Dr. SllCEW. "A Unitarian. Undoubtedly.
II those three radically conflicting forms
OF reli Gious faith could agree on a common
prayer nook. the problem would he in a
fair way of solution. But how is such an
agreement possible, unless in "A totally new
religion which reject. n" distinguishing
eelutnts of the faith Of each and consis, ,
in the mere sentiment Of devotion
Well, what has this committee done1
II has prepIrcd for pubhcatlon Manual
of Common Worship" described a. con-
tanning selections from jh" Jewish.
Christian and ethnic Scriptures. PRAYERS
sclr,tri from Jewish offices AMI Christian
lturr,,~. ancient and modern as wei
"a, from private sources. together with
hymns from a wild" range Of aurhorshiu.'
II" tleorv, We suppose. i tina, II = to he
worship of a Divine Power simply. withou,
any attempt to go beyond the most ab
stra"t and pd"tinte conception OF IT,
Bat II Is theory against which every
Church % Christendom with any deiinit,
faith - arrayed impacably and neccssa-
riy. What one of them would or could