Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-06
CLING TO RELIGIONS REALITY
Men May Vary on 0reeds, but Stick to
Primal Truth.
DR.. ANDREWS ON SACRED EDUCATION
state conference Participated In by
Many Nebraska
General News from
Lincoln.
DR.. ANDREWS ON SACRED EDUCATION
From a star Correspondent.l

tfTOm a stan correspondent
LINCOLN, April 5.-tSpecial CLERGY
men, educators and students gathered In
this city today to participate in the Ne
braska conference in the interest Of re-
ligious education. The meeting is being
held under the auspices Of the University
Of Nebraska and the Lincoln Pastors a.
ISOLATION. Persons came in response to
the call from many points throughout the
state and today entered upon their work
with much enthusiasm. The conference
will conclude its deliberations tomorrow
evening. Today's sessions we're held in
the First Congregational church.
The opening address OF the conference
was delivered by Chancellor Andrews, who
began his remarks by saying 1t was not
his purpose to anticipate any discussion
that might take place. but only to outline
some Of the thoughts, which, so far as
he could discover, had led the members
to convene. II take no part In the joust;
/ am simply the herald, ringing the bell
to give notice that the ioust Is on" de-
clared the chancellor. And let not tn. 9
polemic figure of the joust' Brighten any.
We are not here to fight. but to reason
together. Further, though we have met to
discuss we have not met to discuss re-
ligious doctrine. On the substance mat
Ter Oh tQdt we uiutI-ptEuhpS itbs hah
we think, perhaps more"
The chancellor thought that however far
apart the members Of the conference might
be at certain points the gathering would
certainly be quite illogical we're they not
as one in at least the single conviction
that there is a reality to religion.
Reality of Religion.
1--WE vary In our Of that re-
atty, both in general and in detail, and
there may be differences Of view touchinR
the degree Of its Importance" said he,
but with one voice and heart we main
tain that religion Is real. not a chimera,
not a chance survival from lower stages OF
human development. The assumption that
religious teachers have something yet to
learn regarding the best modes Of inculcat-
ing their beliefs involves no admission thai
they have hitherto been or are at present
altogether astray. In the nature of the
case review and revision of the methods
employed in teaching religion must from
time to time be imperative.
"A curious and interesting illustration
of this need, showing how religious
nomenclature, at least, must from time
to time be reinterpreted. connects itseli
with the theological conception Of SOW
ereignty, meaning that power Legislative
and executive In a government from which
there can be no appeal. In the days Of
absolute royal sovereignty when men like
Buchanan, Jurieu, Hooker and Hobbies dis
coursed upon this conception, 1t was easy
TO ascribe sovereignty to the Supreme
Being without derogating from him any
moral attribute. Political sovereignty was
then almost universally considered to attacs
to some man, a king, or woman, a queen
who because sovereign. could do no pc.
litical wrong any more than our supreme
court now can render an illegal decision
AT present. however, this is changed
The intelligent throughout the worlt
ascribe sovereignty to the total peopl,
and regard 1t insufferable for any individ.
ual to arrogate this to himself. so tina
to ascribe sovereignty to God inevitabl.
makes most men hate instead of rever,
him. an effect to be obviated only by
rather severe schooling in the history o
political conceptions"
sighting of Sunday school.
In conclusion the chancellor said; 9TH
cessation by SO many parents OF effort
TO render their children sanely religion
might have been expected to evoke at
tempts at the betterment of Sabbath schoo
instruction. Such attempts are making now
but, l fear, with Indifferent success. A
this subject will be formally presented a
one Of the sessions, / touch 1t here onl
TO deprecate the inclination OF some VIII
would improve Sabbath school teaching t
secularize and intellectuallze this, dealin
with dates, authorship, analysis, geography
criticism, and sighting the moral and re
ligious content OF the literature studied
Information of the sorts named is needed
especially for superintendent and teachers
also for normal classes, which should b
kept up to insure supply OF good teachers
but the mere mental apprehension of pre-
cious literature and history will never in
terest the masses and would do them littl
good, even II 1t interested them.
Two questions of moral moment obtrud
themselves In considering those religion
musterings of young people by themselvt
which are so fashionable now. First, is
we'll that young people should be thu
sharply segregated from their senior
forming. as It were. a minor imperium:
synagogue of children. in the religion
community I conceive that many are al
swering this query In the negative ar
that few indeed regard 1t as undebatabl
"A second inquiry in the premises