The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-24
OMAR KHAYYAM is
SOCIFTY'S APOSTLE
Religious Discussions in Eng
land Resolve Themselves
IntOAdmiratiOn of Him.

LONDON, April 23.-"London society
is not irrengious, but it is broadly
marked by a spirit of polite skepticism,
and the fashionable Bible of the mo-
ment is the Rubaiyat that epitome of
matter of fact pessimism."
Such IS the summing up of an expert
enced observer who is a man mixing in
many sets and competent to form an
opinion from actual knowledge and
without a prejudice of the society in
which he moves.
"As a matter of fact" writes this au-
thority, London society is so large and
consists of so many cliques that every
form of belief and unbelief has room to
flourish and obtains some followers.
Therefore, the sweeping assertion that
society is irreligious which one often
hears made by people whose knowledge
of It is acquired second hand or from
servants halls is absolutely ridiculous.
There are many very churchy sets.
First Of all, there is the Low Church
set. This consists mainly of elderly
peers and peeresses, while the younger
adherentS are either spinsters Of unde-
Cided age or foredoOmed by nature to
pc unmarried Its VOtaries are emf
Sently respectable. They never dine
late on Sundays, but have cold sup
pers, and they are supporters of mis-
BiOnary work and drawing room meet
4Rgs at which preachers address a bevy
II ladies and a collection is subse-
Guently made While they are having tea.
These are the main patrons of those
poorer folk who have latent religious
tendencies and they usually have tracts
In convenient receptacleS ready to dis
tribute.
Leader Lord kinnairdE.
Perhaps their leader in London is
Lord Knnaird one Of the healthiest
and most muscular Christians that ever
stepped, a splendid sportsman, the
head of q great bank and one of the
most earnest and most devout men in
any rank Of life.
In cOntradistinction to this there is
tht Ritualist party. Those who are
its vOtaries in society much appreciate
the ecclesiastical millinery and elabOr-
ate paraphernalia Of the Roman Cath
Ole ceremonies. Confession is openly
advocated by unmarried priests. 1t is
a fact that at the Roman Catholic shop
IN PaternOster row where penitential
instruments are sold, such as disci
pines, hair shirts and crosses with
sharp points, practically all the -pur-
chasers are so-called PrOtestants.
In this high church set there are
many more fashionable people than In
the Low Church fraternity, but though
they are quite fit to be in society they
are not much to be seen in the smart
sets, because they disapprOve of a good
many things.
Lord Halifax is, within limitations,
the head Of this section, which is ac
tive in East end work. There Is, Of
course, a regular Roman Catholic aris-
tocracy in London, but it is little
apart. This is first of all due to the
fact that very few of the men have
been to the great English public
schools, and secondly because this
community is always suspected of a
desire to prOselytize, which causes its
lghtest words to be viewed with sus-
picion."
Victory of Scientists.
Christian Science has captured the
country. 1t is discussed everywhere,
and in society has hundreds of really
aristOCratic Yotaries. At q dinner par
ty only last week one of the six most
notable duchesses in England said,
''Well, we may think Christian Science
is rubbish, but it has improved the
manners and disposition of every Wom-
an know who has gone in for it, and
they are all happier into the bargain"
Be 1t added that Christian Science
meetings are attended by a far larger
percentage of men than you can see
at any Church of England service.
$50 1 come" continues the authority
quoted, ito the core of my subject
What is the religious state of the sets
really known as society, not only smart
but also the best-those containing the
real leaders Of aristocratic' thought?
My reply would be that the feeling is
one Of. polite skepticism. Religion is
freely discussed and much read about,
and the present fashionable verdict is
one of not proven You would be as
cto1 In IoI7
married woman or girl of six-and-
twenty knows on the subject. Super
ficially you will say. Possibly; but she
has taken the essence Of concentrated
thought Of many Of the greatest think
ers.
Scores of women whose names fig
ure in the society columns week after
week are likely to be dabb1ers in re-
1igious matters. You will find they
possess we'll thumbed and annotated
copies Of Emerson's ESSAYS, of Renan
and Taine and of a dozen translations
of Asiatic creeds. They know the
Koran and the tenets of Buddha and
are familiar with the American adap-
tatiOn of Eastern notions. Moreover,
they read books on telepathy and spir-
itualiSm. They are inclined to dabble
In palmistry and are not ignorant of
crystalliZing> They have a smattering
Of the scientific attacks made by Hux-
ley and his followers on the Scrip
lures. They have cleaned at least a
demolishing aspect Of the higher criti-
cism. Sermons Of men like Canon Hen
son are quoted so far only as they are
destructive of the old belief, and the
infallibility Of the Scriptures Is freely
poO-pOohed."
Il really don't see how Christianity
can last in the face Of what we know"
said an Irish peeress recently.
You know very little" was the
f,oIz
passing wave Of aristocratic indiffer-
ence can affect the faith Of the coun-
try"
That exactly sums up the situation
1t is Of no national consequence The
fashionable Bible of the moment is
Omar Khayyam. Among clever and re-
fined women Immortality seems to be
dreaded, not desired, and this craving
for eternal sleep Is a curious contem-
pOrary feature.
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