Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-30
RELIGIOUS NOTES
AND COMMENTS
Says the Literary Digest.

Says the Literary Digest:
more than 17,C0O,O00 church members, be-
longing to twenty-six different communions.
Will be represented at the great gathering
In New York city, beginning November Is,
TO discuss and plan for church federation
Cooperation In service is said to be the
goal the conference will have in view, and
no organic union of denominations will be
attempted Even so, the Brooklyn Eagle
thinks "a split is quite as likely to come
about as federation" but the Eagle seems
to be practically alone in this opinion. The
idea of federation represented by this con-
ference believes the Chicago Tribune, is
practicable because 1t makes possible
union without fusion" and the Rochester
Democrat and Chronicle regards the APP
preaching conference as 1.-The natural prod
uct OF the more tolerant Christian spirit of
our times, and surmises that it's resulting
organization may become one of the great
moral, social and religious factors of the
coming age" The coming conference has
been planned and promoted by the National
Federation of Churches and Christian Or
CARNATIONS. which came into being in 1900.
From the letter sent out by the National
Federation suggesting the interdenomina-
tional conference we quote the following
sentences as indicating more definitely the
purpose of that conference:
I'VE believe that the great Christian bod
and lead In the discussion of, and give an
impulse to, all great movements that make
for righteousness We believe that ques-
lions like that of the saloon, marriage and
divorce, SABBATH dissertation, the social evil,
child labor the relation of labor to capital,
the lettering of the conditions of the labor
ing classes, the moral and religious training
of the young, the problem created by for
eign immigration, and international arbi-
tration-indeed, all great questions in which
the voice of the churches should be heard
concern Christians of every name, and de-
mand their united and concerted action If
the church is to lead effectively in the con-
quest of the world for Christ. 1t is our
conviction that there should be a closer
union of the forces and a most enective
use of the resources of the Christian
churches in the different cities and towns,
and, when feasible, in other communities
and fields, with a view to an increase or
power and of results in ali Christian work
Dr. j. L. Magnus. secretary OF the Fed
GRAFTON of American Zionists, who was
prominent figure among the deiegates OF
the recent Zionist congress at Basic, is back
from Europe, and is again discharging his
duties at the office of the federation. DR..
Magnus expresses himself as being highly
pleased with the results OF the congress and
says great work Is ahead of the movement.
He is a firm believer in the efficacy of grad
ual colonization in Palestine, and he thinks
there is great opportunities for the move
ment in slowly gaining ground in the Holy
Land.
The cornerstone of congregation Beth
Israel No 2, at 252 West 35th street OF
New York was laid last June with BETTING
ceremonies, and now that the building has
reached completion the "shule' was open
ed with more than the usual ceremonies on
Sunday, September "A. The new altar in
this house of worship is the presentation
Of Mr. Harry Levy. The congregation Beth
Israel No 2 was organized about fourteen
years ago by several West S.ders who
realized the necessity of place OF wor-
ship In their vicinity. The removal of the
Jewish people uptown led to the moving up
of the synagogue also. From the time of
its organization 1t has maintained school
for Jewish children under competent in
structors
Prof. George Trumbull Ladd of Yale Uni
versty. who contributes to a symposium
Crown Theological Library" hkens the
childs capacity for religion to that dis
played by the race in its childhood. and the
development of this capacity, he asserts,
follows. a certain natural psychological
order. He Is inclined to set little store by
the recent psychological investigations that
have made use of discoveries in the field OF
"sublminal," those that have pointed
sort" Briefly described. he says, the child's
capacity for religion rs that of forming an
image of the Divine Being. and of taking
toward that image, regarded as representa-
tive of reality, a fitting attitude of intel
lect feeling and WILL" He admits that the
chiids conception of God must be one of a
God "maged and known in terms OF its
own faculties" conception which agnosti-
cism attacks as invalid and even decep-
tive" To this objection DIR. Ladd retorts
that this making of the image of God by
the child after the pattern of its own image
Is considered. from the point of view of the
believer in the central tenets of Christian
ity, Gods making. by course of progress
sive evolution. of the child into the divine
image
A contributor to Harpers Weekly says
that John Hay was "a writer Of hymns, a
donor of chapels and churches, a contribu-
tor of communion sets. steady attendant
ON worship, and, by the testimony of his
pastors In Cleveland and Washington, a
model Christian but he was not member
of a church. and hence not a member OF the
church."
Continuing. the writer says. There was
when men of the prestly CASTE who now
unreservedly appraise Mr.. Hay as q Chris
tian. would have asked first: Did he assent
to a creed? Has he conformed to our faith?
Does he accept the scheme of salvation as
we believe it? 1t would not have been
thought sufficient to have said--as has been
said of Mr. Hay-that he was a man of
deep and wide love- that he was a lover of
justice as between man and man and ma
ton and nation that he was profoundly
reverent, gracious In spirit modest humble
a neighbor who ever played the role of the
Good Samaritan, friend who was always
considerable, Incapable of seifshness in
thought or conduct. and in speech scriptu-