The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-05
DR.. ELlor,s NEW RELIGION.


From the full text of the address
at Harvard Summer School, in which
DR.. Charles w. Eliot outlined the COM
ing of new and universal religion,
the following brief digest Is made:
Religion as personified is not fixed
but fluent thing, and hence it is
natural that religious conceptions
should change from century to CEN
fury. The greater extension Of knowl-
edge in the nineteenth century made
inevitable greater change In relig-
ion. First treating of what the re-
ligion will not be, he says, that the
decline In respect for authority is
evident IL all the institutions OF life:
that there will be no presentations
in the new religion, no ancestor wor-
ship or dedication of humans: that
personal welfare and safety will not
be dwelt upon so much as now they
are, but rather the idea OF service to
others. The new religion will not be
propitiatory, sacrificial, or expiatory.
It will not entertain the Hebrew an
thropomorphic representations OF God
as an enlarged and glorified man.
Turning then to the affirmative side,
DR.. Eliot says that the new thought
Of God will be the most characteristic
element in the new religion. 1.-THE
multiplication to anybody Of all the
noblest, tendersst and highest quail
tiles which man has ever seen or inn
agined in human being must be the
new religion" He reasons that If it
Is the soul at its best through which
God is revealed then the best knowl
edge of God comes through the best
races. Progress # mankind has been
delayed by the church's promises,
which teach submission to circum-
stances. The new religion will not
undertake to estimate or imagine the
justice Of God. Its consolation will be
that Of being more serviceable to 9TH
e-s through suffering. The best OF the
new church will be "the love Of truth
and the passion for seeking It," Com
ing generations will be stronger In
love and hope. All who combat pain
are the disciples of the new religion.
ut Is bound to no dogma, creed or
book. It will have its communions
with God and the spirits OF the de-
parted. 1t will be training in the
matter of cooperative good will 1t
will prove unifying influence and a
strong enforcement of democracy.
All the various societies which take
men out of themselves and teach
mutual regard and cooperation ap-
proach the field and function of the
new religion.
Naturally these views are bitterly
opposed by leading representatives OF
present church denominations. Bish-
Cd McFaul of the Catholic diocese OF
Trenton, who recently came out with
a scathing criticism of the moral
teachings of the older colleges, was
quick to attack this latest public ut
terance Of DR.. Eliot The bishop says
1t would be ludicrous were 1t not sc
pitiable to hear man OF DR.. Eliot's
reputed learning and character out
lining the church of the future He
concludes that Eliot, being Unitar
ian, can not be q Christian, and adds
! that the Catholic recognizes God alone
Is the architect of true religion ant
that Christianity is divine religion
The Eliot religion is to the bishop I
sort OF nondescript, jellyfish religion,
hard to find not easily caught and dill
ficult to retain.
Dr.. S. H. wainwright, presiding cid
err of the st. Louis district of the Meth
odist church, pointed with pride to tn
far greater growth of his denomina
ton. and said he was inclined to be
lieve that the new religion would b
, Methodism. He thought It ridicuiou
to contemplate any religion OF tn
: future with the supernatural eiemen
: eliminated.
: Bishop Fallows of the Reforme
/ church said that the religion OF tn
future would rest upon the authorit
i Of truth, but that It would believe
. a personal God and that dogma an
: creed would never cease to be held.