New-York tribune., 1909-01-27
SAYS UN[TARIANS LEAD
ELIOT ON THEIR SUCCESS.
HarOards President Tells of Their
Share an WorJds Greatness.

President Eliot of Harvard University said last
night that the Unitarians held an enormous and
dlsproportonate share of the desirable places in
all walks of life this country as compared with
the members Of other denominations. Unitarianism,
he said, had its side all the modern forces in
the world He was speaking at q dinner given in
his honor by the Unitarian Club, of New York. at
the Hotel Manhattan
President Eliot was introduced by Cyril H. Bur
dett, the toastmaster. to speak on The Reasons
for the Striking Success of Unitarans in Business,
the Professions and Public Life lone of the
Cnitarians VINO has achieved that success" Mr..
Burdett said that President Eliot eminent not
only for what he had done for education. but also
for rational religion He spoke eulogsticaly OF his
work for Harvard.
In opening his remarks President Eliot said that
the Unitarians in this country occupied position
analogous to that occupied by the Protestants in
France, who comprised scarcely one-twentieth of
the population in that country. In the United
States the Untarians were only $1,000 out of So,-
OO0,oo0 but they held disproportionate share Of
| honors Referring to Boston, he said:
hh as f @ Not in o e S &a the
pleasure Of assisting IN the election Of Unitarian
for President of the United States, but we chose
whom are Unitarians. We also in Boston have a
Mayor who is a Unitarian
NO LoNGER BAR TO iCE
is Untarin pa femenBeT RePT w6en 65Se wt Of the
Hudson River Unitari.n was abhorred. Now:
anu 4'lStiioaiSt
circulars Sy the thousands asking people. Are you
rnp Of CF Jesus bfs T9T man this ~Rq Wa doSs
literally in the last eection-millions of fellow
the election the ifS Gq in the State
OF Ohio had the imnrudence TO nominate very or,
a plurality of some $1,000 il Ohio At the same
that @ state had plurality Of about oe6 1000 The
Democratic candidate for Governor a Uni
60 often TO the meeting of the Unitarian Club
In Boston All the men there are eInnently sue
CeSSfUl ia their occupations. They are the
men making. money in business te-day, not the men
ago suppose it is because Unitarians are men
wo tnink Tor themseives nney q2 noI b ac6ePn @ te
for success in business.
Then President Eliot went on say that Uni
tsriantsn had its side ell the modern forces in
she world He said that many Of the leading scien-
lists Of this country had been Unitarians He
claimed for the denomination the historians Park
man. Bancroft Sparks. John Fiske and others, and
spoke of Emerson. Lowell and Holmes as essayists
and poets
President Eliot said the literature country
has been characteristically Unitarian for long
time. He said Untarians had been and we're
small band of pioneers. having the support Of all
modern forces, and then asked:
What are the most interesting social develop;
service? That friends is the new religion!
70 serve in the cause of human liberty: Youths
are mot rsgqs s 4ow In IN the the w 0d sense But they
That is why Unitarians have succeeded In life
R Pe6e t of e esT r
the the @ OF af Bs or 9sf that 10 man Re sbou
be estimated by the quality of the service he was
prepared to render his fellows.
President Eliot said that the name Unitarian
was correct and descriptive OF the religion so far
it went, but that 1t did not go far enough and
the time might when IL would be changed
He said there had been a vast diffusion Of Uni
taranisrn in the spirit of unity in social and pub
| lie service which spreading so rapidly rs
Il not an encouraging sign of the times. he asked
that cooperation among Christians OF SO many
names lis much more common and so much more
effective than formeriy?" and continued:
Above all. Unitarians are sure to win success in
al ca1lings because they are believers RS In human
lbeTfy; and the grGwth OF 6eFy Is 'ne me nqst deTn
World Must we fear this? No because liberty does
level of society Despotism may, but liberty never
Il leads TO grades in society because it leaves free
with the promise of liberty. clear that it can do
in human capacity and human happiness
DR. Henry S. Pritchett head of the Carnegie
Foundation, said he one Of the great body of
Trnitarians outside Of the Church. He said that
religion was not creed, but service, life. 1t
had been declared, re said that religious views
had been liberahzed the mission of the Unitarian
Church was done. But there is another duty TO
Uerforn" he said. TO remedy condition we find
in colleges and universities We must develop a
religious leadership that shall touch not only our
inteIects put also our emotions and our hearts
DR. Prftchett said that any organization Of
eighty thousand persons thst could have as ex-
b,1,,+ 4 President Eliot and exhibit William II.
Taft might be said TO have set e pretty fair
standard of success One OF the reasons for Presi-
dent Flot's great success in Harvard he said, was
his willingness to let in the light TO print com
n1ete account OF the wey it spent its money and
the way IT obtained It. For 1t he's been held by
some he said "tHat college or university is q
trust in which the public has no interest except
In giving money
Professor George w. Kirchway. dean of the Co
1rr,b3a Law School said that President Eliot was
coming 10 be recognized the countrys foremost
citizen He saia that. in addition to the other
bonors he had received, he intended to claim for
President Eliot the position of religious leader
of the country