The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-21
Ere THINKERS
ARE R { IN SESSION 5 J
Sensational Disclosures Illinois Congress Opened Belgium
Graft Case Are - Mrs. Kate Trmbe-
peced. Woolsey
Woolsey.
FIRST WOMAN so -HoNoRED
Thousands Of Delegates Are in
Attendance Remarkable
Prayer Offered.

- Z ~.
Brussels. Belgium. August Gothic
international Free Thought Congress
was opened here to-day by Mrs. Kate
Trinble- Woolsey, of Covington. KY.
prominent suffragette and delegate
lat-large from the United States. The
last congress (held at Rome during
the unveiling OF the statue of Bruno)
was opened by the Immortal sHaeckel,
of Germany. and previous one by
iPasteur.
This is the first congress to be op-
Eened by q woman: in fact, only q half
dozen women have ever been asked TO
go as delegates. one of these being
RE, the discoverer Of radium.
Mrs Woolseys spoke in French (the
proceedings OF the conference being
in that language).
Several thousand delegates. COM
posed Of tho leading scientists and
thinkers of the world, are attending
the congress. The next International
meeting will be IN America. In open
Ing the first session of the congress,
Mrs. Woolsey delivered the following
invocation:
ooh, Thou Invisible, eternal, infinite.
force, power, Intelligence. or whatever
Thou art, called God.
IF Thou art not a being like unto
ourselves. why should men blindly
worship Thee as such?
But II a being Thou art. why may
not men have some knowledge of Thy
likeness attributes. sentiments:
IF Thou art Just and loving and In
the happiness and progress and well
being OF. Thy creatures. why have the
religions which seek to honor Thee
prosecuted different creeds and robbed
their own?
"Why have they soaked the earth
with each others blood?
why have they inflicted ostracism.
ruin or death upon all teachers Of
truth coming within their reach?
'Why have they sanctioned every
vested injustice, and presented an un-i
broken phalanx against every phase.
OF social progress? i8s
"cWhy have. they championed the
cause OF despotism and repulsed that Of
liberty?
'.Why have they Inundated and ems
shaved womankind?
&. "All this In Thy name, oh Lord, and
no remonstrance hath Thou ever made! I
"oh God, n searching 8 4 for y 8 Thee e
nave lost sabb hs5r
man rights and dignity.
Jewellers In huts, they have built
vast temples to Thy glory and over
laid them with jeweled magnifcence
and barbaric gold. s5i
5,'Wearers OF rags. they have woven
purple and fine linen for indolent and
.lustful tyrants claiming TO act for
Thee: !, !. !, q.
No. wa q N h afro h i1dren Cry-E
Ing for bread, while priests have glut-
tonized and fattened on. their.t oils,
.t4All this they have done. oh Lord.
and never once hath Thou offered are
ooh God,8we pray to Thee to be gin
anew Thy government OF men.
May Thou open places OF worship
to the light and have them welcome
ful and just those who profess to N be
{rhy REPRESENTATIVES and interpreters.
MAY Thou replace the, sword In the
human hand with the laurel branch
OF peaee,and make . 3 love " the 500
8 MAY Thou liberate womankind & hat
mankind may he freel,S and In the&di-
vision Of Thy plenteous wealth give
each what he arms and let all persons
come totknoW that! the rights OF one
are the rights Of all,
All ''NIay Thou see that the future march
of humanity s not over q road paved
With dead mems bones sprlnRled WI "
the tears OF grief-strickenw women, and
with guide-posts made Of the timber
upon swhchth benefactors of the race
We're crucitled.
May Thou give. to the !, W q +, I, q re-
man hearts. whose blessings shall be
enjoyed here on earth, md. whose
heaven shall count character, not be-
lief. as salvation's Very self
# aOh, g cd, 4 as man was thrust ntG tile
sent and has always hutl,s to endure
agony. and trials N(wlthout profit to
hlmsel f--W aver the resultss TO a t
Supegman who may enyolYe n hun
pray for a revision also OF laws spe-
cttica II III - III u; own,
u Fay Thou ton producing the dead.
~ microbes ~ lchS kill over half OF
Chit dram be fore u hey reach twenty
e lCouti i'd on Second Page,)