The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-28
GIVE EXPRESSION
TO UN|TAR|AN|SM
Visitors From Washington Con
vention Address Audience
at Jefferson.

at Jefferson.
tnitarianism, Its doctrines and ideas.
were given able and eloquent express
! sion last evening at an extension meet
ing, held In the auditorium of the JEFF
fersAl Hotel. which was attended by
the local adherents of the faith and
number of visitors from outside the
fold. In addition to these there were
present between forty and fifty dele
gates TO the International Unitarian
convention, which has Just concluded
four-day session In Washington who
came TO Richmond for the extension
meeting.
Rev. "A. r. Bowser, OF the First Uni
tartan Church of Richmond. presided
over the meeting and presented as
the first speaker of the evening Rev.
Abraham Nj. Rihbany, of Boston. The
speaker outlined in brief the pecu-
larry happy manner in which Unita-
rianism meets what. in his opinion.
must be the demand OF every highly
inteiiigent, reasoning being-a the
ologY which answers the needs of rho
entire man."
Aim of Scholarship.
The aim of all science of all hu
man striving after knowledge, of all
philosophy" he said, is to affirm con-
sistently the reasonableness OF the
~ anu the goodness of God.
This is the acknowledged end of all
human larship and hope. Consid.
ering now the history of human pro
sress. we find always this process: the
past offers us formulas and the pres
ent tests those formulas by an appeal
to nature. The old geographers tauph,
that the world was fiat: Columbus an
pealed to nature and found the dis
crepaney- Ancient chemistry taught
t..
elements: men have found eighty two.
The old theology taught that every
creature was created from the begin
ming. and that Adam named them ALI
In the Garden of Eden; evolution has
proved their existence for countless
ages.
AS in science. SO in theology. Ma
ture demands of man constantly a new
statement of the truth We need a
new statement OF religion. We must
abandon the Deism which teaches us
that the Father is a God of venseance
and wrath. that He keeps eternal
watch over our sins as we'll as
our virtues. Ii is impossible for us
10 believe that the same God who
commands Love your enemies will
consign His own enemies to eternal
torment"
Unitarianism. he told his hearers. is
direct appeal to mans reasoning
faculties. which declines TO be tied
down to dogmas formulated by print
tive races, and which teaches that
God needs no intermediary or inter-
prefer to make Himself known u
man.
Womans Alliance.
He was followed by Miss Emma c.
Low. of Brooklyn. president of the
4f T,,ft a-Iz
men. an organization which, she said
was founded twenty-one years ago
and mas to-day 3s4 subsidiary
branches and $4,000 members. She en-
planned the work OF the alliance and
the service it is performing for the
church. Among other activities in
which 1t engages Is mission work in
the South. at present confined chiefly
10 the States Of North Carolina
Georgia and Florida
The final address of the evening
was delivered by Rev. Samuel NJ.
Crothers. of Cambridge. Mass. After
concluding such an eminentiy success
full convention at Washington" he told
his audience. I'VE could hardly refrain
from sending down a few survivors
10 Virginia, especially since 1t was
Virginia that gave Unitarianism Its
first great impetus in this country"
from John Milton. the first great ex
poneEt of its principles. to John Priest
ly. its first professor. This same
John Prlestly." said DR.. Crothcrs. dis
covered oxygen, 4 thing not usually
discovered in church. and 1t was he
that FIST put oxygen into religion"
American Beginnings.
The speaker then told of the arrival
Of Priestly in this country. at the sug-
gestion of Thomas Jefferson and of
the gradual growth OF the Unitarian
movement in Virginia and then in New
England. What the Declaration OF
independence and the Bill of Rights
meant to the political freedom of men,"
said DIR. Crothers. "Unitarianism means
to-day to their religious freedom 1t
is the true faith of freedom--liberty To
worship God in your own way, free
from the incubus OF other mems
thoughts, free from the dogmas of men
who are dead"
Most of the visiting delegates were
from New England. and will leave for
their homes this morning. In the party
was Mrs. Robert Windsor. of Boston,
who contributed the funds that made
possible the building OF the Unitarian
Church in this city. The party was
entertained yesterday with automobile
trips 10 various points of interest and
with a tea at the church. served BY
the women Of the alliance. The loca.
reception committee was composed OF
the following: w. B. Gay Dr. l. j.
Haynes. ID. II. Wilson, +. l.. Jobson, A.
X. Parker and 3. T. Hobart.