New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-17
LAYMEN REAFFIRM
BELIEF IN CHRIST
Then DIR. Hibben Says the
World Has Not Advanced
in Religions War.

Nearly one thousand ministers and
laymen opened the Lsymen's Efficiency
Convention at Synod Hall, Amsterdam
av. and 10th ST., last night, pledglng
themselves to personal service in be-
half of the Church. l.. o. Morny pre-
sided. and Bishop Greer was on the
platform and pronounced the benedlc-
ton. The purpose of the convention is
set forth in the following resolution,
which was heartily adopted:
"Reaffirming our belief in the historic
creeds and our loyalty to Jesus Christ
and His Church,
"Be it resolved, That we laymen and
citizens of the metropolitan district of
New York pledge ourselves with such
ability as God has given US, and in
such ways as we may be best qualified
for, to personal service through the
Church in the cause of spiritual, moral,
civic and social advance"
President Hibben of Princeton, the
first speaker, laid the present war to
Nietzschian ideals, which had gradually
attained acceptance in Europe. The
basis of these was that might makes
right He said they formed the mega
tion of all Christian religion. The
strangest feature of the situation, he
added, was that no age had ever spoken
more of the brotherhood of man. and
that in none had there been such a de-
NAL of it as there was at present.
Had it been accepted as the real mo-
tive of our civilization there could have
been no war, he said
Dr.. Hbben declared the war has
proved that the world is no more ad-
vanced from a religious point of view
than it was at the time of Christ.
"The religious and moral beliefs of
that age had become purely formal.
1 said DR.. Hibben. There was the let
ter of conviction, but not the spirit
of it. And so to-day our beliefs have
I lost vitality because we have been
content to indulge in formulas Oft
repeated which have ceased to have
/ significance for our feelings.
John X. Sague. Appraiser of the Port
made the last speech, and he began by
/ Directing to the title of "reformer,'
with which the programme had labelled
him. Then he described some things
/ of his political knowledge which were
( in strong need of reformation.
One of these. he said, was that sit
| cost anywhere from $500 to 100000 to
/ hold Office in New York"
/ II COSlS anywhere lIOHl DSo,O'U 10
/ $4,000 to be made a justice of the
Supreme Court" he continued, land
have known a man to pay $4,000 for
a nomination to Congress, and at that
he was beaten. This sort of thing
comes from machine rule, and under
such a rule you will sooner or later
have an engineer who will be the real
leader, the boss, Of this state.
81 have known as Iauch as S250,0OO
paid TO prevent a certain mans get
ting nomination, and you will often
/ find men paying more than the salary
OF an office in order to attain it. The
best of men in politics will take orders
from boss and do things they
wouldn't think of doing in private life.
, And yet the majority of men in politics
/ are honest.
There's hardly an assessor in New
/ York that doesn't perjure himself like
a gentleman. He values country prop
| erty at 10 per cent of its actual value
and your property here in New York
at almost 100 per cent of it's value
The meeting, which was closed with
a benediction from Bishop Greer, will
continue this evening.