Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-23
BEGIN
9th CONVENTION
"Superstitions OF Worlds
Childhood" in Religion De-
cried by Rev. Or. Simons
LIBERAL CHURCHES GAINING
BY the Associated Press

Boston, May %. - Multitudes OF
people are virtually renouncing religion
because Of "superstitions Of the worlds
childhood that have been brought into
the life Of today, the Rev. DR.. Minot
Simons. head Of the department OF
church extension Of the American Uni
tartan Association. said In an address
at the ninety seventh annual meeting
today.
''1'hc modern man is appalled, to see
on every hand the most fantastic no
tions associated with religion. swaying
the minds and hearts Of men, said DR..
Simons. 1--WE see superstitions of the
worlds childhood brought into the life
Of today, superstitions long discredited
by the worlds science, and yet actually
tyrannizing over the souls Of living men
as though the natural sciences had never
been born. 1t Is amazing to see multi.
tudes virtually renouncing religion be.
cause of them.
'Tr,ith, and nothing but the truth,
abyss. We must not be spiritually
is in n state Of moral and spiritual
confusion. It is appalling to think
what may. happen next. The world
needs nothing more at the present time
than 1t needs the stabilizing influence
Of rational religious faith"
10000 Gain Last Year
Reporting 10000 new Unitarians
gained as ''slgned- up church members
by the parishes of North America in the
church membership campaign which
ended last Easter Sunday, DR.. Simons
characterized the last year as great
year in the building of liberal churches
The Rev. DR.. Samuel A. Eliot. son
Of DR.. Charles w. Eliot, president
emeritus of Harvard University, was
re: elected president of the associatio
Others selected were: Vice presidents,
James A. Tufts. Exeter, N. II. Henry
D. Sharpe. Providence. r. L.; Frank
Il. Hisc3ck, Syracuse. N. Y; George
Soule. New Orleans. Ia. Arthur Z.
Fort Collins, Col. Edward r. Williams
Berkeley. Calf. and Murray Il. viii.
liams. of Montreal. p. Q.
The Rev. Louis G. Cornish, of Cam.
bridge. Mass, was re- elected secretary
W. Forbes Robertson, Of Arlington
Mass. assistant secretary. and Henry
II. Williams. of Cambridge, treasurer
Mrs. Francis II. Dewey, Worcester
Mass. {; William G.. Eliot. Jr., Port.
land, Ore; Richard Harte, Chestnu,
Hill, Mass. !; George s. Hobbs, Port
land Me-. Albert L. Rohrer, Sche
nectady. N. Y, and John r. Thayer
Lancaster. Mass, were chosen di.
rectors for three year terms.
The Rev. Palfrcy Perkins, Of Weston
Mass. the Rev. Harold f.. B
Speight, of Boston: Mr.. Cornish am
the Rev. Lawrence Redfern. of Liver
pool, England. were appointed dele
gates to visit the Unitarian Church Of
Transylvania this summer. Mr.. Cornisl
will be in charge Of the party.
Greetings From Holland
The Rev. William Noordhoff, o.
Leyden, Holland, representing th'
Remonstrant Churches of that country
presented greetings to the convention.
Bringing greetings from Unitarian
Of Great Britain and Ireland, the Rev
Priestley Phillips, of Portcawl, Wales
said that just as in the olden days ,
plete without period of foreign travel
an English Unitarian's education toda!
is incomplete without a visit to tn,
American Unitarian Churches.
Unitarians in japan are now ol
their own feet and adherents Of liberia
Christianity there are now able Il
finance their work and furnish thei
own leaders, the Rev. Louis c. Cornisl
reported.
Sixteen business men, including tw'
lawyers, two men in banks. and men o
other callings who stand ready to g
to college to fit themselves for thei
new work, Mr.. Cornish said, had beel
in touch with his committee. Thirty -fiv
ministers Of other denominations ar
seeking pulpits in the Unitarian
fellowships.