USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The New church and Chicago; a history > Part 22
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Mr. Bonney says: "With this preparation it is not strange that Mr. Mercer performed the work allotted to him in a manner which endeared him to the chairman and other members of the general committee, and pro- cured for the New Church such a hearing before the whole religious world as was never before attained or hoped for by its apostles."
Mr. Bonney published to the committee the objects to be accomplished as follows: "To unite all religion against all irreligion; to make the Golden Rule the basis
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of union; to present to the world in the religious con- gresses * the substantial unity of many religions in the good deeds of religious life." And more in the same strain, all of which the religions of the world could stand upon in unity.
To the committee he gave a long list of themes to indicate the scope of religion, like, "The idea of God, its influence and consolations;" "that evils of life are to be shunned as sins against God;" "that the influence of religion on the family life is to make it virtuous and pure ;" "that the conscience is not a safe guide unless enlightened by religion and guided by sound reason ;" "the triumphs of religion in all ages ;" "the influence of relig- ion on literature and art," and many more.
He tells of his great anxiety in reference to the open- ing conference of the committee, and says : "To my great delight I found the committee in full accord with my views, and ready to go forward in the completion and execution of the necessary plans. The movement was manifestly in the stream of the Divine Providence and carried forward by its mighty tide."
Mr. Bonney pays very high tribute to the marvelous fitness of the Rev. John Henry Barrows, D. D., who became the permanent chairman of the general com- mittee, remaining so until the end of the Congresses, filling the extraordinary place with ability impossible to surpass.
Speaking of Doctor Barrow's preliminary address, which announced the purposes of the committee to the religious world, he says: "That remarkable document, bearing the names of a Jewish rabbi, a Catholic arch- bishop, Protestant bishops and clergy, both orthodox and liberal, a Quaker and a New Churchman, was printed for the committee and thousands of copies dis- tributed throughout the world."
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The whole subject finally came before the Directory of the Columbian Exposition, which organized the Con- gress Auxiliary, with Charles Carroll Bonney as presi- dent, Thomas B. Bryan, as vice-president, Lyman T. Gage as treasurer, and the subject received the indorse- ment of the United States government.
We give here a few paragraphs from President Bon- ney's opening address to the Parliament :
"Worshipers of God and Lovers of Men !- Let us rejoice that we have lived to see this glorious day ; let us give thanks to Eternal God, whose mercy endureth forever, that we are permitted to take part in the solemn and majestic event of a World's Congress of Religions. The importance of this event cannot be overestimated. Its influence on the future relations of the various races of men cannot be too highly esteemed.
"If this Congress shall faithfully execute the duties with which it has been charged, it will become a joy of the whole earth and stand in human history like a new Mount Zion, crowned with glory, and making the actual beginning of a new epoch of brotherhood and peace.
"For when the religious faiths of the world recognize each other as brothers, children of one Father, whom all profess to love and serve, then, and not until then, will the nations of the earth yield to the spirit of concord and learn war no more.
"It is inspiring to think that in every part of the world many of the worthiest of mankind, who would gladly join us here if that were in their power, this day lift their hearts to the Supreme Being in earnest prayer for the harmony and success of this Congress. To them our own hearts speak in love and sympathy of this im- pressive and prophetic scene.
"In this Congress the word 'religion' means the love
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and worship of God and the love and service of man. We believe the Scripture that 'of a truth God is no re- specter of persons, but. in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of Him.' - We come together in mutual confidence and respect, without the least surrender or compromise of anything which we respectively believe to be truth or duty, with the hope that mutual acquaintance and a free and sincere interchange of views on the great questions of eternal life and human conduct will be mutually beneficial."
It is with the greatest possible pleasure that we here refer to "A Narrative and Critical Account of the Parlia- ment of Religions," by the Rev. Frank Sewell.
In giving the things seen and heard, Mr. Sewell places them in the light of his very extended general learning and profound knowledge of the New Jerusalem, supply- ing forty-two pages with most intense and lovely interest. Of course we can only give a very few paragraphs of Mr. Sewell's beautiful writing, and point to the wealth of pleasure that is in store for any who may read the complete story.
Mr. Sewell proceeds and tells of "Reflections suggested by the place and time; of the audience; of the Christian addresses; of the New Church presentation and who were present in places of distinction, occurring September 13th; of the voices from the Orient ; social and personal incidents ; the closing scene; impressions as to the prob- able results of the Parliament; and Mr. Bonney's closing address."
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BY MR. SEWELL.
Let us recall the scene of that ever-memorable morn- ing, the 11th of October, when there came upon the plat- form of that vast Columbus hall,* filled with its four thousand spectators, that procession of the leaders and of the ablest exponents of the world's great historic religions. There were the ancient "Eastern" and "Western" Churches of Christendom, represented by the highest dignitary of the Catholic Church in America, Cardinal Gibbons, and by the venerable Archbishop of Zante, of the Greek Church, both in their canonical vestments, and attended by their suite of subordinate clergy: the Protes- tant Church of Christendom represented by Chairman Barrows of Chicago, the Rev. Dr. Momerie of London, Prof. Bonet-Maury of Paris, Count Bernstoff of Berlin, and many other prominent ministers and laymen; the Armenian Christian Church by its delegate from Cilicia, Asia Minor; the Church in Syria by its archimandrite, Gibora of Damascus; the African Christian Church in America by two of its bishops; the Greek Church of Rus- sia by Prince Serge Wolkonski of St. Petersburg; the ancient Confucian religion of the Chinese represented by a member of the Chinese legation at Washington, with his suite of attendants, bringing an essay sent by order of the Emperor of China; the most ancient of Japanese religions, that of Shinto, represented by its high priest and scholars, all in their quaint ceremonial garments; the Brahmins of India, represented by Harain of Bombay and by the youthful and happy-faced monk, Suami Vivi Kananda, clad in an orange-colored garb and golden tur- ban; the vast following of the gentle Buddha, represented by the tall and graceful Dharmapala of Ceylon, clad in pure white; the Religion of Jain, by Gandhi, the thought- ful-faced secretary of their Association at Bombay; the Brahmo-Somaj, the so-called "New Dispensation of
*NOTE :- The Parliament and Congresses were held in the Art Institute building, there being two halls, Columbus hall, hav- ing capacity of four thousand persons, and Washington hall of three thousand. They were many times filled to their utmost. The sessions of the Parliament proper were held in Columbus hall.
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India," represented by the deep-eyed and mellow-voiced Mozoomdar, author of "The Oriental Christ," and by the scholarly and gentle Nagarkar; also the leader in Oriental theosophy, Chakravarti, besides many of the other sects or orders of Brahmins and Buddhists, both of Japan and India, represented by their priests, scholars, pilgrims, and monks; the native African represented by the young and bright-faced Prince Momolu Massaquoi, a Christian con- vert of the tribe of the Veys, near Ligeria; the ancient religion of Moses, represented by the venerable and eloquent Jewish Rabbis Wise of Cincinnati, Gottheil of New York, and Hirsch of Chicago.
In the midst of this impressive and august body, with cardinal, archbishops, bishops, priests, and scholars of all the faiths of mankind on his right and left, sat, as presi- dent, organizer, and director of the whole, a New Church- man, our zealous and beloved brother, Charles C. Bonney, Esq., and near at hand his pastor, the Rev. Lewis P. Mercer, to both of whom, under Providence, mankind is indebted, we have reason to believe, for the first concep- tion of this mighty enterprise, so full of meaning to the whole religious world, and for its successful conduct through appalling difficulties and discouragements to this triumphant and happy issue. Rightfully did President Bonney hold the central place in that assemblage, not only as representing the New Church of this new age, without whose influence and inspiration from above into all the faiths of mankind this meeting could never have come about, but by his universally acceptable management and direction, his wise judgment, happy manner, and broad and liberal comprehension of the scope and purpose of the meeting, proving himself the Providential instrument for making the occasion productive of the highest results for good. It was not strange that President Bonney's name, as "the man we all love," was in the mouths of these gentle visitors from the far East, that his appearance was always the occasion for joyous applause from the audience, that his words always seemed most happily to meet the moment, to bring some bright, fresh, and happy thought or interpretation to what was going on; nor that, later, in the wonderful closing scenes of the Parliament, the
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night of the parting, he was hailed and cheered by the vast audience rising to their feet and waving their handkerchiefs; so that it was long before he could utter his words of humble and sincere acknowledgment and gratitude- "Not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but unto Thy name give the glory."
Thus, as on a second Pentecost, the birthday of a new Christianity, we see the tribes of the earth all assembled by their representatives into this Religious Parliament, called together and presided over by a New Churchman. I say called by a New Churchman, not with any authority as such, nor with any recognition or knowledge of him as such by those who answered, but as in the providence of the Lord so brought about, and in that Divine Providence resulting in so many remarkable corroborations of the teachings of the Church.
It will be remembered that at the first day of Pentecost "there were dwelling at Jerusalem, devout men of every nation under heaven, who came together to hear the Apostle who had received the gift of the Spirit and spake with tongues. Here were Parthians, Medes, and Elam- ites, the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus, and in Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians" (Acts ii: 1-11). And yet neither were these called together by any authority, civil or ecclesiastical. They were simply there, at the Lord's appointed time, for the introduction of a new religion into the world, "when the day of Pente- cost was fully come." And after gladly receiving the Word, which Peter the Apostle then preached to them, some three thousand of these Jews and strangers were baptized and added to the infant Church of Jesus Christ.
The Parliament consumed seventeen days and was rightly termed "A Continuous Religious Symposium."
The two large volumes of which Rev. Dr. John Henry Barrows, chairman of the general committee, is author, as writer and compiler, contain sixteen hundred pages, devoted exclusively to the history. Of the table of con-
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tents fourteen pages are consumed in giving the subjects of the formal addresses and the names of their authors. Title, "The World's Parliament of Religions."
The subjects adopted by Doctor Barrows to be brought before the Parliament as understood by the New Church, they and those who presented them being named by Mr. Mercer, were: "The Soul and Future Life," Rev. Samuel M. Warren; "The Divine Basis of Cooperation between Men and Women," Lydia Fuller Dickinson; "The Charac- ter and Degree of the Inspiration of the Christian Scrip- tures;" Rev. Frank Sewell; "The Incarnation of God in Christ," Rev. Julian K. Smyth; "Reconciliation Vital, not Vicarious," Rev. Thomas F. Wright, Ph. D .; "Swedenborg and the Harmony of Religions," Rev. Lewis P. Mercer.
The first of the Congresses Auxiliary convened in May, they continuing and ending the last week in October. There were 1,245 sessions, 5,974 speakers, and 750,000 attendants.
PRESIDENT BONNEY'S CLOSING ADDRESS.
What man deemed impossible, God has finally wrought. The religions of the world have actually met in a great and imposing assembly; they have conferred together on the vital questions of life and immortality in a frank and friendly spirit, and now they part in peace with many warm expressions of mutual affection and respect. The laws of the Congress forbidding controversy or attack have, on the whole, been wonderfully observed. The exceptions are so few that they may well be expunged from the record and from the memory. They even served the useful purpose of timely warnings against the tendency to indulge in intellectual conflict. If an unkind hand threw a firebrand into the assembly, let us be thankful that a kinder hand plunged it in the waters of forgiveness and quenched its flame. If some Western warrior, forgetting for the mo- ment that this was a friendly conference and not a battle-
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field, uttered his war-cry, let us rejoice, our Orient friends, that a kinder spirit answered: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they say." No system of faith or worship has been compromised by this friendly conference; no apostle of any religion has been placed in a false position by any act of this Congress. The knowledge here acquired will be carried by those who have gained it as precious treasure to their respective countries, and will there, "in freedom and according to reason," be con- sidered, judged, and applied as they deem right. And now, farewell. A thousand congratulations and thanks for the cooperation and aid of all who have contributed to the glorious results which we celebrate this night. Henceforth the religions of the world will make war, not on each other, but on the giant evils that afflict mankind. Henceforth let all throughout the world who worship God and love their fellow men join in the anthem of the angels: "Glory to God in the highest, Peace on earth, good will among men!"
THE CONGRESS OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.
The arrangements were made and organization effected by a committee of organization, of which Rev. Lewis P. Mercer was chairman, and a cooperating committee of women, of which Miss Arianna E. Scammon was chair- man. The labor of these committees was continuous during the six months of the exposition.
The Congress met September 13th, in Washington hall, there being an audience of about three hundred. On the platform besides the president, Mr. Bonney, Mr. Mercer, and Miss Scammon, the presiding officers, there were as visitors, Mr. Mozoomdar, of India; Miss Jeanne Serabji, a convert from the Parsi faith; the young African Prince Momolu Massaquoi; Dr. Carl Von Bergen of Sweden; Mrs. Magnusen from Iceland; and Bishop Arnett of the African Methodist Church.
There was an address of welcome by President Bonney,
SHERIDAN ROAD CHURCH AND PARISH HOUSE, Sheridan Road, between Rokeby Street and Sheffield Avenue.
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a welcome and declaration by Mr. Mercer, and an address of welcome by Miss Scammon.
The doctrines of the New Church were declared during the succeeding sessions under several different heads as follows: "The Origin and Nature of the New Church" (to this subject there were devoted five addresses); "Its Doctrines the True Basis of a Universal Faith and Charity" (six addresses); "The Planting of the New Church" (seven addresses); "The Future of the New Church" (nine addresses); "Woman of the New Church" (nine addresses).
The publication of the addresses fills three hundred and fourteen pages.
Attention is invited to Rev. Lewis P. Mercer's volume, "The New Jerusalem in the World's Religious Con- gresses," in which will be found Mr. Bonney's charming article, "The Genesis of the World's Congress Auxiliary of 1893," also Rev. Frank Sewell's lovely "Narrative and Critical Account of the Parliament of Religions, from Things Heard and Seen;" the book also containing the addresses and much other interesting and valuable matter.
May the spirit which originated and made the Parlia- ment possible, as shown by its harmonious sessions, live and work on, until its place is filled by a World's Con- ference of Universal Religion which, having its founda- tion from the Divine, has lodgment in spiritual man, and dominates the world spiritually and secularly.
STEINWAY HALL.
In June, 1894, the Chicago Society leased to The New Temple Music Company, the land on which stood the Van Buren street temple, for a term of 99 years, at a rental of $5,000 for the first year, $12,500 for the next 9 years, increasing each 10 years, until for the last term
of 59 years the annual rental was to be $25,000. The Society joined with the Music Company in a mortgage which covered the land, leasehold rights, and proposed building, for borrowed money, amounting to $140,000, which amount was in 1896 increased to $160,000, under a new mortgage.
To secure itself in case the Society should be compelled to pay the amount as stated, the Society held a first lien on all the property, subject to the mortgage.
The temple was razed and beautiful Steinway hall soon occupied the site, at a final cost, including expenses and subsequent improvements, of about three hundred and twenty thousand dollars, not including land.
The people of the Society were very happy. They could see the seemingly secured income of thousands of dollars annually flowing in, and all the expense of as many churches as could possibly be needed in the city and vicinity for generations to come paid without any of their concern or responsibility.
But it did not turn out that way, and it was a mistake to so expect. The wide-spreading principle involved in the command, "Bring an offering and come into His courts," was entirely neglected; there was nothing in the proposition, nor could there be for the Society, but complete failure, and it came.
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The building did not make money; the rental of twelve thousand five hundred dollars paid with some regularity for a year or less became very uncertain; kept up for a time by different business makeshifts, it failed entirely; when, finally, in December, 1899, after five and a half years of faithful effort by the owners of the Music Com- pany, and great forbearance on the part of the Society, an arrangement was made under which the Company sur- rendered to the Society all its interest in the property and enterprise, together with three hundred and sixty shares of stock in other enterprises of doubtful value, to pay accumulated indebtedness due the Society, and retired from the proposition, accepting the loss of all it had put in, which amounted to a very large sum, approximating a hundred and sixty thousand dollars or more.
Steinway hall was now, in fact, the property of the Chicago Society, subject to the mortgage of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, and it, employing a building agent, commenced the management of the enterprise.
Under date of Dec. 18, 1899, a committee appointed for the purpose addressed to the members of the Society a letter in which, referring to Steinway hall, among others, is this paragraph:
The Society has recently been obliged to take title to the whole property, owing to default in payment of rent. The committee finds that on account of present conditions the building is not producing any net income, neither in their judgment can it be made to do so for at least one year. Pending this condition it seems inevitable that the whole expense of maintaining the parish services, including support of the pastors, must be met by indi- vidual contributions, and by parish treasuries.
[Signed] CHARLES H. CUTLER, EDWIN A. MUNGER, ARTHUR W. BURNHAM.
And now from the pinnacle of seeming happiness,
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builded upon the absence of necessity for supporting the services, the members of the Society found themselves confronting two routes, one, attend service and pay all it costs to maintain; the other, neglect to pay and allow the service to cease.
They chose the former and taking hold of the work courageously, though it required severe effort and much self-denial, the churches were kept open, and the services paid for; great aid being given by the generosity and self-sacrifice willingly practiced by the pastors, Revs. Mercer, King, and Saul.
Yet Steinway hall did not pay. Seventeen months had passed and still there was no income in sight; the Society had debts pressing, and the interest on the big mortgage amounted to seven thousand two hundred dollars per year. The money affairs seemed to be buried in gloom, which should not have been allowed, under the bright light which arose from the self-supporting parishes.
Now, as He had done before for the Chicago Society, under similar conditions, by effecting the sale of prop- erty, the Lord pushed aside the gloom and allowed a sale, this time of Steinway hall and the accompanying mort- gage.
May 1, 1901, was the date of the transaction. There was received $107,000 in cash; land at the southwest corner of Indiana avenue and Thirty-ninth street, 100 feet on the avenue by 160 feet on the street, on half of which stands a four-story building, devoted to small stores and small apartments; and land at the northwest corner of Thirty-ninth street and Vincennes avenue, 12772 feet on the street by 1071/2 feet on the avenue, on which is a temporary building devoted to business; also a note for $10,000 bearing interest at six per cent., payable semi- annually, becoming due June 1, 1908, made by the lessee
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of the land for money borrowed from the conveyor of the land to build the building, an agreement having been entered into by the conveyor and holder of the note, to buy the building June 1, 1908, under stated terms of appraisement, this responsibility to buy being assumed by the Chicago Society.
These two pieces of property and the note, the Society inventoried at $110,000, making with the cash, $217,000 for its interest in Steinway hall, and the land on which it stands. For the making of the sale the Society paid $8,000.
And so the clouds-the big building, with its trouble and big mortgage-passed on, while sunshine lighted the Chicago Society, showing it with money to build churches, to pay ministers, to help the Church in general, promote its extension, and help others; another trial was allowed.
Following the leasing of the Van Buren street iand and preparation to raze the temple, arrangement was made for two rooms, second floor 274 Wabash avenue, for a church auditorium and book room, from Aug. 1, 1894 to May 1, 1895, at a rental of fifteen hundred dollars for the term, and there the organ, chancel furniture, pews, and books were placed and the services conducted. At the expiration of this term services were conducted for a few months in Steinway hall, when the ever previously pre- vailing central services were permanently abandoned.
1895.
To the meeting of the executive committee held Mon- day, April 1, 1895, Mr. C. Jesper Cobb reported that members of the Society residing in the North division had formed a parish organization, in accordance with the requirements of the executive committee, and asked for
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an additional appropriation of one hundred and twenty- five dollars to cover the expense of putting the Lincoln Park chapel in proper order for a place of worship, mak- ing the amount used for that purpose to be six hundred and seventy-five dollars. The request was granted.
By a special meeting of the committee held September 7th, very appropriate and affectionate memorials were placed on record to Mrs. Abigail Corbin Abbott Barry, who was born in Salem, Mass., June 25, 1812, and departed this life in Chicago, Aug. 5, 1895; to Mr. Dyer Noble Burnham, who was born at Middletown, Vt., May 3, 1807, departing this life in Chicago, Aug. 13, 1895; and to Mr. George Frederick Root, who was born at Sheffield, Mass., Aug. 30, 1820, departing this life at Bailey Island, Me., Aug. 6, 1895; all of whom were long, very useful, and most highly respected members of the Society.
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