World Parliament of Religions Scrapbook 003

              #003 World Parliament of Religions Scrapbook, p. 040

cepts of love and [?], or charity and the
cross, of loving ourselves and denying ourselves
in order that we might be free to follow him. He 
required nothing of man that he did not practice. 
By his death he reconciled us with God, freed us 
from sin, satisfied God's justice, restored us to 
grace and justification, freed us from the power
of Satan, and made us once more the children of
God.
Christ came into this world, lived among men,
and died on the cross, in execution of his sublime
plan for man's redemption. God had been griev[-]
iously offended by the sin of our first parents.
Even the souls of the just could not enjoy the
place called heaven. They were compelled to re-
main in a place called Limbo, until atonement
was made for the sin of Adam,
The sins of the world could not be expiated by
man alone. Then it was that our Savior con-
sented to be a voluntary victim, offered up for
the expiation of the sins of the world. Being
man, he could suffer, and by his death God's
justice was satisfied and man was redeemed.
      Chinese Support Four Religions.
Prof. Isaac T. Headland of Pekin Univer-
sity contributed a paper entitled "Religion in 
Pekin." In his absence it was read by the
private secretary of Dr. Barrows. It follows 
in brief:
The Chinese are often supposed to be so poor
that, even if they wished, they would not be able
to support Christianity were it established in 
their midst. Such a supposition is a great mis-
take. Not to mention the fact that they are at
present supporting four religions—viz.: Con-
fusianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Mohammedan-
ism, a glance at the condition of any city or
village is enough to convince one of the fact that
whatever the Chinese may wish to do, and under-
take to do, they are abundantly able to do.
The country swarms with poor people, people
who are so poor that there are, no doubt, thou-
sands who starve to death every year. It is said 
that just outside the gate which stands immedi-
ately in front of the Emperor's palace more than 
400 people froze to death in a single night. In
front of this gate is the Beggars' Bridge, where
half naked men and boys may be seen at any time
eating food which would not be eaten by a re-
spectable American dog. 
Despite these facts there are more temples in 
Pekin than there are churches in Chicago. There
are more than 2,000 temples in Pekin and more
than 10,000 domestic shrines, and yet the Chinese
are often supposed to be lacking in religious
instinct. It must be admitted that many of these 
temples are in a dilapidated condition; many of
the walls have fallen down, the roofs caved in in
places. The outside plastering, made of mortar
and a kind of bark, is hanging in strings or has
all peeled off.
In Pi Yun Ssu is a Buddhist representation of
heaven and hell. The floor of this temple is cov-
ered with debris which lies where it fell, and no
effort seems to be made by the priests to keep it
in better condition. This is true of all Chinese
temples as a Class. They are in a broken-down
condition, and thus they remain until some great
official or prince takes an interest in them, or
fortune favors them with a priest with the ability
to interest men in them.
    Beggar Priests Follow Buddha's Example.
Whether or not it may he considered a mis-
fortune that the Buddhist priests are a company
of beggars is perhaps largely a matter of opin-
ion. Buddhism was established by a Prince who
became a beggar that he might teach his people
the way to enlightenment, and they are but fol-
lowing his illustrious example. But while they
follow him in the matter of begging, at least a
large part of them, there is room for much doubt
as to whether most of them make a very strenu-
ous effort to enlighten the people. It need not
be considered a matter of wonder then that the
morals of the people are not better than they are.
"Like priest, like people."
One thing is noticeable as we pass through the
country villages—the houses are all built of mud,
mud walls, mud roof, paper windows, and a dirt
floor. But no matter how poor the people may
be, nor what the character of their houses, the
temple of the village is always made of good
brick.
It is impossible to make a correct estimate of 
the amount of incense burned by the Chinese in
their worship, but we can, nevertheless, get some
idea. The amount burned by each family in the
house and at the temple amounts to about $4 a
year. The rich, of course, burn many times this
amount, and some of the poor families perhaps 
not quite so much. But $4 per year as an aver- 
age is an under, rather than an over estimate.
This being true, the amount of incense burned by
the 80,000,000 families in China would amount
in one year to the enormous sum of $320,000,-
000.
Swami Vivekananda was the last speaker of
the evening. He says missionaries go hun-
gry. He spoke extemporaneously, and said
in part:
Christians must always be ready for good
criticism and I hardly think that you will care
if I make a little criticism. You Christians who
are so fond of sending out missionaries to save
the souls of the heathen, why do you not try to
save their bodies from starvation? In India
during the terrible famines thousands died from
hunger, yet you Christians did nothing. You 
erect churches all through India, but the crying
evil in the East is not religion—they
have religion enough—but it is bread that
these suffering millions of burning India
cry out for with parched throats. They ask us
for bread, but we give them stones. It is an in-
sult to a starving people to offer them religion;
it is an insult to a starving man to teach him
metaphysics. In India a priest that preached for
money would lose caste, and be spat upon by the
people. I came here to seek aid for my im-
poverished people and I fully realized how diffi-
cult it was to get help for heathens from Chris-
tians in a Christian land.
Vivekananda concluded his speech by a few
remarks on Hindu reincarnation.
       LOOKS ON WITH ALARM
  THE REV. JOSEPH COOK GIVES VIEWS
     ON RELIGIOUS PARLIAMENT.
  He Says There Is No Large Demand in
     America for Propagation of Faiths
     Hostile to Christianity—Mr. Webb's De-
     fense of Polygamy Is Abhorrent to Him
     and He Says a Breach of Faith With
     the Chairman—Alexander Webb Vent-
     ures His Opinion of the Meetings.
The Rev. Joseph Cook is a member of the
Church Militant. Yet with all of his 200
pounds of aggressive Christianity he confesses
that he watches the proceedings of the Parlia-
ment of Religions "with fear and trembling."
He has been in almost daily attendance at the
sessions and has been prompt in his expres-
sions of approval or disapproval of the various
speakers. At one moment the expression on
his face has been more eloquent than words
in condemning what was being spoken on the
platform. At the next he would be waving a
white handkerchief high above his head and
leading the applause. In a certain sense
he has come to be looked upon as the repre-
sentative of orthodox Protestant Christianity
of the stricter type at the parliament. What 
he says below, therefore, over his own signa- 
ture, on the subject of the showing made by
Protestantism at the parliament is full of
present interest. He expresses himself freely
also on other points of difference which have
grown out of the parliament. His remarks
are in interview form and are as follows:
      Doctrinal Parity Not Allowed.
Q.—What is your opinion of the religous par-
liament and of what material benefit will it be?
A.—There are now no foreign lands. The an-
tipodes are neighbors. There can be no more
hermit nations. Speed of intercommunication is
such that the world hereafter is to be healed or
poisoned very much as a whole. International
conventions of many kinds are a natural out-
growth of our new day. It was never before so
easy or so important as now for Occident and
Orient to understand each other. I am a friend
of the Parliament of Religions and earnestly be-
lieve that good will come from it. But I have
had some fears as to parts of it, and yet I think
my hopes are now stronger than my fears. It is
too early yet for a final estimate. It was sup-
posed at first that Christianity would concede
doctrinal parity with herself to the various faiths
represented. All that I understand now to be
conceded is parliamentary parity. It was feared
by some critics that no adequate representation
of the devotional spirit which ought to be com-
mon to all religions would be allowed, but every
meeting has begun by the use of the Lord's
Prayer, and sometimes Christian hymns have
been sung. With very few exceptions
all the speeches and papers have been
marked by a spirit of devoutness. The 
liberty of open discussion by the faiths which
Christianity opposes is secured by the courtesy
of Christian managers. This courtesy should
not be misinterpreted in the Orient as indicat-
ing that there is a large demand in America for
the propagation of faiths hostile to the Christian
religion. It is possible that some representa-
tives of Mohammedanism, Hindooism, Confucian-
ism, and especially of Buddhism may be greatly
encouraged by the marked attention shown them
here and go home and report that America is
ripe for spiritual revolutions in favor of some 
one or other of the non-Christian faiths. If such
an impression is received it will be a great mis-
take. The courtesies shown to the various
strange faiths is characteristic of American love
of free discussion and parliamentary fair play,
and it is not to be understood as any abandon-
ment of the general Christian positions of the
management.
         Says Webb Broke Faith.
Q.—What do you think of the defense of polyg-
amy made by Mohammed Alexander Russell
Webb?
A.—The management, as I believe, was misled
by the assurances on the part of Mr. Webb that
he personally did not believe in polygamy. The
distinguished Chairman of the meeting had a dis- 
tinct assurance from Mohammed Webb to that
effect and that he would say so to the audience. 
He did not say this to the audience, and so, ac- 
cording to my understanding of the facts, broke 
faith with the Chairman. Mohammed Webb did 
distinctly defend polygamy in several amazing
sentences which were rebuked by the audience by
hisses and cries of "No! No!" and "Shame!"
An eminent professor of theology residing in
Chicago and well known for his breadth of cult- 
ure and liberal sentiments, said to that Mo-
hammed Webb's address was the most
outrageous one to which he ever listened.
I happen to know that before the defender of
Islam appeared a protest was made against any
defense of polygamy on the platform, for I made
the protest myself in writing. Polygamy is a
crime against the laws of the United States. It
is an immorality under the Christian law. It
seemed to me evidently improper and likely to
injure the influence of the parliament for any
speaker to defend what is regarded as a crime
by the law of the land. I left the platform
during Mr. Webb's speech, because I wished to
avoid the appearance of giving indirect moral
sanction here to the defense of a crime for which
men are put in jail in Utah. Whatever maybe
the crimes of our civilization outside of Christian
lines of influence, it is certain that Europe and
America abhor polygamy. William Elliot Griffis,
author of "The Mikado's Empire," has said most
incisively that there will be no hope of high
civilization for any polygamistic land until
its chief ruler is "born in a home and
not in a herd." Polygamy and slavery were de-
nounced by the chief political party of the land
a few years ago as twin relics of barbarism.
Polygamy in Utah is abhorrent to Americans. It
is a moral and political cancer. The Parliament
of Religions, with all its liberty of discussion,
must not be supposed to be ready to allow Will-
iam Woodruff of Salt Lake City to defend polyg-
amy, and pay the expense or providing him a
hall and platform. The defense of polygamy
which was heard from Mr. Webb followed almost
immediately, as I was told, his emphatic assur-
ances to the Chairman that he did not believe in
polygamy and would say so to the audience.
There is a famous saying sometimes called the
eleventh commandment, "Thou shall not suffer
thyself to be hood-winked!"
            Manner Better than Matter.
Q.—What do you think of the tone of the ad-
dresses made by the representative of the vari-
ous religions?
A.—The general impression made upon me by
the representatives of the ethnic faiths has been
favorable as to their manner and exceedingly
unfavorable as to their matter. They have been
courteous and often devout in tone, but have in-
dicated only the most slender acquaintance with
Occidental philosophy, history, and religion.
Christianity seems to have been studied in cari-
cature by most of those who have opposed it.
The German professor who advocated a scheme
of ethical idealism was adequately answered by 
Count Bernstorff, without any personal refer-
ence. On the whole the competitors of Christian- 
ity seem to have judged it chiefly by its cari-
catures and counterfeits. They have been
seriously misled and are by no means adequately
informed as to the reasons which have given
Christianity its triumphs for eighteen centuries
in the highest places of scholarship and civiliza-
tion. With a view to promote enlightenment as
to Christianity it was my fortune to suggest that
each of the faiths represented in the parliament
should appoint a competent committee to pre-
pare a list of its 100 most approved authors.
The Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale of Boston
heartily favors this plan, and authorized me to
quote him as doing so. It seems probable that a
list will be drawn up representing Protestant
Evangelical Christianity, another list represent-
ing Roman Catholic Christianity, and another
for Unitarianism, and one for each of the non-
Christian faiths. These lists will probably be
published in the highly valuable volume which
Dr. Barrows is to edit containing the results of
the parliament. After a tour of the world it ap-
pears to me to be a very important fact that the
Orient is now reading with great avidity the best 
books of the Occident. Bishop Hurst says in his 
brilliant volume, "Indika," that it is one of the 
most solemn duties of the Occident to guide now 
and for a generation to come, as far as may be,
the reading of the Orient in matters relating to 
Christianity and vital reform. These lists of ap-
proved authors issued from the Parliament of
Religion at Chicago would be sure of attention
and usefulness at the antipodes as well as at
home.
     Contrast Strengthens the True Faith.
Q.—How is the cause of Christianity to be ben-
efited by spreading the doctrines of Buddhism
and other religions among the people?
A.—Christianity fears the rivalry of no non-
Christian faith. Juxtaposition of Christian and
non-Christian doctrines, speakers, and authors
will be like a comparison of sunlight and moon-
light. Students, however, ought to examine in
detail the record of the non-Christian faiths and
be able to point out both merits and defects in
them. Contrasts and contacts of the strange
faiths with the true faith will broaden the zeal
of the latter for the conquest of the world. The
masses of Americans are not likely to be caught
by Buddhism nor by the doctrines of Brahmo-
Somaj. This last is the most nearly Christian of
all the strange forms of faith represented at the
parliament. Mr. Mozoomdar is a man of high
culture and is animated, as I believe, by the
noblest religious spirit; but he honestly ranks
himself as in substance of doctrine a Unitarian
and affiliates chiefly with the Unitarian body of
churches. He certainly deserves to be respected
for his attitude concerning various reforms in