give extracts from addresses made before the Parliament. President Charles Carroll Bonney said in the opening address: "Worshipers of God and lovers of men: Let us rejoice that we have lived to see this glorious day; . . . that we are permitted to take part in this solemn and majestic event of a World's Congress of Religions. The importance of this event can not be overestimated. Its influence on the future relations of the various races of men, can not be too highly esteemed. If this Congress shall faithfully execute its duties with which it has been charged, it shall become the joy of the whole earth, and stand in human history like a new mount Zion, crowned with glory, and marking 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 till then, will the nations of the earth yield to the spirit of concord and learn war no more. We meet on the mountain height of absolute respect for the religious convictions of each other. . . . This day the sun of a new era of religious peace and progress rises over the world, dispelling the dark cloud of sectarian strife. It is a brotherhood of religions." ... Chairman John Henry Barrows spoke thus in his address: "We are here not as Baptists and Buddhists, Catholics and Confucians, Parsees and Presbyterians, Methodists and Moslems; we are here as members of a Parliament of Religions, over which flies no sectarian flag, ... but where for the first time in a large council is lifted up the banner of love, fellowship, brotherhood. . . . Welcome, one and all, thrice welcome to the world's first Parliament of Religions! Welcome to the men and women of Israel, the standing miracle of nations and religions! Welcome to the disciples of Prince Siddartha, the many millions who cherish their Lord Buddha as the light of Asia! Welcome to the high priests of the national religion of Japan! This city has every reason to be grateful to the enlightened ruler of 'the Sunrise Kingdom.' Welcome to the men of India, and all faiths! Welcome to all the disciples of Christ. It seems to me that the spirits of just and good men hover over this assembly. I believe the spirit of Paul is here. I believe the spirit of the wise and humane Buddha is here, and of Socrates the searcher after truth. . . . When a few days ago I met for the first time the delegates who have come to us from Japan, and shortly after the delegates who have come to us from India, I felt that the arms of human brotherhood had reached almost around the globe." -World's Parliament of Religions, chap. III. Since this great Parliament of Religions there have been a number of such gatherings. This is but paving the way for the last great conflict. I have observed that, no matter how much the sects were quarreling among themselves, whenever we went into their midst with the whole gospel and God's people were gathered out, the sectarians suddenly became friendly toward each other and began to hold union meetings in opposition to the truth. If the corrupt and false religions of earth can never agree on anything else, they will, and are, agreeing, to oppose the true church of God and the truth advocated by it, which is destined to "consume them to the end." The devil is mustering his hosts-Pagan, Mohammedan, Catholic, and Protestant sects-in one "grand brotherhood of religions"-Gog and Magog. "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city." Rev. 20:9. The camp of the saints, the beloved city, is none other than the pure church of God gathered out of all false religions in these last days. Such is the very host that John saw on the sea of glass mingled with fire; and they had victory over all false religions (Rev. 15:2, 3). The hosts of hell, in order to compass the camp of the saints, "went up on the breadth of the earth." This signifies the universality of the church of God, or Christianity. It will be everywhere-all over the world. Therefore all false religions will unite in a confederation that will be universal, and the opposition to the church of God will be universal. In the midst of this final conflict fire will come down from heaven and destroy them (Rev. 20:9). This ushers in "the great day of God Almighty." "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruc |