Page:The World's Parliament of Religions Vol 1.djvu/210

 1 82 HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT. that I represent — it is a godsend — and from this meeting we believe will go forth a sentiment that will righten a great many of our wrongs and lighten up the dark places, and assist in giving us that which we are now denied — the common privileges of humanity — for we find that in this Congress the majority of the people represented are of the darker races, which will teach the American people that color is not the standard of excellency or of degradation. But I trust that much good will come to all, and not only the Fatherhood of God be acknowledged but the Brotherhood of Man. The cheering which followed Bishop Arnett's address had scarcely ended when President Bonney presented the popular and tolerant Bishop Keane, of the Catholic University of America, Washington, who, as always, was received with the most cordial enthusiasm. He said : Friends and Brethren, — When in the midst of the wise men who were intrusted with the organizing of the Columbus celebration, Mr. Bon- ney rose up and said that man meant more than things, and proclaimed the motto : " Not things, but men," people said, " Why, that is only a com- mon-place. Any man could think that." "Yes," said Columbus, "any man could do that," when he put the egg upon its end. Mr. Bonney proclaimed that motto. May it make him immortal. When in the midst of the men who, under the inspiration of that motto, were organizing the congresses of the world. Dr. Barrows arose and pro- claimed the grand idea that all the religions of the world should be brought here together, men said : " It is impossible." He has done it, and may it make his name immortal. When the invitation to this Parliament was sent to the old Catholic Church, and she was asked if she would come here, people said : " Will she come ?" And the old Catholic Church said : " Who has as good a right to come to a Parliament of all the Religions of the world as the old Catholic Universal Church ? " Then people said : " But if the old Catholic Church comes here, will she find anybody else here ? " And the old Church said : " Even if she has to stand alone on that platform, she will stand on it." And the old Church has come here, and she is rejoiced to meet her fel- low men, her fellow believers, her fellow lovers of every shade of humanity and every shade of creed. She is rejoiced to meet here the representatives of the old religions of the world, and she says to them : We leave here. We will go to our homes. We will go to the olden ways. Friends, will we not look back to this scene of union, and weep because separation still continues ? But will we not pray that there may have been planted here a seed that will grow to union wide and perfect ? O, friends, let us pray for this. It is better for us to be one. If it were not