Fortieth Annual Convention OF THE Free Religious Association of America THE Fortieth Annual Convention of the Free Religious Association of America was held in Boston, Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31, 1907. THE BUSINESS MEETING. BOSTON, Thursday, May 30, 1907. The Fortieth Annual Business Meeting of the Free Religious Association was held this afternoon in the south parlor of the Parker Memorial Building. President Edwin D. Mead called the meeting to order at 3.10 o'clock. He offered a few congratulatory remarks, and declared the meeting open for business. The Treasurer, Mr. J. A. J. Wilcox, presented his Report for the year 1906-1907, showing a balance on hand of $812.80. The Report was accepted. The Secretary, Mr. W. H. Hamlen, read the Report of the Thirty-ninth Annual Business Meeting, and it was declared approved. The following Resolution, drafted by President Mead, and presented to the meeting by Mr. James H. West, was unanimously adopted: The Free Religious Association earnestly expresses and places upon its records its deep sense of loss in the death of John Cummings Haynes, for so many years one of its most faithful and useful members, long its Treasurer, and at the time of his death one of its Vice-Presidents. An upright leader in the business world, a good citizen, a philanthropic man, the generous helper of many worthy and needy causes, we remember him especially here for his strenuous and uncompromising services for free and rational religious thought. An early disciple of Theodore Parker, and revering always his teaching and memory, one of the last important acts of Mr. Haynes was to provide for the publication of a complete edition of Parker's works. The liberal helper of this Association during his life, Mr. Haynes was its more liberal helper through his last will and testament, and for this generosity we record our gratitude. More grateful are we in the remembrance of his long years of warm friendship and co-operation in personal service and advocacy of the principles for which the Association stands. Resolved, that this expression of our esteem and gratitude be communicated to the family of Mr. Haynes and entered on the records of the Association. The Secretary was called upon for his Annual Report. It was presented by him and received a unanimous vote of acceptance. President Mead spoke of the approaching Congress of the International Council of Liberal Religious Thinkers and Workers, to be held in Boston in September. He also reviewed the meetings of the same organization which were held at Amsterdam and Geneva in 1903 and 1905, and said that to one of our own members, Rev. Charles W. Wendte, was due the chief praise for having effectively organized those Parliaments of Religion. The report of the Nominating Committee for 1907-1908 was read by Mr. George W. Stevens. It was accepted, and the Secretary was requested to cast one ballot for the entire list as presented. (See page 4 for List of Officers for 19071908.) Rev. Edward C. Towne, one of the founders of the Free Religious Association, related incidents of several conferences that preceded the adoption of its Constitution. He sketched the proclivities of the leaders of the movement as they appeared to him, showing that at the very beginning of the Association's career two main tendencies manifested themselves - one of which was strong for active work both within and without the Association, and the other just as pronounced for attempting nothing more definite than an open platform, where all phases of religion and ethics might have expression. As a founder of the Association Mr. Towne then protested against the programme of the coming Convention, which, he said, barred from the platform a real free religionist, himself, - yet presented among the speakers a Jew, a member of that body of separatists that would never truly unite with any other people. President Mead promptly denied the charge of Mr. Towne, saying that nobody had ever been barred from the Association's platform on account of his opinions, and giving the names of persons of the widest latitude of belief who had been invited to the platform during his presidency, including the current Convention. Other speakers continued the subject, the remarks of Mr. Towne being construed as illiberal, and also as illogical when considered in connection with the direct provisions of the Constitution. Mr. Towne repeated his dissatisfaction, but added that his criticism had been misunderstood. Messrs. West, Hamlen, and others made further remarks, and the discussion closed, Mr. Towne's views having received no support from the meeting. Adjourned until 10 o'clock Friday morning, May 31, 1907. WILLIAM H. HAMLEN, Secretary. |