Forty-fourth Annual Convention

OF THE

Free Religious Association of

America

THE Forty-fourth Annual Convention of the Free Religious Association of America was held in Boston, Thursday, May 25, and Friday, May 26, 1911.

THE BUSINESS MEETING

BOSTON, Thursday, May 25, 1911.

The Forty-fourth Annual Business Meeting of the Free Religious Association of America was held this afternoon, in the upper hall of the Twentieth Century Club, 3 Joy Street. The meeting was called to order at 3 o'clock by President Wendte, who made brief introductory remarks.

The report of the Forty-third Annual Business Meeting was read by the Secretary, and was declared accepted.

The Treasurer of the Association read his report for the year 1910-1911, showing the balance on hand at its close to be $3217.93. The report was declared accepted.

In a short address suggested by the report of the Treasurer, Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer urged a wider promulgation by the Association of the fundamental principles of social service.

The Annual Report of the Secretary was read by that officer, and was declared approved.

Miss Grace Hart, of the Luncheon Committee, reported that all arrangements for the Festival session had been made, and that the applications for tickets were likely to exceed the seating capacity of the dining-hall.

It was voted to postpone until later in the meeting the

report of the Nominating Committee, in order that a forthcoming motion regarding the future work of the Association might be discussed by several members who, on account of appointments elsewhere, could not remain till the meeting adjourned.

After preliminary remarks by Mr. George Clarke Cox, it was moved by him "that a Committee of three, to be appointed by the Chair, be named to propose plans for making more definite and extended the work of the Association, these plans conceivably to extend to changes in the organic laws of the Association." The motion was seconded in a forceful speech by Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer, and after some discussion was voted by the Association. Messrs. Cox, Casson, Freeman, and Rothschild were successively called upon by the Chair to express their ideas as to what definite new work the Association might attempt, but all the gentlemen deemed that the matter needed further consideration before any programme could be formulated. The President announced that he would name the Committee later. [At a subsequent date the following persons were appointed: Mr. George Clarke Cox, of Cambridge, Chairman; Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer, of New York; Mr. Edwin D. Mead, of Boston.]

The report of the Nominating Committee was then read by Mr. J. A. J. Wilcox. It was accepted, and the Secretary was requested to cast one ballot for the entire list as presented, the persons nominated being thus unanimously elected as the officers of the Association for the year 1911-1912. (For list of officers, see this pamphlet, page 4.)

Voted: That Mr. Albert S. Parsons and Mr. J. A. J. Wilcox be the Nominating Committee for 1912-1913.

Voted: That Mr. Albert S. Parsons be the Auditor of the Association for the year 1911-1912.

Adjourned, to convene at Ford Hall, Boston, May 26, 1911, at 10 o'clock A. M.

WILLIAM H. HAMLEN,

Secretary.

I have examined the foregoing and find it correct and properly vouched.

BOSTON, May 25, 1911.

ALBERT S. PARSONS, Auditor.

SECRETARY'S REPORT, 1911

Mr. President and Fellow Members of the Free Religious Association of America:

Since the adjournment of its last Annual Business Meeting, which was held at 3 Joy Street, Boston, May 26, 1910, the Association has held its Forty-third Annual Convention and two meetings of its Board of Directors.

The Convention was held Friday, May 27, in the halls of the Parker Memorial Building, Boston. The session of the morning convened in the upper auditorium, known as Parker Memorial Hall; that of the afternoon in the lower audienceroom, known as Parker Fraternity Hall. Both sessions were largely attended.

The year being Theodore Parker's centenary it was thought to be particularly fitting that the Free Religious Association, above all others, should pay honor to his life and teachings, and that the meetings should be held in the building dedicated to his memory. Mr. Edwin D. Mead, the Association's retiring President, presided over the morning session; Rev. Charles W. Wendte, D.D., its incoming President, over that of the afternoon. The addresses of the morning were made by Mr. Edwin D. Mead, Rev. George A. Gordon, D.D., Rev. John Haynes Holmes, Rev. Charles F. Dole, D.D., Rev. Charles W. Wendte, D.D., and Rabbi Stephen S. Wise.

The afternoon session assembled at one o'clock. After an hour spent at the luncheon-tables, President Wendte called the meeting to order and made an introductory address. Addresses followed by Col. Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead, Mr. Frank B. Sanborn, Rev. Dr. F. W. Hamilton (President of Tufts College), Rev. Dr. James De Normandie, Dr. Edward Waldo Emerson, Rev. Henry G. Spaulding, and Rev. Merritt A. Farren. Interspersed between these addresses were read a greeting from Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, an ode by Rev. John Haynes Holmes (read by him

self), messages from Mrs. Caroline H. Dall, Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Dr. Felix Adler, Rev. J. B. Weston (of the Christian Biblical Institute, Defiance, Ohio), Principal H. Chandra Maitra, of Calcutta, and Benoyendra Nath Sen, of Calcutta, and a poem by Mr. Rufus B. Leighton (read by President Wendte). The adjournment was at 4.30 o'clock. Almost the entire assembly remained until that hour.

The full proceedings of the day were published in pamphlet form, and copies were sent gratis to members of the Association and to many of its friends. Later, about five hundred copies were mailed to as many clergymen known to be affiliated with liberal societies, who were thought to be interested in the aims and purposes of the Association. The pamphlet, containing 117 large pages, was edited and arranged by Mr. James H. West, a member of the Association's present Board of Directors. His work therein has received considerable and well-deserved praise.

In our Annual Report of a year ago it was mentioned that the Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, of Chicago, was planning to hold in that city a convention of religious liberals, and that he desired the co-operation of this Association. Our Board of Directors seconded Mr. Jones's appeal, and voted that a sum not to exceed two hundred and fifty dollars be donated from our treasury toward the expenses of said convention. Mr. Jones also enlisted the active support of three of this Association's officers, Mr. Edwin D. Mead, Rabbi Charles Fleischer, and Rev. Dr. Charles W. Wendte, each of whom delivered several addresses at the meetings. The convention was held in various churches and halls in Chicago, from November 13 to 17 inclusive, and from first to last was wholly a memorial to Theodore Parker. As an illustration of the extensive scale on which it was conducted may be cited the programme of the opening day, Tuesday, November 13, when in twelve Chicago churches and halls discourses were delivered in honor of the great theologian and reformer. If time permitted, the full programme of the four days' convention would be given in this report. To review the themes presented, and the names of the speakers, would deepen our admiration for the