Page:The World's Parliament of Religions Vol 1.djvu/118

go HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT. x^OYQ — a chain of miserable creatures hung at the old woman's feet. The angel never ceased pulling. It did not seem to be any heavier than the small carrot could support, and they all vv'ere lifted in the air. But the old woman suddenly took fright. Too many people were availing themselves of her last chance of salvation, and kicking and pushing those who were clinging to her, she exclaimed : " Leave me alone ; hands off ; the carrot is mine," No sooner had she pronounced this word "mine" than the tiny stem broke, and they all fell back to hell, and forever. In its poetical artlessness and popular simplicity this legend is too elo- quent to need interpretation. If any individual, any community, any con- gregation, any church, possesses a portion of truth and of good, let that truth shine for everybody ; let that good become the property of everyone. The substitution of the word " mine " by the word " ours," and that of " ours " by the word "everyone's" — this is what will secure a fruitful result to our collective efforts as well as to our individual activities. This is why we welcome and greet the opening of this Congress, where, in a combined effort of the representatives of all churches, all that is great and good and true in each of them is brought together in the name of the same God and for the sake of all mankind. We congratulate the President, the members and all the listeners of this Congress upon the tendency of union that has gathered them on the soil of the country whose allegorical eagle, spreading her mighty wings over the stars and stripes, holds in her talons those splendid words, "E Pluribus Unum." The State religion of Japan — the Shinto religion — was rep- resented in the person of one of its most eminent prelates, the Rt. Rev. Reuchi Shibata. The high priest, on being intro- duced, came forward in his sacerdotal garments, with profound obeisances toward the right and left and toward the audience. President Bonney, in his words of introduction, referred to the swift advances of Japan in modern civilization, and the peculiar interest felt by Americans in the people of the Mikado's empire. The Shinto high priest's address was read by Dr. Barrows. SPEECH OF THE RT. REV. REUCHI SHIBATA. I cannot help doing honor to the Congress of Religions held here in Chicago, as the result of the partial efforts of those philanthropic brothers who have undertaken this, the greatest meeting ever held. It was fourteen years ago that I expressed, in my own country, the hope that there should be a friendly meeting between the world's religionists, and now I realize my hope with great joy in being able to attend these phenomenal meetings. In the history of the past we read of repeated and fierce conflicts between