Page:The World's Parliament of Religions Vol 1.djvu/124

96 HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT. of that congress, held twenty-one centuries ago, is to-day a living power, for you everywhere see mildness in Asia. Go to any Buddhist country and where do you find such healthy com- passion and tolerance as you find there ? Go to Japan, and what do you see ? The noblest lessons of tolerance and gentleness. Go to any of the Buddhist countries and you will see the carrying out of the program adopted at the congress called by the Emperor Asoka. Why do I come here to-day ? Because I find in this new city, in this land of freedom, the very place where that program can also be carried out. For one year I meditated whether this Parliament would be a success. Then I wrote to Dr. Barrows that this would be the proudest occasion of modern history and the crowning work of nineteen centuries. Yes, friends, if you are serious, if you are unselfish, if you are altruistic, this program can be carried out and the twentieth century will see the teachings of the meek and lowly Jesus accomplished. I hope in this great city, the youngest of all cities, this program will be carried out, and that the name of Dr. Barrows will shine forth as the American Asoka. And I hope that the noble lessons of tolerance learned in this majestic assembly will result in the dawning of universal peace which will last for twenty centuries more. The AFTERNOON SESSION opened with a few words of cor- dial and hopeful salutation from Dr. Carl von Bergen, of Sweden, after which Mr. Virchand A. Gandhi, a lawyer of Bombay, and one of the chief exponents of the Jain Religion of that country, spoke as follows : SPEECH OF MR. GANDHI. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,— I will not trouble you with a long speech. I, like my respected friends, Mr. Mozoomdar and others, come from India, the mother of religions. I represent Jainism, a faith older than Buddhism, similar to it in its ethics, but different from it in its psychology, and professed by a million and a half of India's most peaceful and law-abiding citizens. You have heard so many speeches from eloquent members, and as I shall speak later on at some length, I will, at present, only offer on behalf of my community and their high priest, Moni Atma Ranji, whom I especially represent here, our sincere thanks for the kind welcome you have given us. This spectacle of the learned leaders of thought and religion meeting together on a common platform, and throw- ing light on religious problems, has been the dream of Atma Ranji's life. He has commissioned me to say to you that he offers his most cordial con- gratulations on his own behalf, and on behalf of the Jain community, for your having achieved the consummation of that grand idea, of convening a Parliament of Religions.