This year marks the centennial of the World's Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. That remarkable event brought together nearly two hundred religious leaders and scholars from all the major religions of the world. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others gave major addresses about their various religions to audiences of thousands of people. Among those invited to speak were 13 Christian missionaries, who spoke about their witness in relation to other religions, about the need for more unity among Christians, about legislation in America discriminating against the Chinese, and other matters. This article analyzes those 13 addresses and finds some surprises.
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