The sun., 1897-11-28
WILL ADOPT A FLAG.
Emblematic Of Ecclesiastical
Power.
HAS NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
Bishop Coleman the Author of the
Church Flag For Protes-
tant Episcopal Church
of America.

Liz lLOUcsUtliU LPSCOl'di ShuiSiI vi
America, and incidentally any other
branch of the Christian church in this
country, is to have flag, emblematic Of
ecclesiastical power. The birthplace Of
the idea which is to eliminate in the es-
tablishment of the flag, is right here in
Wilmington, and by the action of Its
author, Rt. Rev. Leighton Coleman,
Bishop of the Diocese OF Delaware, all
eminent divines, ecclesiastical bodies and
the whole church in America will turn
their eyes upon the sixty-foot flag-pole
in front of the little, chapel at Bishop
stead fromthe ,.halyards .ofI which will
float church flag, the first ...ones in all
America.
Bishop Coleman is man-of encom.
passing intellectual knowledge, and
after much thought and extensive study
upon the question, he lcame to the con-
clusion Lthat the protestant Episcopal
church in America must have flag;
must float from her flagstaff an emblem
which will denote patriotism for ones
church and which is expected primarily
to keep the people in knowledge Of
church events. The movement is not
exclusive but the venerable Bishop when
contemplating the founding Of this
institution had in mind his
previous statements in regard to
the position of his church in America.
He said it would be difficult to convince
people of the propriety of calling the
Protestant Episcopal Church the Ma
tional Church of America. Strictly speak
ing, there has not been for many years
any religious body in the United States
which could either, from recognition by
law and custom or from universal pre-
dominence, claim to be the National
Church. But when it is remembered
that in the beginning, what is popularity
known as the English Church was by
charter and law established in the olde,
colonies; that more than any other &C.
clpaiastical organization she had tc
do with constituting the nation,
and, in the period Of the Civil
War, with its maintenance and reunion;
and that, while conservative and Catho-
lie in her character she yet is distinct
lively American in spirit, there would
seem to he ample justification for using
the title, "American Church." From
this it would seem the Bishops move
ment IN establishing a chruch flag, is
with entire appropriateness as to the
specific church OF origination.
Probably one of the most important
objects which Bishop Coleman antici-
patcs the flag to accomplish, is an en-
lghtenncnt of the people in regard to
church history.
In regard to the manner in which this
desired end will be acquired, the Bishop
gave as an illustration the raising of the
stars and stripes upon certain occasions,
and the feeling that existed among Amer
leans when they see Old Glory flying in
the breeze. person is walking by
building over which the American er-
sign is displayed. He knows the flag
and he realizes that some significance is
attached to it upon that occasion. He
stops to think what day it is, and
tries by locating that, to see if
the flag is floating in commemo-
ration of some historical event. If
the reason the flags appearance there
occurs to him he goes on happy with his
thoughts roaming back to the happening
of which the day is an anniversary. Ii
he cannot account for the raising Of
the emblem he will make inquiry and
by 50 doing may be appraised Of some
event OF national import of which he
had previously been ignorant.
Now this ecclesiastical flag is to fly
from flag pole at every Protestant
Episcopal Church in America, and all
her churches who consociatc with the
movement, on days Of special import
anac in church history. Passing by
u church of God, one secs this
emblem, this flag Of the rs@chuich floating
over the cdificc. One pausesand if
one is aware OF the reason fer which
the flag is raised one solcmnly recalls
lc happening hat is so commcmoratcd.
But if one does not know why the flag
appears on that particular day one i'm
mcdiately inquiries and when told that
day, so many years ago, a certain hap
pening took place in the church's history,
is made that much wiser in the his
tory Of the Bible.
At the Bishoptead, Bishop Coleman
has erected very graceful hag-pole ex-
| tending sixty feet above ground and sur