The Detroit times., 1908-11-11
BISHOP VILLA N S
STRONGLY DEFENDS
open PULPIT
TELLS DIOCESAN CONVENTION
he FAvoRs WIDEST POSSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT OF LAY PREACH.
ING AND LAY MINISTRY.

Many points OF vital importance TO
the clergy and laity OF the Detroit
diocese were touched upon by Bishop
Charles d. Williams In his annual ad-
dress before the diocesan convention
which opened It's business meeting
Wednesday afternoon in st. Johns
Episcopal church. An important feat
ure OF the address was the references
20 the amendment to a canon at the
general convention In Richmand a
year ago, known as the open pulpit"
amendment, which has caused no lit
tie discussion In the Episcopal church
and by reason OF which a number of
clergymen Of that denomination are
said TO have gone over to the Roman
Catholic church.
This simple and innocent bit of
permissive legislation has thrown
some OF our brethren into a panic"
said the bishop. They are alarmed
lest the church should give up her
traditions. abandon the principles of
her ordinal. no longer insist on a reg
ularly and espicopally ordained min
lstry.
Il am sincerely sorry that any OF
our brethren should have felt con-
strained to leave us. / have always
felt that this church Of ours Is big
enough, comprehensive and truly
catholic enough to dwell together in
unity within its fold. | do not be-
lieve that there Is the slightest cause
for alarm even In the minds OF those
who hold the strictest and most ad-
vanced views as to the apostolic min
istry and It's exclusive authority Is
so-called sacredotal or sacramento
functions.
'One Of the most fatal and common
defects Of this church Of ours In mod
ern times has been her habitual 'ques-
tioning OF the spirit her timid re-
preston Of the spiritual functions Of
the laity I would see the widest pos
sible development OF lay preaching
and lay ministry"
The bishop said to repeal this
amendment would be fatal step back
ward, as 1t would rob the church Of
liberty Of great value. that of invit-
ing the Episcopal pulpit expert lay
men In the various fields of social
service, public reform and civic righte-
BUSINESS to present their causes to the
church.
ITO any one who has eyes to see
and to any one who Is not so blinded
by Ignorance or prejudice that he can
not read the signs Of the times, II Is
staItlingly apparent that the cause
Of Christian unity Is urgent and that
1t will soon become the article Of \
standing or a falling church." declared
the bishop. Unless the various
Christian bodies can get together on
some broad and simple platform or
essential agreement and common &C.
ton. at least of comfy IL not of unity,
christianity as now organized In the
church-ecclesiastical Is doomed to
dwindle. II not to die
In referring to the salary Of the
average clergyman. the bishop said
he did not believe 1t represented any
thing like the ability of the congre-
CATION
II go to place after place where
there il every evidence OF large am
even lavish expenditure on the part
Of parishioners and yet the cler-
gyman Is beset by the anxieties of
poverty" declared Bishop Williams.
Brethren, 1t Is not right that people
who live In wealth and luxury should
accept contentedly the faithful min
situations OF an ill-paid rector"
The bishop laid the blame for this
condition on thoughtlessness and un-
business-like methods on the part of
vestries.
"Often In his personal AFFAIRS" said
the bishop, the rector exhibits the
ability Of q Napoleon of finance In
making ends meets upon a meager
stipend In the face Of the present
greatly increased cost OF living, while
many . vestry conducts the financial
affairs Of the parish In ways which
would bring the United States Steel
corporation to bankruptcy inside of
six months"
The bishop recommended that the
convention appoint social service
committee to study the relation Of
the church to the social problems OF
the day, to give advice and counsel In
the development OF institutional work
In the parishes and to consider CO.
operation with other Christian bodies
Bishop williams said he had as
sumed control Of the Detroit church
men, the name of which will be
changed to the Michigan Churchman,
and that the Rev. w. Warne Wilson
has been appointed editor-fn-chief, with
a number Of Detroit rectors as asso-
ciate editors.