The Washington herald., 1912-05-18
THE TREND OFTHINGS.
coMMUN1ckTIoEs. /
coneernIng PropossI tor chsnEs
Name OF p. E. ohureh.


Name OF r. E. chureh.
Editor The Washington healas -
The Rev. DR.. Randolph n. Nc
Kim, referring 10 the statement
made in your Episcopal Church notes OF
May s.. that Were it not for the DIFF
hculty Of selecting name which would
be satisfactorys to All. II would be safe
to say that the old name would have
been dropped long ago." informs your
readers on Saturday last that the writer
OF that statement is grievousiy misin-
formed.
May / venture. as the writer OF the
note. the accuracy Of which has been
thus seriously impugned, that while on
many subjects DR.. McKim's opinion Is
well worthy OF attention. on this partic-
ular subject his opinion by no means
settles the question. We are all prone
to see what we want TO see. Our facil-
ity in this respect is very remarkable.
For many years DR.. McKim has been
an able opponent OF the change Of
name. and naturally he is not as well
able to see, as impartial onlookers do,
that the cause he Is champaoning Is
doomed.
At the last General Convention a pro-
posal to change the name Of the
says. But under what conditions? BY
a technicality only. The constitution re-
qiIred that the vote should be taken by
orders-that is by the clergy voting sep
arately and the laity voting separately.
Also, that there should be a majority
of each order voting in the Affirmative.
When the votes were taken and the
numbers counted IL was found that the
proposal had been lost by a single lay
- - 10
measure by a substantial majority. Had
the clergy and laity voted together the
proposal would lave been easily carried.
Under these circumstances II requires
a good deal, OF courage to predict that
there will be no change in 1873 when the
General Convention meets again.
Singularly enough, the most encourage
ing evidence that the name will be
changed comes from DR.. McKim him.
self. DR.. McKim recently published
pamphlet against the proposal to drop
the word Protestant from the church's
name, but in the title which he gave
that very pamphlet: Shall the Episco-
pal Church Abandon Her Protestant Po-
sition?" he actually himself abandoned
the use OF the word Protestant. Surely
this is an unconscious prophecy-a
shadow OF good things to come. Surely
the General Convention Of 1873 following
DIR. McKim's example. will drop the
word from the title page of It's prayer
book as he has dropped II from the
title page Of his pamphlet
May l add just a word by way Of in
on this subject to the many
readers of your paper7 It is not a ques-
ton OF words or names-this question
Of a change OF name. Rather Is IL a
question of accuracy OF definition and
of statement To the
minds ana co1sciences of an overwhelm-
rg number of our earnest and devoted
clergy and laity there has come the feel
ng that the church Is not accurately
described by name which smacks Of
the battlefelds Of three centuries ago.
We are no more anti-Roman than we
ire anti-Methodist or anti-Baptist or
or anti-anything else We
are for our Lord and Master Jesus
Christ. and all who love Him In SINGER
~ and IN truth are our friends. II in
other matters they are in error we are
not their judges. To their own Master
alone are they responsible. !
And this Is the thought that lies at
he back Of this whole movement. 1t is
I movement born not of sectarian spirit. |
but of truth and charity. Can any one !
ioubt that a movement conceived in |
such a spirit must ultimately prosper? |
for one have no misgiving on the |
1oint. II may not come in 1913, but IL |
will come.
Mr.. Editor, it is not my intention to |
inter into a controversy on this matter |
With any one, especially one whose abil- |
ty and work esteem as highly as / do |
he ability and work Of DIR. McKim. /
Controversy, in my judgment, always |
ices more harm than good. do not be- |
ieve in It.
But as the accuracy OF a statement for |
which / was responsible has been pub |
icly called into question, 1 felt that
lad no option but TO show that the /
statement made was absolutely correct-i
hat If l had erred at all II was in I'M
reinstatement rather in that of over
statement. And having done this my
work is done. The matter, so far as I |
I'm concerned, is now closed.
c. ERNEST SMITH.
Washington, May H.