Evening journal., 1913-05-17
P. E. CHURCH
IS FAR FROM
NAME CHANGE
Mr.. KirkuS Says Excitement
Over the Subject is
Unnecessary
EVERY DIOCESE WOULD
HAVE TO DECIDE QUESTION

The much talked Of proposition to
change the name of the Protestant
Episcopal Church is discussed in the
current number of Trinity annals by
the Rev. Frederick M Kirkus, rector,
of Trinity Church. lie IS OF the
opinion that the church Is an I'M
measurable distance away from any
agreement upon a new name. In MS
article Dr. Kirkus says
"The writer is besieged with en-
uuiries about the Change of
namo of the Church and especially
since the Diocesan Convention OF
PENNSYLVANIA has the topic been up
permost in our peoples minds. II
may be helpful TO impart the follow
ing information.
AT the General Convention IN
1910 a proposal was made to revise
thc title page OF the Prayer Book by
striking out the word Protestant,
SO that IL should read "The Book OF
Common Prayer according to the Use
OF tho Episcopal Church In the United
states OF America. Tho proposal wai
defeated by failure to. concur ON
t'.e parl oil The clergy and laity-
n majority OF the clergy being IN ta.
1og of the change and the laits
arainsl a. Had the proposal been
H6optcd ID could not have been male
effective untn It had been submitted
fer consideration to every diocese IN
NE land and passed upon favorabi,
~ "A second General Convention ln
1913
rCf course this measure Was con
alfcco as FIRST step toward
changing the maine OF our church
z" church papcis and secular press
lnvc dealt with the subject ad maui
scam during the past year. The eA'
trcmo Protestant party IN PonnsylNa
r'a aclcd in their recent conventlol
as though they deemed 10 the mos
i..pouau, mattcr before the church
Tfcy tr ed. because of his convention
vth the proposal outlined above t'
df.clt the election TO Genera Con
Vcrtion Of that cOnsecratcd ana dls
tincuishcd iayman who was generalN
ccrrcded 10 be the leading figure p
tho convention of 1910 Yet his rela
ton 10 the matter was Of inilnitesima
importance compared with his splen
did influence touching every con
siructive measure for church growtl
and development which came beior
that convention.
"Now there is very little likelihoo
oi SO moderate and sensible a chang
OF name proposal heing again mad
I, the General Convention OF 1913.
any proposal be made II Is likely to b
OF much more radical sort.-i
which case n will probably be defeat
4..t. .ftt
f,rportion Of those clergymen an
laNmon who would be glad to dis
I nae with the word Protestant a
,art OF our official title. have no SYN
pothy whatever with the proposal
adopt the American Catholic Churcl
as our name. should be remem
tered by those who are drcading
change Of name that there must b
agreeemnt about some new name be
irre there can be any abandonment
tho old one. and We seem 10 be an in
masurahie distance way from sue
agreement.
"Bnt II the whole General Conven
ton should be agreed upon a ne'
name 1t could not possibly be adopte
next October The most that coul
be done would b 10 pass what ma
hc called tho FIRST reading OF such
proposal. It would then have 10 b
submitted to the convention of ever
Diocese I'm the Church for approve
or the reverse. so that their respe'
tive deputies might be instructed
such wav as to make the Anal voi
in the General Convention Of lsl
really representative of the whol
Church
'Tho conclusion seems to be th'
there has been sreat deal OF IN
pecessary excitement over this con
paratively unimportant suhiec
that no decisive measure Is likely
be adopted by the approaching Gel
cral Convention and that no nm
rcssure can by any possibility
adopted until an interval of thr'
years for calm and mature consider
ton shall have elapsed between
first and second passage.