New-York tribune., 1913-07-31
THE CHANGE OF NAME
A Prediction and a Warning to the
Catholic Party.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Touching the veXatiOus scheme OF
the Catholic" party 20 tasten its name
on the Church. ! predict that II II shall
accomplish It's design disastrous conse-
quences 10 the Church will closely follow.
Many OF the men. rich and liberal who
constitute the officers OF the majority OF
the strongest and wealthiest OF our
churches throughout tho country, and
especially In the city Of New York. in
cludlng the fifteen churches hereinafter
mentioned, will either leave the Church
or. II they remain. Will withhold from
tho Missionary Society OF the Church
their customary pecuniary contributions.
with the result that the missionary work
of the Church. foreign and domestic, Will
begin to languish and soon have 10 be
abandoned and our missionaries called
home. | know the general hostile temper
and disposition Of Protestants in New
York and the North generally toward the
name Catholic" and. however unjust
the feeling may be considered. II is one
of deep distrust and aversion. I am sure
that those who share that prejudice
would never tolerate that word as a part
OF their Church's name. A letter re-
ceived within the last few days from one
OF the worthiest and most prominent Of
our New York City clergy warrants my
prediction of the course which many OF
the best men OF the Church in New York
would take II the name OF the Church
should. in any combination. be made TO
contain the word Catholic"
The present financial condition OF our
Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society
as reported by George Gordon King,
treasurer. in THE Churchman" for March
s. page 81. and referred to editorially In
The Southern Churchman." April 8. page
g. shows the extraordinary decrease on
March /, 1913. OF Sl7.l26 o. In the regular
contributions To the funds of the Mis-
sionary Society of the Church. upon
which THE Southern Churchman" OBJ
serves mo more pathetic Easter appea.
and message can come before the Church
than Mr. Kings letter of March IA on the
status OF the missionary treasury. For
the first time our noble treasurers hope
seems TO waver, and IL Is a triumph OF
faith that Il does not waver % a greater
extent"
| submit that this decrease can reason
ably be attributed only to the deliberate
purpose OF our rich men TO await the
action OF the General Convention on the
question OF change of the name OF the
Church before giving any more money TO
missions.
1t is to be feared that TO our Church's
deep humiliation and the serious hurt OF
the cause OF Christian unity. II the name
of our Church should be changed, the
conference now In encouraging progress
between the Presbyterian. Methodist and
other churches with our own on the sub
ject OF Christian unity will cease from
all further negotiations with our Church
on the ground that no further conference
could reasonably be held To any good end
with a Church whose condition presented
an example of discord and disunity wholly
at variance with the spirit and purpose
which had brought that conference to-
gether.
Unless tho Catholic" party is willing
for the mere sake OF party prestige and
at all hazards 10 seek for success, let