The Washington herald., 1913-09-13
EPISCOPAL.

| The Rev c. Ernest Smith, DID,
| Del. rector of, St Thomas Church,
| Washington, arrived in New York Sep
! tember 10 by the Royal Mail steam
packet Trent, accompanied by his daugh-
ter. Miss Barbara Smith.
The Trent left Southampton. England,
on August 13, for a tour through the
West Indies, taking in points on the
| Spanish Main. particularly Colon, where
the steamer remained two days to give
opportunity TO view the Canal.
At Colon an incident occurred which
might very well set some OF our clergy
and others interested in the progress of
the church thinking: The rector of the
Episcopal Church in Colon - Christ
Church by the Sea - very beautiful
church. by the way, standing near the
Washington Hotel and largely built by
the offerings of American visitors and
others interested in the Canal Zone, hear
ing that the rector of st. Thomas was
on the Trent, came aboard to pay his
respects. At the same time DR.. Smith
was endeavoring to call upon the rector
of Christ Carbohydrates. Colcn is
not big pIace-at a guess, three or four
thOusand-but no one seemed 10 know
where the Episcopal Church was. Final
ly one intelligent-looking Panamanian in
quired if it was the Anglican Church that
was meant. He was told that II was;
directions were given, and the church
located. The rector was said to live on
the top of his church. so up the stairs
the caller made his way. The Anglican
Church." however, turned out to be a
Methodist Church. the pastor of which
directed his visitor to another part of the
town altogether. He could give no in
formation, however, as TO where the
rector of the church lived. A Chinaman
came TO the rescue and assisted in To-
eating the church. but he was entirely
unable to say where the rector could be
fund. There was not a sign anywhere
to help a stranger in such a search, and
after various fruitless endeavors DR..
Smith went back to the steamer firmly
convinced that churches have no more
right to, neglect advertising than any
other organization that looks to the in
fuencing of men.
Lately there was in these columns an
account of a service at sea, a perfunctory
affair conducted by the captain. whose
main object seemed to be to get through
the service as quickly as possible On
the Royal Mail Steam Packet Companys
steamers. of which the Trent is one,
there exists a very different state of af-
fairs, and the contrast must have forcibly
struck all who had an opportunity of
attending both services. On the Satur-
day preceding the first Sunday at sea,
the captain of the Trent seeing that
there was a clergyman on board, asked
him if he would conduct the services,
which he said it was his own duty to do
in default of a regularly ordained clergy
man. On Sunday there was a roll call
and all that could be spared from the
working of the ship, from the captain
down, attended the service-officers and
N their nh
stewards and others. The ships orches-
ira lead the music, the saloon itself be-
ing practically filled on one side with the
officers and men of the ship, and on the
other side with passengers. 1t was one
of the most inspiring services that We
have attended for years. 1t put religion
to the forefront; it let the men know
that there was other duty besides their
duty to man for them to attend to. An
example like this ought to be copied.
One of our clergy was present in West
minister Abbey on August 10 when the
suffragettes as the ladies there are called
which We here call suffragists. inter
rupted divine service. Just in front of
him across the aisle in the north transept
a body of twenty young women. who
were in charge of one much older than
rose and began a chant
WHICH WAS uHQSTSIOOQ 10 De a prayer on
behalf of Mrs. Pankhurst. The ushers
rapidly came to them and invited them
70 leave. which they did with commend
able quietness. Hardly, however, had
they gone before twenty other young
women on the other side of the aisle
commenced the same chant. These, on
being invited to go out were rather in
Clined to show fight and resisted at first,
but finally left the building. 1t was from
any point of view a discreditable per-
tormance. 1t was the service of the Holy
Communion, and of all places in England
w Westminster Abbey is holy ground. So
far as could be seen there was not a
anywhere in the great tran
sept. Audible expressions of disapprovaI |
and condemnation were heard on every
hand. Whatever may be thought of the |
cause, and no doubt there were some
here who heartily believed in it, its ad- |
yocacy by such methods is to be deplored. |
Moreover, it can hardly do otherwise |
han set back a cause which surely does |
not need any such methods of advocacy |
rs the interruption of the most solemn |
service known to Christendom.
One of our clergymen. the Rev.
Harry Garner, has been taking 10 him
'elf wife. Mr.. Garner has the hest |
wishes OF his brethren and his parishion-
RS. Mrs Garner is naturally included in
he same. She was formerly Miss Jennie
Gardner. of Clifton, Staten Is.
and.
The Rev F. T. 4 Bennett Is r.i,ti,.