Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-12
NEW NAME FOR CHURCH
NOT A HASTY PURPOSE
Action of District Diocese
Prompts Review of Prot
estant Episcopal Progress.
To the Editor of Tho Star:

To the Editor of Tho Star:
The advocates of the change of name
of the Protestant Episcopal church are
very much eiated at what they regard as
change Of sentiment or attitude on the
part of the church toward the subject.
They claim that the general convention
will turn down the proposition to change
the church's name. but one at all fa-
minar with the subject has really eX-
pected that the next convention would do
anything else. One hardly risks any rep
utation as prophet in making that pre-
diction.
1t is true that the Washington conven-
ton last week put itself on record as dis
tiDctly opposed to the change of name
for. as IL has been pointed out, no one
who declared himself in favor of change
of the name of the church was elected a
deputy to the general convention We
may go even further and say that il IS
extremely probable that no one would
have been elected who declared himself
in favor of the change
but here in passing let me express nv
admiration OF the way in which the men
opposed to changing the church's name
arose in the convention. one after another
and declared their unqualified opposition
20 an change, not knowing the strength
OF the sentiment arrayed against Il: they
mad the courage of their convictions az
indeed they also had who boldly avowed
their belief that the name OF the church
ought TO be changed. That sort of thing
appeals to men. The men who do it are
worthy to represent their brethren One
Knows where they stand and what they
will do.
But L take exception very seriously to
the deductions that have been drawn
from the action of the diocesan conven-
ton These deductions are that the pres
ent attitude of the various dioceses implies
a settling down to its present name as
the permanent possession of the church
ne truth Is that the present advocates
OF the change are so sure that 1T will
eventually come that they themselves are
opposed to any legislation at this time,
knowing that any name selected now
would be very much less satisfactory
than one easily possible later on More
over, any legislation accomplished at this
time would be followed with a good deal
OF bitterness, and this they naturally
and properly desire to avoid. Therefore.
though opposed TO the present name they
feel that they can safely afford to wait
Change in Church Herself.
This whole movement. in fact grows out
of change that has come in the church
herself: a change so great that not one
of its opponents has escaped it's influence
They all feel that influence and acknowl-
edge it's power. The Rev. DIR. Mckim,
himself the able and acknowledged leader
of the party opposed to all change, bows
down to its authority. He has in his
church. among other innovations" a sur
pilced choir. Less than fifty years ago
SUPPLE choir in Epiphany Church
WOu/ have caused a riot. as the
sight of one in many places elsewhere
actually did so; nay. even the sight of
clergyman preaching in a surplice, in
stead Of black gown, has been wont to
stir Protestant congregations to the
depths.
A late bishop. of Virginia used to wax
valiant in fight whenever he saw some
of Gods flowers on the altar Colored |
stoles. until quite recently, were the RIB !
bons of millinery A cross standing
on the altar was the abomination of des-
olatiOn standing where it ought not For
wardens and vestrymen reyerently. TO
stand while the aims were being presented
was departure from the church's best |
the proper thing was for them
to turn their backs upon the whole bust |
ness Clergymen who countenanced these |
things were "Jesuits in Disguise snakes
in the grass "emissaries of Satan,' |
'serpents whose heads''-it was devoutly |
would crush.'' eve are quot |
Today we should be ashamed to utter |
such sentiments or to betray such ig- |
norance. |
Enlarged Conception of Church.
Yet changes in ritual ceremonial are |
In reality the least that has occurred. |
More to the purpose, by far, is the |
change that has come In the enlarged !
conceptions Of the church in her atti |
tude toward the bodily welfare of men, |
as witnessed in DIR. Mckim's own parish |
by that splendid parish hall. which he |
has been instrumental in having built, |
and for which the whole diocese is in |
debted to him. A parish hall like that |
was impossible under the regime of fifty |
years ago: people would not have known /
what to do with 1t if they had had II. |
closed church all the week and q |
dreary sermon on Sunday was the sole |
idea of church life. Nowadays church !
work is a seven-day affair. and that par |
ish hall of Epiphany Church Is the out |
ward and visible sign of the change that /,
has come in that direction.
Another sign. Years ago preaching was |
not much the presentation of the Cos !
a formal treatise on dogma or history.
commonly dry as sawdust whatever the
theme No better instance of the revolu-
ton that has occurred in this particular
can be adduced than the remark of 4
cabinet minister Of Queen Victor:a's time
who, coming out of church one Sunday.
said In highly Indignant tones that he
had supported the church all his life. but
as that morning, the church had begun
10 insist upon applying religion To a
mans personal and private life. Today
no one thinks that the gospel is for any
other purpose than that
Tr1ly great changes have indeed
come. and 1t is surely not unreasonable
to hold that the church should be per-
mitted in her official name to express
the result of those changes.
Realizations Behind Church Progress
There is a party in the church that
does not recognize all this. There is an
other party that does. Year by year this
latter party is growing stronger; it is
covering the land: it can afford to wait.
1t wants no divisions, no heartburnings.
no party strife, and 1t will have none. 1t
has a strong cause, and it knows 1t:
therefore. Il can afford to be patient and
bide It's time
If the opponents of the movement think
that the present willingness of the advo