The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-11
.EPISCOPALIANS'
 BISHOP PLEASED WITH HIS CHURCH
Absolutely American, Prelate
 Declares at Triennial Convention.

St. Louis.- Mo-. Oct. 1.-The pening sermon of the 44th Triennial conven- ton of the Protestant Episcopal church was delivered at the Moolah Temple, today by Bishop Daniel S. Futile, senior bishop. Taking as his text, Acts 27. 31. Paul said to the Centurian and to the soldiers, except these abide in the ship. ye cannot be saved" the Bishop discussed the con- make to unity, and enumerated Rev. erence. Truth, Catholicity and Aneri- can flavor, and of the latter said:
 "I do not want to presume. Cana dian brethren are here and they are Americans as well as we. ,Represen- tatives of the Mother Church of Eng land are here. We revere here and we love them. She fostered eur youth in long continuance of nursing care and protection There is nothing but a heaped up fitness of gratitude in our hearts and we are humbly proud of our. kinship with adolescent years have sent us out from under our moth- CTS roof. We are housekeeping now In home of our own. Asking per- mission to use the word American for short, we want to have an American flavor in our church.. Anglican prece- dents we will study and respect and admire. But in our respect and ad- miration we will leave them alone, unpracticed, if American spirit and American taste and American habit do not take to them.
 "Then in that good time when an approaching unity seems somewhat to materialize we want to offer to our fellow Christians of other names round about us an American religion with an American flavor as our contribu- ton. ..+
 Are we presuming too much? We grant to the laymen with freedom of thought and opinion, only tying him down to the bond of faith in the sim pie verities of the Apostles Creed.
 ''Is that not American?
 "We give to the layman full partici- patton in the deliberations of the church and voice and vote in de- termining the results of such delibera- lions.
 ''Is that not American?
 we have dioceses corresponding to
  ties. and the general convention cor responding to the Federal government.
 'Is that not American? t-
 "We have a church penetrating into all parts of the United States and its possessions. There is not a rod of ground over which the Stars and Stripes wave in sovereignty but that is under the care and guidance of a Bishop of our own.
 "Is that not American?
 "We are a united church. We have no North, no South, no East, no West. There is no cleavage of separation on sectional lines of latitude or longitude, or for differences of race or color or class or taste.
 "Is that not American?
 And, with qbick beating of the heart and firm treading of the feet we are catching up-we have not yet caught up-but; we are catching up with the Congregationalists and Pres byterians and Baptists and Methdoists and others in the blessed work of mis- sions, .expending one million and half dollars per year upon them, and sus- taining 2,7O0 missionary workers on our payroll-besides all that is given and all that Is done in the dioceses and cities in their home work.
 "Is that not American?
 "I get enthusiastic as record-Will you not be enthusiastic as you hear about the $3o,000 given for the Elmer gency Fund for Missions last year about the constantly swelling $1s7.0O0 given by the children of Sunday schools and the $2O0,000 and more given by the Woman's Auxiliary about the $3.0o0,o00 given to the splendid Clergy Pension Fund, to swell itself, 'tis hoped. to $5.o0o,ooo: and over the facts that we have 120 bishops now where we had Al, 50 years ago; and a million of communi- cants instead of 150. LOGO; and out of 99 of the whole population a commun- icant now against out Of 175 then.
 "Ay. when the coming day unity draws near. waited by the precedent forces of love and allowance-making and brotherly kindness and sympathy and by the appreciation that we have tried to play the game fairly, we will lift up our heads and from the warmth of our hearts and through the tears in our eyes will reverently say, What hath God wrought? And praised be His Holy Name for ever and ever, Amen
 Brother Shiprnen, let us stand by the ship and help to save others in- stead of rowing away in the lifeboat to save ourselves. If we stay some will be saved. If we run away some will not be saved.
 Brother Churchmen, let us play the game fairly. Give and take with committed to us firmly and patiently and be ready to turn over, by and by, to brethren who may be willing to re- ceive them, helps of reverence and roundedness and historic anchorage and American flavor.
 Brother Americans, the dreadful war is plotting out or maiming or blinding almost all the young man. hood of Europe. Howgloriously those young men gathered to the colors and how braveiy they have fought and died! But the exhaustion of men and money there will put added responsl- bility on us here to stand by the Mis- sions. In awakening China. In enter prising Japan. In outcrying Africa. In devastated Armenia. Geld help us in cur strength, which He gives us, to stand by for help when our breth- ren of Europe exhausted, distracted, almost destroyed, cannot well continue at least for a time, to dc so!
 Brethren all, de not want te mar this sermon by personal patchings. But it is not personal is it-it is lifted