Evening star., 1916-10-17
CHURCH HMAYHAVE
PUBLICITY BUREAU
P. E. General Convention Con.
sidering Establishment of
Permanent Commission.
DISCUSS RITUAL CHANGES

DISCUSS RITUAL CHANGES
ST. LOUIS. October 17.-Use Of eff
cheney systems in the conduct Of the
business of the church, coupled with a
| larger publicity for church propaganda,
is being urged by delegates to the gen
eral convention of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church in session here today.
The Rev. James Wise Of st. Louis, suf-
| fragan bishop-elect Of Kansas. has
| drafted a resolution calling for per-
manent church publicity commission.
| In our churches we can reach many.
| but it is through the newspapers and
other periodicals that we can best
reach the man outside" he said. I'VE
are coming to the point where we must
realize that the church, like all other
| large organizations interested in mold
ing public sentiment, can best do it
through organized publicity"
| A report of the joint commission on
| business efficiency urges new systems
| of handling parochiaL diocesan and
! provincial finances, the regular audit
| ing of the funds by outside" account
ants and the handling of such finances
IN trust funds.
The church is a large business con-
| cern, to all intents and purposes" said
| robert S. Pruyn of Albany, N. Y, chair
| man of the committee. commenting to-
| Jay on the report. Consequently we
| must handle it's business as we would
| that of any firm
| Both proposals probably will come up
I for discussion in the house of deputies,
| the lower body of the convention, next
| week.
| Favor Chinese Bishops.
| The house Of bishops. the upper house,
notified the house of deputies today that
it had adopted a resolution permitting
native priests of the Chinese Protestant
Episcopal Church. who have been elected
10 the episcopate, to be consecrated by
Chinese bishops. Previously it had been
| necessary for such elections to be con-
| firmed by the United States house of
| bishops.
Announcement was made in the house
of deputies that a petition bearing sew
eral hundred signatures. asking that the
| reH1arriage Of a divorced person., while
| the former spouse is living. be forbidden
had been received from the Rev. W. H.
A Hall of New York This proposition,
however. already had been rejected.
liturgy as recommended in the report of
the joint commission on the book of
common prayer was on todays calendar.
In the main. the discussion. which Fran
of the committee on dispatch of business,
announced Will continue for two days, is
on technical points.
For Revision Of Commandments.
Revision and shortening of five of the
Ten Commandments as they appear in
the Book of Common Prayer, and the
elimination Of Good Friday prayer. which
classes Jews with Turks, infidels and
heretics," were proposed in the report of
the joint commission on the Book of
Common Prayer submitted to the con-
yention.
The commission, consisting Of seven
bishops, seven clergymen and seven lay
men. under the craftsmanship Of Rt. Rev.
Courtland Whitehead, Bishop of Pitts
burgh, was appointed by the 1913 con-
vention of the church to revise and en-
rich the Book Of Common Prayer, adapt
ing it to modern conditions
1t was proposed to eliminate portions
Of the first five commandments on the
ground that the arguments for the OBJ
servance of divine law in the Ten Com
mandments may actually be understood
shorten and make more impressive the
church service. Further, it was held that
the reasons. which applied in Israel do
not necessarily apply today. The revised
version Of the five commandments, as
proposed. follows:
]. Thou shalt have no other Gods but
me-
2. Thou shalt not make unto thyself
any craven image, nor the likeness of
anything that Is in the heaven above, the
earth beneath, or in the waters under the
earth; thou shalt not bow down to them
nor worship them.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the
Lord. thy God. in vain.
4. Remember that thou keep holy the
Sabbath day.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
The commissions report recommended
that the present Good Friday prayer
Have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, in
fdels and heretics'-be revised to read:
Have mercy upon all who know Thee
| not, as revealed in the gospel of Thy
Son." thus eliminating a classification
which to many has been Objectionable
Numerous suggestions for the enrich
ment of the prayer book to meet modern
conditions were advanced. Among these
| were the adoption of prayers for labor,
for the army and navy, for schools and
colleges. for state legislatures and pa
triotic prayer for Independence day
Proposed to Eliminate "obey."