Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-23
DIOCESE OF EAST0N
FROWNS ON MERGER
WITH DELAWARE
S. E.. Shannahan, Secretary, Says
Negative Sentiment is Over
whelming.
NO OBJECTION THOUGH
TO A CONFERENCE

The Protestant Episcopal Diocese oil
Easton Md. according to the secretary,
= E. Shannahan of Easton, shows over
whelming sentiment against the propo-
sition to merge with the Diocese OF Deia-
ware However, he says, as matter Oh
courtesy. it is perfectly willing that the
matter should be subject of conference
between the official representatives-the
standing committees-of the two oodles,
therefore, as Delaware feels about the
same way in regard TO the matter, con-
ference is probable.
The Standing Committee OF the Diocese
of Delaware held meeting In Wilmington
Yesterday, for the consideration OF regu-
lar business, but as it had no otflclai noti-
6cation of desire for a conference by
the Easton body, that matter was not
acted upon. The general subject was,
however informally discussed by some
nj the members-and il developed that
there appears to be sentiment against the
merger. in Delaware, as we'll as IN the
Eastern Shore diocese. However, Kew.
II. w. Trapnell, secretary OF the committee,
when asked about the matter today, SAID
the committee is willing TO confer and
doubtless will do so following receipt OF a
letter from the Easton committee IN that
behalf Should such conference be
held prior TO the regular annual conven-
tion of the Diocese of Delaware, to be
held at Emmanuel Church. here. May II,
the Standing Committee Will report,
AT that time, the result of the conference,
possibly with n recommendation, IT this Is
deemed advisable As the Diocese OF Easton
meets again at Sudlersville, Md. June !,
10 continue balloting for bishop, it would
be possible for the Delaware Diocese to
postpone its election of bishop, scheduled
for NIav II, until after the Easton body
acts, but this does not now seem probable.
The next move here awaits official ad-
vices from Easton.
SENTIMENT OF EAsToN DIOCESE.
The sentiment of the Diocese of Easton
il contained in the following letter re-
ceived today by Every Evening from MIR.
Shannahan. the chief object of the letter
being TO correct an apparent mlsappre-
hension here as 10 the suggested nego-
t!ations between the two committees:
Easton. Md, April -, 1920.
Editor Every Evening: A statement OF
Rev. DR. kirkus of Wilmington, In your
issue OF Wednesday afternoon, referring
to the action of the special convention OF
the Diocese of Easton acceding TO the IN
vitation of the Standing Committee OF the
diocese OF delaware LOT CONFERENCE On
the matter Of the possible merging of the
two dioceses. indicates a misapprehenslon
on the part OF DR.. Kirkus and other Della
ware churchmen who may have read IT.
He states that ANY action taken by the
Easton convention must have been In the
nature of q reconsideration. This IS not
fact. The Easton convention simply re-
auested (no actual command) the Stand
ing Committee of Easton 10 accept the
recent invitation Of the Standing Com
mittee of Delaware for joint conference,
II being the sense of the convention that
Easton. as matter of courtesy, accept the
invitation TO confer. The question was not
considered and would have been ruled out
of the convention had 10 been brought up,
as the convention was called for one
specific purpose There is no doubt but
that the sentiment against merger Is
overwhelming and would be defeated
almost unanimously should it ever come
to Il vote.
The passage OF the resolution above re-
fcrred to was accomplished only after q
spirited debate during which several efforts
were made from the floor to have the
matter ruled out.
Yours very truly,
s. Z. Shannahan.