New-York tribune., 1920-02-01
Grant Agrees
To Changes i'm
Forum Practice
Speakers Before Sunday
Meetings in Church of
Ascension First Will Be
Approved by the Bishop

Dr.. Percy Stickney Grant and the
vestry OF the Church OF the Ascension
agreed yesterday to discontinue the
practices which caused Bishop Charles
Sumner Burch to protest against the
Sunday night forums held in the
church. The Bishops objections having
been met, the forums will continue to be
held in the church until parish house
large enough to accommodate them can
be built or acquired.
Under the plan sanctioned by the
Bishop it will be impossible in the
future for any one suspected of dis
loyalty or "Red" tendencies to address
the forum. The names of all speakers
are to be submitted in advance to the
Bishop, and he will have the option of
licensing or forbidding each weekly
meeting.
The custom OF short talks of per
sons IN the congregation after .he
chief speaker has concluded is no
longer TO be permitted. Written
questions propounded will not be
answered by the speaker if the chair
man deems them improper. AS soon
as suitable parish house is avail
dbit tIc DitCIlCc OIL nOlQlnP me
forums in the church edifice is to be
abandoned.
Battle Explains Decision.
AT to~night's forum the speaker Will
be Sidney A. Reeve. writer on po-
litical economy. Bishop Burch an
nounced last night he had licensed the
holding of this evenings forum and
made public letter from George
(,Nr1oD Raftlo Il
parish, which informed the Bishop of
the action of Dr. Grant and the vestry
IN acceding to his desires. Mr.
Battles letter follows:
"An adjourned meeting Of the rec
tor, wardens and vestrymen OF the
Church of the Ascension was held this
morning at the rectory, 7 West Tenth
Street. The rector was present. one
warden was prescnt-the other being
detained by illness-and there was a
majority of the members Of the vestrv
also present. The committee, consist
ing of James w. Cunningham, Harold
A, Content and myself, presented to
the meeting report of the conference
held by us with you yesterday morn
ing at your Office We stated that we
mad made to you the following sug-
geston, to wit:
i hdt III tHc uuuN OF lNc Cnurtn on
sunday evenings d religious service be
held, such service to be Of the same
character as is now held before the
address; that after the religious ssrv-
ice an address be delivered; and that
alter the address written questions b.
handed up, it being understood that
any question considered improper bv
the chairman shall not be read or an
sWered by the speaker; that there Shall
not be the short speeches heretofore
had after the main address, and that
there be no meeting held afterward
in the parish house
We have further suggested to Won
that the speakers shah be selected in
advance by Dr.. Grant and committee
OF the vestry. that the names of the
speakers shall De submitted TO you and
approved by you in advance of the
meeting, and that you shall be request
ed to license each meeting as a special
meeting, and that this procedure shall
continue until an adequate parish house
can be built or acquired. with the un-
derstanding that at that time all of the
exercises of the public forum shall be
transferred to such parish house.
Unanimously Approved
We reported to the vestry that we
understood from our conference with
you that you would give cons liberation
to this suggestion, if Il was approved
py the rector, wardens and vestrymen,
and that we had reason to believe that
your consideration would be favorable
Inc rector stated that he would accede
TO the suggestion. and resolution was