New-York tribune., 1920-02-02
Ban ON Debate
Drives Many
From Forum
George Gordon Battle, i'm
Chair at Ascension, Lays
Down Rules That Cut
OFF Speeches by Radicals

The forum of the Church of the AS
cens'on, with the Rev. DR.. Percy Stick
ney Grant still too i'll to attend was
held for the first time last night in a
manner modified to conform with an
agreement reached with Bishop Charles
ferent from the forum that has recent
ly attracted attention.
A stenographcr sat just outside the
chancel rail taking down every word
that was said. George Gordon Battle
one OF the church wardens and leader
of the peace delegation that ironed out
the differences between DR.. Grant and
Bishop Burch, presided and briefly ex-
planned the modification of the conduct
OF the forum.
The church was fairly we'll filled at
hrst, but several persons left when Mr.
Battle announced that the short
speeches from the audience following
the main address would not be con
tlnued. There was another exodus fol-
lowing the evenings address by Sidney
A. Reeve, who continued his discussion
of THE Crisis in American begun on
the evening of January l8. There was
also marked absence from the front
and sides Of the house of certain
type of person who at recent meetings
had snickered and whispered a good
deal. sent up many long questions and
applauded loudly at any near-radical
utterance.
Predicts Economic Revolution
The only trace Of the former atmos-
phere of the forum meetings was the
circulation among the audience along
ln g
article from THE Survey" of December
~. 1919, entitled "How to Correct Boil
shcvlsm: A Letter to the President"
The Rev Harold A. Lynch, assist mt
rector, did not seem to know Just who
authorized the printing and circulation
of the article, but left the impression
that it had not been contrary to DR..
Grants wishes. The article urged the
freest expression of opinion of any
sort.
Mr.. Reeve in his talk declared that
economic revolution due to imitation
OF the currency and decreased produc-
ton viii arrive in the next ten years.
First the Progressives, then the Social
ists and then the Bolshevists, he said,
Will be called upon to govern, but all
will fail until the consumer organizes
economically as he is now organized
politically This revolution, he said,
might cost this country l0,000,000 lives,
possibly one per cent OF these by
violence and the remainder by famine
and pestilence.
that the forum had reached exactly the
condition that DR.. Grant and the vestry
desired.
"A forum is a place for the dissem-
ination of information and not for mis-
cellaneous debate" he said. "The new
plan insures the audience good
speaker, who will answer in good faith
any questions sent up for the purpose
of asking Information. At the same
time it keeps the church from being
cheapencd by a type of discussion that
belongs outside a religious ediiice."
Opponents Satisfied
The Rev &. A. Christensen, pastor of
the Holy Rood Church, through Mrs
Christensen, said yesterday that he did
as the latter'lived up to his agreement
with the bishop and expressed the be-
lief that the three clergymen who
might bring charges against DR.. Grant
were well satisfied with the new
arrangement.
In sermon delivered yesterday at
the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
the Rev. William Austin Smith, editor
of "The Churchman," upheld the policy
of holding church forums and by in
ference absolved the Rev. DR.. Percy S
Grant from all blame for seeking tc
elevate his church to an intellectual ap1
probation of religion.
"All the world fears man of clear
cut. intelligent conceptions" said DR.
Smith Human society is confronted
with new conditions as the world grows
older. We must be prepared to meet
such conditions as they come. The
church without brains will bear unim-
portant testimony of the coming o1
Christ into the world to save man
kind"
Dr.. Smith then cited many passages
in the Old Testament and the writings
of St. Paul to show that the Bible is
full of instances where men were callec
together to discuss religion and its
problems and interpretations.