Evening star., 1924-03-27
BISHOP CUTS VISITS
TO ST. MARKS CHURCH
Right Rev. James T. Manning Re-
fuses "Ministration" in View of
Dancing Services.
CHARGES ADVICE IGNORED
Brings Months-Old Controversy
to Climax.

! BY the Associated Press.
| NEW YORK, March 27.-Bishop
| Manning of the Protestant Episcopal
diocese of New York yesterday in
formed Rev. DR.. William Norman
Guthrie, rector of St Mark sin the
lBouwerie, that his church would
| remain without Episcopal visitation
or ministration' for it's rectors re-
fusal to discontinue eurythmic dane
ing in connection with services at
| the church.
On two occasions, last December
and again on March II, Bishop Nam
ming expressed his disappToval of the
ritualistic dances. DR.. Guthrie in
sisted they were not banned by
church law. The dances were pre-
sented in the church last Sunday.
The bishop declared that as long as
DR.. Guthrie refused to heed his ad-
monitions and to act in accordance
with his counsel the parish would
remain without visitation or minis
tration.
In the letter to the rector, In which
he made known his decision lon DIR.
Guthrie's attitude, the bishop said
ne declined to visit the parish and
congregation and Cancelled his visi-
tation announced for Wednesday,
June IL.
Controversy Mt Climax.
The action of Bishop Manning
brought to a climax the controversy
which has existed for months and
which has attracted wide attention.
Approval Of DR.. Guthrie's programs
had been given by some other clergy
men of the Episcopal church and
n NJ
dance ritual given last Sunday night.
Bishop Manning's letter contained
an outline of the list of services
which, he maintained, were given
contrary to the constitution and can
onS of the church. Excerpts from
the constitution and canons relating
to the subject also were sent with
the letter. The letter, in part, was as
follows:
I'm December last I requested and
entreated you to refrain from GER
tain unauthorized and unlawful acts,
and on March II, 1924. I solemnly
counseled and admonished you that
at or in connection with the ap-
preaching feast of the annunciation,
and at or in connection with what you
have denominated Indian day, May IL,
and May Is, the Sunday nearest the
full moon of May, and not merely on
those occasions but in general at all
other times, you were neither to use
nor permit to be used in st. Marks
Church or al any place within your
spiritual jurisdiction as rector of St
Marks: ta) Any forms OF worship
composed in whole or in part out of
American aboriginal material or out
of Buddhist literature or any non
Christian forms of worship; or OBJ
any eurythmic or other dancing in
the church building or in connection
with divine worship
Saws RituaI ExcHe<feh
tOn Sunday, March %, evening
prayer not being said, you used and
permitted to be used in St Marks
Church in the afternoon and again in
the evening a service or a special
form of worship not contained in or
selected from the Book Of Common
Prayer nor authorized by this church
or by the bishops of this church or
the bishop of the diocese, which you
described in your printed announce
ment as an office and eurythmic ritual
in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary
for the feast of the annunciation and
also as a festal service in which sery-
regard of my counsel and admonition,
you used and permitted to be used
eurythmic or other dancing in the
said church.
Now, therefore, in consequence of
your unauthorized and unlawful
official counsel and admonition. !
hereby notify you that 1 decline to
visit the parish and congregation of
st. Marks Church and that my vista
tion announced for Wednesday, June
IL, 1924, is cancelled, and that the
out episcopal visitation or minstra-
tion so long as you refuse to follow
my said admonition and to act in ac-
cordance with my said counsel"