Evening star., 1928-10-13
Memorial Bearing $4,000
Signatures Asks Retention
of Basic 80 Articles.
EVANGELICALS' MOVE
BREAKS FACTION LINES
Plans for Completion of National
Cathedral to Be Studied.
Pershing to Preside.

Presentation to the House of Bishop:
Of petition bearing $4,000 signatures
demanding retention of the basic IS
articles in the book Of common prayer
brought out into the open today con-
troversy in the General Convention o.
the Episcopal Church that has split the
party line for more than a year.
The petition was presented when the
House of Bishops resumed its delibera'
tions on prayer book revision by Righ1
Rev. Eugene. Cecil Seaman, d. D., Mis-
sionary Bishop of North Texas, who ac.
companied it with the introduction Of
formal resolution setting forth the
views of the petitioners. Both were
referred to the committee on petitions
and memorials.
All Factions Divided.
Today's action by Bishop Seaman Il
calculated as the opening shot in one
of the most important fights growing
out of revision of the prayer book anc
is expected to lead to a long and in
tense debate when the resolution is re-
ported back to the house.
While the general feeling is said tc
exist that the 80 articles are no longer
a vital concern in the prayer book, the
controversy that ensued since the QueS-
ton of their eradication arose yeal
ago has divided all factions within the
church. Bishop Seaman presented the
petition on behalf of one element, which
claims that the articles are basic an6
still expressive of the principles and
doctrines upon which the church was
founded. On the other hand, an
equally large element of clergy and
laity put forth the claim that being
archaic and antiquated the articles nc
longer have place in the book of COM
mon prayer.
Cathedral Plans Discussed.
Plans for Fastening the completion
of the Washington Cathedral will be
discussed this afternoon at a meeting
of the campaign executive committee
headed by former Senator George
Wharton Pepper of Pennsylvania, irl
the Cathedral library.
This will be followed by dinner al
the Carlton tonight, which will be at
tended by Gen. John j. Pershing
chairman of the National Campaign
Committee. and by State chairmen from
all over the Nation.
The committee is now in the middle
of its two-year campaign to raise
$6,8oo,Oo0 for completing the choir
crossing, north and south transcept:
and north porch. Ultimately 1t is pro.
posed to raise $30,000,000 for the com.
Ylpti0n of the entire nrOieCt
Permanent Settlement Seen.
So-called evangelicals or low church.
men and representatives of the high
church are found grouped together or
both sides of the controversial issue
1t was conceded today that the ques.
ton undoubtedly would be settled once
and for all during this convention.
The petition movement in which
Bishop Seaman has played the leading
part, was started year ago in Ten
nesse by group believing that reten-
ton of the basic articles is a matter
of vital concern to the church. During
this time the petition has ben circu-
larized throughout churches and par.
ishes of the country. The accom-
panying resolution was not made public
at this time.
Since the 80 articles in question dats
back to the fifteenth century, the fac.
ton represented by Bishop Seaman see'
no reason why they should be taker
out of the common prayer book. With
the separation from the church of Eng.
land after the war of the Revolution
the articles were incorporated bodily ir
the American prayer book. They are
printed separately, however, in the bacl
of the book, and are not embodied II
the book proper.
Prohibition enforcement as a mora
issue was brought before the genera
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