Evening star., 1928-10-22
BISHOPS ENWS|ON
ONE UNITED CHURCH
Joint Episcopal Session to
Discuss Repc:j Of Lau-
same ParIey.


copal Church here this afternoon at a
Joint session of the House of Bishops
and Deputies at Memorial Continental
Hall
This meeting, which was arranged at
the insistent demand of groups in both
houses, plans to discuss not only the
report of the commission on faith
and order of the world conference of
churches at Lausanne last year, but
possibilities Of a closer communion
among churches Of the United States.
Leaders of the church are committed
to the principle that for the present
1nterchurch movements go no further
than study and discussion" without
committing their respective COM
munions.
To Consider Campaign.
The meeting was called also to con-
.tider the drift of people away from
churches and the necessity for Ma
tion-wide evangelical campaign.
The House of Bishops this morning
ladopted an amendment to the con-
stitution which removed that qualiflca-
tion that the presiding bishop should
Jbe one having jurisdiction in the
United States" thus leaving the way
open at some future date for the elec-
tion Of the head of foreign diocese.
We may some day want to elect
distinguished international statesman
as head of this church" said Bishop
Burleson of South Dakota in the de-
bate which preceded this action.
Migrations Blamed.
The increasing migratory habits of
the American people are responsible for
a loss of Episcopalian communicates
ranging from 10000 to 10000 a year,
a special committee headed by Right
Rev. Charles P. Anderson, Bishop of
Chicago, reported to the House of Bish-
ops today.
Annually" says the report, "in
every city multitudes move from section
to section without leaving any address
Modern business shifts its employees
from city to city with unSettling fire.
quency. Communicates often move to
communities where the church has
neither congregation nor priest. Others
move from rural congregations to city
life, where they miss the old associa-
tions, do not receive the pastoral care
TO which they are accustomed. find the
church ways strange or feel the finan-
cial requirements beyond their power
to meet.
Young people go away to school and
college, breaking the old church ties
and forming no new ones, frequently
facing later life with faith shattered
and a real antagonism to all organized
religion
as the northward migration of the ne
groes also is noted as a reason for the
seepage. To keep up front in the
face of this situation, the report con-
tinues. there are unfortunately rectorS
who pad their communion classes with
all who can by any means be persuaded
to join.
Inadequate Understanding.
Persons are presented all too often
who have no adequate understanding
of what they are doing or whose mo-
tives are most questionable. These in
clude not only little children, made
quately prepared. and persons who
come for social and business reasons.
but that large class who want to join
dear DR.. Jones' church because they
like him"
The remedy for this, the report in
sists, is renewed emphasis on pastoral
care, with more clinical practice in the
SenninarieS and a revival of regard for
the letters of transfer from parish to
parish. The report urges that this "be
made matter of earnest and continu-
GUS instruction by the bishops in an eff
fort to arouse the clergy to a fuller
sense Of pastor responsibility and to
impress upon them the obligation for
the further care Of church members
who have passed from their immedi-
ate oversight"
Action paving the way for adjourn
Ynent of the convention of the Episcopal
Church sine die Thursday afternoon at
i o'clock was taken by the House of
Deputies today in adoption of the joint
resolution
Following the adjournment of the
convention, should the House of
Bishops likewise approve the action, a
closing service will be held in the
Church of the Epiphany at o'clock.
Elections Ratified.
At an executive session when cleo
tions and assignments of missionary
bishops in accordance with the action
previously taken by the House of
Bishops were affirmed and ratified, the
deputies devoted themselves to routine
business matters.
A resolution was adopted providing
for the appointment of joint commits
sion on arrangements for the conven-
ton of 1881 in Denver, Colo. Just
before the closing OF the morning ses-
sion, the entire body of deputies arose
and remained standing during the read
ing of the roll of members who have
died since the last convention.
Approval OF an official definition of
the term communicate" as used in the
report form issued by the general church,
and also a definition of the differences
between the term "communicant" and
confirmed persons" was blocked when
a reservation, offered by Howard w.
Diller, chairman of the committee on
state Of the church, was referred to the
committee on canons. Presented in
answer to memorial from the diocese
from Southwestern Virginia, the reser-
vation committed the convention to the
fact that communicates are active and
4nactive.
Defines Communicant.
1t defined an active communicate as
"a confirmed person who, in his parish
church, unless unavoidably prevented,
has communed at least once within
a year." Classed under inactive COM
municants, the reservation stated, "are
other confirmed persons who. for a
space Of a year or over, have absented
themselves from holy communion, but
who still are to be regarded as the chill
dren Of the church unless they have
.renounced her doctrines, discipline and
worship, for whose return and welcome
the doors of the church are always
open"
Action on the resolution was deferred
after brief debate, during which the
church was warned that it would be
encouraging vicious principle to call
member an active communicate If
he came to communion only once a
year."
Kellogg's Letter Read.
A letter from Secretary of State Kel-
logg and an address by Right Rev. c..
Ashton Oldham, Bishop of Albany, feat
ured the open air mass meeting in the
cause Of world peace in the open-air
amphitheater in the Cathedral Close