Evening star., 1928-10-10

has had a notable experience, for ex-
ample, as an arbiter of industrial dis
putes, always holding forth for settle
ment in the light of Christian justice.
He knows that no anemic gospel will
hold the men OF today. The gospel OF
Christ was vigorous and masculine
enough, but it needs the right kind
of interpreters. 1t is not long since
the ministry was considered proper
field for men devoted to books and de-
votions to the exclusion Of active in
tereSt IN the affairs Of everyday life.
But this also has changed. Il don't
think" the Bishop said, that you could
find in any college in the country" q
more outstanding masculine set OF
young men than you will find studying
ior the Episcopal ministry at the Epis-
copal theological Seminary in Virginia
The Bishop of Washington worships
10 abstraction and he worShipS no false
picture. His ideal is the living Christ,
whose wisdom and charity still dominate
The world. He is leading men away
from gods symbolized by st. Bernard
dogs and old men with long whiskers,
away from cold intellectual distractions
and away from a religion devoted en-
tirely to the other world. He is leading
them to an applied Christianity, which
can be interpreted in the terms of
present day life and manners.
The Bishop of Washington bears a
tremendous burden on his shoulders.
The first of his concerns, of course. is
the administration of his diocese, which
cludeS not only the City of Washington
with its diverse population. but large
area of rural Maryland He must at
tend to the problems of both the urban
and the country parish.
Cathedral His Great Work.
Second is the Cathedral, now rising
above Washington as an eternal ex-
preston in stone of mans aspirations
in Christ. He has taken upon himself
the responsibility of building this Ca
thedral. It's magnitude can hardly be
appreciated merely from a consider
alton of the Cathedral itself. Actually
the plans call for something on q
greater magnitude than has ever been
attempted in the world before-a ver-
liable city of God The entire develop
ment Is expected to cost in the neigh
borhood of $40,000,000. The very bold
ness and comprehenSiveneSS of the plan
is an asset. Contributions are coming
in at fast rate from all parts of the
country. They include checks of $780,
600 and $500.000 This is an enormous
business proposition. 1t hardly could
be managed by man who was not
close to practical affairs-a master of
business administration and q master
salesman.
But the building of the Cathedral re-
quires more than these qualifications. 1t
requires that rare combination of a
practical man among men with the
dreamer. the philosopher and the poet.
These qualities the Diocese of Washing
ton has found in its present bishop. He
is philosopher who never has lost his
way in the clouds of philosophy, a
dreamer whose dreams constantly are
tied to reality. mystic whose mysticism
is only an appreciation Of more ele-
mental truth.
He finds the soul Of the world In
which he lives a-thirst for God. 1t Is a
thirst which cannot be satisfied by the
cold water of distractions. 1t is a
thirst that seeks to quench itself In
charity and beauty and aspiration.
Bishop Freeman is seeking to preach
a religion for practical men and wom-
en-but a religion, nevertheless, whose
dignity, losing nothing by coming to
earth any more than the dignity OF the
preaching of Christ lost in the dusty
Judean highways. Upon the Bishop OF
Washington's foundation OF practical
business common sense he has struc-
ture OF profound learning and thinking.
The experiences of the past have much
to offer him, as well as those OF the
present.
But probably Bishop Freeman would
prefer to be remembered above all
things as a preacher of tolerance--of
return to the fundamentals of Christ
teaching. He would prefer this even to
fame as the builder of one of the worlds
great cathedrals. 1t is to this topic of
tolerance that he returns again and
egaifl-for the greatest of all cathedrals
is that which can be reared in the hearts
of men with fairy spires of yearning
after righteousness resting upon firm
walls of understanding and fellowship.
OF this structure all other cathedrals
are but visible symbols-certainly so
In mind OF the Bishop Of Washington.