Evening star., 1932-05-11
Efforts to End Financial Re-
quirementS Fail at Diocese
Session.
OPERATION ON BUSINESS
BASIS GAINS MAJORITY
Inability to Pay Convention Fund
Will Prevent Holding Offices.
Bishop Sounds Appeal.

A resolution to repeal a church canon
limiting certain privileges of those fail
ing to pay their convention fund, such
as service as officers and on commit
tees, was rejected today at the annual
convention of the Episcopal Diocese of
Washington, in st. Marks Church,
Third and A streets southeast.
The action was taken after lengthy
debate. The leaders insisted sentiment
should not be permitted to interfere
with reason, and that the church should
be operated on business basis. Friends
OF the resolution insisted it was an
emergency measure, necessitated by the
depression. Opponents contended. how
ever, that many churches had been in
arrears long prior to the depression.
Bishop Points to Needy.
Worthy movements to end the de-
preston should receive the support Of
the church. Bishop James E. Freeman
declared last night at the opening ses-
sion OF the convention in the Epiphany
Church.
The church may not indulge in
purely political action" Bishop Free
man said but it may in such crisis
as the present give freshened emphasis
to moral obligations and persistently
support measures that are designed for
the well-being and happiness of the
people.
1T may with consistency support
policies that guarantee to the wage
Garner and breadwinner security from
repeated and protracted periods of en-
forced 1dleneSs. 1t may register its op-
position in definite terms where selfish
party and political groups conspire TO
defeat legislation that affects the in
terestS OF the people generally"
Sees Low Moral Tone.
The speaker said the weakness of the
country'S political, industrial and social
institutions resides in the low moral
tone that has characterized their
course.
"Lawlessness itself" he added, "is the
product of a debased and devitalized
moral character. We have sought to
impose the restraints of law, but they
have not stayed the course of those who
lack the moral stamina to obey them.
change must be effected and to
America and the church in particular
the task is given Of restoring confidence,
reviving spirits that are depressed and
diSsipating shadows that have obscured
the way of progress.
1T can be done, it has been done be-
fore, it must be done again. By such
a task we are challenged; it calls for
all our skill and ingenuity, it demands
of us sacrifice. courage and determine
ton. II appeals for more of consecra-
tiOn and a more complete adherence to
the express teachings of Christ"
Bishop Freeman said the depression
was caused by an age of loose thinking
and loose living.
Call Too Little Heard.
''The persuasive and insistent call of
the prophet to a world that was given
to self-ease, excess of luxuries. moral
dereliction and an undue self-confl-
dence, was too little heard. Much Of
our modern ministry was reduced to
magnified mechanisms, multiplied Or
ganizations and the preaching Of a
gospel that was neither w1nsome nor
compelling The so-called comfortable
gospel was but another name for an
easy gospel that laid no demands upon
its professed adherents.
THE relaxing of those reasonable
disciplines that are indispensable to
growth in Christian character and that
bear Immediately upon all human rela-
tionships has weakened the church's
influence in these later days. Again,
the lack of definiteneSS and certainty
in the churchs teaching has been 8
conspicuous and contributing factor In
the present confused situation"