Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-13
CHURCH MAY SHIFT
ITS OFFICES HERE
Episcopal Convention tc
Vote on Making D. c.
Sect's Headquarters.

A proposal looking to the estab-
Nshment of the national headquarters
Of the Protestant Episcopal Church
here today was up for debate and
q vote by the forty-second annual
Episcopal Diocesan Convention, in ses-
sion at st. Paul,s Church, Rock Creek
Parish.
The plan has been under considera-
ton several years, and at the gen.
eral convention In 1884, the SYM
pathetic consideration" of the do
cese OF Washington was urged.
Two resolutions covering the sub
3ect were laid before the clerical and
lay delegates at the diocesan meeting
yesterday. In advance of their con-
eideration, Right Rev. James E. Free
man, Bishop Of Washington, presid-
Ing, told the convention that Wash
angton Is the logical place for the
national headquarters of the church,
but we ought not to anticipate nor
unduly try to influence the judgment
OF the church as a whole. The gen.
eral convention, meeting at Cincin-
natl in October, may decide"
Offices in New York.
At present headquarters are in New
York, occupying space In an Office
building while Right Rev. James De
Wolf Perry, Bishop of Rhode Island,
presiding bishop, resides in Providence.
The plan under consideration would
provide for construction of a national
headquarters building here.
Thst first resolution presented to
the convention yesterday said:
Resolved, That the bishop of this
diocese shall be authorized, If and
when requested by the general con-
vention 50 to do, to appoint a COM
mittee Of nine, including at least two
trustees OF the Cathedral Foundation,
10 confer with any committee or COM
mission as may be appointed by the
general convention in respect to the
relationship between the diocese Of
Washington and the general con-
vention, and that the bishop shall
have power to f1ll vacancies on the
committee representing this diocese.
Resolved further, That the entity Of
the diocese OF Washington shall be
In all respects preserved as now con-
stituted, except possibly as to name"
The second resolution was more
definite: Whereas the general con-
vention in 1884 requested the do
cese OF Washington to give sympa-
thetic consideration to having the
residence of the presiding bishop in
Washington, therefore be it resolved,
That the convention of the diocese
Of Washington is entirely sympathetic
with the resolution of the general
convention in 1884 looking to the
residence OF the presiding bishop in
washington; be it further resolved
That the convention OF this diocese
directs the attention Of the general
convention to the lack Of legal rela-
tionship between the Protestant Epis-
copal Cathedral Foundation of the
District OF Columbia and the do
eese Of Washington and the possible
necessity for adjustments by the
general convention with the bishop
and chapter of said Cathedral"
Both convention sessions yesterday
dealt with routine business, hearing
reports from the Executive Council,
the Phillips Foundation, the Cathe-
dral Foundation, the Committee on
the State of the Church, the Do
cesar Board Of Publicity, the trustees
OF the Episcopal Fund, trustees Of
church charities and the Diocesan
Church Fund. the Committee on the
Church Pension Fund and the d.
1ectors OF the several diocesan insti-
buttons and the Woman's Auxiliary.
Statistics on Diocese.
It was reported that the number
OF baptized persons in the diocese is
%2,677 and the number Of commune
cants 27,403. Baptisms for the year
were l,149: combinations, 1900; mar
riages, 6l2, and burias, 1,101. The
number OF services held In diocesan
> churches and chapel was 1929.
Canon Arson Phelps Stokes, speak
ing for the Cathedral Foundation,
stirred the applause of the conven-
ton when he said that the Cathe-
drals debt is smaller today than it
was when Bishop Freeman took charge
Of the work IA years ago, while the
assets Of the Cathedral in land, build
ings and other property have in
creased many times.
The Japanese people, apart from
the military caste, are peace loving
and friendly toward the United
States, and there Is little likelihood
OF there ever being war between the
two countries unless the United
States Il the aggreesor, Rev. j. K,
Morris, rector Of the Church Of the
Resurrection at Kyoto, Japan, said
in the principal address last night at
the Fellowship banquet" Of the con-
vention in the Rock Greek Church
Parish Hall.
DR.. Morris said the japanese mill
tary leaders are seeking to keep the
people in q state of alarm to gain
support for the military machine.
The Christian religion, he said, is
the only one holding before the peo-
pie OF Japan the ideals of peace. AL
OF their own religions are unfolding
the.military regime. Soldiers in Japan
are not allowed to possess copies of
the New Testament or TO attend
Christian meetings, he said.
Paases Tade Pacts.
The speaker praised the new re-
ciprooal trade agreement between the
United States and Japan a. q new