Evening star., 1943-08-08

eS in the air.
from Army Air Forces.
are: the Rt. Rev. Paul Matthews,
D. D., of New Jersey. retired bishop;
the Rt. Rev. John D. Wing, D. D.,
bishop Of Florida; the Rev. Mark
Rifenbark of San Jose, Calf; Col.
Morgan Ashley of Swannanoa, N. c.,
chaplain, U. S. A.; the Rev. Mr..
Brown; Randolph Bias of William
son, w. Va: DR.. Harry w. Horn,
Wichita, Kans., and Spencer Erwin
Of Philadelphia.
VIII Report on Duties.
The general convention also will
receive another important report
from It's committee on the Status
and Work of the Presiding Bishop"
Chairman of this committee is the
Rt. Rev Frank Macarthur McElwain.
DID,, Bishop of Minnesota. This
report has not yet been made public.
The Washington Diocese has
postponed until after the general
convention the election of a new
bishop to succeed the late Rt. Rev.
James E. Freeman, who died last
June. A recessed convention of the
diocese will be held sometime next
fall after the general convention. At
that time 1t will take up not only
the election of bishop, but also
such other business as may be nee
essary as result of whatever action
the general convention takes on the
problems revolving around the pre-
siding bishop.
Already the Washington diocese IS
on record as favoring a residence for
the presiding bishop here. The dio-
cese in its 1887 convention resolved
that the Diocese of Washington is
entirely sympathetic with the reso-
luton OF the general convention of
1884 looking to the residence of the
presiding bishop in Washington.
This diocese, however, directed at
tention of the general convention
TO the lack of legal relationship be-
tween the diocese and the Cathe-
dral Foundation. Meantime, the
presiding bishop has been given an
official seat" at the Washington
Cathedral. But he does not yet have
residence or Offices here.
Report Summarized.
"A presiding bishops see has been
in the mind of our church for many
long years" said Dr. Brown in a
summary Of the report of the joint
committee of which he Is secretary.
Because the church has not come
to definite decision about it the
possible candidates for this high
office have been limited by geogra-
ply and the size of the diocese.
However" he said, "as time has
passed the ONCE of presiding bishop
has changed and his duties have
become greater and, with the war
and the reconstruction program for
foreign missions and other programs
that are anticipated after the war,
his duties will become still greater.
Therefore he should be freed
from all extra or diocesan duties
when he is elected to this Office for
life with set retirement age.
Method Outlined.
What is the simplest way to ac-
complish this?
The Joint Committee to con-
slider the matter of a see for the
presiding bishop has suggested three
simple steps to accomplish this:
q. AS soon as any bishop is elect
ed presiding bishop he shall resign
his jurisdiction.
q. A presiding bishops house,
with Offices, shall be erected in the
District of Columbia.
''3 At his retirement he shall re-
ceive retirement allowance equal
to half his salary as presiding
bishop. minus whatever the pension
fund allowance might be-"
Is Chapter Chairman.
At present, Mr.. Brown pointed
out, the presiding bishop, by reso-
| luton of the general convention and
cooperation of the National Ca
thedral. has a seat in the Cathedral
Of Washington commensurate with
his Office.
The presiding bishop is now hon
orary chairman of the Cathedral
Chapter. The National Cathedral
/ is not now owned or governed by the
/ diocese OF Washington, but by the
| Cathedral Chapter, whose member
! ship is more or less national. There
| is also an Advisory Council that is
national and interdenominational
The cathedral has been built
and Is supported by contributions
from people all over the world
The College of Preachers has
been serving the whole church and
| Is supported by endowments.
so the presiding bishop would
come into setup which has always
had national aspect without add
ing to his duties in taking care
of it.
Washington viii Be Hub.
Now about the residence in the
District of Columbia or on the Ca
thedral Close near his seat" con-
tinued Mr.. Brown, summarizing the
report. There are several reasons
why that should be. especially now
and in the next few years. The pre-
siding bishop has been commits
sioning his ambassadors or mission
aries to all parts Of the world and
as soon as the war is over he will
be sending forth many more.
The world is looking toward
Washington rs the center OF the
greatest Christian democracy Of all
time. They will look more and more