Evening star., 1943-06-07
Bishop Freeman

DISHOp T1eSHIuH
A proper appraisal of the life and
services of the third Bishop of Wash
lngton must begin with a word about
his love for his felloWmen. He was,
above all else, benevolent person.
Thousands of his contemporaries
can testify to the charitableness of
his mind and his heart. He was
generous in his philosophy, tender
and merciful in his manner and
bearing.
James Edward Freeman gave his
talents to the church not in his un-
seasoned youth but when he had at
tanned an intellectual maturity
which certainly would have brought
him success in industry or politics
or any other field of effort to which
he might have applied himself BY
inheritance marvelously eloquent, he
first attracted attention through his
power of language skillfully employed.
Then, when he had been ordained,
he demonstrated his philanthropic
instinct in a series of sociological
enterprises which stilf are regarded
as models of their kind. His clubs
for working people at Yonkers and
IN Minneapolis were pioneer en-
deavorS in the direction of the
modern concept of leisure as an op-
n0rtnnifU for tho octr
tlce OF brotherhood. He also built
tlne new temples of more formal
religion in both the parishes in
which he labored before coming to
Washington.
Here, in the Nations Capital.
Bishop Freeman discovered a place
In the world in which he could spend
his genius utterly No other clerical
leader of his generation had a more
compelling influence upon the Ma
tlon-Wide community. A broad"
churchman, he met all denomina-
tions on an equal plane, consistently
urging their unity yet never for
moment failing to appreciate the
sincerity OF their doctrinal differ
ences. He was a faithful pastor of
his own diocesan flock, but he like
wise was a minister to the whole
Christian family. Few doors were
closed to him, and where he entered
there was mutually and co-opera-
ton among those assembled. He
Travelled uncounted miles as an
ardent preacher Of the Gospel.
Ihere was no town of any conse-
quence in the United States in which
he had not been heard. He made
use OF radio and talking motion
pictures to reach congregations off
the beaten track. His correspond
ence was enormous. At home or
journeying, he was ever a servant
of servants, consecrated apostle.
Such was his purpose through the
forty-nine years of his ministerial
career. He sought to accomplish the
Kingdom of God in terms of an
active, energetic spiritual democracy
in which the priest and the prophet
would be justified by the peace, the
prosperity and the consistent prog
resS of all believers. The COM
munion sacrament was to him a re-
membrance of Christ as He lived
and died in this earth. So, too, the
beautiful cathedral which he vail
antly strove to raise was in his view
a witness to the Saviour who said:
II, if I be lifted up =, will draw
all men unto me-"
How much he contributed of him.
self to that stupendous task no one
not intimately associated with him
ever will know. The structure was
merely the Bethlehem Chapel and
section of the apse when he became
responsible for its development.
Now it is at least three-fifths COM
plete. He would not wish it con-
sidered his monument, but pilgrims
to the close for decades to come will
think of Bishop Freeman in relation
with it. That will be logical and
well-merited recognition of his toll.
Meanwhile, he has finished his
days and gone to the rest he needed.
1t was fitting that the last writing
which Bishop Freeman did for The
Star, printed yesterday, should have
closed with this final expression of
his idealism: Power of any kind is
valuable only when it's true service
ability is realized and applied, and
the sooner every one of us begins to
realize this fact, the sooner will we
create that great fraternity of in
terests for which the global war is
being fought, and for which we be-
leve, under God, it will be won."
Germany claims that the morale of