Evening star., 1946-09-12
Episeopalians Reduce
Retirement Age Of
Presiding Bishop
BY Cospor konnes

Of the presiding bishop from 10 to
68 as the third day of the 55th
triennial General Convention of the
Episcopal Church in the United
States OF America got under way
on the University of Pennsylvania
campus.
The 6s-year age limit originally
was set at the 1910 convention. It
was changed to 10 at the 1s43 meet
ing. partly to meet war conditions.
The present retiring bishop, the
Right Rev. Henry st. George Tucker.
ret1reS this year and a successor
will be elected at this convention.
The House of Bishops also voted
today to allow bishops to retain the
right TO vote after their retirement
at the age Of 70.
Bishops to Be Honored.
Later today the Most Rev. Geoffrey
Francis Fisher. Archbishop of Cam
terbury and Bishop Tucker will re-
ceive the honorary degree of doctor
Of laws from the University of Penn
Sylvania
The degree will be given at q
special convoca ton in Irvine Audi
torium on the university campus.
Dr.. George w McClelland, presi-
dent of the university. will preside
and DR.. Thomas s. Gates. former
president of the university and now
chairman OF its board of trustees,
will confer the degrees
Former Senator George Wharton
Pepper, trustee of the university,
will present the Archbishop of Can
terbury for the degree Samuel F..
Houston, senior trustee Of the uni
versity, will present Bishop Tucker.
Remarriage Issue to Be Studied.
Among other issues to be taken UP
today by the House of Bishops will
be the question of remarriage of
divorced persons. A joint commits
sion was appointed at the 1910 gen.
eral convention and again at the
1943 meeting to study church sane
tion to the remarriage of the inno-
cent party in a divorce.
Last night the Archbishop of Can
terbury declared the world missed
an opportunity year ago when it
failed to help the churches in Ger
many in the work of spiritual and
material reconstruction. He spoke
at a dinner given by the evangelical
societies of the Episcopal Church in
the Belevue-Stratford Hotel
But the German churches have
performed a wonderful work de-
spite many handicaps in aiding the
country at this period the arch
bishop said. The best thing the
churches in England can do now, he
continued, is to bring hope to the
people of occupied countries
through spiritual and economic aid
Says Church Is Tired.
The British church leader told |
the gathering that more than 5000
former English servicemen now are
studying for the ministry. He said
those who were unable to finance
their studies would be helped by the
church. Admitting the Church OF
England is tired, shabby and over
strained" at present, the speaker as
serted it is also cheerful and brave
The Right Rev Angus Dun, Bishop
of Washington, was appointed to
the Committee on Christian Educa-
ton of the House of Bishops yes
terday. The Very Rev A. c. Zabr!s-
kie, dean of the Virginia Theological
Seminary at Alexandria, Va, was
appointed to the House of Clerical
and Lay Deputies Committee on
Christian Education.
-Four Washington members Of the
House of Deputies were appointed
yesterday to committees by former
Supreme Court Justice Owen j.
Roberts, president of the chamber.
They were T. E. Robertson, Ogie r.
Singleton, the Rev. DR.. Theodore o.
Wedel and the Rev. DR. Clyde Brown.
Committee on Canons.
Mr.. Robertson, a member Of All
Saints Church, Chevy Chase, Nd,
was appointed to the Committee on
Canons. Mr.. Singleton, member OF
the Church of the Epiphany and
secretary of the Washington Diocesan
convention. was put on the Com
mittee on Missions. He was subse-
ouently elected secretary of the COM
mittee. Dean Wedel. warden of the
College of Preachers at the Wash
ington Cathedral. will serve on the
Committee on the Prayer Book. DR..
Brown, diocesan missioner, was ap-
pointed to the Committee on Rural
Work
Justice Roberts also announced the
appointments of deputies to the joint
committees on the national council,
the nomination of presiding bishop
and the place of meeting OF the 194s
general convention. House of Dep
uties members on the committee to
nominate presiding bishop TO sue
ceed Bishop Tucker are the Rev. DR..
Harold L. Bowen of Chicago, the
Rev. DR.. F. Bland Tucker of Georgia,
the Rev. Gordon Matthews of Mich
igan, the Very Rev. Gerald G. Moore
of Delaware, w. Dexter Wilson of
Central New York, Frank P. Dearing
sr, OF Florida, Ralph e. Reuling of
Iowa and Gordon McCutcheon of
North Dakota.
Two speakers at the joint session
Of the House Of Bishops and the
House of Deputies yesterday voiced
alarm at the failure of the church
to attract more young men into
the ministry. The Right Rev Robin
j. 8. Chen, assistant bishop OF
Anking, China, declared there is
urgent need for more younger men
In the ministry in China. Dr.
William v. Dennis, professor of
>>aral sociology at Pennsylvania
State College, pointed out that the
average age of active clergymen
was steadily rising and that it was
essential to attract more youths to
Episcopal seminaries.