Evening star., 1946-09-14
tEpiscopaIians Vote
To Continue Merger
Study Three Years
By Cospor Names

! PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14.-The
House of Deputies of the 55th Tri-
ennial Convention of the Episcopal
Church today voted to study pro-
posed merger with the Presbyterian
Church in the U. S. A. for three
more years but refer the question
to the Lambeth Conference in 194s
for calification before taking def
mite action.
Two amendments to the majority
report on the proposed basis of
union of the Episcopal Church and
the Presbyterian Church in the
U. S. A. formed the core of today's
action at the convention on the
University of Pennsylvania campus
The first was an amendment by
the Rev. George E. Norton of the
Diocese of Rochester, calling for
continuance of the joint commits
sion on unity. The amendment also
provided for the Episcopal Church
to prepare a statement of faith and
order" and requested the depart
ment of church cooperation and
unity of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States to prepare
similar statement. The joint COM
mission was instructed to report to
the next general convention in 1949.
This amendment passed.
Conference Meets in 194S.
The second vote provided that any
part of the Anglican Communion
Ito which the Episcopal Church be-
longs considering union with an
other Christian body must refer the
question to the Lambeth conference.
which meets next in 1948. The Lam
berth conference is a meeting of all
Anglican Communions.
The joint commission on unity
had asked that its plan for union
be sent to the individual churches
for study and report to the next
triennial general convention in 1949.
The resolution as carried today en-
bodied only two paragraphs out of
seven recommended by the joint
commission.
The vote bringing the Lambeth
Conference into the picture also re-
quested the 1948 conference to ap-
point a Standing committee on the
reunion Of christendom to consider
all specific approaches to unity, in
which any church of the Anglican
Communion is concerned"
The question now goes to the
House of Bishops, which will act on
it next week.
Questions Involved.
DR.. Charles w. Sheerin, rector of
the Church of the Epiphany in
Washington, said the questions in
volved in the proposed union include
what would be the status of a bishop
If the union passed in the Anglican
Church.
Would he be able to 60 to the
Lambeth Conference as a delegate?
Would an Episcopal priest be able to
conduct services in a church of the
Church of England as he is now al
lowed to do? What would be the
status OF a communicate of a pro-
posed church union in the Anglican
Church? These are some of the
issues the resolution requests the
Lambeth Conference to clarity.
The House Of Bishops will take UP
later today the proposed canon lib
eralizing the marriage laws.
The House of Bishops also an
nounced that nominations for the
Office OF presiding bishop will be
received at noon Monday. This ses-
sion will be open to the public. The
election meeting, to be held Tues
day, will be closed. The present pre-
siding bishop, the Right Rev. Henry
st. George Tucker, will retire at the
end OF this year because OF age.
Raising of fund of 81 ,00o, 900 for
world relief during 1947, 194s and
1949 was voted by the House of
Bishops. It is to be raised in the
name of the presiding bishops fund
for world relief and will be allocated
by the presiding bishop and the ma
tional council of the church. The
resolution now goes to the House
of Deputies for action.
Divorce Liberalization Rejected.
After heated debate, the cnurch's
House of Bishops yesterday voted
down, 66-44, marriage divorce
liberalization plan.
The rejected report was aimed at
lifting the restriction that no one
may remarry in the church during
the liftime of former mate except
the innocent party to a divorce
granted on grounds Of adultery. The
commission on matrimony recon-
mended that remarriage be per-
mitted whenever the bishop of a
diocese determines that a broken
marriage has not been a true union
of body, mind and spirit.
One amendment proffered by
Bishop Malcolm E. Peabody Of Gen.
trail New York would have made
the existing canon even more
stringent by forbidding the mar
riage by the church of divorced
persons under any circumstances
Bishop William Scarlet of Mis-
souri, then countered by introduc-
ing an amendment to make the
proposed canon more liberal. AT
this point Bishop John J. Gravatt
of Upper South Carolina moved that
because Of the confused situation
the subject be referred to a special
committee. The committee was to
report back to the House of Bishops
today when action was expected to
be taken.
DR.. Alexander Guerry, q member
| of the Joint commission. onened the