Evening star., 1946-09-10
Roberts and Sheerin
Among Candidates
For Episcopal Post
By Cospor Nonnes
Stor Stoff Correspondent

Former Supreme Court Justice
Owen D. Roberts, for many years
senior warden of st. Johns Epis-
copal Church in Washington, and
the Rev. DR.. Charles w. Sheerin,
rector of the Church of the
Epiphany in the District, were
among the leading candidates
for election today as president
Of the House of Clerical and Lay
Deputies at the 55th Triennial
General Convention of the Epis-
eopal Church.
The convention was formally
opened this morning with a public
service in convention Hall. The
meeting, scheduled to continue
through September 20, is being held
on the University of Pennsylvania
campus.
Election Of former Justice Roberts,
. lay delegate of Pennsylvania,
would break precedent standing
since the church was officially organ
lied In Philadelphia in 1885. A lay
delegate has never headed the House
of Deputies. and none has ever been
seriously put forward for the post,
though there is nothing in church
law to prohibit such an election.
Phillips Once Served.
II DR.. Sheerin is elected to the
presidency it will be the second time
during this century a man from
Washington and the Church of the
Epiphany has held the position.
The late DR.. Zebarney T. Phillips.
Church of Epiphanv rector, was
elected president a. The 1928 con-
vention post he hs-A through the
1910 convention.
Other possibilities for the posi-
tions are the Very Rev. Claude
Sprouse, dean of the cathedral in
Kansas City. and the Very Rev.
Sidney Sweet of ST Louis. Dean
Sprouse was runnerup to the Rev.
DR.. Phillips Osgood OF Boston for
the presidency in 1943.
approximately $1,000 900 has been
raised for the reconstruction and
advance fund for overseas aid. 1t
was announced at the meeting this
morning. This is the second lare-
est sum ever raised for one specific
purpose by the Episcopal Church,
the all time high being the ST.
900 900 pension fund raised in 1910
for the clergy. The overseas fund
goal was originally set at $4,000, 900,
but, with needs increasing. it was
advanced to $8,800,000.
Elect Bishop September II.
The election Of the presiding
bishop to take the place of the
present incumbent. the Right Rev.
H. St. George Tucker, who retires
this year, has been set for Septem-
Der IT. The presiding bishop acts
as chairman of the house of bishops.
Prominently mentioned to succeed
Bishop Tucker are the Right Rev.
Henry r. Sheriff., bishop of Massa-
chusetts: the right Rev. Clinton s..
aatn = Aish1p of TexSxsszthes RlRht
Rev. W. Bertrand Stevens, bishop
Of Los Angeles; the Right Rev. Wal
lace E. Conkling, bishop of Chicago;
the Right Rev. Charles Clingman,
bishop of Kentucky, and the Right
Rev. Robert E. Lee Strider. bishop
Of West Virginia.
There are approximately $50 bishops
and 300 clerical and lay delegates,
representing "A diocese and 27 mis-
sionary districts in the United
States and overseas. attending the
convention. Nearly TOO representa-
tives to the womans auxiliary tri-
ennial meeting. which is being held
concurrently with the general con-
vention, also are present.
In his opening convention address
this morning Bishop Tucker de-
clared world peace and world unity"
depends on the moral relationships
of nations. He asserted the United
Nations was framework within
which the problems that so often
led to war can be peacefully re-
solved" He pointed out the success
of the organization may ultimately
lead to body of international law
to which the various nations will in
theory at least be bound to con-
form"
Law Alone Ineffective,
The bishop said law alone is in
effective because it does not cover
the whole range of our Christian
obligations" He noted that the
latter is based upon absolute
morality" while the former must
adjust its requirements to existing
moral conditions"
Christian obligation represents
4 final goal whereas law represents
the stage at which people have ar
rived In their progress toward that
goal" Bishop Tucker declared.
others facing the conference was
acceptance of the leadership of
Christ. the presiding bishop said we
must interpret the events OF our
own age as meaning that our area
of Christian responsibility has been
extended to include literally every
tongue. race and nation No
problem can be solved on other than
world terms. he declared
There will be a bishops reception
ct the Art Museum in Fairmount
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