Evening star., 1946-05-10
Unity Stressed as D. {.
Drive for Cathedral
Building Fund Opens

Building Fund Opens
Using the slogan "as Washington
goes, so goes the Nation" as its rally
ing standard for the local cam
paign, the District Committee of the
Washington Cathedral National
Building Fund last night launched
the city's part of the countrywide
drive to raise S5,000,000 toward
building additional units of the un-
finished structure.
The campaign to meet the Dis
trict's quota of $375 900 was opened
before more than 400 dinner guests,
including many of the Nations and
city's leaders, at the Mayf1ower Ho-
tel. They heard the Right Rev. Angus
Dun, Bishop of Washington; the
Rev. DR.. Joseph R. Sizoo, pastor of
st. Nicholas Collegiate Church, New
York; former Senator George Whar-
ton Pepper, national campaign
chairman, and L. Corrin Strong
District committee chairman, state
the need for completing this SYM
Dol OF spiritual harmony in world
of disunity.
For All Men.
Bishop Dun emphasized the ideal
by pointing out that in origin 1.-The
Cathedral was in special sense the
House of God of the whole commun-
lty in which it stood" 1t was a
structure that spoke to men of the
majesty of God, of the universally
of His claim for justice, of the wide
ness of His mercy. 1t was for all
sorts and conditions of men" He
declared the Cathedral was a pow
erful center of unity"
Asserting that in world which
has seen so much of destruction, 1t
Is good to have a part in building.
Bishop Dun said that in erecting a
great temple we are trying to do "for
our time something cathedrals have
done for other times and other
lands. We seek here to bring our
own American memories into union
with the most sacred memories of
our common humanity" Though
Christianity is divided. he stated, the
Cathedral reaches out for inclusive
ness so that there we can honor
and find communion alike with the
saints of the great Catholic tradi-
tlons and with the saints of protest,
and bear witness to the deep unity
OF all who answer to Christ"
Soldier Helps.
A simple letter from a young
American soldier now in Germany
was then read to the gathering by
the Rev. Merritt F. Williams, canon
at Washington Cathedral, as part of
his Introductory rebarks prior to
showing of the moving picture The
Cathedral of the Future" Canon
Williams, chaplain in the war, re-
ceived two Bronze Stars for his
service on the carrier Wasp and the
battleship West Virginia. He is as
sociate chairman of the National
Building Fund Committee.
The letter to Canon Williams said:
Il wish to send this small dona-
ton (s10) to you and your worthy
cause. 1t does my heart good to
know that somewhere in this shat
tered world men are striving to
create a magnificent cathedral and
a strong fellowship for the work of
God. I, too, wish to help. TIA John
S. Lindstrom, now with the Army of
Occupation in Germany"
The Cathedral bears witness to
the simple conviction that the Sc
curity and permanence of a nation
is in its spiritual convictions, Dr.
Sizoo declared as he insisted such
a structure sis place where men
find it easy to seek God and diff
cult to forget Him"
Sees Moral Expediency."
The visiting clergyman, formerly
pastor of New York Avenue Presby-
terian Church here, warned that
periods of high idealism are fol-
lowed by periods of moral lassitude.
He charged We are living in a day
OF moral expediency, accommodate
Ing ourselves to pressure groups and
sending up trial balloons to find out
which way the wind is blowing be-
fore expressing an opinion" A di-
vided world can never be trans
formed by a divided church, Dr..
Sizoo continued, stating the Ca
thedral is one step toward the an
swer of that question
Mr.. Strong revealed in his report
that the District committee has
s50,382 in pledges as it begins par
ticipation in the national campaign
to raise funds for the construction
of the Patriots Transept and five
additional bays of the nave The
Patriots Transept will be war me-
mortal to all men and women of the
Nations armed forces. Cost of
completing the Cathedral Is esti-
mated at s13, 100000
Pointing out that there has been
no national drive since 1927 to 1880,
when $6800,00O was raised, Mr..
Strong called for 30 more volunteers
to visit District prospects. The local
committee chairman, Presbyterian,
emphasized the Washington Cathe-
oray project was broader than the
interests of any one allegiance and
was worthy of the support of all
Washington residents regardless of
faith or demonstration
Pictures Make Comparison.
The national chairman of the
campaign. Mr.. Pepper, declared the
Cathedral was the most significant
community project yet undertaken
in the Capital city. 1t must be COM
pleted, he said, so the Capital will
have a witness "to the only force
which can give unity to our ma
tional life," the religion of the
Republic
Pictures of the Washington Cathe-
dral as it is today and as it will
look when completed were on dis
play in the Chinese room where the