Evening star., 1946-05-28
Letters to The Star
Canon Williams Explains What
Cathedrals Mean to Him

To the Editor Of The Star:
AS associate chairman of the Wash
ington Cathedral National Building
Fund, appreciate the courtesy extended
to me in this column.
The following words are from letter
received from young soldier in
Germany: II wish to send this small
donation to you and your worthy cause.
1t does my heart good to know that
somewhere in this shattered world men
are striving to create magnificent
Cathedral and strong fellowship for
the work of God. I worshiped with
you only once, over year ago before
I came overseas and was SO impressed
with your inspiring work that I. too,
wished to help"
This letter comes from q section Of
the world that is devastated, demoral-
lied, torn by dissension and strife, and
where human hunger and suffering are
the common lot. This must have been
far more apparent to this young soldier
than anything we can imagine. Yet in
the face of it all he was deeply moved
by the thought that we are planning
to 60 ahead with the erection Of Wash
ington Cathedral.
Many of us find it difficult to see
what connection there Is between erect
ing great Cathedral church and a
child dying of starvation. Yet I think
this young soldier saw the connection
clearly. After all, people are starving
in countries devastated by war just
because in these past years the civilized
world was not interested In building
cathedralS.
A cathedral is a place where 1t Is
easy to find God and hard to forget Him.
Cathedrals are built by men and women
who are loyal to God, who desire to
serve Him, to do Him honor, to obey
Him, to worship Him. a.
Gen. Macarthur said when Japan
surrendered: Military alliances. bal
ances OF power, leagues of nations, all
in turn failed = the problem basically
rs theological =. 1t must be of the
spirit If we are to save the flesh"
Gen. Macarthur is right. Cathedrals
are not so much things Of stone as
creations of the spirit. They have to do
with God. One can be better enter
tanned in a theater or more comfortable
In an easy chair at home. But for the
most Of us nothing is so likely to speak
in terms of the spirit as great eathe-
dral. Men may come to a cathedral as
visitors but they 60 away as pilgrims.
To our Nations Capital come 1900, 900
persons annually. They see here the
great symbols of justice. Of democracy,
Of heroic lives. High on q hill over
looking the most important city in the
world is the unfinished Washington
Cathedral. 1t promises to be one of
the worlds most beautiful and COM
pelling symbols of religion. To 1t have
come 5000, 900 persons. Each week thou
sands come to 1t from all parts Of the
Nation and the world. The Cathedral
is sacramental thing. 1t effectuates,
makes real what 1t symbolizes. We dare
not leave it longer unfinished. 1t means
too much to the life of our people.
Enough money changed hands in 10
seconds of the Kentucky Derby to build
the entire nave of the Cathedral. There
is something terribly wrong in the life
of nation where men tell us to with
hold building cathedrals and to feed the
starving, yet at the same time with
scarcely thought will gamble away
millions in an afternoons sport.
Cathedrals are matters of the spirit
If We do not care enough to finish our
Cathedral, the time will come when we
shall not give tinker's dam how many
starve in Europe. If men are brothers,
it is only because they are children of a
common Father whose will we try to do
God simply cannot be left out-which
is exactly what the Cathedral says to all.
"a hours of the day, seven days a week.
MERRITT F. WILLIAMS.