Evening star., 1950-05-29
Cathedral Reaffirms
Stand on Communion
For Non-Members

Despite protests from a Mary.
land clerical group, the Washing
ton Cathedral is sticking to it.
principle of inviting non-Episco.
palians to join in the communion
services.
The Very Rev. DR.. John w
Suter, dean of the Cathedral, is.
sued such an invitation at tht
morning service yesterday to tn,
Rev. Charles w. Ransom, an Eng.
lish Methodist clergyman, ane
other neutrality-suspicious..
Charges have been. filed agains
Bishop Angus Dun of Washington
condemning this practice as vic.
lating church principles.
The charges, sponsored by th'
Maryland unit of the Clerica
Club for Maintenance and De-
fense of Catholic Principles, were
filed with the Right Rev. Henry
Knox Sheriff.. presiding bishop
of the Episcopal Church. They
will come up for consideration by
the House of Bishops, the church's
governing body.
Dean Suter welcomed Mr.. Ran
son, who is general secretary OF
the International Missionary
Council. He invited the Methodist
to receive communion with the
rest of the congregation follow
ing our ancient custom"
Observed Since 1912.
The dean pointed out that open
communion has been observed at
the cathedral since the first service
was held in 1912.
"We respect the conscientious
views of those who are opposed
to our policy, but we will continue
to follow this well-established
tradition" declared the dean.
: Bishop Dun did not participate
IN the morning service at the
cathedral at which Dean Suter
made his pronouncement. OFF,
cials explained today the bishop
was engaged otherwise in the
diocese.
The Rev. DR.. Carl Heath Kopf.
minister of the First Congrega-
tional Church, praised Bishop
Dun in his sermon yesterday. He
declared the bishop deserves
praise rather than blame, for he
acted within the spirit of Christi
in permitting other Christian de-
nominations to share in the sacra-
ment.
Law Is Questioned.
IF some ecclesiastical law for
bids such Christian courtesy,
might it not be that such a law
does not conform to the spirit of
Christi" he inquired.
The Rev. DR.. Edward Hughes
Pruden, First Baptist Church pas
tor, in his sermon also supported
the bishops stand. DR.. Pruden
is the newly chosen president of
the Northern Baptist convention.
In an explanation to the con-
gregation during yesterdays serv-
ice, the Rev. William Sharp rec
tor of st. Johns Episcopal
Church, 3244 o street NV, said
the protest came from a small
minority within the church. He
declared it is "in no sense the
feeling of the majority of the
clergy" ff@
Says Majority Approves.
The Rev. Robert S. Trenbath of
Trinity Episcopal Church, Piney
Branch road and Dahlia street
NV, also supported the bishop.
He told the parishioners yester-
day that the majority of the
church's clergy heartily approve
of the gestures of friendliness
Bishop Dun has made toward
other churches and the steps he
has taken to make the whole
Christian church an effective wit
ness to the problems that con-
front us. AS one of the great men
of the church today he has our
solid support"
Among those who supported
Bishop Dun's stand for inviting
non -Episcopalians to join in the
Ash Wednesday communion serv-
ice was the Rev. DR.. Oscar F.
Blackwelder of the Lutheran
Church of the Reformation. He
said yesterday that Bishop Dun
is lone of the most intelligent.
matured and statesmanlike Chris
tians that know"