Evening star., 1951-09-30
Pilgrimage Awards Go
To Lutheran Layman,
Former D.. {. Canon
By cospor Nonnes

Dy (oSpor names
A former canon of Washington
Cathedral and a Lutheran lay
man were honored by, the Wash
ington Pilgrimage of American.
Churchmen last night for their
contributions to the churches dur
ing 1851. I
DR.. Anson Phelps Stokes Of
Lenox, Mass, Cathedral canon
from 1924 to 1899, was named as
the Clergy Churchman of the
Year" by the newly follned organ
ization at a dinner in the Hotel
Washington.
William H. Steackel Of Rochester,
N. Y, chairman of the Investment
Commission of the United Luth-
eran Church in America, was Sc
lected as the Lay Churchman Of
the Year"
Accepted BY Son.
The award to Dr. Stokes was
made 'in recognition of his long
life of unselfish service as a Chris
tan clergyman, economist, his
torian and author" In the absence
of the 77-year-old retired clergy
man because of i'll health, the
award was accepted by his son, the
Rev. Anson Phelps Stokes. jr.,I
rector of st. Bartholomew Epis-
copal Church, New York.
DR.. Mordecai johnson, presi-
dent of Howard University, pre-
sented the award to DR.. Stokes
son.
Mr.. Stackel was honored for
''his life of unselfish service as
citizen, neighbor, executive and
churchman. DR.. Frederick E.
Reissig, executive secretary of the
Washington Federation of Church. !,
es. made the presentation to Mr..
Stackel.
Award Basis Explained.
DR.. William H. Leach of Cleve-
land, editor of Church Manage
ment," who presided, explained
the awards were based on four
standards. These were the &C
tivities of the men in their own
churches. their interest in the de-
nomination on the national level,
their "ecumenical spirit" in broad
ening their interest to include
Christianity on the widest base,
and their reputation "as a good
neighbor and good citizen"
DR.. Robert B. Whyte. minister
of Old Stone Church, Cleveland.
told the gathering there was little
to fear from amy alien theology" !,
If all persons who claimed to be
religious supported their churches :
and faithfully practiced religious :
principles.
Our chief peril is not from be-
levers in Communism but rather ,
from indifference to and neglect !.
of our religious heritage on the,
part Of some who only give it lip
service" the Cleveland minister
declared.
SlIeS FHEr1m Fdlt1. .
He asserted the Pilgrim found
ing fathers would have "repudi-
ated with scorn" the Communist
effort to reduce "the whole cosmos
to materialistic basis" r.
They knew there is only one r
way in which the relation of ma c
tion to nation can be properly 4
established, and that is through \
the practice of the philosophy
which is dictated by religion. =
Their basic convictions would have :
inspired them to oppose with =
passionate vigor the MARKHAM atti- !,
tude of contempt for human per- =
sonality.
May the inspiration of this pill y :,
grimage lead to rededication OF -
ourselves to fidelity, to the legacy
of religious faith. political and So n
cial and educational thinking II
which we have received from the G
men who laid the foundations of
this new world"
Ceremony at Memorial. 4
At a ceremony at Lincoln Me- =
mortal earlier in the day. DR.. 4
Theodore Distler. president of '
Franklin and Marshall College,
Lancaster, Pa, declared Our ma =
tional destiny and the future of
Western civilization wait for the
leadership of men whose religious
faith will equal that of Abraham lc
Lincoln" W
Asserting Lincoln's religious To-
faith was dynamic" and per.
sonal," DR.. Distler said Surely
the labors of Lincoln on behalf q
of his country bear witness that Icl
the effectual fervent prayer of al
righteous man availeth MUCH" II,
The founding delegates WILL,
conclude their three-day meeting IL
with a service at 4 pm. today inla
Washington Cathedral The Rt. :, =
Rev. Angus Dun. Bisnop of Wash-' y
ington, will speak.
SEA Isl