Evening star., 1952-09-13
Episcopal Convention
To Face Racial Issue
During Second Week
By Cospor Names
Sior StaH Correspondent

!
BOSTON. Sept. 13.-The 57th
Triennial General Convention OF
the Episcopal Church was to close
the first week of its two-week
meeting today with numerous i'm
portant issues on the agenda for
decision next week.
One issue submitted yesterday,
calls on the church Ito free our
selves entirely from racial discrirn-
ination and segregation" It de-
clares discrimination against ANY
person upon the basis of race is
both unfair and un- Christian" ard
urges church members to work
toward elimination Of discrimina-
tion and segregation throughout
the world. the Nation and the
church.
Other items are expressions by
the denomination on many public
questions. Resolutions to be con-
sidered by the House of Bishops
and the House of Clerical and Lay
Deputies include statements sup
porting the United Nations, op-
posing preventive war. indorsing
efforts to reach an agreement
through the U. N. on control of
armaments. and advocating a for
ward-looking Asian policy.
Narcotics Smuggling Attacked.
Both houses of the convention
Affirmative action by the House
of Bishops and the House of
Deputies is necessary for a resolu-
ton to paSs-yesterday approved
motion urging the Government
to use all means to combat and
stamp out the illegal entry of mar
cotlcs into the United States.
The statement called on the
q N. to find means "for the cur
tailment of the manufacture of
narcotic drugs in all countries.
and their illegal sale, use and
expectation" Both the secular
and religious press were praised
for their part in awakening "the
public to the threat of the mar
cotic evil "
An. effort to clear up a confused
canon of the church by repeating
1t was defeated yesterday. The
church law. Canon 36, provides
that minister of another de-
nomination may become a min
lister in the Episcopal Church.
without giving up or denying
his fellowship or his ministry in
the communion to which he be-
longs"
Laymen Defeat Plan.
But the catch here. according
to church officials. is that in the
service a candidate
must accept certain pronounce
ments that would make it diff
cult if not impossible to remain
a member of another denomina-
ton. The effort to eliminate the
canon was approved by clerical
de1uties. but defeated by lay dep
utjes.
The House of Bishops yester-
day amended the church's canonS
to provide for a perpetual iia-
conate. The amendment would
enable men in secular occupations
to be ordained deacons without
giving up their jobs. These men
would assist in parish work, but
would have no intention "of later
becoming priests"
A three-point laymen's program
for the next three years was
outlined to the convention yes
terday by Harvey S. Firestone.
jr., of Akron, Ohio. chairman cfI
the Presiding Bishops Committee
on Laymen's Work.
In 1885, out objective will
be to drive home to the men
of our church the conviction that
without Christianity there is no
hope for the world" Mr.. Fire
stone explained. I'm 1854, we
plan a specific program of evan
gelism. In 1855, it is our inten-
ton to consolidate our gains by
concentrating our efforts on in
tegrating into the church the
new members secured by visitation
evangelism.