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GJh e WITNESS Voi. XVIII. No. 41 JUNE 14, 1934 Five Cents a Copy THE WITNESS is published weekly by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company, 6140 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. The subscription price is $2.00 a year ; in bundles of ten or more for sale at the church, the paper selling at five cents, we bill quarterly at three cents a copy. Entered as Second Class Matter April 3, 1919, at the postoffice at Chicago, Illinois, under act of March 3, 1879.____________ The News of the Church Edited by WILLIAM B. SPOFFORD The annual conference of Liberal at work in the world, often in Evangelicals of the Church was held strange places, and got headlines in in Philadelphia on June 4th and 5th the papers the next morning xor say­ with the attendance running from ing that he thought God was very 200 to 300 at the various sessions, definitely at work in Russia. depending on the hour of the day The Rev. Charles W. Sheerin of and the intensity o f the heat. Like Richmond, talked about young peo­ most Church affairs it was a joyous ple, contending that there were occasion, marked by real fellowship. ■ about a dozen different sorts, all Liberal Evangelicals, in case you of whom could be reached by a do not know, are those who declare clergyman who has the good sense “ that dogmatism concerning ‘faith’ to study their needs and problems. or ‘order’ endangers the pursuit of A number of college pastors spoke truth, and that the need of the during the discussion period, not­ Church is not for propaganda of ex­ ably the Rev. Henry Lewis of the clusive claims but rather an open- University of Michigan and the minded search of all Christian real­ Rev. John Harris of Dartmouth, ity within which whatever is divine both of whom presented cheerful in its own inheritance, as also in pictures of the college boys and the inheritance of other com­ girls. munions, may be trusted to sur­ Monday evening was the high spot vive.” They further declare that of the affair, with Bishop Taitt “ the test o f the Church in this time welcoming the conference to his will be its power to carry the gospel diocese by telling a couple of funny of Christ not only to the life of stories, and Presiding Bishop Per­ the individual but to all the spheres ry was on hand with a short ad­ of men’s social, economic, national dress on the subject of Liberalism. and international relationships, and Then came Bishop Parsons of Cali­ that to fulfill this purpose Episco­ fornia, contending in a common- palians should seek a progressive sense sort of way that both liberals cooperation in worship and work and evangelicals were necessary to with all Christians of kindred the Church and that if you could BISHOP PARSONS combine both in one man so much spirit.” Addresses Liberal Evangelicals ' (B'elieving these things one can the better. readily imagine what subjects were The following day the Rev. How­ dealt with at this conference. Dean ly represented) read a paper on ard C. Robbins of the General Washburn of the Cambridge Sem­ “ The social implications of religion Seminary and the Rev. Bradford inary led off with a paper on “ Our from the liberal evangelical point Young of Holy Trinity, Brooklyn, conception of the ministry” which of view.” He brought out the prin­ presented illuminating and practical was a scholarly presentation of the ciples of brotherhood, service and papers on the subject of Worship. liberal point of view on the matter individual worth that stand out in Dr. Robbins seemed to feel that the of orders. The gist of it, I should the gospel narrative and declared it present Prayer Book would do very say, was that our orders are no bet­ to be the job of the Church to apply well, but he was less enthusiastic ter than the other fellows and that them socially. He thought this about the Hymnal and urged an­ we would do well to be less snooty might be done without scrapping other revision. Mr. Young, true on that particular matter. In the our democratic institutions by going liberal, was all for experimentation afternoon Professor Norman Nash either fascist or communist. He was in worship and gave valuable sug­ of Cambridge (there were lots of followed by the Rev. J. Howard gestions to those who wanted to professors about, with Cambridge, Melish, rector of Holy Trinity, follow his advice, particularly by Alexandria and Philadelphia chief- Brooklyn, who stated that God was calling attention to the Gray Book, Copyright 2020. Archives of the Episcopal Church / DFMS. Permission required for reuse and publication. Page Two T H E WITNESS June 14, 1934 a book of prayers and services question. Bishop Parsons then made Industrial Democracy, held in New edited originally in England but the point that it was rather difficult York on June 7th. Plans were dis­ more recently adapted to American for the House of Bishops to be cussed for activities in connection use. It should be added that Mr. penitent for the Paul Jones affair, with the coming General Conven­ Young, while advocating freedom in since most of those now in the tion. worship for the liberal, insisted that House of Bishops were not there * * * the Anglo-Catholic should be granted when that action was taken. He ad­ Two Sermons the right to have service of Bene­ vocated a well thought out program In New York diction and whatever else he wants. of peace education. The session was Several thousand sailors marched The Rev. C. Leslie Glenn of Cam­ closed by the Rev. Norman Nash into the Cathedral of St. John the bridge then again turned the atten­ who contended that radicals who Divine on Sunday last, headed by tion of the conference to the col­ found all wars springing from Admiral Sellers, and listened to a lege man by talking quite informal­ economic life were over-simplify­ sermon on the subject of war and ly for an hour or so about their ing the matter, and that an eco­ peace by Bishop Manning. He de­ attitudes on every conceivable sub­ nomic revolution that would do away clared that everyone was opposed to ject from football to companionate with the profit system would not war “ and no one, I believe, is more marriage. It was entertaining. remove all causes for war. earnestly opposed to it than the o f­ An abstract of a paper on the The concluding paper of the con­ ficers and men of our navy and of subject of war by the Rev. Elmore ference was by Bishop Washburn of our army” . The Bishop declared that McKee, unable to be present, was Newark on “ The Appeal of Jesus the Church “ in its very nature must presented in the afternoon, after to Modern Life” , an extremely able be opposed to war because war is which there was an address on the and inspiring plea for more earnest irreconcilable with the setting up of same subject by ¡Bishop Gilbert of evangelism on the part of Church the Kingdom of Christ in this world New York, followed by perhaps the people generally. for which the Church exists. But most animated discussion of the The conference, to its great this does not mean that the Church, conference. Mr. McKee declared credit, was marked by that search or the Christian religion, condemns himself to be an uncompromising for trust that is characteristic of the use of force when this is neces­ opponent of the war system and de­ those who class themselves as lib­ sary for the maintenance o f right clared that it was one of the chief erals. Convictions, passionately ex­ and peace and for the restraint of tasks of the Church to put war and pressed, there were too, but one the wrong doer.” He stated that the the war system out of business. rather got the impression that they extreme pacifist position, taken by He concluded his paper by advocat­ were individual convictions rather many clergymen today, represented ing an international Church con­ than the convictions of a group neither sound thinking nor true re­ ference on the subject, to be fol­ that had been welded into anything ligion and was doing much harm lowed by an educational campaign that could be called a movement. since “ it was repelling strong men against war on the part of all the Evangelical fervor for “an open- from the Church.” “ There are sit­ churches. Bishop Gilbert took much minded search” comes hard for an uations in which a man who would the same position and as a practical individual, let alone ¡a, group. It not use force, and all the force at measure advocated a whole-hearted therefore remains to be seen wheth­ his command, would be unworthy of support of the peace program of the er those sponsoring this new Church the respect of his fellow men. There Federal Council of Churches. Indeed movement can line up an enthusi­ are situations in which the use of he said that the Episcopal Church astic following. One can however force for the protection of others is should belong to the Federal Coun­ report that they made a fine be­ an act of the highest self sacrifice cil— that he was tired of going ginning in this first general con­ and love, and so long as sin and around to the back door, which he ference and wish them the best of crime are in the world there will had to do as an Episcopalian, when luck for the future.

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