The Witness Vol. VII. No. 39 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAY 19, 1923 $2.00 A YEAR Bishops Approve Change in Bishop Bratton Campaigning English Prayer Book for Southern Schools Speech of the Session is Made by the Bishop of Refuses to Discriminate Against Negroes in His St. Alban’s who Favors Revision Campaign for Half Million By Rev. A. Manby Lloyd Educators throughout the country are The English House of Bishops of the taking an interest in the $360,000 Relig­ National Assembly have given general ap­ ious Education Campaign that Bishop A. proval to the proposals for Prayer Book D. Bratton has just started for the benefit revision. The Bishop of Durham (Dr. of All Saints’ College, Vicksburg, a junior Hensley Henson) would only do so with college for white girls, and the Okolona reservations. He dealt severely with the and Vicksburg Industrial Schools for Ne­ “ law-breakers,” by which he meant the groes. This is said to be the first time people who interpret the Prayer-book in that a “ colorless” dollar has even been a Catholic sense. Law-breaking, he ad­ mitted, had been universal, but the Cath­ raised for religious education in the olic party stood alone in breaking the law United States. on principle. The funds are to be invested and the The Archbishop of York was more income expended by one board of trustees broad-minded. He, himself, was satisfied who will apply the revenue where it is with a rite which had contented Cosin most needed, irrespective of race, color or and Wilson, Westcott and Lightfoot, Pusey and Keble, Liddon, .Church and previous condition of servitude. That this long step toward more harmonious rela­ Kingsley. But they had to face the fact tions between the two races has first been that it did not satisfy a large and well taken in the heart of the old south, in organized section of the Church of Eng­ one of the two states where the blacks out­ land. Would it not be better to meet the number the whites, has astonished the needs of these people by permitting the country. restoration of the First Prayer Book of Rt. Rev. T. D. Bratton, D. D. This remarkable feature of the cam­ 1549? paign results from the exceptionally close He deplored the license that prevailed, relations of Bishop Bratton to the Negro but nevertheless, it would be most unjust seemed to him that the Anglo-Catholics race. For many years he has sought to to involve the whole of that influential had received scant recognition except by advance their welfare. His method is to and devoted movement— the Anglo-Cath­ way of*abuse. He believed they had legiti­ try to create a public sentiment more and olic—-in a condemnation of the ex­ mate demands which they, as Bishops, had more sympathetic with the aims of the tremists. got to face in an ungrudging spirit. They most trustworthy leaders of the race. The Bishop of Norwich said he spoke had got to readjust their idea of “ compre­ So great is the faith of the Negroes in as a Cassandra. He could but deplore the hensiveness,” otherwise the Church of the bishop’s leadership that the president proposal to allow “ alternate uses” of the England would become a mere sect. He of the Okolona Industrial School, Wallace service of Holy Communion. What would did not believe in the Ecclesiastical A. Battle, has turned his entire institu­ “ schools of thought” look at the throne Courts. They could only get a spirit of tion over to him as head of the Episcopal of God? (The good Bishop seems to have discipline when they got Bishops and cler­ Diocese of Mississippi. This Negro is said overlooked the fact that “ Anglicanism” is gy together in Synods, as in times past. to be one of the sanest teachers of ~ his a “ school of thought” ). An alternative race now living. He approached the English Church order of the Holy Communion seemed to The property, consisting of 380 acres of Union proposals with a sense of prejudice, be like a proposal to have an alternative rich prairie land and several large build­ but he had failed to find anything objec­ Bishop in every Diocese. ings on the outskirts of Okolona, is con­ tionable in them. But the speech of the Session came servatively valued at $10,000. And this from the young and sprightly Bishop of The Bishop of Durham intervened, and action was taken in spite of the fact that St. Alban’s, who, as a Colonial has no use asked “ Does the Bishop accept the E. C. few Episcopalians were connected with for the oligarchic and autocratic ideals U. statement with reference to reserva­ the school, either as trustees, teachers or pupils. of some of his brethren. He thought the tion. of the Blessed Sacrament?” In return for this expression of faith office of Holy Communion needed revision “ I am coming to that,” replied the in white guidance, $100,000 of the $360,- today. It was wanted, not only by Anglo- Bishop of St. Albans. “ The only test is, 000 to be raised will be allotted to this in­ Catholics, but by Central Churchmen and Is the thing true? In considering a pro­ stitution, and $50,000 to the Vicksburg Evangelicals, who wanted to see the Lord’s posed change I submit that the question Industrial School. own service restored to its proper place that should be asked is not, Is it Roman? All Saints’ College is widely known for in the normal religious life of the ordinary Is it Greek? or even, Is it Anglican? but, its scholarship and its religious atmos­ man and woman, boy and girl, as the Is it TRUE? . I am going to vote for phere. great central act of corporate worship. and urge amendments which shall satisfy All of this effort is outside of the N. He had no brief for any party, but it this test.” W. C. and in no way conflicts with it. Copyright 2020. Archives of the Episcopal Church / DFMS. Permission required for reuse and publication. I THE WITNESS ing in the first series. Here is a quotation Religious Instructions “ What are the ancient Hebrews, and the By Rev. Frank E. Wilson Greeks and the Romans to the working (fur lisijopH man? He is simply cut off from the means of reading intelligently any book TURNING POINTS of the Bible, or of understanding how Theodore DuBose Bratton, the Most of us have had turning points in Bishop of Mississippi received his the institution called the Catholic Church our lives. We can look back to times, collegiate training at the University and its offshoots, came to exist. As places, or events and say: “ Just there my of the South from which he our staple education becomes more life turned a corner and it has been dif­ graduated in 1897. His first priestly modern and less literary the custodians ferent in its outlook and purpose ever charge was as missionary in South of organized religion will find their diffi­ since.” Maybe it was when we graduated Carolina. In 1898 he became rector culties increasing.” The Dean goes on from school, perhaps it was some new of the Church of the Advent in to draw a parallel in the case of patriotism, friendship, possibly it was a new position Spartanburg where he remained — with a grudging admission that a sane we accepted, or it might have been the until called to St. Mary’s Church and elevated patriotism can be taught day we found God. in Releigh. He remained there in our schools,— and that this is actually It is not only individuals who have turn­ until elected a bishop in 1903. He being done in America— “ hysterically” — has done very remarkable work The conclusion of the paragraph is also ing points in their lives. Institutions have among the colored people of the them also. Whitsunday is the anniversary South, and in his book “ Wanted— worth quoting. “ Ignorance of the past of that great turning point in the life of Leaders,” which is used widely as and indifference to the future usually go the Church which determined the Church’s a text-book for study groups, he together. Those who most value an histor­ character once and for all. It occurred pleads with Church people to de­ ical heritage will be most desirous to at the time of the Jewish feast of Pente­ velop leadership in the solution of transmit it unimpaired.” cost and that name (Pentecost) was re­ the race problem. tained in the • Christian year in England What the learned Dean writes about down to the time of the Norman conquest the working-man applies in other quarters in the eleventh century. Gradually the the Church and stirred those apostolic also. The Anglican Communion is a name “ Whitsunday” came into English Churchmen with zeal, faith and spiritual standing witness to the supernatural. In use, though there is some uncertainty as power for their divine mission. It is not England and in these United States it to its origin. As good an explanation as the only time that God the Holy Spirit has is the continuing miracle, wondrous in any says that it Was originally “ White broken through into human affairs. Every our eyes! In England it is still the most Sunday” because of the white garments great forward step in the progress of powerful spiritual influence in the land, worn by the newly baptized back in the Christendom tells the same story. But the producing giants like Dean Inge, Bishop days when this was the special season for first Christian Pentecost stands alone be­ Gore, Bishop Furse, Bishop Ingram, baptisms.