Again, Brown

Last week in New York City William Montgomery Brown, one-time Episcopal Bishop, now Old Catholic Bishop, stood before a Harlem Negro audience. The blacks sighed at his denunciation of a literally Biblical creed, hemmed as he told of his woes with the Episcopal Church, loudly snickered when he told them to attend services in the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine. In simple, understandable vulgate the old man cried to his audience while the gold cross hung from his neck, swinging: "You can't find Christ on Park Avenue. You can find him, though, on Second Avenue or in Harlem. The church needs you. You don't need the church. Go as Christians, I tell you, and bring God to the church. Take the church at its word. Accept the slogan, 'A house of prayer for all people.'

"Go in mass to the best and most beautiful church in all the world. Go to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. When you enter that great house of prayer, then pray that the kingdom of God will be established there.

"You will find Bishop Manning. You may find God. If Manning doesn't want you, go over Manning's head. Get permission for your presence from God. Don't be backward in associating with the millionaires there. Put your arms around them in warm, holy love. I think it would be fine for you to go there next Sunday and bring them the message of freedom, equality and fraternity."

He dwelt strongly on what he called social and industrial emancipation; urged his auditors not to use violence in their fight for freedom; cited the War as an example of strife's futility. [Applause.]