The Watchman And Southron

OUT DISCORD
AT LAUSANNE
Bishop
Brent
Succeeds in
Removing Misapprehension
From Minds of Orthodox
Delegates

Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 18.-
(A.P.) -The Rt. Rev. Charles H. Brent, Protestant Episcopal bishop of Western New York, presiding at the world conference on faith and order, today found it necessary to remove misapprehensions as to the true purpose of the world conference. The bishop cleared the air after the Eastern Orthodox church delegates had announced their inability to approve more than one of the reports already presented and their lack of hope that further reports would be any more acceptable.

He declared that the purpose of the conference was to bring to light matters on which the churches differ, as well as those on which they agree and that disagreement and agreement, frankly and clearly stated, both serve as the basis of future progress toward church unity.

Fears entertained that the attitude of the Eastern Orthodox delegates meant their immediate withdrawal from the conference were quickly dissipated by Bishop Brent's statement and that of the Eastern spokesman, the Most Rev. Germanos Troianos, metropolitan of Sardis, who announced that the Eastern delegates would remain.

Nevertheless, several Orthodox delegates said that so far as their church was concerned, the conference was over; that they were so adverse to the views expressed on matters of dogma they could not vote but would stay for the remainder of the conference.

In presenting the point of view of his colleagues, Metropolitan Germanos said: "We have concluded with regret that the bases assumed for the foundation of the reports which are to be submitted to the vote of the conference are inconsistent with the principles of the Orthodox church we represent."

The unity so much desired, he continued, was being effected "on a basis of compromise between conflicting ideas and meanings in order to arrive at an external agreement in letter alone."

The metropolitan said that he saw no hope that any agreement reached upon such a basis would remain lasting.

Bishop Brent, thanking the metropolitan for the clear expression of the position of the Eastern Orthodox church, said that what the Eastern Orthodox statement signified was merely an indication of the way that its delegates will vote or abstain from voting when the reports came before them.

"This is a conference, and it was distinctly so stated from the beginning on the things which we agree and the things on which we differ." the bishop said.