Interfaith Body to Be Formed by Canadians

A national Conference of Jews and Christians in Canada, similar to that existing in the United States, for the promotion of racial understanding and suppression of bigotry and doctrinal prejudice, will be established in the near future as the result of a meeting of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish ecclesiastical dignitaries held in the Montefiore Club here.

The meeting was held under the cahirmanship of Rabbi Harry Stern, and on the suggestion of Rev. T. W. Jones, of Calvary United Church, Very Rev. Arthur Carlisle, Dean of Montreal was appointed chairman of a provisional committee to study ways and means of organizing the new institution.

Those present at the meeting included Rev. Father Robert Barry of the Catholic Charities, Boston; Rev. Dr. Everett Clinchy of New York, director of the National Conference of Jews and Christians of the United States; Rabbi Philip Bernstein, of Rochester, N. Y.; Rev. Dr. F. W. Kerr, of St Andrew’s United Church, Westmount; Dean Arthur Carlisle, Rev. David A. Mac-Lennan of Emmanuel Church, Montreal; Dr. C. E. Silcox, of Toronto, president of the Social Service Council of Canada and Rev. Dr. A. Lloyd Smith, of Dominion Dougles Church, Westmount.

UNITED EFFORT URGED

In urging a united effort in Canada for racial and religious understanding in a national effort to overcome the common enemy of the present generation, which is the economic depression, Father Barry pleaded for realization of the important relationship between religion and social work. “If problems of social work are to be dealt with the effect of religion cannot be overlooked,” he said, “because social work originally was a definite conviction of religion. Regardless of dostrinal differences, the people should all put their might and main to the task of social improvement and alleviation of social disorders, for this is the only way it can be done.”

The imperative necessity of spiritual and religious understanding, especially by people living together in one country, was emphasized by Dr. Silcox as a vital need in the community of today, where many are undergoing severe tests, both morally and physically. “No change of government machinery or social reconstruction will provide that moral force which only a spiritual dynamic force can create,” he declared.

An outline of economic events, cycles of development and immigration stages in Canada was then given by Dr. Silcox, which, he said, had led to the existence of unhappy racial and religious barriers in different sections of the country, mainly in Quebec, much different to any situation in the United States, polyglot as it was. This complicated the problem of economic social unity, which has been the aim of many national leaders of Canada for several decades.

“If 10,000,000 people cannot provide an adequate basis of living to make for economic prosperity and complete elimination of racial and religious animosity, it cannot be done anywhere in the world,” he continued. “National unity in Canada will never be built in Canada if we cling to the apron strings of European culture. Such a happy situation in Canada, it must be admitted, will be very difficult of accomplishment, and unless spiritual unity is obtained national welfare cannot be accomplished.”

An outline of the work accomplished in the United States by t### National Conference of Jews a### Christians, was given by Ral### Philip Bernstein, of Rochester, N###.

Members of the provisional committee for the formation of a National Conference of Jews a### Christians in Canada, are: Ve### Rev. Arthur Carlisle, chairman Rev. Dr. F. W. Kerr, Rev. Dav### MacLennan, Rev. Dr. Malco### Campbell, Rev. M. F. McCutche### Rabbi H. Abramowitz, Rabbi Har### Stern, A. L. Mailman, Rabbi Berg### Owen Callary, J. P. Callagha### Harry McEvoy and J. J. Bulger.