FIXED DATE FOR EASTER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 16

FIXED DATE FOR EASTER

ANGLICAN PERPLEXITIES.

International organisations of commerce have been pressing'for thei establishment throughout the Christian world ofa fixed date for Easter. Their pica for a reform of the Gregorian calendar ■was.broughtbefore the Upper. House ot Convocation recently by the Archbishop of York. . .. : ■•.■-■•■.' .■

JTrom Dr. Lang's account of discnsaßns which have taken place already, states a special correspondent of. the' , Manchester.Guardian/Mtappeared'that the Ghurch of England would be quite willing to consider the proposed' alteration if. the concurrence of the Church of Home and the Orthodox Church were' assured.-: The Upper House was given to understand that tho Orthodox Church -wished: to involve thisVquestion'with the larger problem' of the of 'the Gregorian and Julian calendars, /while the Roman Church, believing that' Easter, should .be- observed each y ear iwbeti "tHe i sun and the moon were in the positions' which they occupied when the Resurrection took place,-held that it was not for religious . authorities to conform.to the needs of commerce. -. .: ■'

Unless the .Church ,of England could b« sure of .the. concurrence of these, two Churches the 'Archbishop said he felt certain that, even if no objection to the changes was.found to exist on«religious grounds, the reform could not be persisted m by the Anglican.'Church.: In the .meantime.he suggested that a joint com1-' "? ?§: ■?* the *^° Houses of York should b-eset.up to.rconfer with a similar, committee which it-was -expected would be appointed "simultaneously^ by the Canterbury.Convocation. * /h- l m was supported by ihe (B.shop of Durham, who it aY his own impression the Church of England would.be veiy glad if the suggested . change could be made . "The in convenience caused, by varvine "datpi k considerable," he sail "Sd^hT mercal world; which suffersTis i)t vSy ™P°rfa u nt world and may f airfy. ften- difficatty upon the Vt^of^ Churches. I cannot imagine that any religious principle, is at ftake but I agree-that it wouia be^nthinkable that should teke an independent course." The Bishops approved the suggestion; and a joint committee was appomto