Bishop Gordon V. Smith's Address to Convention, 1968
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“Take, for example, the racial problem which threatens the peace and unity of our nation. It is political, economic, and social, but the root cause is prejudice, as the President’s Commission on Civil Disorder attests. Prejudice is a subtle and insidious vice. It can ruin those who think themselves immune to it. Often it masquerades as kindness, sympathy and supportt of those of other races. Some times it is evidenced in the making of the uplift of others the means of enhancing one's own self-esteem.
The handling and eradicating of prejudice comes only by a moral and spiritual change. Its correction depends upon seeing all men as children of God who have equal rights and claims. This can only be done by a new spirit.
Again, look at the problem of freedom in our national life today. This too has political, economic, and social aspects, yet the problem arises from a false idea of freedom.
Originally the idea of freedom was noble and unselfish, based on right of each man to live under God and in responsibility to the Him. Today it is asserted to be the right to do as one pleases. This false freedom demands of our country, of other people, of life, what we want without regard to the effect of our actions upon the nation or society…
An enlightened society does give to all its members certain rights as citizens and human beings, but we have to exercise care in the use of them. The exclusive pursuit of our rights may end in the denial of them. Unless a selfish society shifts its emphasis from its rights to its responsibilities, it will see its rights disappear. Thus this problem too is a moral and spiritual one.
We must realize that our problems are too great and too deep to be resolved by any surface change and their solution demands courageous action. As a group of scientists said a few years ago, ‘Courageous action can spring only from a spiritual zeal, engendered by faith.’
We as a people are held in a tyranny of selfishness and materialism. The only thing that can save us is men and women who have accepted the authority of God and His direction in their lives. Some have looked to the right for the resolution of our problems. Others have looked left hoping for the answer. What we need is a people who look up to God.
We all recognize that we are involved in a social revolution which threatens the very existence of our society. We can neither ignore the problems that beset us, or assume that time will will take care of them. We must either rid our nation and world of hatred and violence, strife and conflict, disillusionment and despair, or we perish. The time has come to get on our knees in penitence, as God for His guidance and strength, then arise and move out in positive action to bring life to all men.
I am, therefore, calling upon every member of the diocese, first to deepen and strengthen his own life in Christ. We must be a people of faith who, through prayer, worship and sacrament, find the moral and spiritual power to effect whatever changes are needed to bring to all men wholeness of life.
Secondly, because the crisis of today concerns the essence of humanity, I call upon the members of this diocese to greater evangelistic zeal. Hatred, bigotry, discrimination, and animosity can onl be overcome by moral and spiritual renewal. We are followers of Him who said, "I am the way the truth and the life." As ambassadors of Christ we have responsibility of bringing others to Him who is our Lord and Savior.”
- The Rt. Rev. Gordon V. Smith, Sixth Bishop of Iowa in his 1968 Address to Convention
Bishop Smith also announced in his address that he had appointed a special committee to “study, propose, and recommend actions which would be helpful and contribute to the resolution of some of our social ills.”