Evening star., 1926-05-09
PITTSBURGH BISHOP
DEN0UNCES KLAN
Attack Causes Sensation at
Methodist Church
Conference.

brought forcibly into the deliberations
of the board of bishops of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, which is IN
Semi-annual conference here, yester-
day by Bishop Francis ]. Mcconnell
of Pittsburgh in an address on the
world service program of the Meth
odist Church Bishop Mcconnell
voiced a protest over the failure Of
the church to take any positive stand
against the Klan, which he described
as a hindrance to the Christian pro
gram.
The Ku klux klan is Eat GENIAL
of everything that is Christian he
declared.
There has been entirely too much
nussv-footing on the part of the
church on this question. The church
should stand against any policy or
program that tends to stir up racial
antagonism. The church should be a
quieting influence rather than an ir-
ritant to racial animosities.
Speech Causes Sensation.
While Bishop Mcconnell is known
to have been opposed to the klan, the
suddennesS of his attack caused some
thing of a sensation in the meeting
of the bishops. who have been con-
sidering weighty matters regarding
extension of the program of the
Methodist Church here and abroad.
THE un-Christian conditions here
In the United States are among the
gravest difficulties that confront the
missionaries at work in foreign
fields" Bishop Mcconnell declared.
Our missionaries are influential
abroad but their preachments are
contradicted by the un-Christian atti-
tude Of some Of our people at home"
HIo(Snnn0lt TO
Christianizing of the home church as
one of the most effective measures
that could be adopted with a view
to making more convincing the ap-
peal of missionaries in foreign fields.
Pleads for Gospel.
Praising certain groups of the South
which have done much to make har
,monious the relationship of the white
and colored races, Bishop Mcconnell
declared that enough has been said
about the difference between a per-
sonal religion and social religion"
and insisting that these two concep-
tions of Christian belief are one and
the same in effect. He pleaded the
need of a wider social Interpretation
of the Gospel.
The situation Is hopeful, however.
he concluded, because the leaders and
the membership of the church are
realizing the situation facing them.
The need for the spirit of Christ in
the lives of men is being better un-
derstood, he said
Conferences to Continue.
The board convened last night for
an extra session. but came to no con-
clusion on puzzling questions OF how
to make more effective the program
Of the church. The bishops feel so
keenly the opportunities that face
their church organization they decid-
ed to continue the conference through
Tuesday, instead of adjourning to-
morrow,
Outstanding among resolutions to
be passed upon tomorrow is one deal
ing with the prohibition question. 1t
is expected the board will insist upon
a more rigid enforcement of the dry
laws.
Another matter will be the assign
ment of bishops to annual confer
ences, and the big task of how the
home and foreign missionary pro-
grams should be presented to the
church membership.
Today the bishops are conducting
services in Washington and Baltimore
churches. Bishop Edwin Fl. Hughes
of Chicago, ILL.,. will preach at the
morning services at the First Con-
gregational Church, where President
and Mrs. Coolidge attend.
Foreign Service Handicaps.
The board Of bishops has heard ex-
tended reports from bishops in charge
of foreign fields regarding the status
of Christian programs there. Several
bishops have protested that the cuts
made in the budgets for foreign
service of all kinds had created grave
handicaps. While splendid work is
being accomplished in many foreign
countries, the. bishops have declared
that the present program in nowise
measures up to the great oppor-
tunities confronted in the Orient,
South America and Africa.
The program of the Methodist
Church at home, the reports indicate,
is in a much more satisfactory con-
dition than that of the missions.
The bishops now are engrossed in
deciding what is to be done about the
foreign service. One bishop declared
Yesterday that il the membership of
the church at large had been able to
hear the reports as delivered before
the board they would respond quickly
with several millions of dollars to en-
large the foreign program.
The assignment Of bishops to pre-
side over the annual conferences of
the church is being considered in
connection with the world service
program. A tentative list Of assign
ments, drafted yesterday. was held
for revision when suggestions were
made that bishops of foreign fields
he brought 70 this country for con-
ferences, so that the home member
ships might be given first-hand in
f0rY11Qf fioY hn1If tho missionary nr0b-
lens and progress.
Case of Bishop Bast.
The board yesterday postponed de-
cision on the case of Bishop Anton
Bast of Copenhagen. Denmark, who
is serving a three-month impriSon-
ment in Copenhagen for collection of
funds for social service work through
an alleged misleading statement he
made in his church paper, the Light
house. An official statement exoner-
ating Bishop Bast Of any, moral stain
IS expected.
Bishop Ernest l.. Waldorf of Kan
sas City, Mo-, has been selected to
visit most of the European countries
this Summer and will act In behalf Of
Bishop Bast during his conferences
with the church of Denmark, 1t is
understood. Bishop Bast administered
millions of dollars in Denmark for the
relief of the poor and unfortunate
during his assignment to the Jerusa-
lem church there. Bishop Edgar
Blake of Paris, reporting to the board
on the Bast case, said he had been
the victim Of persecution by former
members of his congregation.
The board yesterday selected Bishop
Luther b. Wilson of New York City
to deliver the episcopal address at the
general conference of the church, to
he held in 1928. This appointment is
considered a signal honor by the bish-
.nns. as the address voices the stand