Evening star., 1927-04-20
CRITICS Of BIBLE
CLASS ANSWERED
Stevenson Says Plan for
Prohibition Drive Has Been
Entirely Misrepfesented.

Empha sizing that the aims and purs
poses of the Church Service Associa-
ton, an organization now being form
ed under the sponsorship of the Or
ganized Bible Glass Association, have
been entirely misrepresented by an
taeonistic publicity" Horace l.. Ste
venson, trustee of the Bethany Bap-
tist Church. of which his father, Rev.
Hugh T. Stevenson, is pastor. and
president of the Church Service OR
ganization, declared today he would
seek meeting of the general commit
tee of the Bible Glass Association with
the view of having that body draw up
a tentative plan of procedure for his
group to follow once it is formed.
The central committee approved the
idea of the formation of the Church
Service Association several weeks ago
with the view of having, it cooperate
with Mai. Edwin 3. Hesse, superin-
tendent of police, in enforcing the
prohibition laws here. Since that time
plans for the procedure to befollowed
by the Church Service Association
have expanded to a point where a
member would be located in every
block, whose duty it would be to re.
port violations Of the law as he sees
them around him. The enlarged plan
of action was developed by Harry n.
Douthitt, former Federal prohibition
operative, who is executive secretary
Of the organization. but they have not
as yet been submitted to the central
committee or any other branch of the
Organized Bible Class Association for
approval
Resignation Of Chance.
Mr.. Stevenson said that the motive
which inspired the organization OF the
Church Service Association has been
interpreted by some as amounting in
short to the inauguration of a "spy
system" among members neighbors.
This position was taken yesterday
by Merritt o. Chance, former city
postmaster, who in a letter to The
Star stated he had resigned as treas
urer of the organized Bible Class AS
sociation because he did not approve
of such action"
Mr.. Stevenson feels that If the CEN
trail committee, which meets subject
to the call of Rev. Homer ]. Councillor,
president of the Organized Bible Glass
Association, takes up the plans for the
church service organization's proce-
dure and determines on their scope,
there can be no question about the
effectiveness of such an institution in
cleaning up "speak -easies" and other
places where liquor may be purchased.
One of the inspirations for the
formation of cooperative prohibition
enforcement and observance organi-
zation came from the existence of
speak easy" doing business not far
from one of Washington's prominent
churches, Mr.. Stevenson explained.
The police obtained evidence and
raided the place one evening at 5
o'clock and two hours and half later
the place was again open for business,
he said.
Mr.. Councillor and Page NICK. Etchi-
son, executive secretary of the Or
ganized Bible Class Association, yes
terday afternoon spent an hour
closeted with Mr.. Chance in his Office
at the Griffith Coal Corporation in an
effort to have him reconsider his
resignation as treasurer. The inter
view resulted in Mr.. Chance making
a determined defense OF his action,
which he declared would stand.
Following the conference, the two
Bible class officials issued the follow
ing statement:
TIE resignation Of M. o. Chance as
TREASURER OF the Organized Bible Glass
Association has been received and will
be presented at the next meeting of
the central committee of the associa-
ton. This action is deeply regretted
by the lmembers of this organization,
since no man in its membership is
held in greater esteem or claims q
higher place in their genuine affec-
tions than does Mr.. Chance. At the
Summer conferences he is at once the
most popular person on the campus.
"'The Organized Bible Glass Associa-
ton was constituted to assist Bible
classes in their developement, stress.
ing the moral and spiritual work, ex.
changing ideas on class activities.
methods of teaching and similar prob.
lens. It's field of activity is limited
strictly to Bible class work. AS a
Chrisfian Organization this association
has always STOOD for law observance.
JTpon this point we do not believe
there Is any division Of opinion.
idea Was Approved.
tn'Fouowing the Washington birth.
day dinner or the Organized Bible Class
and the address OF Maj. e.
B. Hesse, an attempt has been made
.bv certain individually interested
Christian men and women to form an
organization to assist the superfn-
tendsnt Of police along the lines sug-
g9sted by him. This idea was approv-
ed by the central committee of the
Organized Bible Glass Association.
"Inasmuch as this new organization
has not been forced-a temporary
chairman and secretary only being
named-no meetings held, no govern
ing board or officers elected and there
fore no policies determined upon, 1t
would seem that the large amount of
publicity given to the so-called activi-
:Ilss I. & Gs n ,a = aUss s,