Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-14
PASTOR RECRUITING.
PLAN IS SCORED
Virginia Minister BIames
Church for Labeled
Christianity"

Blame for difficulties encountered in
recruiting more worthwhile leaders"
for the ministry, especially from the
ranks of college students, was laid at
the door Of the church itself yester-
day by prominent Episcopalian clergy
men who addressed the conference held
under the auspices of the Department
OF Religious Education in connection
with the general convention.
Roundly scoring what he termed an
excess of Labeled Christianity" Rev
Noble Powell, rector of ST. Psul's
Memorial Church at the University Of
Virginia, declared that the law and
real estate Offices would continue to
attract the most capable leaders among
college men until the church puts
Christ foremost"
In his relations with young college
men, Rev. Mr.. Powell frankly admitted
that he is "in bad odor with some
bishops" because he has directed many
such men to. go into business or pro-
fessionsl life rather than into the
ministry ~.
One Of the main detectives of the
ministry seems To be to keep these
young men out" ne declared. They
are not going into the ministry because
most of them believe 1t is not worth
their while.
1T all boils down to this" the Uni
versity of Virginia rector added. The
church is so busy fooling with the
frills and rufiies Of Christianity thst
many of them are asking themselves II
it is not better to devote their ives 10
some other career"
Urges "UnlabeIe Christia nifty"
Rev. Mr.. Powell made a plea for more
"unlabeled Christianity" that hasn't
anything to do with "odious controver-
sizes over fundamentalism' and other
matters Of church dogma, which, he
declared, furnish some of the reasons
why it Is so difficult to recruit the right
sort of men for the ministry. Until the
church learns to place Christ fort most
In the lives of Its ministers and mem
bers, he warned, the business world and
professions would continue to draw
more and more young men away from
church careers.
Rev. DR.. Murray Bartlett. president
OF Hobart College. and Rev. Arthur l..
Kinsolving OF Amherst were among
others who addressed the conference
the latter sounding the keynote of the
meeting, Which was directed at ways to
recruit ministers from the ranks OF the
colleges in particular.
Preparatory schools furnish the best
field for the church in the opinion OF
Rev. Mr.. Powell. who touched also on
this phase of the question. II know
prep school boys" he said "You can
lead them anywhere. They'll be gam
blers lawyers, hootleggers, preachers or
whatever you want them to be-"
Rev. Mr.. Kinsolving, a son of Bishop
Kinsolving of Pennsylvania. protested
that the best sort of men are not
clambering to enter the ministry" anu
expressed the belief that the emergency
with respect to finding suitable recruits
for the pulpits still exists.
Has Inferlority Complex.
Clergymen seem to be suffering too
much from an "inieriority complex. :"
Mr.. KinSolving told the conference, in
explaining that it had become apparent
to him that the church is inclined to
dodge" going after the biggest men it
could get. for this reason.
we need imperatively to be training
for the ministry more and better men
than we now are doing" he declared, and
suggested that the church follow the
this class of candidate for the ministry.
we haven't the right TO push men
unless we have the power to draw
them" ne said The church can usher
In a new era, he believed. II it would
concentrate on the colleges in Its re-
cruiting campaign. Such an appeal to
the college youth Of the country, he
added, should surely draw q real re-
Spouse.
DIR. Bartlett told the conference that
fully 80 per cent OF the young men
who come to the church seminaries are
drawn to the ministry through the in
f1uence of their individual rectors. He
impressed upon the conference Of
ministers singing out capable young
men in their communities and helping
them select their vocation in life.
Every clergyman who is not personally
trying to develop individual leaders who
may be brought within the ministry.
DR.. Bartlett declared, Is failing in his
duty to the church.