Evening star., 1932-05-12
OXFORD MOVEMENT
GROUP COMES HERE
Leaders to Conduct Weeks
Campaign in Capital Be-
ginning Tomorrow.

Leaders of the oxford Group Move
rnent. spiritual force whose prefessed
aim Is to "recapture the spirit and
power and joy Of the early church" :"
are coming here tomorrow for the first
time to conduct weeks campaign cal
culated to leave a profound imprint on
the religious life of the Capital
The oxford Group Movement as it
Is known in England, or "a First Gen.
known in this country, is the answer
of crisis" in the words of its founder
Rev. DR.. Frank N. D. Buchanan, who
will head the group on arrival here.
In recent years, this religious group
of the laity, emphasizing personal evan
geliSm and sharing" or confeSSing of
faults, has spread rapidly from the
universities in the United States and
England into all parts of Christendom.
DR.. Buchanan is being accompanied by
19 prominent foreign members of the
group, while many others from every
walk of life will attend the meetings
from various sections.
At Shoreham Hotel.
The fellowship meetings-or "house
party" as they are sometimes termed
will be held each evening for a week,
starting tomorrow, at the Shoreham
Hotel. The opening of the campaign
will be marked by reception at 9
o'clock for the visiting members. Prom
inent persons in official. diplomatic.
civic and religious circles have been in
Vited. t.-t
Right Rev. James E Freeman, Bish-
op of Washington, will welcome the
members of the group. With most de-
nominations today officially recogniz-
ing the need of revitalizing evangel-
ism within the church, the meetings of
the oxford Group are expected to have
a significant appeal to churchgoers re-
gardless of creed. The strength of the
movement, it is declared, lies mainly in
its interdenominationa interests.
DR. Samuel Shellabarger, 2010 Hill
yer place, an author and former Prince
ton professor, is arranging for the Sc
rieS of meetings here, where hundreds
are interested directly by associations
with the movement.
Critics have called the movement
new cult or creed, a form of high
brow" evangelism, lacking only the fer
vor of the well-known "sawdust trail"
However, it is nothing of the sort. ac-
cording to those familiar with the Sc
rious intent and spirit of the move
ment. 1t is simply an attempt to get
back to the old truths of Christianity.
In No Sense a Cult.
"The oxford Group movement is an
Interpretation of the answer of Chris
tianity to the worlds present distress"
DR.. Shellabarger explained yesterday.
at exists as an international ferment
within the churches Of all denomirla-
tions in many countries. While re-em-
&I1n %r1Yfhc ~ T1ric-
tian experience and doctrine, it is in
no sense a sect, cult or organization"
Unlike other religious groups, the
movement has no officers, membership
rolls or budget. Its adherentS are en-
listed from every walk of life. Because
it started in the universities, it is ma
tural that among its adherentS are
many prominent in the intellectual life
of the countries where it has spread.
Its appeal, however, is to the serious
minded of all circles, who feel the
church needs reawakening OF spirit
ual influences.
DR.. Shellabarger said the movement
holds that 1.-The present need demands
a shift from material to spiritual stand
ards, and believes that religion in the
first instance is a personal matter, and
that there can be no adequate solution
to national or international problems
without the changed lives of many in
dividuals as a basis"
DR.. Shellabarger pointed out that of
the 10 foreign members Of the group
now visiting in America, only one is
an ordained clergyman. The foreign
members are coming here from New
York, where a series Of four-day meet
tngs have just been concluded.
Began Teaching in 1908.
DR.. Buchanan first began teaching
the principles of a Return to First
Century Christianity while in charge
of the Christian Association of Penn
sylvania State College from 1908 TO
1915. Later the movement spread to
Princeton University. In recent years,
DR. Buchanan has made his headquar-
ters at oxford and Cambridge Univer-
sites in England, both strongholds OF
the movement. His present visit to the
United States is his first in two years.
During the interval he has been ex-
tending the activities Of the movement
in Great Britain, Holland, Germany.
Switzerland, Italy and throughout
South America.
In this country during the last five
years there has been a constant in
crease in numbers and in group activ-
ity. Samuel Shoemaker of Baltimore
is the leader in this country.
The foreign members of the group
visiting Washington are: Count John
Bentinck of Amerongen, Holland; Bar
oneSs Albertine Van Heeckeren Van
Kell and Baroness Lillian Van Heck
eren Van Kell OF de Steeg, Holland;
Mrs. Alexander Whyte, of Edinburgh
Scotland; Col. H. D. Belgrave. D. s. O.,
and Mrs. Belgrave of Leicestershire,
England; Jonkheer Eric Van Lennep OF
Vorden, Holland; Mr.. and Mrs. A. S.