Evening star., 1935-09-08
RELIGIOUS DRIVE
OPENS OCTOBER2
Secretary Hull Will Speak
at lnterdenominationaI
Mass Meeting.

new campaign LOT pracIlcdl
demonstration of religious fellowship
will be launched here. Wednesday eve
ming, October Q. The occasion will
be q great interdenominational mass
meeting at Constitution Hall, with
Secretary Of State Hull as the princi-
pal speaker.
Endorsed by President Roosevelt and
representing cooperative effort in
which Catholic, Protestant and jew
ish leaders are participating. the
gathering Is sponsored by the Commit
tee on Religious Life In the Nations
Capital. The subject for consider
alton Is: 1.-THE Importance Of Religion
and Church Loyalty in Democracy"
Besides Mr.. Hull, other speakers will
be Right Rev. James E. Freeman,
Bishop of Washington, chairman Of
the committee; Most Rev. James Hugh
Ryan, Bishop p-designate of Omaha and
rector of Catholic University; DR..
Abram Simon, rabbi of the Washing
ton Hebrew Congregation, and Rev.
DR.. Albert Joseph Mccartney, pastor
of the Covenant FIRST Presbyterian
Church.
DIR. Duff to Offer Prayer.
Prayer will be offered by Rev. DR..
Edward Duff, chief of Chaplains Di-
vision, U. S. NJ: the Scripture lesson
will be read by Rev. RobertW. Brooks,
pastor of the Lincoln Memorial Con-
gregational Temple, and the benedic-
ton will be pronounced by Rev. DR..
James Shera Montgomery. chaplain
of the House.
Of1cers Of the committee attending
will include Msgr. Edward L. Buckley,
pastor of st. Matthew's Roman Cath
olic Church, vice chairman; Rev. DR..
Anson Phelps Stokes, former secre-
tary Of Yale University and canon Of
Washington Cathedral, secretary, and
Rev. DR.. Russell J. Clinchy, pastor
of Mount Pleasant Congregational
Church, treasurer.
The meeting will be open to the
public and no tickets will be required.
Announced to begin at $50 o'clock,
the program will be broadcast over
the N. B. c. coast-to-coast network
and WMAL locally.
Barden Explains Aims.
Henry C. Barden, executive secre-
tary in charge of arrangements, yes
terday explained the purposes Of both
the initial meeting and the general
campaign.
This committee" he said, twas
formed In the Summer Of 1884 by
about 40 ministers. representing %
different religious communions, Prot
estant, Catholic and Jewish. 1t grew
out of the deepening conviction that
present conditions demand a new en-
phasis on religion as the essential
basis for moral, social and economic
recovery and progress, and the realiza-
ton that for vast majority of. the
people vital religion depends upon reg
ular attendance at services Of worship
and continuous participation in the
activities of churches. using the word
in its broadest sense to include all
organized religious groups.
I'm the Capital City it seemed espe-
cially important to mobilize and
strengthen the spiritual forces, both
for their influence on the ideals and
standards Of the Federal Government
and for their effect upon the Nation
as a whole. The greater part Of the
population Of the District Of Columbia
is related to service in the Government
and probably half the population has
never been actively related to any or
ganized religious body. Also. many
allow their relationship to cease when
they leave their former homes to take
up residence here.
To Foster Church Interest.
1T is the purpose of the commit
tee, therefore, to help to relate all
these men and women, of whatever
race or religious preference, to some
local church of their own choosing;
to unite all religious faiths, without
compromise of their respective tenets
and teachings, in community move
tnent for a fresh recognition of the
supreme importance Of religious values
in personal and national life, and for
q larger utilization of spiritual re-
sources, and to act as an agent Of all
the churches in those efforts to pro-
mote religious interest and church at
tendance that can only, or best, be
accomplished by some such co-opera-
tive action"
Mr.. Barden has established offices
at 1929 Connecticut avenue, and is
prepared to furnish detailed informa-
ton to the public on the committees
plans.