Evening star., 1935-04-10
PEACE PRAYERS
TO G|RDLE GLOBE
Protestants to Join Cath.
oIics in Holy Week
SuppIicationS.

A call to all Protestants to join In q
world concert of prayers" for peace,
beginning in Holy week, has been
broadcast by the Federal Council OF
Churches of Christ in America. the
Universal Christian Council and the
World Alliance for International
Friendship through the churches.
Since Pope Plus XII, independently
has issued message to Roman Catho-
lies, the movement is expected to en-
brace almost the whole of Christendom.
Describing the present as IAN
ominous hour when the spectre of war
again haunts the world" the appeal
urges the churches to pray for peace
at every public service las long as the
threat of war remains" According
to the announcement, the world con-
cert of prayer" may continue for sew
eral months. If it does. series of
concrete suggestions for prayer will be
issued at the beginning of each month.
Christ's Sacrifice Recalled.
The message recalls the suffering of
Christ and states that "the world for
which He died seems ready to cruelty
Him afreSh." The churches are told
that only the spiritual power of united
prayer sis adequate to stay the rising
current of selfish nationalism and
bring peace to a disordered world"
Virtually all the nOn-Roman
churches are included in the ap-
peal. Among the larger bodies out
i @f l,sr to n iotH q 70 III
has been sent are the Evangelical
Free Church Council of Great Britain.
the Church of England, the French
Protestant Federation, the German
Evangelical Church and the Confess
sional Synod of Germany, the Synod
of the Waldesian Churches of Italy.
the National Christian Council of
Japan and the National Christian
Council of China Through member
ship in the Universal Christian Coun-
Gil, the Eastern Orthodox Churches
also are included in the invitation.
Forgiveness Besought.
"Let us unitedly seek forgiveness"
said the message, "for the self-seeking
national ambitions, the economic COM
petition and the injuStices that have
been breeding the germs of war; for
our proneneSS to suspicion OF other
peoples, to fear and ill-will; for our
lack of trust in the redeeming power
of love and our delusion that We can
have security through reliance on
great armamentS and military force;
for our blindness to the truth of our
Lords words that they that take the
sword shall perish by the sword; and
for our apathy toward the construc-
tive agencies of international CO.
operation through which new world
order might be achieved"
With hearts thus purified and with
heightened sense of the sinfulness
of war;" continued the message. "let
us join in interoession;
That all of Christ's people in every
country may have fresh vision of
Gods purpose of Righteousness and
reconciliation and peace for the world;
Asks Courageous" Resistance.
"That there may be courageous de-
termination among all peoples to re-
sist the ominous drift toward war; i.
That all may be willing to pay the
price of peace in intelligent efforts
to create a public opinion that will
demand the settlement of interna-
tional disputes by peaceful means;
That those who for the sake of
selfish profit would foment hostility
among the peoples and see the world
drenched in blood may be restrained:
and
That to all who hold positions Of
responsibility in Government the
guidance of God may be given to
formulate policies that shall make
for peace"
Christian people are urged to sup
plement the prayers in churches with
daily supplications in their homes
The call is signed by Ivan Lee
Holt, president of the Federal Coun-
Gil; S. Parks Cadman. chairman of
the American section of the Universal
Christian Council, and William P.
Merrill, president of the World
Alliance.