The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1937-03-12
N. 3. Official Press uzzles DR..
l. H. King Christian Century"
Editorial Champions His Cause

the MetnuulSt t14iScopd4 uutc
has firmly considered the letter Of
DR.. L. II. King to the MACE e
questing legal action to prevent
the proposed merger which would
set the Negro eff into q separate
division Of the Church. and has de-
cided not to even discuss the mat
ter officially IN the church public
cations, is indicated N an editor
ial IN lions Herald. an independ7
ent Methodist weekly published BY
the Boston Wesleyan Association
wide Comsaent
The editorial reads COM
msnt has been asonsed BY the let
ter written BY Rev. Lorenzo Il.
King pastor Of st. Marks Epia=
copal church, New York city. to
the National Association for the
Advancement Of colored People.
asking the association to take
steps to restrain The Methodist
Episcopal Church, South. and the
Methodist Protestant Church on
the grounds Of race discrimina-
ton. rhis material has not ap-
peared in the Advocates because,
we understand. it was decided by
the editorial board that Dr.. Kings
communication was not in proper
shape, and therefore did not call
for attention upon the part Of the
papers represented by the board
8ut was not Or. Kings letter
news and did it not come from a
reputable source?s
Members Of the Board which
rendered Shis decision are H. p.
Sloan of NV York. o. w. Fifer
Of Cincinnati, E L. Mills Of san
Francisco, r. NJ. Brooks Of New
Orleans, Dan Brnmmlt Of Kansas
City, L. H. Higbee Of Cincinnati,
and W. e j. Gratz Of Chicago,
King ives himself q member
Of this board for eleven years as
editor Of the Southwestern Chris
tan Advocate, and upon his re-
tirement the Book COMMITTEES said
Of him, AS an editor and preach
er, Or. King has been a consistent
champion Of human and religious
values end an uncompromlsing adj
vocate Of Justice, racial integrity,
and good will.
The action by the church offic-
ials has come as a shock to many
Negro communicates. as well as
leaders Of the Negro group, who
felt that DR.. Kings views would
be given a thorough airing within
the church. and that such action
might make unnecessary the de-
velopment of a race-wide fight.
But many leaders now feel that
since the church has apparently
taken the stand that It must force
through the plan, even to the ex-
tent Of muzzling opponents. a con
certed drive against the plan IS
now more necessary than ever to
preserve the principle of freedom
of speech and freedom Of the press
within the church.
"Christlan Century EdItorIaP
CHICAGO calvin FLASH AL
though the Methodist Church has
officially banned discussion Of Dr..
X H Kings fight against the uni
ficstion plan, the New York pas
tor has found a champion in THE
Christian Century published in
Chicago. In an editorial published
last week captained Negro Meth
odists Resort to Courts" the mag
azine, which is ian undenomina-
tional journal Of religion edited
by Charles Clayton Morrison, and
with such distinguished contribu-
tors as Reinhold Nejbuhr, Joseph
Fort Newton, and Kirby Page,
says in part
NEGROES Have Stake"
Although It's more than doubt
full that legal action can be sue
cessful, the fact that it is being
resorted to S significant, even
ominous. DR.. King has been a
prominent minister of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church for more
than thirty years, a member Of
three Of the denominations Sener-
al conferences, and was at one
time editor Of an official denomh,
ational weekly. Thai such a man
should feel so keenly about the
proposed action Of his church as
to be willing, after exhausting 9th
En- means of protest, to enter the
courts to prevent it is a fact not
to be ignored, the more so as the
vote in the annual conferences
clearly indicates how deep are the
issues which this struggle is De-
veloping. Negroes have a stake
in the Methodist Episcopal church,
the total racial situation being as
it is, Negroes as such have a stake