Evening star., 1941-12-20

wholesome influence which would
hysteria and maintain our tradi-
tional civil liberties.
| Developments this week pointing
| toward such a conclusion were:
% The Church Federation OF
Los Angeles and the Fellowship of
Reconciliation made plans to aid
distressed Japanese persons, who
number about 10000 in that area.
The plans include the opening Of
homes to evicted japanese families,
the loaning of cash and the provid-
ing of employment. A speakers
bureau will plead for tolerance
toward younger Japanese children.
| Inter-racial religious services are
expected to be held in increasing
numbers.
Cd The Council of Bishops Of the
Methodist Church, in a wartime
message" to the church, warned
against race prejudice. asked that
freedom of conscience and civil
liberties be safeguarded, that social
gains be preserved and that those
living among us whose national
origin stems from an enemy country
be treated with Christian considera-
ton"
90 Fifty leaders of three major
churchwomen's groups adopted a
resolution calling upon church.
women to combat hatred, to minister
to those suffering from war, to show
friendship and understanding to
men and women in defense service
and to build a democracy at home
which recognizes individual worth
and strives for justice to all the
people.
(4) Religious pacif1st groups called
upon their members to help eliml-
nate "hysteria, persecution and de-
nunciation," to maintain civil
liberties and urged the churches to
stabilize and comfort people.
80 Local church federations and
ministerial associations in various
parts of the country pledged them
selves to strengthen the public
morale and to bring comfort. calm
and assistance should catastrophe
or disaster occur in their community.
Indicative of the morale function
visualized by many religious leaders
is the plan for an emergency chap
lains' organization set up in Pitts
burgh. This plan aims. in the event
of civil disaster in Allegheny County
due to sabotage or bombing, to pro-
vide chaplains services for patients
and casualties, to alleviate hysteria
and create and maintain morale
among the casualties and to create
and maintain civilian morale.
The plan calls for central defense
chaplainS' committee, consisting OF
Pittsburgh minister, priest and rabbi;
emergency hospital chaplains' units
and selected laymen who will assist
the chaplains. The latter group is
being organized by the Pittsburgh
Round Table of the National Con-
ference of Christians and Jews.
War Speeds Church Unity.
| DR.. William B. Pugh, stated clerk
of the General Assembly of the
| FTeSDl leI ldIl SIlul Cii III tllc ~ ~. n.
declared this week in Knoxville
Tenn, that the war will have a
pronounced effect on Presbyterian
unification. DR.. Pugh was in Knox
vile in connection with a movement
for reunion between the Northern
and Southern branches OF the Pres
byterian Church. In making this
statement, DR.. Pugh reflected the
opinion of many church leaders that
the war will speed up church unity.
First major move in this speeding
up process was made last week wher
200 church leaders, meeting at At
lantic City, N. j.. voted recon-
mendation of a plan calling for the
establishment of a single corporate
body to combine eight agencies now
operating in the interdenominationa
field. The new group would bt
called Council of the Churches Of
Christ in North America" The
agencies which would be combined
are the Federal Council of the
Churches of Christ in America
International Council of Religious
Education, Home Missions Council
Foreign Missions Conference, Ma.
tional Council of Church Women
Council of Church Boards of Educa.
tion, Missionary Education Move.
ment and the Association Of Council
Secretaries.
Although the movement to merge