The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-12-31

have given such relief - eou
been ridden down By TIE 20
While the churches n - -
cupisd countries 81 EuFors h.Se
furnished practically ths cnly o.
ganised cpPosiitca 70 ths regime
az tyranny IN thetr Respective
areas the American ard British
churches have given Hnaeh troaxht
70 ths conditions az = iust -
durable peace when ths vsetory
has hen wcn
Ths spirit ~ missions h.s e<sa
KEEP; alive. ana svsa intsnslfasd.
though many mission fields have
eeen closed b. the sxissneiss Il
war. Movements toward unity
and cooperation amenE he
churches have gone forward.
steps have been taken toward
the more efficient arssnlz.tins
az intsrchurch agencies and there
have been new unified efforts
for the extension of religious sda-
cation.
The three great religious groups
Protestant Roman cathalAc
and Jewish have become IN
ereasingiy aware that they are
allies In . common cause. and
that this u not merely the enter
prise az winning q military We
tory. 10 which the vast majority
Of them all are committed ss
eitlrsns but the UNFOLDING a
those basic principles Of fsith n
God and man 20 which they are
committed as Christians and Je~s
and upon which the meaning and
strength Of the astion's cause az
pend
During the year. . statement
Of common faith. prepared BY the
National Conference Of Christians
and Jews, was sgned by highly
regarded representatives Of The
Catholic, Protestant and Jewish
groups. whose differences In re-
ligious belief and practice are
real and, 80 far a. one dares TO
predict. permanent. But they also
occupy common ground for which
forms sufficient basis for co.
operation In regard to tho issues
now In the forefront Of The
worlds attention. The issuanos
OF such a manifesto concerning
their areas Of agreement IL. I
believe. an event unique In Amsri-
can history.
CHURCHES AND WAR
After Pearl Harbor. the first
articulats reactions Of leading
spokesman for the churches
stressed the need OF repentance
for our own national sins. alb
stsntion from hatred toward our
enemies. and consideration Of "the
goal Of order. justice and peace"
but there was little opposition
to the prosecution Of the war.
Even the pscifists. VINO were less
numerous than the earlier reso-
buttons about the sinfulnsss Of
war might have led one 10 expect.
were content with non-psrtici-
patton and made few. II any.
gestures Of opposition.
During early December, . year
after Pearl HArbor. the dsnomi-
nations represented In the Fed
erai Council Of Churches. re-
sponded 10 a wide demand that
the Protestant Churches make
some pronounoement on the
moral Issues Of the war. and
adopted a statement which de-
scribed the avowed aims OF the
Axis powers A. anti-chris'ian
and called for a United Nations
victory.
The Roman Catholic arch
bishops and bishops In the United
states. meeting In Washington,
D. C.. almost q year after our
entrance into the war, issued q
announcement declaring that the
war involves unqusstionably the
nost important moral iasus OF
today" that At times II In the
positive duty Of = nation 10 wage
war In the defense of life ana
night" and ths, our country
now finds itself In such eireum-
stances
PacifiSm continues 10 exist but.
with rare exceptions. u u not =
nghting paoifisn. The churches
generally have upheld the rights
OF conscientious oblsctors and
have supported the Civilian Pub
lic Service Camps. which have
been administered by Quassrs.
Msnnonltea and the Church Of the
Brethren. A. the end Of October
there were s.tii men in 81 CPS.
camps.
DEFEND LIBERTIES
The defense q civil liberties
has been a matter o. concern 10
ali thoughtful AmsrieAns. and
the churches have furnished focal
points for this concern Churches
in many communities on ths vest
coast bsfr1sndsd ths Japanese
who were svctsd ~holsssis.
IRE religious prsss - suf Dot
the voice Of UNCONVENTIONAL az
sembnss - has made isses heard
IN protss, against me treatment
which Jshovah'a Witnesses have
received from courts. legislatures
and moba.