Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-11
De Groot Wins
DC. Churches
Annual Award
Central Union Miss
President Honored
By Federation

Edward H. De Groot, jr., president
of the Central Union Mission and
religious and civic leader here for
more than 20 years, becomes the
sixth Washington layman to re-
ceive the Washington Federation of
churches outstanding Christian"
award.
The presentation was made last
night at the 23d annual meeting
of the federation in the Statler
Hotel and was attended by more
than 600 persons. Canon Theodore
o. Wedel of the Washington Cathe-
dral made the presentation and
termed Mr.. De Groot "a devoted
churchman."
Selection is made each year by
Washington ministers and is in
recognition of distinguished service
rendered in the development of the
moral and religious life" of the
city. Previous recipients of the
award are Justice Bolitha j. Laws,
Wilbur LaRoe, jr.; Maj. Ernest w.
Brown, Coleman Jennings and Will
liam o. Tufts.
Active in Baptist Church.
Mr.. De Groot, native of Gales
burg, Ill, came to Washington dur
ing the last war and has headed the
Central Union Mission for 81 years.
He is a member of the National
Baptist Memorial Church, a past
president of the District Sunday
School Association, board member
OF the YMCA, a moderator of the
District Baptist Convention and a
director of the International Asso-
citation of Daily Vacation Bible
Schools.
Preceding the presentation the
federation elected new officers
unanimously. President is the Rev.
Or. John w. Rustin, pastor of the
Mount Vernon Place Methodist
Church. He succeeds the Rev. DR..
Oscar F. Blackwelder, pastor of the
Lutheran Church of the Reforma-
ton, who presided at last nights
meeting. Vice presidents are Will
son Compton, Mr.. De Groot. the
Rev. DR.. HALEY B. Taylor and the
Rev. DR.. Seth R. Brooks.
The Rev. Virgil Cosby was elected
secretary; Morton M. Little, treas
urer, and Guy Withers, assistant
treasurer. Department chairmen
named were the Rev. F. Bland Tuck
er, social welfare; Mr.. Jennings, De-
tense Commission, and the Rev
Horace E. Cromer. Research and
Church Planning Committee.
In his final report to the group.
the retiring president declared: Il
believe we have one of the finest
declarations in America, with a glori-
GUS future worthy of every Prot
estant church's support in Metro
politan Washington and of every in
dividual Christian committed to the
historic Christian faith" The fed
Grafton, DR.. Blackwelder said. now
has the largest number of church
members in its history.
Church Preparation Discussed.
Prominent laymen, including Rep
resentative Judd, Republican, of
Minnesota joined in a panel discus
sion of Us the Church Preparing
America for Tomorrow" closing the
program.
From DR.. Roswell P. Barnes, panel
chairman and associate general Sec
rotary of the Federal Council of
Churches of Christ, came warning
that unless people realize that the
basic issues of the world crisis are
moral and spiritual, we will be
thrown into greater conflicts after
this war. I'VE must not" he de-
clared. look on the postwar world
as a return to the good old days."
There must be mo let down of
discipline" after this war, DR.. Barnes
added, despite tendency ito relax
moral controls"
Members of the panel-Mr. Judd
Justice Laws, Dean William S. Mel
son of Howard University and Mrs
j. B. Calkins of the National YWCA
agreed that the church after the
war must be awake mentally" and
churchmen forceful in their Chris
tan spirit.
Soldiers returning from war, JUS
tice Laws pointed out, will need "the
healing touch of the church"
The audience rose and stood in
silence for a minute in memory OF
Bishop Adna Wright Leonard
Washington Methodist bishop and
federation leader, who died last
week in plane crash in Iceland. II
was disclosed that Bishop Leonard
! had promised federation officials tc
make his first public address after
his war front tour under federation
auspices.
A fellowship hour followed the
meeting.