St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-02-01
College Head
Tells Pastors
To Wake Up
By Rev. Clarence Nelson

tue iAAe anu pfacIlce OF ministers
and members Of the churches in
America, according to DR.. Charles
H. Wesley, president Of wilber-
force University in a scholarly and
dynamic address to the more than
400 ministers who attended the
Minnesota State Pastors Confer
ence in Plymouth Congregational
Church, Minneapolis, Last Tuesday
morning.
DR.. Wesley, who is n graduate
Of Fisk, Yale and Harvard univer.
stiles, and one Of the outstanding
leaders Of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, asserted the
three forces-Christianity, nation.
alism and racisn--have co-operated
in giving US a very bad world, and
that one Of these, Christianity, must
triumph II we are to have real
world peace.
Whites Are Minority
DIR. Wesley called his audiences
attention to the fact that white
people are a minority in the world,
and that another war Is certain
unless the colored peoples Of the
world are given their full rights
as human beings.
The church must learn to fune-
tiOn among people culturally differ
ent, and raeially unlike. Our min
listers, Ms well as people, need re-
education on this issue" he de-
clared.
He scored ministers who spoke
piOusly about race relations, but
did little or nothing about bring
ing about better race relations In
their own communities. In this con-
neetiOn he said, The Gospel has
ceased In human relations 10 be a
flaming sword. Il IL now a satisfy.
ing, compromising word without
power to move. We need leaders
who will educate and lead members
and not remain followers Of out
NODDED opinion"
Practice What We Preach
Religion and Democracy Face
Their Greatest Challenge: Races
and Creeds," was the subject Of DR..
Wesley's second address to the con-
ference on Wednesday morning. He
declared that the war brought us
face to face with the race problem.
DR.. Wesley pointed out that, "our
preachment of religion and demOc-
racy to colored peoples in other
parts Of the world, have left them
unenthusiastic because Of the mis-
treatment Of minorities in this
country. &. Race was not an iso-
lated phenomenon, but an inte-
grated part Of the war"
DIR. Wesley predicted that the
present United Nations OrganiEa-
ton will be a fiasco, as was the
League Of Nations, IL all races and
nations are not treated differently
from what they have been In the
past. He said that democratic gov
ernments have been set up in Bel
GUM and Holland, but nothing has
been done about the Belgian Congo
and the IndOnesians. He declared
that the British preach and talk
about democracy, but they do moth.
ing about giving India and other
colonies their democratic rights.
Scores Filibuster
He scored the filibuster that is
being waged in the Senate against
the Fair Employment Practice
Commission Bill, when he declared:
THAT there is fight being waged
in the Congress against a bill that
would give equality Of opportunity
for employment to all, as though it
were something unequal and bad. +"
In speaking Of the present in
situation as it regards
people Of different races, DR.. Yves
ley said that at is impossible for
white workers to be free as long
as black, yellow and brown workers
are in shackles."
Assumptions concerning race
are irreligious and unscientifc, and
Is often practiced by those
who ought to know better, such as
some ministers, social workers,
teachers and industrialists," he as
serted.
DR.. Wesley made an impassioned
plea for ian all out peoples effort
for the rights Of all peoples" Peo-
pie should be regarded for their in
dividual worth and should not be
submerged by some group or racial
designation, he said. "Isolationism
in race should be Stunned just as
national isolationism is outmoded."
DR.. Wesley gave credit for prog
ress that IL being made in race re-
latiOns In some areas and by some
groups, especially labor and other
secular organizations. In speaking
Of the need Of church and eOmmu-
nifty inter-raeial cooperation, DIR.
Wesley said that white people must
lose their arrogance, and people Of
the minority groups would do well
to take the chip from their shoul-
der.
The Rev. B. N. Moore, pastor of
st. James A. NJ. E. Church, st.
Paul, was elected one Of the vice
presidents Of the conference. He Is
kba Rraf Naoyro vafnistoy N honnrad