Evening star., 1947-05-27
Presbyferians Reject
Proposal 10 ()rdain
Women as Ministers
By Cospor Nonnes
s,or StoH coysscondent

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, May n.
The General Assembly of theI
Presbyterian Church In the U. 8. A.. |
today voted against ordination Of
women as pastors In the church,
The denomination is holding itsl
159th annual meeting here.
The proposal was voted down byI
1913 negative Presbytery votes to 1901
affirmative votes, with votes rec
onmending no action. Since 134l
Affirmative votes are necessary forl
passage of the measure, the pro-
posal was defeated. The proposal
was submitted during the year to
the Presbyteries throughout the
country for action. The washing
ton City Presbytery voted in the
affirmative on the question.
WIZ Ask Housing Action.
The Committee on Social Educa-
ton and Action will ask the 159th
General Assembly of the denomina-
ton to indorse a resolution calling
on the House Banking and Currency
Commmittee In Congress to report
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. housing
bill to the House for immediate
action and passage.
The committee also will ask the
assembly to commend Chairman
Tobey OF the Senate Committee on
Banking and Currency for his pledge
to do "all he can to bring the hous-
ing bill up promptly In the Senate"
AS long as people live in sub
standard homes, normal develop
ment OF happy Christian family life
in America is being held back" the
report declares, adding that 2,500, 900
people today are living double up"
with other families.
U. N. Backing to Be Asked.
"Full and vigorous participation
in the United Nations" by the United
States also will be recommended by
the committee. 1t also will urge ap-
proval of a resolution asking every
effort to restore spirit of friendly
cooperation between Russia and the
rest of the world by interpreting all
international agreements on the
basis Of the interdependence of peo-
pies" The resolution declares: I'VE
believe this end could be achieved
through the United Nations"
Federal support of public school
education on a basis of complete
separation of church and state" and
with administration of the school
program remaining in the control of
the State and local governments"
will be advocated by the committee.
Other resolutions to be reported
to the general body by the COM
mittee will include those urging
President Truman to recall his
personal representative to the Vati-
can Immediately because such rep
resentation encourages "the uncon-
stitutional adhesion OF church to
State" to have the amnesty board
grant general amnesty to $4,000 con-
scientious objectors and to COM
mend the Capper bill on the control
Of interstate liquor advertising.
"Streamlining" Endorsed.
A recommendation that the or
ganizational structure of the church
be reviewed with the aim of
"streannlining" it to meet present
needs was passed yesterday by the
General Assembly. A committee of
IS to be appointed by Moderator
Wilbur Laroe jr., of Washington will
make its findings known to the
1948 meeting of the General AS
sembly.
The meeting yesterday voted to
hold its 1948 General Assembly in
Seattle, Wash, next May.
Charles p. Taft, president of the
Federal Council of Churches of
of Christ in America, defended the
Federal Council from charges of
being Communistic because it has
"indorsed collective bargaining and
the right Of employees to organize
In unions" He pointed out there
have been similar declarations in
Republican and Democratic plat
forms for many years.
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