Evening star., 1949-02-03
State Schools Turn
More 10 Religion,
Lutherans Hear
By Cospor Nonnes
Stor S.off Correspondent

NEW YORK. Feb. 3.-State edu-
cational institutions throughout the
country have been more sympathetic
toward religion on the campus re-
Gently than in the past, DR.. Armin
George Weng of haywood, Ill,
chairman of the Student Service
Division, today told a meeting of the
National Lutheran Council here.
Secular schools are slowly de-
yeloping a new and encouraging in
terest in religion on the campus" f."
he said. Christian student workers
and their programs are given more
cordial welcome, and facilities are
made available for Christian work
in schools where a few years ago
religion was not even acknowl-
edged"
Y DR.. Weng pointed out many
schools are establishing departments
Of religion while numerous State
Universities have added full-time
chaplains to their faculties. Courses
dealing with religion are also being
taught, on a full credit basis, in
many State universities, he added.
Appeal to Fraternities Urged.
DR.. Morris Wee. executive director
of the Student Service Division, told
the gathering fraternity and sorority
members are the most difficult stu
dents to reach by religious bodies.
He urged that more determined
effort be made to interest these
students, who frequently are lead
ers on their carnpuses, in religious
activities.
There are now $4,000 foreign stu
dents studying on American cam
puses," DR.. Wee said. by 1850 that
number will be increased to $4,000.
These students are the pick of their
country's young people and will be
the leaders of their nations. Efforts
should be made to reach them by
Christian leaders as means of
spreading the gospel and of making
an understanding between nations
easier"
Washington will be one of the
cities strongly considered for loca-
ton of National Lutheran Council
headquarters in the near future, it
was learned today.
According to spokesmen, the
council will have to move from its
present Offices in New York within
a few months. The building is owned
by the United Lutheran Church in
America. which needs the space
now used by the council.
The Council is a, cooperative
agency Of the United Lutheran
c Evangelical Lutheran
American Lutheran Church,
Synod, United Evangeli-
cal Lutheran Church, Lutheran
Free Church, Finnish Suomi Synod
and Danish Lutheran Church.
These bodies have a constituent
of about 100000.
Other Sites Considered.
In addition to Washington, head
quarters sites are being considered
in New York. Chicago and Colum-
bus, Ohio. DR.. Rees E. TullosS of
Springfield. Ohio, president of Wit
tenberg College, is chairman of
three chosen to select the new head
quarters location. Other members
are DR.. Harold L. Yochum of Co.
lumbuS, president of Capital Uni
versity, and DR.. T. o. Burntvedt of
Minneapolis, president of the Luth-
eran Free Church.
Support for shifting council head
quarters to the District of Columbia
was voiced by DR.. T. F. Gullixson
of st. Paul, Mimi, president of
Luther Theological Seminary, and
by DR.. Abdel Ross Wentz of Gettys-
burg, Pa, president of Gettysburg
Theological Seminary.
With our national life centering
more and more in Washington, it
would obviously be of advantage to
the collective Lutheran Church to
have National Lutheran Council
there" DR.. GulliXson said. 1T is
my conviction that our Nations
Capital has become the significant
center of the world, and we should
be situated there"
The council yesterday voted a goal
OF 100000 for Lutheran World Ac-
ton for 1949 and of $3,20O,00O for
1850. Lutheran World Action deals
with reconstruction and rehabilita-
ton overseas. A total of $1,625 900
has been allocated for this year to
general and orphan mission needs,
81 100000 for church rehabilitation
in Europe and $1,135 900 for dis
placed persons resettlement projects.
1t was reported at the meeting
that the 1948 goal of $4,O00,0OO for
Lutheran World Action was over
subscribed by $97,991.
The 1948 report of the Division of
Welfare will be given tonight by
Harold Hegstrom, superintendent