Evening star., 1949-04-26
Failure 10 Find Pulpit
For CoIored Minister
Postpones Exchange

TVSIPUIIeS LAIIIdnyt
Inability to find readily white
pulpit for a colored minister forced
postponement Of a scheduled pas
tor exchange for Presbyterian
churches in the Washington area,
planned for next Sunday.
The exchange, set by the March
meeting of the Washington City
Presbytery, was postponed until
a later date, after the Rev. James
c. Fahl, pastor Of Metropolitan
Presbyterian Church, told the
gathering yesterday that only two
Of the denominations three COL
ored pastors here had been placed.
Consequently. he said, it seemed
wise to abandon the exchange plan
for the time being. 2
Mr.. Fahl later said only about
IL of the presbytery's more than
40 churches In this area had been
contacted.
"It seems to me unfortunate
that the presbytery turned the
program down on only a partial
report, which Is unfair to the
presbytery as a whole Rev. DR..
Henry B. Wooding: pastor Of Eek
ington Presbyterian Church, said
Sees Opportunity Missed.
AT this point DR.. ]. Hillman
Hollister. pastor Of Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church, declared: !:
II cannot help but express my dis
appointment at the way this
turned out. I cannot feel that
that is the feeling of the presby-
terry. We have turned 1t down
and 1t seems to me we have missed
one of the great opportunities in
years to show a feeling of brother
hood to those who are in our
midst"
Other laymen and ministers
then rose to decry what, at that
point, seemed complete abandon
ment Of the exchange Sunday
plan. Several asserted they had
not been called, each declaring he
would be glad to welcome a col
ored pastor to his church.
Apparently taking the view that
these remarks implied failure of
the chairman to do the job thor
oughly, Mr.. Fahl told the meeting
he was resigning as head of the
committee.
DR.. Hollister then proposed a
motion calling for continuance of
the committee with its present
chairman assuring Mr.. Fahl that
the 'presbytery is back of you"
The motion, which was passed
unanimously. asked that a date be
set at time far enough ahead
so the exchange program could be
arranged properly. It was said
later efforts will be made to hold
the pulpit exchanges before sum-
mer.
TOuF FaSS 1eStS.
Two Washington area youths
passed a public examination at
the meeting to be licensed to
preach, and two others passed
similar tests to qualify them for
ordination as ministers. John H.
Houdeshel, 4501 Oliver street,
Riverdale. Md, and George B.
Christian. a senior at Howard
University. were approved as Ii
censed to preach in the presby-
terry. Mr.. Houdeshel Is a member
Of Riverdale Presbyterian Church
and Mr.. Christian Of Fifteenth
Street Presbyterian Church.
Cuifton E. Olmstead. l700 Ho-
bart street NV, a member of
Gunton- Temple Memorial Pres
byterian Church. and Milton B.
Vereide, 1924 Massachusetts, ave.
nue. NV, a member Of New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church. were
approved for ordination.
School Aid Bill Opposed.
The Presbytery also went on rec
ord as opposing Senate bin 246,
proposed by Senator Thomas,
Democrat, of Utah for Federal aid
to education. The bill. approved
by the Senate Labor and Public
Welfare Committee, provides that
$500 900 900 may be distributed
annually among States for ele-
mentary and secondary schools.
Noting that States may allot
money to private and parochial
schools If their constitutions per-
NIT it, the resolution approved by
the Presbytery declared "this pro-
vision would result ultimately In
a violation Of the position Of the
United States and the Presbyte-
rian Church in the United States
of America guaranteeing separa-
ton Of church and State"
The motion further asserted
Federal aid would eventually. de-
spite safeguards inserted In the
bill, result in Federal control OF
education. 1t added that individual
States should support their public
schools.
James Sherier Of New York Ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church. presi-
dent Of the preshytery. conducted