Evening star., 1950-07-16
The Week in Religion
By Religious News Service

Christian youth from more than
a score of countries are being en-
rolled this summer in voluntary
work camps in various parts OF
the world. This reflects the grow
ing emphasis in the Protestant
churches on the role of young
people.
The international work camps
are being conducted under the
auspices of the World Council OF
Churches Youth Department to
give some 800 young men and
women opportunities for "practi-
cal construction work in Christian
international fellowship"
The camps will be located in the
United States, England, Belgium,
Germany, Italy, Cyprus, India,
Japan and the Philippines. An
other camp was to have been held
in Korea, but the war has inter-
fered with plans.
A wide variety of tasks await
the young people. Some will be
engaged in helping to rehabilitate
and resettle refugees and displaced
persons. Others, especially in the
United States and England, will
carry out work for the old and
inf1rm in tenement areas. All will
have opportunities to meet and
compare notes with the youth of
other lands.
Movie Actress Takes Part.
Churches of various denomina-
ton are sponsoring individual
projects in Europe. One is the
First Presbyterian Church of
Hollywood which sent team for
six weeks work in German and
French youth camps. Among the
young people is Movie Actress Col
leen Townsend, who recently
started a new career-making re-
ligious motion pictures.
Throughout the United States
Protestant young people spoke out
for themselves as the church con-
vention season got into full swing.
At Denver, Colo, delegates of
the 58th convention of the Inter-
national Walther League, youth
organization of the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod. approved
a three-year Christian Youth Mis-
sion.
Features of the Mission will be
the establishment of an interna-
tional Bible reading program, the
development of youth leadership
training schools, the sponsoring
of a World Federation of Lutheran
Youth, and the enrolling of former
Walther Leaguers into an alumni
group.
A report to the convention
showed that the League gained 112
new societies during the past year,
bringing the, total membership to
3.419 societies.
One of the leading speakers was
John w. Boehne, former Repre-
sentative from Indiana.
Christian responsibility in polit-
ical life was especially underscored
by the National Council of the
Pilgrim Fellowship, Congregation
alist young peoples organization,
which met at Milwaukee, Wis.
Most of the council members are
too young to vote, but they are
interested in politics and they
want their elders to vote even if
they themselves can't.
Consequently, the council
adopted the slogan: 1--WE baby-sit
while you vote" 1t is asking local
branches to set up baby-sitting
bureaus SO that teen-agers can
look after children while parents
get out to the election booth.
The young people also agreed
to go on errandS for ward COM
mittee members to become ac-
quainted with local politics, attend
town and city council sessions, and
ask for more interesting" govern
ment courses at school.
In Grinnell, Ia, Presbyterian
young people heard the Rev. Eu-
gene C. Blake of Pasadena, Calf,
refute criticisms OF the church as
being dull, stuffy and unrealis-
tic"
Routine Transformed.
Addressing the National AS
sembly of the Westminster Fell
lowShip, youth group of the Pres
byterian Church in the United
States Of America, Mr.. Blake de-
clared that while the church
doesn't change the routine of life,
ut transforms it into an adven-
ture in relation to eternity"
Highlight of the assembly was
the adoption Of a resolution call
ing on members of the fellowship
to help safeguard academic free
dom. The resolution urged young