The Illinois times. (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-19??, 1951-10-12


Leading chanehmen from rs
states. gathered IN Washington on
three day pilgrimage, elimAxed
their visit by presenting awards
TO two clergy and lay charvhmen
for their outstanding eontrlhu.
tions TO religion during 1851.
DR.. Arson Phelps Stokes. for.
mer canon Of Washington Ma.
tional Cathedral and noted worker
for Negro progress in Washington
and elsewhere. received the award
of Clergy Churehman of the
Year in recognition of his long
life of unselfish service rs Chris.
tan clergyman, economist, histori-
an. and author"
DR. Stokes Is author of the wild
ely read book, Church and State
in the United States" which por-
trays the close relation Of religion
TO tho affairs Of state IN the history
OF this country.
Unable TO receive the award IN
person. nr Stokes was represented
by his son, the Rev. Arson Phelps
Stokes. Jr., rector of 81. Rartholo-
news Church. New York City Ia
presenting the award. pf Mordecai
johnson president of Howard Uni
verSity. honored DIR, Stokes for
improving educational opportun.
tiles of Negroes and helping them
attain full Christian citizenship,
Dt. William H Stacked, promi.
nent Lutheran layman and senior
vice president OF the Rochester
~ " Security Company, re-
ceived the clay ehurehman Of the
year" award for his "life of IN
selfish service as citizen, noighbor,
executive, and churrhman. DIR.
Stacked has been active in founding
the National Council of the chu-
riches of Christ in the Il y. A.
Following the presentation Of
awards, the Washington pilgrimage
OF churchmen heard an address by
Or. Robert u. Whyte, minister of
Old Stone Church, Cleveland. who
said;
"our chief peril IN not from be-
levers in communism but rather
from indifference TO and neglect
of our religious heritage ON the
part of some who only give II lip
service."
He told the gathering there Ia
little to fear from ''any allen
ideology" II all persona who claim
ed to be religious supported their
churches and faithfully practiced
religious principles.
DIR. Whyte asserted the Pilgrim
founding fathers would have RE-
pudiated with scorn" the Commu-
MIST effort to reduce "the whole
cosmos to materialistic basis
MAY the inspiration OF this
pilgrimage. he continued, lead
TO rededication Of ourselves To
fidelity, to the legacy Of religious
faith, of political, social, and edu-
cational thinking which we have
received from the men who laid
the foundations Of this new world. "
Andrew II. pelps. vice-presi-
dent OF Westinghouse Electric
Corporation. also brought greet
ings TO the churehmen, whose visit
to Washington served TO reempha-
size Americas faith in God and
the Importance of religious prin~
eples as the foundation of the dem
ocratie way Of life.
During the day on Sept, 20 spe-
cial ceremonies were held for the
group at the Jefferson and Lincoln
Memorials and at the Supreme
Court of the United States.
At the Lincoln Memorial DIR.
Theodore DistIer, president Of
Franklin and Marshall College,
Lancaster, Pa, declared: "our ma
tional destiny and this future of
western civilization wait for the
leadership of men whose religious
faith viii equal that OF Abraham
Lincoln"
A service at the Washington
Cathedral Sept. 80 concluded the
founding pilgrimage. From this
year on 1t will be an annual event.