Evening star., 1951-03-18
The Week in Religion
By Religious News Service

An increasing number of cities
throughout the United States are
joining in the movement for
more religious observance of Good
Friday.
Promoted by joint committees
OF Protestants and Roman Catho-
lies, the movement originated in
San Francisco in 1914. 1t seeks
wider recognition of the solemn
nature of the great Christian
holy day and greater attendance
OF traditional services held in
churches between noon and pm.
Not only church members, but
civic and commercial groups are
being urged to enter more fully
into the spirit of the day on which
the Christian church commemo-
rates the passion and crucif1xion
of Christ.
The origin of the term Good
Friday is obscure. According to-
one theory, it came from Gods
Friday" while another holds that
the word Good" refers to the
benefits that came to the world
through the life and death of the
Savior.
Truman Asks Wide Observance.
In letter to the Washington
Committee for the Three Hours
Observance of Good Friday, Presi-
dent Truman said it would be
we'll for the Nation if Good Friday
were widely observed throughout
the country"
The President expressed, in
particular, the hope that the
religious observance would con-
tribute to the building of peace.
Mr.. Truman noted that the OBJ
servance of Good Friday has been
outlawed by totalitarian dictators
abroad and that "the word just
now is full of false witnesses"
What we. need is the stead
fastness. the unwavering faith oil
Job. who, mistaken by aff1iction,
undaunted by persecution, de-
clared before his enemies, I know
that My Redeemer liveth,'" the
President said. The sacrifice oil
Calvary is an example of the I'M
mensity Of the love of the Son oil
Coda love through which theI
whole human race can be saved" u
On the Washington committee, |
three bishops serve as co-chair-
men-Roman Catholic Archbishop
Patrick A. O'Boyle, Bishop August
Dun, Of the Protestant EPISCOPAL
Church, and Methodist Bishopl
Charles w. Flint.
Closing Movement Spreads.
Several thousand commercial
establishments in the Philadelphia
area, including grocery stores,
movie houses, taprooms and otherI
business and public places, will
as in other years, observe at least
a three-hour closing on Good
Friday. This closing has been one
OF the prime objectives of theI
Philadelphia committee, and theI
practice has increased every year.
The Philadelphia group, which
is headed jointly by a PROTESTANT
and Catholic layman, has dis
tributed $4,000 Good Friday post
ers this year, as well as several
thousand appropriate banners for
display in offices, hotels and pub
lie buildings.
Meanwhile, it was announced
that local radio stations will carry
special Good Friday announce
ments and that banks and COM
mercial institutions will use the
slogan, "Observe Good Friday"
on their postage meters.
The Washington committee has
praised CIO President Philip Muir
ray and AFL President William
Green. both members of the group,
for their cooperation in promot-
ing reverent observance of Good |
Friday among labor unions.
About 70 secular organizations
have helped the committee to
organize services in veterans
hospitals and in Government de-
partments. When the Washington
group started to function 10 years