Evening star., 1951-05-24
Presbyterian Leader
Urges Restoration Of
Civic Character
By cospor Names
Sior Stcff Correspondent


CINCINNATI, May 24.-Dr.
Hugh Ivan Evans of Dayton, Ohio,
retiring moderator of the Presby-
terian Church in the United States
of America, today called on the
denominations legislative body to
go on record "for the restoration
of character in all our civic and
political life"
Corruption, bribery, deceit in
high places find the church an un-
wearied foe," DR.. Evans told the
opening session of the 163d gen.
eral assembly.
1--WE will not let up at any point.
Here I appeal to you to go on
record for the restoration OF char
acter in all our civic and political
life. Let us increase our respect
for life and property and the ap-
probation of genuine ethical values
in every field"
Urges Closer Church Ties.
DR.. Evans appealed for a
"closer relationship" between the
churches to bring to racial and
international tensions a new era
of love where there has been in
tolerance and hate"
"This is not a day in which
Christians should indulge in the
luxury of fighting each other" he
said:
A Successor to DR.. Evans will
be elected later today. The two
leading candidates are DR.. Har-
rison Ray Anderson of Chicago,
minister of Fourth Presbyterian
Church, and DR.. Allan McLachlan
Frew Of Ardmore, Pa, pastor of
First Presbyterian Church.
There are $50 commissioners,
half clergy, half laymen, repre-
senting 262 Presbyteries with more
than "a million members, at the
week-long meeting.
Washingtonians at Session.
Washington City Presbytery
commissioners are the Rev. C..
Stewart Mckenzie of Western
Church, moderator of the Presby-
terry; DR.. Edward E. r. Elson of
National Church and DR.. Earl F.
Fowler of Sixth Church, and Lay
men Charles T. Clayton of Fourth
Church, Prentice N. Dean of First
Church, Arlington, Va, and Har-
old Hoffsommer, Riverdale Church.
The Budget and Finance Com
mittee announced today it will
recommend a $13,429,210 budget
for church contributions to be-
nevolence causes during the COM
ing year to the meeting. This rep
resents an increase of $1,624 ,230
over the 1851 benevolence budget,
which is for the church's work in
home and foreign missions, Chris
tian education and evangelism.
Several overtures of unusual
interest will be acted upon at
the assembly, It was announced
today. One recommends that the
denominations commission on di-
vorce confer with other Prot
estant denominations and with
interdenominational agencies, as
the National Council of Churches,
so that 'the greatest measure of
uniformity possible might be ar
rived at in order to protect the
institution Of marriage"
Overtures on Marriage.
Results of two overtures onI
marriage sent down by last years
general assembly to Presbyteries
will also be announced during the
meeting, one requires pastors toI
keep a register of the names of
persons they marry, and to as
certain if divorced persons wish
ing to remarry are sincere in de-
string to enter "a real marriage
of love, honor, forebearance and
trust"
The other directs each Presby-
terry to establish a committee on
Christian marriage to act on
doubtful cases regarding whether
there are Christian grounds for
remarriage"
The general council last night
called on the assembly to con-
demn any move to legalize eutha-
naSia (mercy Killings.
Noting that any statement on
the subject would be the first to
be issued by the denomination.
the councils committee said "any
encouragement given by our
church to the practice of eutha-
nasia or to legislation permitting
it, would be contrary to our stand
ards and dangerous to the moral