Evening star., 1952-06-12
Methodists Will Vote
Today 10 Fill Vacancy
In College Of Bishops
By Cospor Nonnes
Stor Stoff Correspondent

HARRISBURG, Pa, June 12.-
Balloting for a new Methodist
bishop will open today at the
Quadrennial meeting of the north
eastern jurisdiction of the Meth
odist Church here.
A vacancy on the denomina-
tion's College of Bishops has been
created due to the retirement of
Bishop Charles Wesley Flint of
Washington.
1t is possible that the increase
IN membership within the north
eastern jurisdiction, which now
has S,125 churches and nearly 1.9
million members, will result in
another bishop being chosen here
this week. This issue will be de-
cided before a vote on the elec-
tion of a bishop is taken.
AS now constituted the north
eastern jurisdiction of 21 annual
conferences has bishops resident
in Boston, New York, Syracuse
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and
Washington. West Virginia. with
22O,O69 members, is being consid-
cred for a new episcopal area.
Re-alignment Possible
A shake-up in the present align
ment of bishops may take place
as the result of the Washington
vacancy. 1t is considered highly
unlikely that the neWly-elected
bishop will be sent to that area.
regarded by many here as one of
the most important in the church
bishoprics.
Bishop Fred Pierce Corson of
Philadelphia and Bishop G. Brom-
ley Oman of New York are both
prominently mentioned in con-
versations among sthe 80 dele
gates here for the job.
Two ministers prominently
mentioned for the new openings
as Bishop are the Rev. Fred B.
Newell of New York, executive
secretary of the church's New
York City Society, and the Rev.
Weldon F. Grassland of Rochester,
N. Y, pastor of Asbury-First
Methodist Church.
Conference Growing.
Bishop Flint, who will be hon.
ored at tomorrow's session, re-
ported today that there are 174,-
ISL members in the Baltimore
annual conference. This is gain
of 1876 over the 1948 figure of
161,415.
Moscow and Wall Street are
both attacking the World Council
of Churches because neither ap-
pears willing to have its practices
judged by the moral law" Bishop
OMAN declared last night.
The church espouses no eco
nomic system" the New York
bishop said. 1T judges all eco
nomic systems by the ethical
principles of the Christian faith.
This is not to equate communism
end capitalism. It is to subject
both, and other systems, too, to
the scrutiny of moral principles
and to the judgment of God"
Bishop Oman hit at coward
lv citizens" who would have
churchmen "cease to use such
words as peace, justice. brother
hood, equality and service be-
cause Communists misuse these
terms"
Urges Church to Lead.
1--WE refuse to let the Commu-
nists monopolize and misuse
these great words" he declared.
"On the contrary, the church
must lead the world to peace and
justice. brotherhood and equality"
Washington area delegates and
their churches are D. Stewart
Patterson, Emory: Leonidas Nc
Dougal. Metropolitan; Mrs. Joy
Elmer Morgan, Hamline; DR.. j
Milton Rogers. Woodside; William
Springer. Chevy Chase; DR.. Horace
E. Cromer. McKendree; DR.. Orris
G. Robinson and Mrs. Fred C.
Reynolds. both of Calvary.
Also, Judgt Charles Woodward
Of Rockville, Md; w. Carroll
Beatty of Hyattsville, Md, and DR.
j. c. MILAN, superintendent OF
the West DiStrirt.