Evening star., 1953-06-06
Bishop Oman Tells
Methodists Big Issue
Today Is Freedom
By Cospor Names
Sfop StoH rorrasnand.rt

IVUUy IShVVUVW
By Casper Names
Star Staff Correspondent
WESTMINSTER, Md, June
6.-Methodist Bishop G. Brom-
ley Oman of Washington
suggested yesterday that "the
communion table should pre-
cede the conference table" if
Christians are to work out baf-
fling contemporary problems.
Bishop Oman told ministers
and laymen at the Baltimore
conference annual meeting at
Western Maryland College here
that freedom is the issue of
today.
"The spirit in which Chris
tians approach the complex and
battling problems of contempo-
rary society is of primary i'm
portance," he said.
Christians who meet to con-
slider the economic life will do
well to kneel in devotion before
they rise for discussion.
"Men who bow In repentant
spirit at the table of the Lord
make themselves to confer with
brothers in the spirit of the Lord.
The communion table should pre-
cede the conference table because
conference with our fellows will
be more productive when pre-
ceded by communion with our
Christ"
Warns of Prejudice.
Such conferences will not be
productive Of good, Bishop Ok
nam said, if Christians come with
the determination to force a par
ticular view upon others or if
they allow themselves to be i'm
pressed by oratory that appeals
to prejudice.
If Christians meet in humility
and love, resolved to respect and
to learn from each other, the
bishop said, then honest men
and women who at present diff
fer profoundly may discover in
Christian fellowship both the
spirit and practice essential for
Christianizing our economic
life"
The Bishop also defended the
free enterprise system.
"I believe in the overruling
percentage of cases, free enter
prise will result in greater pro-
ductivity, release more creativity
and maintain freedom better
than any economic system man
has evolved" he said. But the
speaker also warned against re-
ligion identifying itself with the
political, economic and social
system in which one finds him
self.
Surprisingly little controversy
marked passage of a social edu-
cation and action report setting
forth the conferences views on
numerous economic. political
and social issues.
Games of Chance Condemned.
An addition to the section on
gambling condemned "all games
of chance to make profit for the
church."
II have long been sick and
tired of hearing people who de-
fend gambling say your churches
do that under the pretext of
charity" the Rev. Leonard
Smith, of Baltimore declared.
"The lines are drawn and we
are either going to be on the Of
fense or the defense against this
evil. We cannot resort to games
Of chance to bring profit to the
church." he said.
This section also calls on Meth
odists to refrain from playing
bingo, raffles and other games.
It further urged them to protest
the existence in their communi-
ties of slot machines and pinball
machines as opening wedges for
more fragrant forms Of the gam
bling evil.
The delegates approved a Sec
ton calling on the Maryland
Legislature to provide "for civil
marriages by proper designated
civil officers"
Also . Civil Ceremony.
1.-THE Protestant principle Of
separation of church and state
would require that the state rec
ognize that marriage is'a civil as
well as a religious ceremony,
the Rev. c. Lewis Robson Of New
Windsor, Nd, said.
Other sections of the report
asked that steps be taken to
meet crime conditions in Mary
land and Washington. urged
church people not to take sides
in controversies between capital
and labor, and called for better
relations with Negroes in church
enterprises.
The four-day meeting viii con-
clude tomorrow with an an
nouncement Of the annual ap-
pointment Of ministers to
churches within the Baltimore
Conference.