Evening star., 1954-12-03
Council Of Churches
InstaIIs Officers al
Final Session Today
By Cospor Names
Siar Ssaff Correspondent

By cospor Names
Star s.aff Correspondent
BOSTON, Dec. 3.-The Ma
tional Council of Churches will
conclude its third biennial meet
ing here today by adopting a
message to the churches" con-
cerning the place of religion In
our tension filled world.
Action on the statement by
the $50 delegates, representing
30 Protestant and Eastern Ortho-
dox denominations having 35
million members, and the in
stallation of the newly elected
president, DR.. Eugene Carson
Blake of Philadelphia, and other
officers will bring the six-day
meeting to an end.
The solemn installation serv-
Ice today in Old South Church
win emphasize the dramatic re-
action yesterday, when delegates
learned Pope Plus XII was seri-
ously ill.
This information came as the
delegates were watching a NOV
ing picture setting forth some
of the things the churches
should do to help conditions
within our country. The pic
ture was stopped, the lights were
snapped on and the delegates
looked somewhat startled as DR..
Blake stepped forward on the
platform.
Pray For Recovery.
In a serious voice the Pres
byterian Church leader told the
gathering about the Pope's i'll
ness. He read a resolution pray
Ing that Almighty God through
his healing grace may sustain
Pope Plus XII In his hour of
suffering and expressing SYM
pathy with Roman Catholic
friends In their anxiety over
the illness of their spiritual
leader" and then called for a
minute of silent prayer.
Silently, with heads bowed,
the delegates stood as the so
seconds slowly licked away.
Then, in a subdued manner, they
returned to their interrupted
business session after unani-
mously approving the resolution.
Last night two political leaders
of world reputation, DR.. Charles
Malik, Ambassador of Lebanon
to the United States, and Lester
3. Pearson, Secretary Of State
for External Affairs of Canada,
told an open council meeting in
Symphony Hall that 'co-exist-
ence" with Soviet Russia is not
so much matter of choice as
of survival.
Alternatives Cited.
DR.. Malik, chairman of the
Lebanon delegation to the Unit
ed Nations. declared that while
it is struggle to the death
with communism" we must not
allow that fact to blind us ito
honest and real possibilities Of
peaceful co-existance' in world
In which atomic war might mean
not so much the defeat of COM
munism as the destruction OF
everything"
Mr.. Pearson, former president
of the United Nations General
Assembly, asserted "the power OF
nuclear explosives" was so ter
rible that Ito debate such a ques-
ton as whether co-existence is
desirable or not, seems an idle
occupation. There may be only.
one answer, either co-existence
or non existence"
Mr.. Pearson told the gathering
the United States and Canada
must be ready to negotiate So
lutions for international prob
lens even with those we have
cause to fear and whose good
faith we have reason to suspect.
We should not, in my view, refuse
any offer to negotiate any differ
ence with anybody, unless that
offer is obviously insincere or
, designed merely to delay and
Illustrate policies on which we
have embarked and which we are
convinced are right"
To Meet Oftener.
The council yesterday approved
a resolution changing the meet
ing of the General Assembly
from every two years to every
three years. A corollary provided
that officers be elected for three
year terms instead of two-year
terms.
The council also voted to ac-
cept a st. Louis invitation to
hold the next General Assembly
there in 1857.
It unanimously adopted four
recommendations on Christian
life and work. AS presented by
Charles P. Taft of Cincinnati,
chairman of a sectional meeting
on 1.-THE Churches Witness
Within the Nation" the recon-
mendations-
Urged member communions, in
the light of difficult ethical
problems lay people face daily
in their jobs and occupations" to
make use of the councils new
program techniques and discus
sion aids;
Encouraged the churches ito
venture more courageously into
racial and cultural Inclusion;
Urged the council Ito devise
means for providing continuous
information regarding efforts OF
the churches and their congrega-
tions to maintain American
freedom;
Called on member communions