Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-16
Methodists
Act Toddyon
Racial Issues
Virginia Conference
Deciding Stond on
Segregation Ruling
By cospor Names
Stor Stuff CcvYespondont

kG4CE1MONO, June 1O.-O6IG"
gates to the Virginia Methodist
conference will act to-
day on a resolution referring to
aspects of the recent SUI
preme Court decision abolishing
segregation in the public schools.
The delegates. representing
/ .184 Methodist churches having
298. 900 members. will follow re-
cent national and other church
meetings in facing the touchy
problem. Among the church bod.
les urging members to follow
the Supreme Court ruling were
the Southern Baptist Conven-
ton, the. Presbyterian Church,
u. S. A., and the Baltimore An
nual Conference Of the Meth
odiSt Church.
Asserting that the relations Of
the races is perhaps the most
crucial problem before the world
today, the resolution calls upon
the conference pastors to re-
study their obligations and re-
SponSibilities in this area as a
result of the recent ruling.
Their decisions, the motion
states. should be made Gin keep
ing with the spirit of Jesus
Christ"
Proper Timing Urged.
The statement, pointing, out
the emotional elements involved
in applying the decision, also
urges the Supreme Court to con-
slider carefully "the time needed
to integrate the school system. "
Another resolution bearing
upon public issues will repeat the
conferences action last year in
denouncing certain Congress
Sional investigation" committee
methods.
Declaring that widespread use
in American political life of the
"big-lie" technique has con-
tinued. the motion charges that
this approach in political cam
paignS and certain Congressional
Investigations has spread the
spirit of intolerance, prejudice,
uncharitable judgment" and that
it lowers morale. The statement
then calls on the church leaders
to use every possible means to
create sentiment against these
practices.
Alexandria I'm Lead.
The Alexandria district has
grown so rapidly since 1910 that
it is now the largest district in
the conference, DR.. John II. Pear
son, district superintendent. re-
ported yesterday. He noted that
the district jumped from $4,000
members of Methodist churches
in 1910 to IS, 900 today. He added
that 1901 members were taken
in during the past year by pro-
fession of faith or by letters OF
transfer. There are 81 churches
and Sc pastoral charges in the
district.
Individual churches also have
registered impressive gains dur.
ing 1853, DR.. Pearson said. Ar
lington Church gained 404 mem
bers; darlington Church, sos;
Graham Road Church, organized
during the year. 219: Mount
Olivet Church, 1876, and Claren-
don Church, 1913.
The area is also experiencing
a building boom, with $1,156. OOC
now being spent on various types
of church structures. Harrington
and Arlington Forest churche.
are putting up new sanctuaries
each costing 100000. The
Washington Street Church edu.
cation building viii cost $270,-
600, and the Mount Olivet
Church education structure
$15O,000.
The commission on town and
country work reported today
that Is per cent of Virgins
population Is years and under
live in town and country com.
munities. Asserting these younl
people can become strong add.
tons to Methodist Church life
the commission urged that Step
be taken to interest them in loca
church activities.
The Virginia conference wa
asked to tighten its educationa
requirements for the ministry
in a report submitted yesterday
by the Board of Ministerial
Training and Qualifications.
"Thirty-seven annual confer
enceS require the bachelor o
divinity degree as a condition
Of membership. ana only six o
them have made exception t.
since 1948," the report stated
''Fifty-f1ve conferences requir
the bachelor of arts degree ant
80 made exception from 1913
1852, and only % since 1852. Tn
trend. therefore. is steadily to
ward higher educational stand
ards throughout the church. bu
our conference has not kept "
with the trend
| Row w. Ewes Reelected