Evening star., 1960-05-07
BY CASPAR NAMES
Star stah Writer

DENVER, Colo, May T.
Methodists spent nearly S460
million the past four years on
church buildings, the General
Conference of the Methodist
Church learned today.
DR.. B. p Murphy of the Di-
vision of National Missions re-
ported that about Sis million
a year had been expended on
l,188 church structures during
the period 1956-60.
He predicted this building
boom will go on indefinitely, as
serting "the chief factor which
calls for a continued high level
of church building is the popu-
lation increase of about 3 mil
lion a year"
The nearly 800 delegates rep
resenting the 10-million- mem
Der Methodist Church ended
their 1l-day quadrennial meet
ing today after devoting most
of yesterday acting on memo
rails tresolutions) dealing with
national. international and
church issues.
Oppose Capital Punishment
Among the memorials passed
by the delegates relating to ma
tional questions were the fol-
lowing:
/. Capital puniShment-They
opposed capital punishment as
not dissuading people from
committing homicide and
warned that there is always
the possibility that an innocent
person may be put to death"
2. Planned Parenthood -
They warned that over-pula-
ton is producing social tensions
equal in seriousness to the
threat of a third world war.
The statement supported "the
principle that planned parent
hood. practiced in Christian
conscience. fullfills rather than
violates the will of God" 1t
further asserted this is a ques-
ton for individual couples to
decide and expressed the con-
'viction that information about
planned parenthood is a legit-
innate expenditure of public
funds and a humanitarian serv-
ice sanctioned by the Christian
conscience.
3. Religious discrimination
They denounced recent anti
Semitic outbreaks, prosecutions
''of Protestants in some parts of
the wold," and a revival and
circulation of the spurious So
called knights of Columbus
oath" and called for construc-
tive, positive programs ito
counteract hate" and urged the
development of community at
.titudes which prevent discrim-
'ination against any religious
group"
4. Social benefits-They af-
f1rmed support of legislation
dealing with security for old
age" and for insurance against
sickness and injury to the
worker" They also approved
the right of employees and en-
ployers Ito organize for COL
lective bargaining" and called
on them to do so in good
faith.
Memorials dealing with in
ternational issues passed by
the conference included the
following:
/. Universal disarmament -
Only complete disarmament,
involving both nuclear and
conventional weapons, down to
the levels required for internal
policing will deprive nations of
the tools of war"
2. Agricultural surpluses -
The United States has an agri-
culture surplus while millions
in other lands are suffering
from hunger" The group
urged Government leaders to
work with church leaders in
solving the hunger of the
world and Americas sur
pluses."
8. Reciprocal trade agree
ments - They called on the
Senate Ito support further the
principle of international CO.
operation through trade by
ratifying the treaty which
would make our Nation a mem
ber of the organization for
trade cooperation"
Would Aid Refugees
4. Refugees - They asked
Christians everywhere to help
refugees find permanent resi-
dence and to help in all poSsi-