Evening star., 1961-03-11
THE HUMAN SIDE OF RELIGION
Council Secretary
Has Varied Career
BY CASPAR NAMES
Religious News Editor
of The Star

! of The Star
The Rev. Virgil E. Lowder
has touched life at many
points.
Clerk and bookkeeper, ath
letic coach and prep school
teacher, magazine writer and
special newspaper correspond
ent, lecturer, pastor, church
eXecutive-these are some roles
he has undertaken during his
career.
Tomorrow Mr.. Lowder will
be officially installed as execu-
tive secretary of the National
Capital Area Council of
Churches at a 4 pm. service
in National City Christian
Church, Thomas Circle. DIR.
Henry Pitney Van Dusen, pres
ident of Union Theological
Seminary, New York, will
speak.
The installation represents
another point of achievement
for the Bluefield, (VaD native.
When IA years old. his father
became sick and Mr.. Lowder
left school to take q job as
messenger boy with the Nor
folk & Western Railroad. Two
years later he left Bluefield to
work for the railroad at Crewe.
Va, 200 miles from home.
At 18, he returned home and
worked as secretary, clerk and
bookkeeper for coal firms in
the area. For the next few
years he also studied at the
Summit City Business College
and at Beaver High School.
He was graduated from both,
being class president at the
latter.
Decides on Ministry
It was during this period
that Mr.. Lowder reached his
decision to enter the ministry.
II was lonely working in the
blackness Of a coal camp and
in a company store" he ex-
planned while there I began
to feel the real need for a
deeper sense of purpose in
life. On week ends I went to
the First Christian Church at
Bluefield and eventually de-
cided to enter the ministry"
This decision resulted in his
entering Lynchburg (Va.) Col
lege. Here he scrubbed floors,
typed manuscripts for the stu
dents, and ran a cleaning and
pressing agency. He also played
varsity basketball and tennis,
being captain of the latter
sport his senior year. All these
activities did not interfere with
his studies, for the ambitious
youth was graduated in 1926
cum laude and earned a Schol-
arship to Yale Divinity School.
He arrived at New Haven
with $105 and Immediately
sought work to supplement his
funds. In the first week he had
three jobs-aS a waiter in the
Women'S Business and Profess
sionall College; as a pallbearer
for a funeral home, and as
an extra for a moving picture
company taking scenes at Yale
University.
Coached Athletics
During the four years at
seminary, Mr.. Lowder also
served as coach and director of
athletics and teacher at Hop
kins Grammar preparatory
School in New Haven.
In 1880 he came to the Uni
versity of Maryland as its first
secretary of the Student Chris
tian Association. Three years
later Mr.. Lowder went to the
Flatbush Congregational
Church, Brooklyn, staying un-
til 1886 before going to the
Fort Washington Collegiate
Church, 1869. Meanwhile he
earned an S. T. M. degree at
Union Theological Seminary,
New York, 1888.
Since then he has held
church positions, mainly with
different councils of churches.
He comes to Washington from
his post as executive director
of the Council of Churches of
Greater Houston Area, 1951-60.
Mr.. Lowder regards his pres
ent assignment, which he has
been on since December, as a
most challenging one. I do not
believe there is a more inter-
eSting city in the country in
which to work." he said.
PRESBYTEI