Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-31

to organize corps of prison
chaplains" to discourage police
mistreatment of demonstrators.
There's q job to be done in
every city and every village in
America" said the Rev. DR.. Eu-
gene Carson Blake, vice chair
man of the commission, and
chief executive of the United
Presbyterian Church.
DR.. Blake and Bishop Daniel
Corrigan Of the Episcopal
church were arrested July 4 in
q Baltimore indignation Demon
Stration.
Financial Weapon
The new punch in the church
stand has showed up in many
ways. The United Church of
Christ "a merger including
CongregationaliStS) shaped a
potent financial weapon at its
general synod in Denver this
summer.
1t moved to make loans for
new church construction con-
tingent on nondiscrimination in
building work, and on a COM
mitment to an interracial poll
icy by congregational leaders.
United Presbyterians have
adopted a similar policy. The
denomination this spring ap-
propriated a half-million dol
lars to support direct-action
programs for integraticn. The
Disciples of Christ also made a
special ALLEGATION for this pur-
pose.
Roman Catholicism was q
forerunner in integration &C.
ton. In 194T, Joseph Cardinal
Ritter, of st. Louis, deseg-
regated parochial schools there,
despite lay resistance. Catholic
Bishop Vincent 8. Waters did
the same in the diocese OF
Raleigh, N. c., in 1858, ahead
of the court decision.
He got showed about in the
process, but stuck to his rule
Segregation is a product OF
darkness, and the time has
come to end IT," he said.
Much Of the reinforced
church activity was geared for
an interfaith approach.
That aspect got its big push
in January at the historic and
unprecedented national con-
ference on religion and race"
in Chicago, the first time lead
ing Protestant, Jewish and
Roman Catholic bodies had
Joined in tackling the problem.
"Racism is our most serious
domestic evil" the conference
declared. I'VE must eradicate 1t
with all diligence and speed"
Permanent machinery wa 8
set up for continuing inter-
faith operations, with a local
network organized in Atlanta,
Detroit, New Orleans, Miami,
Pittsburgh, st. Louis, San An
tonic, Little Rock, San Fran
cisco and elsewhere.
Among the Nations Negroes. |
about 10 million belong to |
separate all-Negro Protestant |
denominations - Baptist and |
Methodist. About 100000 are
Roman Catholics and another
100000 belong to predomi-
nantly white Protestant bodies, |
although they are chiefly In
one-color congregations.
At the national level, in |
most denominations, and in
inter UNCONVENTIONAL bodies, |
Negroes have considerable rep
reSentatIon.
But the pattern rarely is re-
Elected on the local scene - in
the overwhelming white subur-
ban congregations, and in de
facto segregated city neighbour
hoods, North and South.
Some Of the white pastors
have been heroic. but the
church as a community, alleg-
eddy a community of grace
has been woefully lacking in
relevance and vitality" says
Protestant theologian Rein
hold Niebuhr.
1916 migration Stand
In its formal and official
preachments, however, the
church additionally has
pleaded for interracial BROTH
erhood.
In 194e, nearly q decade be-
fore the Supreme Court deci-
sion, the Federal Council Of
Churches, an interdenomina-
tional precursor of the ma
tional council. declared that
segregation is a denial of our
Christian faith"
A famed Southern Baptist
evangelist, Billy Graham, set
an early example in his cru
Sades, here and abroad. I'VE
will not hold a segregated
anywhere in the
world" he announced.
After the Supreme Court de-
cision, every major denomina-
ton, including the strongest
church body In the South, the
Southern Baptist Convention,
Indorsed the desegregation Or
der.
In many cases, groups of
Southern pastors, in the midst
Of racial tension, have issued
calling for equal
treatment Of the Negro. Some
pastors have lost their posts
Is a result Of their stand.
A survey In 1858 showed
Our out Of five Southern
Protestant pastors favored in !