Meaningless Temple

In the New York World's Fair of 1939 there will be a little bit of everything-- including religion. Last month the World's Fair made public its plans for expressing "the pervading influence of religion in every phase of American life." For its Temple of Religion it set aside 50,000 square feet, a many-sided 150-foot tower of vaguely ecclesiastical appearance. The interior, without seats, would serve for lectures and discussions of noncontroversial subjects. From one organ and a carillon, music would "softly pervade" the garden surrounding the tower. The Temple's ground would not be consecrated, nor would any denominational services be held in it.

To many a layman these plans seemed softly pervaded with wishy-washiness. Not so, however, to picked representatives of three faiths (Catholic, Jewish and Protestant) who agreed, at a World's Fair luncheon, to help raise $300,000 for the Temple. U. S. Lutherans and Episcopalians, who for two years had been negotiating for space for exhibits at the Fair, were dashed to learn that none would be available for them. Two church papers, thereupon, let off a little steam:

The Living Church (High-Church Episcopal) : "We should like to know just what concept of religious liberty is held by Mr. Whalen [president of the Fair]. ... It strikes us as a peculiar one, to say the least."

America (Jesuit): "Precisely that impression will be conveyed by the religion tower at the World's Fair which the Communists wish to have conveyed . . . the impression that religion is an empty thing, a meaningless 'mysticism.' . . ."

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