The Vineyard

Last week these doings in religion's name made news:

In Manhattan, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists and Congregationalists announced that they hope to unite in setting up a "Protestant Center" to house their separate national headquarters. In New York's state legislature a bill was introduced to provide legal machinery for a solution to the ecclesiastical housing problem, but approval of final plans by the churches is likely to take five to ten years.

In Atlantic City, N.J., the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (Northern) disclosed that 12,000 new members had been added to its rolls during the last five months. These are the first fruits of the "New Life Movement," in which Presbyterians have set themselves a three-year goal of 1,000,000 new members and 300 new churches. During 1948, more than 100,000 Presbyterian laymen, will be recruited and trained as evangelists.

In Greenwich, Conn., the National Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church, dissatisfied with existing literature on marriage, decided to prepare its own. Items needed: a basic book of instruction on marriage; an extensive bibliography on sex, marriage and family life for the clergy.

In Amsterdam, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced that it would forthwith equip all its planes with portable altars (including altar stone, crucifix, chalice, missal, altar cloths and a gold and purple chasuble). The innovation, said airline officials, was the result of numerous requests from air traveling priests.

In Sydney, Australia, New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Ernest D. Roper granted an injunction to 23 outraged parishioners of the Anglican Bishop of Bathurst, Rt. Rev. Arnold Lomas Wylde, restraining the bishop from introducing "Romish" practices into his diocese. Departing from the Book of Common Prayer, Bishop Wylde was accused of introducing into the Communion service such customs as ringing the Sanctus bell and making the sign of the cross. Commented Justice Roper: "It is quite deplorable that members of a Christian community have been unable to settle differences without recourse to litigation."

In Toulouse, France, Jules Cardinal Saliege's Lenten letter to his flock began: "You have often heard it said, or have read, that Christian civilization must be saved. I say it cannot be saved, for it does not exist. We must create a Christian civilization."

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