Protestants at Work

Last week three important Protestant denominations met in their own fashions to consider the concerns of their churches. The threat of war, denominational unity and Roman Catholicism seemed to be uppermost in the churchmen's minds.

The Northern Presbyterians turned out 880 commissioners strong (plus 1,500 wives, observers, missionaries and others) for a week of meetings in Cincinnati's ornate Taft Auditorium. They soberly polished off an impressive packet of resolutions without hot debate or high jinks. "A wonderful group of people," commented one hotel manager. "Quiet and understanding, to bed early and up early for convention sessions."

Elected as moderator of the General Assembly and leader of the church for the coming year: the Rev. Dr. Hugh Ivan Evans, Ohio-born pastor for 26 years of the Westminster Church in Dayton. Then the Presbyterians set to work on the agenda. They warned church members against contracting marriages with Roman Catholics under conditions imposed by modern Roman canon law, especially as these conditions involve a promise to have their children brought up in a religious system which they themselves cannot accept."

They voted in favor of federal aid to education "without subsidizing private and parochial schools" and against racial segregation, gambling, liquor advertising and a presidential representative at the Vatican. They debated long before passing a resolution calling for "immediate cessation" of the manufacture of hydrogen bombs and all other weapons of mass destruction through an "effective international agreement" to be reached "with all promptness."

The Northern Baptists held their 43rd annual convention in Boston's red brick Mechanics' Hall with plenty of fervent hymn-singing and services on Boston Common. To preside for the coming year over the 2,000,000 Northern Baptists in 36 states, the 3,000 delegates elected the Rev. Dr. Edward H. Pruden, pastor of Washington's First Baptist Church, which Baptist Harry Truman attends.

Like their Presbyterian brethren, they passed resolutions repudiating the Roman Catholic position on mixed marriages.

They were also against gambling, alcohol and a U.S. representative at the Vatican.

One major decision of the delegates: the official name of the Northern Baptist Convention was changed to the American Baptist Convention. The Rev. Edwin T. Dahlberg, a former convention president, said optimistically: "We are inspired by the hope that ultimately we may join together with the Southern Baptists."

The Unitarians (membership: 75,000) celebrated the 12 5th anniversary of the American Unitarian Association with a 998-delegate convocation in Boston that voted unanimously in favor of a "federal union" with the 53,000-member Universalist Church. The well-dressed, easygoing Unitarians enlivened their sessions with jokes instead of hymns; one suggested that the new united church be named "Uni" for Universalist and "tarian" for Unitarian. Another defined the difference between the two denominations: "The Universalist thinks that God is too good to send men to Hell, and the Unitarian thinks that men are too good to be sent there."

By only two votes the delegates turned down a straight-faced resolution by the

Rev. Richard M. Steiner of Portland Ore.: "Whereas: no social or denominational change has ever been effectuated by the passing of resolutions by any denominational body," and "the plethora of resolutions burdening the business committee and the agenda of the annual meetings has assumed staggering proportions," the convocation should declare a two-year moratorium on all resolutions.

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