Words & Works

P: In South Africa, the Roman Catholic Church committed itself to all-out opposition to the Bantu Education Act, through which the white supremacy Nationalist government is taking over mission schools by cutting off subsidies for teachers. The church launched an appeal from every pulpit for a fund of $1,120,000 to carry the full load of teacher salaries and keep open the schools, which now have 120,000 black pupils. From Rome came the Pope's personal support: "I pray for the success of the Catholic bishops' campaign, and with all my heart I bless all those who will pray, work and give for the mission schools and seminaries in South Africa."

P: The General Board of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. approved an exchange visit of church leaders between Russia and the U.S. in the indefinite future. The proposal, said Council President Dr. Eugene Carson Blake of Philadelphia, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (Northern), came originally from the Russians. After communicating with Patriarch Alexei of Moscow and the U.S. State Department, Dr. Blake said, he expects a Russian delegation of Baptists, Lutherans and other Protestants, as well as representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church.

P: Methodist Board of Temperance headquarters in Washington, D.C. announced ruefully that during a three-month period ending in June, no less than 9,053 new liquor outlets sprang up in the U.S., while in all of 1954 the number of new churches increased by only 5,697. At present, according to the board, there are 141,733 more saloons, bars, cocktail lounges and liquor stores than there are houses of worship.

P: From Budapest, Newspaper Publisher Eugene C. Pulliam filed to his papers* a report on religion in Hungary: "In keeping with the new Soviet line of 'sweetness and light,' the Communist high command in Hungary revised its policy of persecution of priests and pastors. A program of so-called cooperation between state and church was inaugurated. Instead of being scolded and threatened for believing in God and attending church, people are now urged to go to Mass and to church . . . Never has Hungary witnessed such a revival of church attendance . . . Of course, there always is a catch [e.g.] a requirement that priests and pastors should read each Sunday a short 'sermon' extolling the Communist philosophy."

*Indianapolis Star and News, Arizona Republic, Phoenix Gazette, Muncie, Ind. Star and Press, Huntington, Ind. Herald-Press, Vincennes, Ind. Sun Commercial.

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