Religion: Words & Works

¶The Rev. Carey Daniel, pastor of West Dallas’ First Baptist Church and brother of Texas’ Democratic Senator (and candidate for governor) Price Daniel, offered to turn his church buildings into an all-white school if integration should be forced upon Dallas’ public schools. “While correcting the evil of integration,” said Pastor Daniel, “we also plan to correct several other evils.” Items in the proposed curriculum: condemnation of the United Nations and “oneworld ideology,” presentation of evolution “as a damnable heresy and not as scientific fact.”

¶ Lack of cultural opportunities throughout the Soviet Union is forcing young people to “turn to the church for consolation,” complained Pravda. Particularly in the Ural area, Pravda admitted, “the influence of local churchmen is becoming increasingly strong.”

¶ The Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (2,645,745 members) ordained the first woman minister in its history, 31-year-old Miss Margaret Towner, longtime church worker and onetime professional photographer. Minister Towner will serve on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church in Allentown, Pa. Said the Rev. Herbert S. Schroder: “I hope you are the shepherd of the flock for whom you are responsible, and not their pet lamb.”

¶ The Roman Catholic Church is investigating 313 candidates for beatification, the preliminary to sainthood. Rome and Naples lead the field with 56 candidates each. But no fledgling saints are being considered from the whole of the American continent, Asia, Africa or Australia.

¶Contributions to 48 Protestant and two Eastern Orthodox Communions in the U.S. reached a record high of $1,842,592,260 during 1955, announced the National Council of Churches. Per capita contribution to the collection plate: $53.94.