Fraternity-Testvériség, 1954 (32. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1954-10-01 / 10. szám

IN PLAIN AMERICAN

A monthly page conducted by Edmund Vasvary

A NEW “LINE”. — Christianity is a close ally of Communism, says the “A Kereszt’, organ of the Catholic “peace priests” in Hungary. As the same time, the publication refers contemptuously to the United States. “There is no doubt” — says the article — “which of the two powers (the U. S. or the Soviet) stands nearer to us as regards their principles and endeavors, as well as their attitudes and will, and which corresponds better to Christianity.” In the Soviet, one of the orthodox bishops writes that “the task of the Soviet is the propagation of the high moral principles of peace, unity, love and brotherhood all over the world .... A sacred task defined by Christ himself.”

A MODERN CHURCH. — The 100-year- old Marble Collegiate Church in New York

demonstrates how it is possible to overcome physical handicaps in serving overflow congregations, with the help of modern conveniences. The church uses four large television

screens in four auxiliary rooms, broadcasting the entire service to that part of the congregation which could not be seated in the church itself. This way it is possible to give every

detail of the service to 1800 people, which is about 60% more than the normal church

capacity. Wonderful arrangement, indeed. The only difficulty of duplicating this in some of our churches, where, at times, there are overflowing congregations also, is the expense, which was $25,000 for this alert and up-to-date church.

At the same time that this sweetness is

issuing forth, the Communists continue their anti-religious propaganda as vigorously as ever. For instance, a broadcast to the Ukraine emphasized that “active work for atheism is the duty of every Communist and every fully conscious non-party citizen. Communism and religion are incompatible and irreconcilable.”

★ ★ ★

A “NEW REFORMATION” stands on the threshold of the United States, says Dr. Elton Trueblood, who is chief of the Religious Information Service, a subdivision of the U. S. Information Agency. He is a layman, not a minister. According to him, the most important sign of the new vitality in American religious life is the “immense growth” of the sense of religious responsibility among church members, who, so far, have been using only a “tiny fraction” of their powers in the Christian cause.

Other proofs: surprising gains in church attendance, record sales of religious literature, great interest of the press in the Evanston Assembly, the President’s call for a national day of prayer. According to Dr. Trueblood, humanity is living in one of the great times of the Christian faith, in one of the creative periods, and at a time much nearer to the beginning than to the end of the Christian movement.

UNION WELFARE FUNDS. — For the past eight years the “welfare fund” idea has spread like wildfire among the unions. Not millions, but billions of dollars were handled — and in some cases mishandled — by union officials, many of them being unprepared or unfit to bear such responsibilities. Grievous scandals were the results, foreshadowing the need of strict supervision and regulation not only by the great labor associations, but by the U. S. government itself.

The ball started rolling when the AFL at its recent Los Angeles convention urged its unions to run down any union officers dipping into member funds and to do it without waiting for public prosecution to locate the trouble.

The CIO also is coming out with a hard hitting drive to insure honest handling of benefit money. It is said that since the CIO has more authority to direct its member unions, its arrangements will go further than those adopted by the AFL. Both are ready to pledge all-out cooperation in any probe and in framing any legislation necessary. The CIO has already ordered a cleanup in the store employees’ union in New York, suspending several its officials.

Both the House and Senate are making new investigations into union welfare funds. Union leaders say privately they expect new frauds to be turned up, but they claim most such funds are run ably and honestly.