Religion: Race, Marriage & Women

Green Montreat Valley, nestling in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, was once the 6,000-acre hunting preserve of Candy King John S. Huyler. Now it is a kind of religious preserve, owned by the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (Southern), and operated as an assembly grounds and for the peace and pleasure of its retired and vacationing members. Last week 482 commissioners, representing more than 810,000 members, 3,806 congregations, gathered there for the Southern Presbyterians' 96th general assembly. The commissioners (including ten Negroes) debated and prayed for six days in grey stone Anderson Auditorium, partly by act. partly by refusal to act. put Southern Presbyterianism on record:

Against Segregation. Two presbyteries in South Carolina and one in Alabama made "overtures" (requests) that the assembly submit to all 85 presbyteries for a vote its 1954 proclamation that all men are equal in Christ and that congregations and institutions should open their doors to all races. The assembly turned the requests down cold—first in standing committee and then in a unanimous vote of all the delegates.

For Tighter Marriage Laws. By its second unanimous vote of the session, the assembly decided to stop remarrying even the innocent parties in divorces granted for adultery or desertion. At the same time, however, the report recommended that congregations appoint committees to examine divorced candidates for remarriage to determine whether the local minister should make an exception to the remarriage ban.

For Women in Church Office. By a bare eight votes (234 to 226), the assembly passed a recommendation that women be eligible for the offices of ruling elder and deacon in the congregations. By a voice vote, the delegates also recommended that women be permitted to speak in ecclesiastical courts. The recommendation on holding office is still to be approved by a majority of the 85 presbyteries, when it is brought before the general assembly for final action.

As moderator for the next year, the Presbyterians elected conservative Dr. William Taliaferro ("Tolly") Thompson, 70, who retired this month after 36 years as professor of Christian education at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond. In accepting the silver gavel, Dr. Thompson gave his fellow Presbyterians something for all Christians to think about. "Genuine Christians." said he, "ought to be as distinguishable from others as a civilized man is from a savage.