Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

made."
Glimpses of the Religious World
Frank E. Allen, D. D.
Dancing in Schools
The Board of Education of Jefferson County, Colo., has
forbidden social dancing as a compulsory course in high
schools. Some parents had protested the requirement, evi
dently from religious scruples against dancing. The Board
ordered some other form of recreation instruction substitut
ed for dancing. This school system of Jefferson County is the
second largest in Colorado covering nearly half of the Den
ver suburban area.
Similar Objections in California
Two fathers of the Church of God recently objected to
their daughters taking physical education classes in city
schools because they had to wear "scanty" gym suits and
attend dancing
classes. The state law requires students to
participate in physical education classes, so this protest
came before the district attorney's office and arrangement
was made that the daughters would continue in the classes
if they remain properly clothed and do not have to take part
in the dancing activities. These are examples of the ef
fectiveness of honest, earnest protests.
Religious Instruction in Oregon
A ruling has been made by the Attorney
General of
Oregon that public schools in the state must excuse chil
dren to attend outside religious instruction classes if they
present a written request from a parent. He stated that
this instruction must not be for more than two hours a week
and must not interfere with general school activities.
Religious Radio in Seattle
The first full-time Christian Radio Station went on
the air recently on the campus of King's Garden, an inter
denominational center of evangelism. This is KDGN a
100-watt station operating
station.
at 630 kc. and is a daytime
A New Campus for Biola
The Bible Institute of Los Angeles expects to move
to a new fifty-acre campus near La Mirada, Calif. This
Institute has outgrown its facilities at the Church of
the Open Door, but its new buildings will accommodate
1,000 students and these will be enlarged to provide for
1,500 to 2,000 young people. The cost of the new campus
is $2,500,000. This institution is composed of four schools:
the Bible Institute, Bible College, Talbot Theological
Seminary and the School of Missionary Medicine. The
School of Medicine will remain in the down-town area
because its students receive training in metropolitan hos
pitals.
Graham Crusade in New York
Protestant leaders of New York City affirm that an
evangelistic campaign conducted by Billy Graham in the
fall of 1957 seems to be "virtually
assured."
The director
of the Protestant Council, the Rev. D. M. Potter, said
that two years of preparation will be needed for the
crusade.
New Restrictions in India
A new policy went into effect in India during the
last week of December 1954 which will be a greater hind
rance to missions there. The government of
38
India has
announced that visas will be required of British Common
wealth nations who wish to enter that land. During the
years since India has been
granted independence from
Britain, it has been possible for Canadian and British
citizens to enter India freely on their passports, but now
they will have to apply for visas to enter that country.
Due to former restrictions some mission boards had em
phasized the use of Canadian and British personnel in
India. The Evil One is making a desperate effort to close
the door to the enlargement of the Gospel in India.
Presbyterian Merger Loses
Southern Presbyterians have defeated the plan to
unite with the Northern and U. P. denominations. Thirtyfour
Presbyteries have voted against the merger, which
is more than one fourth of the total number of presby
teries (88) required to defeat the plan of union. The
Northern Presbyteries have been generally voting in favor
of the union. Many in the Southern church have felt that
the Northern church was too "liberal" in its theology.
Often such a union, which is supposed to make for greater
harmony,
causes more friction within the denomination
or denominations than there was before the union was
consummated. There were many in Canada who favored a
United Church, who were disappointed after the union
was formed.
Sermon on Temperance
During "The Hour of Decision" broadcast Billy Gra
ham preached a very strong sermon showing the sin of
drinking and the disastrous effects of beverage alcohol.
It may be had by writing to Billy Graham, Minneapolis,
Minn.
Baptists Persecuted in Russia
Gabriel Courier, in his news items, says that accord
ing to a story in the London Observer, the Baptists, chief
Protestant group in Russia, are for the first time in years
feeling the heavy Kremlin hand. Baptists are few in num
bers, compared with members of the Orthodox Church, and
well scattered. But apparently Soviet leaders are deciding
they are not as harmless as they look. Opined the story, "The
Kremlin may now have found that scattered and stub
born believers can offer a more dangerous opposition than
all the panoply of the Orthodox hierarchy, centralized
and highly organized, with whom a deal can more easily
be
Cigarettes Aiming
at the Heart
The Christian Herald (February) presents a striking
up-to-date article entitled, "Cigarettes are Aiming at
Your Heart." Reprints of the article may be had at 25c
for 4 copies, or 4c each in lots of 100 or more. Address
Roy Norr, 11 W. 42nd St., New York, N. Y.
The article begins, "When press headlines shrilled
last summer, "Cigarettes Speed Heart
Deaths,"
Cigarette
Smokers Die Sooner," "Smoking Tied to Heart Ills." the
worst-kept
"secret"
in recent medical annals exp'oded
to the public. Cigarettes at last were statistically, as well
as clinically, linked to the racing death rates from heart
disease, America's top death-dealer. It meant that this
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COVENANTER WITNESS