European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 26, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes religion some leaders fear gop congressional i coyotes a Flatt members of the National woman a Christian Temperance Union sing during a convention in Frederick md., in August. By Shawn Donnan the associated press Frederick my. A a Century after an a swinging Bible thumping the Cotaling tempest named carry nation terrorized saloons in the Midwest the movement she made famous is looking for a new identity. The number of members in the National woman s Christian Temperance Union who pledge to abstain from a fall distilled fermented and malt liquors Quot and a discourage the use of and traffic in the same a has decreased steadily since the repeal of prohibition in 1933. Prohibition began in 1920. During the decade that followed there were 1.5 million of the dogged crusaders against drink tobacco and other activities they called immoral. Today there Are Only about 25,000. A i done to know what happened a said Rachel Kelly president of the Temperance Union for the past six years. A a y a when the organization held its 120th convention in a Small Western Maryland hotel ballroom in August there was ample room for the 400 members attending from across the country. During a prayer meeting at the opening session the cries for change were evident As delegates sought solutions to the Union s dwindling membership. A i Praise god because i know he a bigger than what a the matter Quot one member yelled out. A if he can give life to Adam and eve he can breathe life into us again a another added. Since 1874, the religious group has battled against the use of tobacco and alcohol. Lately the fight has turned to pressuring Congress to raise Federal alcohol taxes. The group also publishes and distributes the Young crusader a monthly Magazine for children and leaflets with titles such As alcohol a deaths Friend. The Union is trying to attract younger working women by relying less on rigid nighttime meetings marked by testimonials and prayer services said Michael Vitucci a spokesman. Instead the organization is promoting informal lunchtime meetings and urging state chapters to become involved in a wide Range of social Ana religious issues. In South Carolina members have joined the fight to bring prayer to Public schools he said. The South Dakota chapter is lobbying against gambling issues. A there is a very big place for them if they take a much broader perspective a Bernard Phillips professor of sociology at Boston University said of the Union. Muriel Vanloh a member from South Dakota urged members to develop programs that a hit people where they have a among the programs now being promoted by the unions youth Temperance Council is the True love Waits Campaign in which teen agers sign a pledge to abstain from sex until marriage. Surviving through the next Century also Means revamping the unions organizational Structure and re covering from a $140,000 budget deficit brought on by dwindling membership said the Rev. Henrietta Griffith president of the Kentucky chapter a we Are drowning in red Ink a she said. One option for reviving the organization May be to. Revert to the kind of Radical action the Temperance movement used to be known for Kelly said. Carry nation gained notoriety in the 1890s for leading groups of women on destructive jaunts through saloons in Kansas and surrounding states. She was the co founder of one of the groups chapters in Kansas a if i dared to i would take my Hatchet into these taverns and bars and do the same thing Cany nation did a Kelly said a but id probably get groups need to change researcher says Boston apr jewish Community groups synagogues and schools have failed to adapt enough to changes in american society says a social researcher who wants to shake up the Way jewish institutions work. Gary Tobin of Brandeis University in Waltham mass., said teen agers divorced people jews married to gentiles and the elderly Are slipping through gaps in a system that is out of sync with contemporary life and losing touch with its heritage Tobin recommends creating new jewish groups such As a jewish peace corps a National network of jewish learning centers for adults and institutes for social Justice. And he said old institutions such As synagogues must work harder to Appeal to their congregations. On intermarriage Tobin takes the hard line synagogues should aggressively encourage Gentile spouses of jews to convert. Right now synagogues Are too unwelcoming to non jews he said. A for teens Tobin recommends More outdoor leadership programs such As nature hikes and retreats. A synagogues typically have teens sitting inside on sunday mornings studying material that a hard to digest. Synagogues like protestant churches Are stuck in about the 60s,�?� Tobin said. And for the elderly Tobin recommends More outreach by synagogues and More spiritual growth programs at Community centers in the South and Southwest. From the associated press new York a clergy leaders said they fear the new Republican leadership in Washington might become a congressional coyotes who feast on the nations slashing entitlement programs. A in the recent election and the Campaign leading up to it a said the Rev. James Forbes jr., pastor of Riverside Church a some of us think we have observed a strange erosion of commitment to care for All of gods Forbes attended a City Hall news conference with about 20 other clergymen and clergy women members of a partnership of Faith in new York. The partnership represents an estimated 75,000 to 125,000 worshippers. A the Rev. Tracy Robinson Harris minister of the Community Church of new York said the groups members were especially concerned about the Outlook for women who need help in caring for their children. A the answer for them is not a minimum age limit on motherhood. It is not orphanages As places to care for their children a she said. A the answer for them is a government that practices Justice equity and compassion for All the the Rev. Robert Gentile executive director of the partnership said he fears Washington will try to shirk its obligations to the needy and shift the Burden to religious and nonprofit institutions. Quot we can to absorb any More of the Burden a he said. A we have tried Over the years to be the safety net. We just can to do it anymore.Baptist group picks Leader Oklahoma City Oklahoma Southern baptists elected a longtime Oklahoma City pastor to serve As president. The Rev. Charles Graves who previously served a one year term As Baptist general convention of Oklahoma president from 1975 to �?T76, will Lead the states largest denomination As it begins a renewed emphasis on spreading the gospel message. A it Isnit enough in this kind of world to sit in Church two or three hours a week a said Graves 63, who is pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church. A we need to be out on the streets helping Graves election last week ended the convention in which baptists were encouraged to sign cards pledging to share their Faith with at least one person each Day for 60 Days starting in january. Graves said the things that will be important to him As convention president Are the same things that Are important to him As a pastor. 1social correctness assailed Provo Utah a social and political correctness Are false doctrines according to a mormon apostle who says they obscure distinctions Between right and wrong. A i Challenge that false doctrine of human behaviour. The influence of satan is becoming More acceptable a elder James Faust a member of the churches Council of the twelve apostles told Brigham Young University students. Faust said he and other leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day saints Hope Young people a unfamiliar with the Sophis tries of the worlds can keep themselves free of satan a enticements and evil by embracing political correctness unknowing people have been led to accept such things As abortion homosexuality and the so called a Zero population movement Faust said a any alternatives to the Legal and Loving marriage Between a Man and woman Are helping to unravel the fabric of human society a he said. A these so called alternative lifestyles must not be accepted As right because they frustrate gods commandments for a life giving Union of male and female within a Legal marriage As stated in the old testament. If practice by All adults these lifestyles would mean the end of the human in other cases he said satan a takes some Delight every time a Home is broken up even when there is no Parent to blame. This is especially so where there Are children a the physical and spiritual neglect of children a he said a is one of the spawning grounds for so Many of the social ills of the
