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Show Black Pastor Finds Acceptance In White Southern Community OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (UPI) — ‘We have a rather broad The one thing members of Kern cross-section of the community Memorial United Methodist in this congregation,” Wilkinson Church do not want is to be said of Kern Memorial, which pictured as heroes, as having has about 853 members —third done something outstandingly praiseworthy. largest among Methodist congregations in the city Sunday, October 17,197: Statewide Uiah Conference on Chicanos Slated funerals, yet. “But I'm not sensitive about that,” he said He has been sought out by members seeking counseling, ‘and you don’t ask counsel of someone you don’t trust.” SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) — Utah’s first statewide Chicano conference will explore the prob- lems of Mexican-Americans in the Beebive state when it opens at the Salt Palace Oct, 29. Jorge Arce-Larreta, chairman of the Spanish Speaking Committee on Government Employment, said a major feature of the conference will be involvementof Spanish-speaking people in affairs of the state. Larreta said the minority is As to the future, Willis says he would not hesitate to go to The church has a history of “The only thing wereally greater than average social another all-white church after were concerned with,” says concern, Kite said, and this his experience with Kern And he believes Paul Wilkinson, lay leader of may be a factor in its Memorial. Kernwill be a different church the church, “was getting a acceptance of Willis. for the experience, even though Christian minister. If the pastor “We're active with Youth it may not have another black were truly Christian, there was nothing we could do but accept Haven, a temporaryshelter for minister for many years. “This church won't become a him. That's the way the people wards of the court. Some SundaySchool classes regularly dumping ground for black here feel.” visit Eastern State Psychiatric ministers,” Willis said bluntly Whether it could have sucAnd it was in this context Hospital at Knoxville to visit thai the Rev, Walter Willis, a the elderly or to meet with ceeded so well in another city in the South is hard to say. Oak 40-year-oid native of Sylacauga, drug addicts,” Kite said. “We were asked by the Ridge, born with the atomic Ala., became the first black pastor of an all-white Methodist Holston conference to contri- age, is not a typical Southern church, in the Southeast, in bute $2,600 to the Fund fur town. Less than 10 per cent Reconciliation —a $20 million black, with higher educational July. program to help the economi- and economic levels than other “There was obvivusly a lot of cally disadvantaged. The east Tennesseecities, it has to discussion,” Wilkinson said in church contributed $6,200.” be different an interview, recalling last Willis hasn’t performed eny “But not that much,” said lay spring when the district super- weddings or officiated at any leader Paul Wilkinson. intendent came to the leadership of Kern Memorial and asked them if they would work with a black minister. usually excluded from the decision-making process in matters affecting their lives. He said the conference will give them a voice. Workshops will be held both days of the cunference on employment, education, migrants, cultural awareness, economic development, justice, welfare, stereotyping attitudes, housing, health and community organization \q A general assembly will conclude the conference. PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON AND EVANGELIST BILLY GRAHAM waved to crowds Fridayastheir cx “made its waythrough downtown Charlotte, N.C. The city is Rev. Bishop L. Scott Allen, the first b!ack head of the Holston United Methodist Conference, which covers east Tennessee and a small area of southwest Virginia, was looking for a white church which would work with a black minister. “We were among 25 or so special meeting of WASHINGTON (UPI) —The Army Friday dismissed charges brought by Lt. Col. Anthony B. Herbert, the most decorated enlisted man in the Korean War, against a major general he alleged had covered up war crimes in Vietnam, Maj. Gen. Roland M. Gleszer, commanding general of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, announced in a brief statement that he had chargesagainst Maj. Gen. John W. Barnes. the board was called, and most of its 50 members werethere, plus some other members of the congregation. The proposal was openly and thoroughly discussed and put to a vote by secret ballot. “T think the vote was 38 to 6 in favor,” Wilkinson said, and with that approvalthe “venture in faith,” as Willis calls it, was launched. “Naturally we had some doubts,” Kite said. But for the church leaders, there was a ready-made out, anyway —built right into the structure of the Methodist Church, the practice of moving ministers around ACTOR FREDRIC MARCH, a native of Wisconsin, returned to the state with his wife, Florence,for the opening ofa theatre named for him on the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh campus. March said the vaming of the 500-seat Fredric March Theatr. was the “thrill of my lifetime.” Gleszer said he concluded that the evidence gathered during a six-month inquiry “did DOOR CRASHER every two or three years. “If the pastor was not an ideal match, black or white, it was not going to break the church,” Wilkinson said. “We'd had experience with white SALE ministers who were not always an ideal match. “If anybody was taking a chance, it was much more on not establish the commission of with the 173rd Airborne Brigade thealleged offenses.” in Vietnam in 1969, Herbert Only one week ago Army reported to his peries jadier Secretary Robert F. Froehlke —Barnes, then a blocked the forced retirement general, and Franklin~alleged of Herbert growing out of an incidents of murder and torture dverse fitness report against of Vietnamese civilians, him by Col, J. Ross Franklin, Later Herbert charged against whom Herbert also had Barneswith violation of regulabrought charges. tions and dereliction of duty in As a battalion commander failing to report the alleged war 0 “se i peep crimes that Herbert reported to him. MONDAYONLY! Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only U.S. president to receive 500 or more e!zctoral votes. He received 523 in 1936. The FAMILY Store Open 10 A.M. to7 P.M. Mondaythru Satu rday ——— Use Your Credit Cards. Layaways Welcome Suscewear Savines For The Entire Family 315 9 Women’sbrushed Flannel Gown Full or shorty. Reg. sizes and large size up to 3X... . . infant's 100% acrylic walki ing blanket sleeper. Gold, Hot Pink and Bright CARTER’S NYLON SLEEPWEAR Als Blue. S,M,L,XL. Reg. $6.NOW...... ONE GROUP OF GOWNS AND PAJAMASIN SIZES 4 TO 14. VALUES TO $8.00. 5 STYLES TO CHOOSE FROM. SAVE IN THE CHILDREN’S DEPARTMENT. MONDAY ONLY 25%off ren, Henry Walter, 13; Timothy John, 9, and Stephen Edward, 6 In addition, Mrs, Willis’ mother, Mrs, Lula Garrett of Greenville, S.C., is a member of the family which moved into the parsonage near the church in a white neighborhood GIRLS BLOUSES “T had the feeling that I just could not say no,” Willis says. “Tt was a challenge, and not an easy thing to do.It allowed me to put my faith on the line, even though I would do something that might be risky.” Willis says his main concern was not for himself but with how the children would adjust to being removed from a basically black environment in Nashville, where they had friends, and put into a white environment where they would have to start over. Three months is too short a timeto really evaluatethe final outcomeof the move, butWillis hasfound his ‘venturein faith” a rewarding experience so far. There have been no threatening phone calls, no nasty letters, only one small incident which could be interpreted as hostile —a neighbor who asked shat the Willis children not comeinto his yard. There were some who found the move hard to accept, but even they came to church and 7 their new pastor a look. PERMA-PRESS BLOUSES OF 50% COTTON AND 50% POLYESTER CHOOSE IN GIRLS SIZES 7 TO 14. FROM ASSORTED ALL COLORS. WITH 4 STYLES TO LONG SLEEVES, REG. $5.00 2 for $6.50 “ps Boy's 100! acrilan fabric. Sine 8-16. Sins Ge aieie 6.610 wiei:e w 0) aioe Jr. boy's printed Flannel. Ski style with knit neck and cuffs, Size 3-7.......... MONDAY ONLY! AYLOR‘S DEPT. STORE 200 N. Second West had The Army dismissed charges against Franklin earlier, Girl's Flannel Gownsund Pajamas.Size 4-14 (as iilustrated’ .... 2... the part of the preacher than on the part of the church membership.” Willis came to Oak Ridge after three years in the Division of Curriculum Resources of the United Methodist Board of Education in Nashville, He hadentered the ministry in 1949, had served as minister and dean of men at HustonTillotson College in Austin, Tex., and as minister at Ciaflin College in Orangeburg, S.C. He had beenpastor of a number of churches in Alabama and Tennessee, after his start in Evergreen,Ala. Heliked what he was doing in Nashville. And the decision to come here was not easily made, For Willis, the venture began with a request that he take the appointment from Bishop Allen. “If he had not ever asked me, I would have been happy,” Willis admits. “A lot of time was spent in prayer. It was basically the children with whom I was concerned.” There are three Willis child- Graham’s hometown and held a special day to honor him.It received an extra bonus when his close friend, the president of the United States, arrived to esin the tribute. Army Dismisses ChargesAgainst General Of Covering Up Newsof Crimesin Vietnam churches under consideration,” said Charles Kite, chairman of the administrative board of the church. A THE HERALD,Provo, Utat—Page 27 Men's tailored Perma-Prest 50% x) Kodel-50% cotton. Reg, sizes... .....-. 4 - Size E i that large manonly.......... |