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tian ideal. The Church is obligated by its Christian charter to go further than hotels, theatres, government, restaurants, social clubs, and political parties. None of these claim in America to represent God on the earth.

The basic issue in an open door church is not whether Negroes and other racial groups would pour into white churches in large numbers or whether white people would crowd out Negro churches; nor is the issue what advantages or disadvantages might accrue to the various races of the Church were an open door. It is beside the point to raise such questions. There is only one issue. Can any church be basically Christian that denies fellowship or membership on the ground of color or race? The Church must make up its mind on the issue, do the Christian thing, and leave the consequences to God. When the Church presents the open door, we may still have what we call Negro and white churches and they may be separate churches; but not racially segregated churches.

What is to be gained by an open door church? The Church sets the pattern for the other institutions of society. It is also a matter of its own integrity. Either the Church must be actually and potentially a Church for all the people, irrespective of race and color, or it should cease to proclaim the doctrine of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. If the Churches cannot do this they should be honest with themselves and say that in the area of race relations we can not preach and practice the whole Gospel.

2. Responsibility for Post War Conflict

At the close of World War I, race riots broke out. They broke out in the North and in the South. There are many reasons for these race riots. We mention only two:

a. The Negro had been led to believe that he was fighting to make the world safe for democracy. He went abroad and fought for it. He experienced democratic treatment in Europe and particularly in France. The President of the United States, and Negro and white leaders led Negroes to believe that things were going to be better on their return to this country. But conditions were not better. In many instances they were worse. Negroes were told that the war was over...settle down and accept the same old ways to which they were accustomed.

b. There was little or no indication of the intention of the Government or the American people to improve the Negro's condition after World War I. There was no serious attempt to make things

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better. Hopeful expectation on the part of the Negro was met with determined resistance on the part of many white Americans. Race riots were the inevitable result.

Much more important is the lag between the developing capacities of Negroes and the slow change in the treatment of Negroes. In all too many areas, Negroes are treated now as they were fifty and seventy-five years ago. Here is a task for Negro and white ministers. Ministers and other church leaders should take the lead today in calling upon governors, chiefs of police, mayors, and all the officials and employees of public carriers to urge them to be just and humane in their treatment of all soldiers now and when they return to their respective communities after the war, and during the period of readjustment and rehabilitation. Ministers should preach a similar gospel in their pulpits. Too many of the present and post-war interracial proposals are negative in character. They aim to keep down race riots by having the armed officials of the law on the alert without seeking first to remove the causes that make for conflict. Ministers should not only advocate law and order, but they should work for justice and fair play for all the people. Only this condition enables law and order to permanently maintained.

Many of the present and post-war proposals we hear about today are proposals to maintain the status quo, on the ground that the time is not ripe to make changes-the only thing before us is the winning of the war. We recognize the wisdom of much that these advocates say. The Church cannot escape the responsibility, however, or declaring the judgment of God upon men whenever and wherever social evils and economic wrongs appear. To the Minister of Christ the time is always ripe to correct a wrong. Ministers, both Negro and white, must do more than urge Negroes, Jews, and other racial minorities to be patient. They must urge that all of us begin now, and continue after the war, to make changes that make for justice, democracy, and brotherhood. The time is ripe now to equalize educational and work opportunities; to administer justice in the courts; to give the ballot equally to all citizens, irrespective of race; to provide opportunities for all to live in a healthy environment; and to guarantee equal access to health and hospitalization. On elementary points of justice such as these, no minister can afford to straddle. Convinced of what the will of God is, he may find it necessary at times to move cautiously but never without courage and never without the conviction that the consequences of his actions are not wholly in the hands of man.