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Golden, Charles F.

Mathews, James K.

English

eGrove (Univ. of Mississippi)

University of Mississippi eGrove Publications Civil Rights Archive 1-1-1964 Easter 1964 Charles F. Golden James K. Mathews Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/civ_pubs  Part of the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Golden, Charles F. and Mathews, James K., "Easter 1964" (1964). Publications. 27. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/civ_pubs/27 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Civil Rights Archive at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Publications by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact egrove@olemiss.edu. / EAsrER 1964 A Christian's desire to participate in public worship---ezpecially on Easter "~ should neither occasion surprise nor require explanation. This would appear to be an undeniable right boilh from the standpoint of our national heritage and common Methodist practice. At a deeper level, the very nature and meaning of the Christian faith supports this desire and right. Indeedl we are as-__ ~ ____ . __ sured that Ollr od and Father seek~ men to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Moreover l the New Testament faith assures us that this God-given privilege is open to ~ people l without regard to their race or color. It is because we are prompted by such encouragement of faith that we have come to worship at Galloway Memorial Methodist Church today. We are aware, of course, that some members of this congregation, though surely not all of the members, do not desire to have other than white people attend services of worship here. We are aware too that some Negroes and others have been turned away. We stand united with such ones and regard that in some sense we repre-sent them., This is trl.lfLpart1.y: , ecause tie are J1athodist bish,.ops" responsible to the whole church for the whole church. But in a larger sense there cannot, in fact I be any true Christian worship at all which is not an intercession in behalf of a1l marutind, for Jesus Christ died and rose again for all. 'VIe trust that our presence will not provoke you to wrath but to good works. We are hopeful that we shall be admitted for worship, despite contrary attitudes which may have been expressee / // here in times past . The meaning of those acts may now be altered-~-from the Christian perspective. For this is Easter SUnday, which offers not only victory over death, but infinite possibility for renewal of individuals and of churches and of society. Easter is an occasion for entirely new attitudes and fresh beginnings. We believe that the Feast of the Resurrection affirms life for all meno All Christians together believe that Jesus, the Christ, is the Living tord of all. - Furthermore, for Chris"bians every Sunday is a: com- ~ memoration of Easter and its meahing. If we are not admitted, we shall harbor no ill-will toward those who may feel compelled to turn us away. We shall natur-ally be diaappointed. We shall be deeply concerned for the witness of the whole church before the world. We shall also wonder at those who presume to speak and act for God in turning worshippers <»Nay from His House. We shall remain unshaken in the ~onviction that we share -v1ith hosts of Christians everywhere that God has chosen to work in our day to bring into operation that reconciliation of all men of which the Cross-Resurrection is both the symbol and the reality. And we shall praY' fQr the i'QJ'giYeneas 01 us ~ an pps-'- at we m;ight all come fully to know Christ and "the pO"oN"er of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering. " Bishops of The Methodist Church. 

Easter 1964

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=civ_pubs

Easter 1964

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