Text transcribed from original caption.

PC-39475

DEFENDS ORGANIZED RELIGION

HUDSON, Wisc. -- Organized religion is "not very well thought of" in

today's secularized society, according to Dr. Eugene Carson Blake,

general secretary of the World Council of Churches. It has been a

victim of the general mood of anti-establishment and also of "a great

deal of nonsense" spoken against it, the church leader said. He

addressed the opening session of a conference in Hudson, Wisc., on

"The Relevancy of Organized Religion -- an Agenda for the Future."

Dr. Blake defended organized religion, declaring: "Without some

organization a religious man, however saintly, has very limited in-

fluence of any kind even upon his contemporaries let alone succeeding

generations."

Credit Must Read:

RELIGIOUS NEWS SERVICE PHOTO (FILE-NY-10B-69-DS)