Religion: Southern Prophets

Most Southern churchmen are theological, economic and political hard-shells. Eleven years ago one of the oldest and richest churches in Chattanooga, Tenn., Third Presbyterian, called a Scottish-born-and-burred clergyman who was anything but shellbacked—Rev. Thomas B. Cowan. In 1934 Pastor Cowan held a meeting of a new, radical organization, the Fellowship of Southern Churchmen, later became its president. Thereupon 22 Chattanoogans seceded from Third Church. More left when Mr. Cowan helped organize labor unions, worked among sharecroppers, invited a Negro to a church dinner. Of late the chief listeners to Pastor Cowan's Sunday...