LIBERATION AND AFTER

There was terrible destruction and suffering during liberation, but the people realized that a new day was beginning and plans for the future of the Church moved forward with great hope.

In the confusing aftermath of liberation, U.S. army chaplains as well as thousands of Protestant G.I.'s worked with the Filipino Evangelicals in reviving and extending the work of the Church once more. Most of the missionaries who had been interned were sent .back to America for rest and rehabilitation. Several remained, however, to assist in getting Methodism speedily back on its feet. Dr. Roxy Lefforge and Dr. Francis Brush stayed, raising funds among the G.I.'s and working with the Filipino church leaders. They were able to begin Bethel Girls' High School and Dr. Lefforge served as its director for the first year. Dr. Brush became the minister of the Filipino-American congregation of Knox-Central until Dr. Houser arrived. Miss M. Elston Rowland worked with Miss Javalera to get the Mary Johnston School of Nursing reopened, although they were not immediately successful in their efforts. Miss Gertrude Feely helped revitalize the women workers as well as the Methodist Youth Fellowship. (139) Bishop Alejandro worked tirelessly to guide the Church in those difficult days, inspiring and disciplining the pastors and deaconesses to rebuild for the future. In Manila alone, only Knox Church, Harris School and Thoburn Hall had not been levelled by the war-time fighting. Many had been killed or wounded and much of the work had to begin almost allover again. But with faith and determination, the foundations for a more vigorous church life were laid. This spirit of faith and hope in God is seen in the address of Bishop Alejandro to the Conference of 1946:

We need a new order right here and now. The Methodist Church is on the cross-roads. New order must mean goodwill, fellowship and love. Let the Church he revived through our own efforts and through God's mercy and help.¹⁴⁰

The Methodist Church in the United States was determined to do all it could to help in the building of this new order in lands such as the Philippines, which had been so ravaged by the war. During the war years was begun the Bishops' Crusade to awaken American Methodism to her task in helping the world recover from the destruction of the war and to lay the foundations for peace and world order. From this concern grew the Crusade for Christ, which sought to raise $25,000,000 to help the Church overseas rebuild in the post-war years. The amount was over- subscribed, because of the great awareness on the part of Christians that they must do all possible to help the world recover and begin again. The Philippines, which suffered so greatly, received her share of the funds. Thus, from 1947 until 1952, eighty-four churches and fifty-five parsonages, as well as the Methodist Headquarters, Mary Johnston Hospital and other buildings, were constructed.

Tied in with this program were the Crusade Scholarships. It was realized that not only were buildings needed in the churches overseas, but leadership as well. Not only had many church leaders been killed during the war, but education had practically been at a standstill. As a result of the Crusade Scholarships, during the past fifteen years, many outstanding Filipinos have received specialized training abroad and have come back to make significant contributions to the life of the Church and of the nation. Many of the laymen mentioned earlier were Crusade Scholars, as well as most of the post-war church leaders mentioned through these pages. The value of this program would be difficult to over-estimate.¹⁴¹

In 1946, the Central Conference was called into session in order to regularize the wartime actions of the Church. Bishop Lee presided jointly with Bishop Alejandro. The wartime actions of the 1944 Conference were j approved and D. D. Alejandro was elected as the bishop, with his term expiring in 1948. Bishop Alejandro served the Church faithfully and with vigor during the quadrennium of his term. Then at the Central Conference of 1948, Jose L. Valencia was elected as the bishop to serve for the following quadrennium, being elected on the fourth ballot.

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