Recent court actions reveal a continuing bias against free exercise of religion as provided by the Constitution of the United States.

In Netcong, N. J., high school students have been forbidden to meet voluntarily before school started to hear a prayer read from the Congressional Record.

The courts have outlawed a similar arrangement in Leyden, Mass., for prayer outside of school hours.

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional a law permitting a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.

No one could reasonably argue that in any of these cases a religion was being established by practices at issue, or that the rights of any other person were being infringed by those who chose to participate. By the same token, it is equally obvious that the provisions for the free exercise of religion need to be strengthened by legislative action if the courts remain adamant in regards to this issue.

The National Association of Evangelicals reaffirms its advocacy of suitable legislation by the Congress that will strengthen the present Constitutional provision for the free exercise of religion in our national life.