Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-05
ST. HOMAS RICH.

1t is very appropriate that the Sunday
school children should be urged to take such
prominent part in the exercises OF the lay
ing of the corner stone. for ever since the
organization of the church Rev. Mr.. As
pinwall has sought to make them have q
feeling Of personal ownership and interest
In the church. The children have been very
generous in their subscriptions for the work
and have taken an active part in raising
funds for the building.
st. Johns and St. Andrews Vestries.
Among the laymen who have been invited
to participate in the exercises this after
noon are the members of the vestries of St.
Johns and ST. Andrews, the two churches
from which the new one has been carved
out. Originally. st. Johns parish extended
as far north as the boundary, but when
that section of the city began to ill up SO
rapidly it became evident that the district
allotted to 1t was too large, and the propo-
sition to organize a new church in the
neighborhood Of Dupont Circle met with in
slant and deserved favor. Work on the
new church was begun last October, but
was interrupted about Christmas time. 1t
Is intended to expend about ISL, 900 on the
church. A new idea is being followed out
In that the walls are being put up only as
fast as the work can be paid for About
$4,000 have already been expended, and as
there are several thousand dollars still left
In bank. it is expected that the present
stonecutters-can be kept working steadily
at least until October. The dimensions are
06xllO feet, and there will be seating &C
commodations for $50 people. The present
chapel seats 4SD and has been overcroWded
for some time past.
Mr.. Aspinwall was asked yesterday
whether he did not think that the new
church would soon prove too small for its
needs. In reply he said: Il think that the
congregation of a thousand people is as
much as a pastor, even with an assistant
can hope to attend to properly and success
fully. My own feeling is that 1t is better
TO nave a small church well run than a
large church not SO well attended to. II in
the course of few years 1t should be evil
dent that the church Is inadequate for the
demands put upon it, my own idea would
be to construct another parish and erect q
new church in this part of the town"
The name of this church originally was
Calvary p. Z. Church. but there was SC
much confusion with the older church
calvary Baptist-that the eonven ton of the
Protestant Episcopal Church of the diocese
OF Maryland, held last week In Baltimore
was petltioned TO change the NAME and the
request has been complied with.
The wardens of St Thomas Church are
Col George s. Woodward and Mr. Melville
Church. The vestrymen are Joseph K. Nc.
Cannon, Maj. b. p. Mimmack, Boyd Smith
ID: Geisy, Col John NJ. Wilson, Maj. B.
r. Rlttenhouse. Theodore w. Noyes and r.
E. Chaplin.
The New Church Described.
The new St.Thomas Church will be Gothic
in its style OF architecture. will be built OF
Port Deposit granite and trimmed with In
diana limestone. There will be but one
story, with no gallery. The whole edifice
will be built entirely of stone and oak, with
no plastered walls. Inside every thing will
be finished in an artistic and beautiful man.
ner with hard woodwork and handsome
decorations. The building now occupied fol
4 o. MI will ain
rear Of the new edifce. Part of ii will be
divided on. giving room, with a seating
capacity of about two hundred people for a
| parish hall, to be used by the Sunday school,
and other societies of the church, while the
rest will be utilized for vestry room, office
and other purposes of the church. The
| whole of the new church, outside and in
! will be a splendid structure, beautiful both
| In finish and design. The ceiling of the
| church will be spanned with massive OAK
timbers. giving a fine effect. while the num-
| erous arches will tend to heighten the Goth.
| ic and rich appearance.