The Washington times., 1894-12-31
1t Is the One Thing Needed to Build
Up the Organization.
A Most Promising Field Which Must Be De-
veloped-An Epworth League Chapter
Which Is Power-Led AL Others in It's
Thanksgiving Offering Lady Members
in the Board of Stewards Officers.


it needs to put it in the front rank is a new
church building. Its situation is one of the
most promising; there is no Methodist church
near, and in the extreme northwest it will be
many years before another can be built.
There ire many Methodist families living in
this secti on, but most of them find their
church homes in Foundry or the Metropoli-
these people will come to the Fifteenth Street
Church.
1t is now twenty-five years since the con-
gregation was started. At that time the Ham,
line Church had just finished new church,
and a Mr.. Owen bought the old frame build
ing and moved it to the present site. This
was the start of the Fifteenth street congre-
cation. Mr.. Owen was determined the new
church should succeed and decided it the lot
on which the building stands and several
houses. The struggling congregation, how
ever, could not hold the property and the
houses were sold. 1t has been able, though,
to hold on to the church lot, and on O part of
il has erected most comfortable and hand
some parsonage. 1t is able to keep up IT'S
minister's salary, keep the parsonage in
shape, meet all its general church obligations.
and has nest-egg of $4,000 with which to
commence building.
THE NEW CHURCH BUILDING.
A new church building is the dream and
hope of each member. 1t will come and it
may come sooner than some expect. Plans
and specifications have been drawn up, esti-
mates made, and informally everything has
been agreed upon. The pastor has been au-
thorized to appoint building committee 10
solicit funds and has partially chosen his
members. This winter may see some hard
work done, and spring may open with the
digging of the foundation. The contract will
call for the completion of the building in five
months, and the fall may see the congrega-
tion worshiping in its new home. Then the
pastor would expect his membership to grow
and become one OF the strongest in Washing
ton. He feels assured, as do members OF his
church, that the present uncomfortable quar-
ters keep many Methodists away. La warm
weather it is sitting and in cold weather can
not be made comfortable. Yet, with these
drawbacks. the congregation works cheerily
along, and with outside help will erect the
new structure.
This new building is to be somewhat after
the plan of Gunton Memorial Presbyterian
Church on Fourteenth street, except that it is
TO be two stories high. instead OF one as is
Gunton Memorial. 1t will face II street,
though there will be an entrance from Fif-
Ieenll SlESet. Inc Walls Will D6 OF
stone up TO the second story, and then of
pressed bricklset in black mortar. 1t will
seat 500 people, and the estimated cost IS
$4,000. On .he first floor will be the Sun
day-school room, the infant classroom, TWO
classrooms and pastors study. The in
fant and two other classrooms will be sepa-
rated from the lecture, or Sunday-school
room, by glass partitions, and at any time
can be joined to toe main room. From the
pastors study stairway will lead to the pull
pit, and he Will able to reach his study by
a private way fsom the parsonage.
The auditorium will have q sioping floor
and the seats will be arranged in semi-circu-
lar form. Thefe will be but one gallery, and
that opposite she pulpit platform. All the
modern improvements in ventilation and
heating will be a. .tached and arrangements
made for the future growth OF the congrega-
tion. The church building will not cov-r the
entire lot and in this way there will be plenty
of light and air. At the last quarterly meet
ing the plans as presented were informally
discussed and seemed TO please every one.
The only hesitancy arises from want of
funds. The officers of the church though
are ready to go ahead if they can raise
$4,000 or $4,000. The remainder of the
amount they feel confident they can easily
handle.
THE EPwoRTH LEAGUE.
The congregation has had the usual vicis-
studes of all Methodist Churches. During
its twenty-five years OF life there have been a
number of pastors. TIE first was Rev. Lewis
Mullen and he was followed by Rev. W. I.
Mckinney, we'll known in this city. The
others have been Rev. E. d. Owens. d. d. ::
Rev. L. NJ. Gardner, DIR. Dashiells, Rev. L
Thirlkeld. Rev. j. n. Davis. and the present
pastor, Rev. W. W. Van Arsdale. Some
times matters were not as pleasant as they
might be, and there have been one or two
disturbances in the church which had an evil
influence. but all this is past and gone now.
The ranks have been cleared up. 0isSen-
sions have been thrown out of doors and the
pastor has just closed revival season which
added thirty converts to the church. Old
members are coming back, new members are
coming in and all are earnest and united
The present membership is 156. The congre-
cation is made up largely of departmental
people and there are no very wealthy people
in the church. But all are givers and that is
better than wealth.
Perhaps the most active body in the church
is the Epworth League chapter. At the
Thanksgiving meeting of the District league
this chapter led all in the city in It's thanks
offering. 1t did not give more money, but
every member of this chapter handed in his
share, something that no other chapter did.
Outside of their missionary work. too, they
| are hustlers. The chapter has purchased an
organ for the church at a cost of $780, and
will pay every cent of that amount The
memters put racks on the backs of each seat
in the church, and in these rack placed
hymnals testaments and psalms. All these
cost money, and the forty-one members of
this chapter never hesitated. Indeed, it
would not surprise their friends if these
young folks took it upon themselves to build
the church.
The chapter meetings are held Sunday
evenings at $40 o'clock, and their pastor
says that every member In attendance re-
mains for the evening service. Rev. J. A.
Winner is the president of the chapter, and
Is also the local preacher connected with the
church. The other officers are: H. J.
Farmer, first vice president; Mrs. Winner,
second vice president; Miss Lbbie Funk,
third vice president; Miss Virgie Clabaugh,
! fourth vice president; Miss Robertson, secre-
tary, and Miss Helen Bickford, treasurer.
| There is also junior league, of which Miss
| Wohlforth is president, and she is assisted by
a number of children. Sixteen years is the
maximum age for membership in this league,
and the boys and girls are taught the lessons
which prepare fthem for the active work OF
the league proper.
THE OTHER WORKERS.
| The Sunday-school is small one but like
the congregation is growing. 1t has 125
members. DR.. G.. r. Clark is the superintend-
ent, Mr.. E. R. Groggin, the secretary, and
Mr.. NJ. G. Robertson the librarian. There is
a good library in the school and the interest
| is growing in all directions The school has
a missionary society, of which Mrs Osborn is
president and Miss EfTie Borland secretary
| The other missionary societies are the
| Women's Foreign and Women'S Home. Mrs
Wohiforth is president of the first and Mrs