The morning times., 1895-10-06
MASONs TO HELP LAY It
Fifteenth Street Methodists to
Begin Their New Church.
SPLENDID SACRED EDIFICE
Interesting Ceremonies to Be Held in
Connection With the Auspicious
Neutrality-suspicious. of the Build
ing, Which Is TO Cost S3O,OOO-A
Sketch of the Congregation

The cornerstone of the new Fifteenth
Street Methodist Episcopal Church will be
laid with imposing ceremonies on October
at p. M.
The event will be made the occasion of
much rejoicing by the congregation and
congratulation by their friends. The
turning of the sod, which occurred on Sep
TENDER last, was a day of joyous solemnity
to the stanch band of Christians who, for
twenty years have worshiped at the corner
of Fifteenth and streets. The laying OF
the cornerstone viii be accomplished with
appropriate pOnIp. and the dedlcatory serv-
ices. which il is expected Will take place
in February, Will equal any ceremony of a
kindred character ever observed i'll the Dis
trict.
The little frame structure, which until
about four years ago was known as Mount
Zion NJ E. Church, but which for much
longer term of years had served this congre-
CATION a S a shelter of worship, was demol-
ished in August. andfroniits ruins willspring
a thirty-thousand dollar edifice OF brick
and stone.
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE.
The complete programme for the laying
OF the corner-sto has not been determined
on, but II will be laid with the rites OF
VI W NUt i4Is guEA-NAN-
ton. ID. 6. Dixon, grand master, assisted
by the officers of the grand lodge, viii per-
form this office. The grand lodge vii as
senIble at Masonic Temple early in the az
ternoon of the Sth. and march thence to
Fifteenth and Z streets. Invitations have
been issued 10y the grand lodge 10 the four
communicates of the District to escort it
from the temple to the church.
This invitation has not been acted on by
.l,a, f,ffar cot hfy will
be accepted al their next meeting. These
communicates are: Washington, No. l;
Columbia, No. 2; Potomac. No. 3, and De
Molay No. 4. In the event of its acceptance
the column will be preceded by military
band. which Will also he utilized 10 render
music at the scene OF the ceremonies.
From an architectural point of view the
new church viii be impressive. The
materials in the main will be pressed brick,
brown Etone and Southern pine, finished in
oil. 1t VIII have n frontage of sixty feet,
exclusive of projections on K street. and
depth of eighty-nine feet on Fifteenth
street.
CROWNED RY A TOWER.
The main entrance will be from r street,
with a minor entrance on Fifteenth and a
private entrance to the pastors study in
the northeast corner Of the basement. At
the southeast corner there-will rise a tower
eighteen feet square, eighty-five feet in
brick to the top of the square, thence
aloft in slate thirty-five feet to the apex,
surmounted with an ornament ofgalvanized
iron.
The base of the tower will be of brown
stone. Resting on this will be four circle
head memorial windows of richly colored
glass. Similar windows will pierce the
tower at each of the other three landings
The tower viii contain the principal stair
case and lavatories.
The church viii stand on terrace of
two and a half feet. The street approach
will be thirty-two feet wide and OF grano-
lithic composition and the entrance will be
a triple arch, with stone columns. This
opens into tiled vestibule 12X32 feet
On this floor are the infant classroom.
16 1-2x52 feet, and the Sunday school
room, 35x52 feet, divided by a Telephone
rolling partition.
At the rear of these are two class-rooms,
the study and the library. Broad stair
ways lead from the vestibule to the audito-
rum. This Will be 57xS4 feet, with walls
eighteen feet to the square. and thence
thirty-two feet to the middle height. The
walls will have sand finish and will be
wainscoted with oil-finished North Caro-
lima pine.
The pulpit will stand at the north end,
the organ and choir pews at the northeast
corner and at the south end a gallery will
reach across the church.
WILL HAVE A KITCHEN.
The auditorium viii be lighted with cir
cle-head memorial windows. The cellar
will contain a large furnace room, kitchen