Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-05
LEXINGTON CHURCH
Presbyterian Alliance Purchases a
Site for Building.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS RAPID GROWTH
The New Edifice to Be of a Pc
cu'iar Construction.
PROP OSED EXERCISES

PROP OSED EXERCISES
Ever since its organization, more than
eight years ago. it has been the work Of
the Presbyterian Alliance to purchase the
ground on which to locate new churches,
the congregations thus assisted raising the
money themselves to pay for the erection
of the edfice. At the end of last year the
allie nee had succeeded In fully paying for
the ground occupied by the Eastern Pres
byterian Church, and now on next We'd
nesday 1t will give birth to another new
church, or rather the nucleus of one, in ,
Northeast Wasniagton. At the same time,
this latter band of workers will be cele-
.brdting its fifth anniversary year. and in
manner highly satisfactory to themselves
and friends. About this time five years
ago Mr.. Irwin B. Linton a prominent men,
Der of the District bar, and a member of
the North Presbyterian Church. conceived
the idea of starting mission in the then
infant suburb of lexington. He preached
his ideas to several members of the local
churches. and they agreed to support the
proposition, though the Sunday school that
resulted from these efforts had no official
corr ection with these churches, and is still
y.
kemon offered her residence at Is New
York avenue as place OF worship, and so
on Sunday, the 9th day of November, 1890,
religious exercises were first held. 1t was
deemed advisable to continue the exercises
in the form of a Sunday school, and in con-
sequence Mr.. Linton found himself at the
head of a Sabbath school with a member
ship Of fifteen scholars. They continued
their sessions at the house of Mrs. Kemon
until the following January, when they re-
moved to the old blacksmith shop at the
intersection of n street and New York ave-
nue.. This considerably repaired, and with
frame addition for the growing primary
department and a brick wing for the adult
Bible class, has remained the home Of the
Sunday school ever since.
Rapid Growth.
AS is expected, the school, since its
inception. has grown considerably, and now
altogether, including the superintendent,
Mr.. Linton. who, in addition to the duties
of his office, teaches a class. Various Or
ganizations have been formed out of the
membership and, in fact. the North Capitol
Street Presbyterian Sunday School, as 1t
is called. is a congregation in itself, with
the exception of pastor. Under Mr.. Lin
tons wise care and untiring eXertions the
school has never felt the need of a minister
and will continue under the superintend-
ent's charge until 1t is found absolutely
necessary to secure one.
Purchasing n Site.
In purchasing the ground for the church
the alliance wisely determined to buy more
ground than is actually needed at present
in order to provide for the future expan-
sion of the young congregation. Accord
ingly they have purchased a number of
lots fronting on the circle formed by the
intersection of Q and North Capitol streets
and Florida avenue. For this about $4,000
has been paid. Some time ago plans We're
dy fta III for 11ar
edifice than the one now being built, but
after some discussion this was deemed in
adequate for even the present Sunday
school in consequence new drawings
were prepared. To carry out these plans
will cost $4,000. and Of this amount the
Sunday school has pledged itself to half
OF the amount and the rest Is being raised
through the exertions of the alliance by
subscriptions from its local friends. Co.
incident with the laying of the corner
stone the Sunday school will change its
name from the North Capitol Presbyterian
Sunday School to that of the lexington
Presbyterian Sunday School.
The Corner Stone Laying.
At the meeting of the Washington pres
bytery Wednesday evening last at Takoma
Park the details of the ceremony were per-
fected. Next Wednesday evening, the 10th
Of July, the exercises are to begin at GAS
o'clock. The program embraces music by
the children Of the Sunday school. led by
Mr.. Harry Kimball. a brief historical
sketch of the school, read by the superif-
tendent Mr. Irwin B. Linton, after which
the corner stone will be laid by the Rev.
Charles B. Ramsdell, DID. A number Of
addresses by other Presbyterian pastors
are to follow, among them being Revs. Drs.
Sunderland. Pitzer, Bittinger and Rev.
Joseph T. Kelly.
The Building.
The church is located at the southeast
corner of Q street and North Capitol, and
is somewhat irregular in form, more near
ly resembling a right angle with an octa-
gon at the angle than anything else. 1t is
to be built of red brick with stone trim
mings, and Will have a frontage of sixty
feet and depth of sixty-two. The archi-
lecture is Gothic, with buttresses along the
sides capped with stone. The main en-
trance is to be in very nearly the center
of the 'front.' which faces on Q street It
will be in the shape of a vestibule project
ing out six feet, and having a width of ten
feet. To the right and left of this vestibule
are to be small windows. one opening into
the Bible class room and the other into the
main auditorium of the church. Beginning
at the east corner and running nearly half
way to the center of the front face will be
placed large gable having a double Gothic
window six by eight and small rose win
dow above II.
Capitol street will be the one that CON-
tains the al gle. The northwest corner Of
this is to come out nearly to the street,
and the other side of the angle will be
some distance back, while the octagon con-
meets the two corners and comes out with
in a few feet of the outer side. With the
exception of this octagon the North Capt.
tot face will be similar to the Q street side;
a smaller door serving for an entrance and
the same style gable and windows being
used. The roof is to be high pitched and
will be slated. Each end of the two wings
rs to be used as class room, that at the
southeast corner for the primary depart
ment, and that at the northwest corner
for the Bible class. The plans providing
for only one floor. the main auditorium will
occupy the rest of the space BY means Of
rolling partitions the whole floor space can
be thrown into one, and when used in this
manner the edifce will have seating ca
pacity of 400; the seats being arranged in a
Semi-circular form. For the present II is
probable that chairs only will be placed In.
AT the northeast corner Of the main audi
forum will be built the platform, and the
arrangement of seats will. all be made to
conform to this Overhead the entire roof
is to be open truss work. ceiled and panel
ed; the trusses, seven in number, being of
Georgia oiled pine. In about what would
be the center Of the floor, II the building
were square. will be a large steel column
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