The times., 1897-07-26
Pastor and People of Old DUN.
barton in Conference.
THE BOARDS REPORT AD0PTEI
At a congregational Meeting $1,000
Is Subsc ribed to Carry Out the
work-Scope of the improvements
Proposed-Old Methodist Organ
ization in the District.

b. Sutt, the pastor yesterday.
II was voted that The plans agreed on
by the official board OF the church should
be carried out, and the sum of $5,49o
was promptly subscribed, though owing
TO the absence of many OF the members
of the church from the city the congre-
cation yesterday v us small.
Ia introducing the subject OF practically
d rev church ediisice 10 the congregation,
Pastor stitt said:
Under tlie authority and instruction or
the official board OF this church L bring
before you the matter of altering ana lIli-
proving our church property. Before max
ing & statement, however, desire 10 say
that according TO the law or the church
NJ provision is made for d congregational
meeting on any project of the character
ncw 10 be discussed. The quarterly con-
fl renee OF the church or the official board
has sole power in such matters and can Dy
its own vote plan and carry out the TEN
poral affairs OF the charge. But 1t was
felt by your servants your representatives
that in SO grave q matter as the altera-
tiun and improvement contemplated, in
vOlying asst must . large outlay OF money,
the wise course would be for them to
consult with you and lay their plans be-
fore yoE and get your practical Judgment
before proceeding with the enterprise. 1t
is for conference with you, therefore,
that this meeting has been called"
The subject Of the Improvement Of this
church property has been more or less under
consideration for many years, and in the
course oe the past ttwenty-fiveor thirty years
several improvements have been made
The building a handed down by the fathers
20 the present congregation. has been time
aud again changed and repaired. Bu5
Gespite all these improvements, there has
been one which has been often thought of
It hasaot been carr ID out because OF the eX-
pense which it would incur. This is the
correc; ion of the blunder made by the
architect OF the church W no built the ceiliEg
of the Sunday-school room too low. The
plans for the new church viii give greater
height to the ceiling OF this department of
the church. and better light and ventiIa ton
for the children.
Pastor Sttt said in this connection
81 an told that this defect in the con-
struction OF the chGrch was always a
source % concern and regret, and that
more than twenty years ago an estimate
was sought for the raising OF the entire
structure so that proper height might
be had for the Sunday-school room. For
about two years tue subject OF repairs
to the building has been seriously con-
sideresi by US It was evident TO all that
the property was running down The
remodeIing OF the SUnday-schooi room
is of great Importance just here want
TO say that Of all rooms in a church build
ing. the most beautiful and commodious
and best-appointed rooms ought to be the
SUnday-scbcol rooms. The life of the
church, the chief reservoir OF the church
supply, is the Sunday-schooI. You can
hardly spend too much thought and money
in that department, and / give it TO you
as my solemn conviction that the pros
perity or the decline of church is TO
be traced TO the liberaIity or the parsimonv
with which its Sunday-school is treated ="
Then Pastor Stitt described the proposed
changes: Taking the lower floor first, :"
he said, 1.-THE proposed alterations include
the removal OF the present library and the
two rooms adjoining, one now used by Mr..
| Payne's class and the other by Mrs. jack
Sons Sunday school class. and making the
Sunday school room large and commodious.
The infant department room will be ex-
| tended twelve feet to the rear and space
given for an additional number of scholars.
This room is also to be the ladies' parlor.
Adjoining the infant department on the
west viii be built a room for the kitchen.
Takingthe main floor he followin g changes
are proposed: To correspond with the rails
| ing of this floor in order to give the proper
| height to the Sunday school room. the roof
OF the church will be raised three feet and
a new roof put on. The side galleries are
To be removed and the end gallery S to be
enlarged. This will give magnificent
windows on either side, In which it is pro-
posed to put stained glass. and OF which
memorial windows are to be made.
.eThe rear wall of the church is to be
opened and an apse put in. The orening
viii lse abort TWENTY-FIVE feet wide, beauti-
| fully aTched overhead, and running back
twelve feet, giving place for the organ
and thechoira an containing doOrwa ' COM
municating with the parsonage yard, and
also an extra exit for the congregation
| in time OF need. The ceiling Is to be pan-
| eied as are the char mhers of the Senate and
House of Representatives. but. of course.
not so ela.orsteiy. new flooring is To
| take the place OF the old one. The lighting
| is 10 lie by central reflector and by four
| small refiectors set in the ceiling. An
the space now occupied by the organ and
choir viii he used for seating purposes.
The walls and the paneled ceiling viii be
| bea utif uIly decorated"
In addition to this the plan calls for an
| entire new front TO the church In this
| new front there is TO be a stone finish
| about the entrance. The material in the
main will be light colored brick The
new front will make necessary the entire
change Of the present stalrcases, SO that
| the present sharp turns in the stairs will
| be done away with. Two large toilet
rooms will be built under the main stair
way. The walls will be protected from
dampness by concrete walks on four sides.
The lowest bid on the proposed work
is Sf1,300. The windows Of stained glass
will cost $500. aud incidentals Will bring
the figure up to 900.
The congregation will try to have So
600 pledged before the work is begun, and
with very little urging and with but a
snail attendance So, 400 was pledged at
the meeting yesterday. William J. Pal.
mer / S the architect.
Dumbatton Avenue Methodist Episcopal
| Church i s one of the oldest in the United
| States and the Oldest In the District of
1 Columbia. Robert Williams. an English
man. who preached the first Methodist
sermon in Georgetown, in 1772, was the
| founder or the church. The first church OF
the society was on Montgomery street,
! Georgetown A new meeting house was
built in 1900 and the present edifice was
| built in 1s43. during the term of service
| OF Rev. Henry Siicer. 1t was built from
| subscriptions in many American cities.