Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14
The end of the auditorium will be occupied
by large pulpit platform, while to the
right will be the place for the choir gallery.

The end of the auditorium will be occupied
by large pulpit platform. while to the
right will be the place for the choir gallery
Supper Room md Kitchen.
The walls of the auditorium will be pam
eled and wainscoted to a height of seven
feet. The architect has prepared special
designs for the wood work and also for
decorations to the organ case. The pews
will be arranged in semi-circular ORDER
with two wide central aisles and two side
aisleS. 1t is expected that $50 people can
be seated and if found necessary, galleries
can be erected. The wood work of the
entire first floor will be of white oak and
the walls will be sand finished.
Underneath the entire church there will
be a basement completely finished. This
basement will contain a supper room in
the front part under the paror and front
t corridor, which will be twenty-nine feet
room directly under the reading room
above. Adjoining the serving room to the
rear there will be a kitchen thirteen feet
sN inches by nineteen feet. This kitchen
is to be thoroughly equipped with ranges
SINKS and dressers and a pantry. Back of
the Kitchen will be the boiler room and coal
cellar In the rear of the boiler room will
be toilet rooms.
The rear portion Of the basement ia to no
occupied by an amusement hall forty-eig.t
1eet long by sixty-eight feet wide directly
under the auditorium above
Inc entire structure is to be heated nv
steam. The architect is Mr. b. Frank New
ers of this city, and Messrs. Emmert &
Hershey are the contractors. 1t is expected
TO nave the church so far advanced that
services can be held in at least portion of
1t by next Christmas. 1t is estimated that
the cost of the church and lot will be in the
neighborhood of $4,000.
Ground Broken.
Ground was broken for the new church
July o, 1886, during the great Christian En-
deavor convention, and the ceremonies in
cident to the event We're participated in by
prominent visiting congregational clergy
men, notably Rev. DR.. Francis E. Clark
of Boston, president of the United Christian
Endeavor Societies; Rev. Dr. W. H. Towers
of Manchester, England. and Rev. DR.. Jas.
l.. Hill of Salem, Mass. Owing to the TN
usual financial conditions which prevailed
for many months following it was found to
be impossible to undertake the erection OF
the church under the general plan adopted
put the trustees determined to go just as
Tar as they could with the work and use
the money already in hand or soon to be
paid in.
Proceeding upon this line the excavations
were made and the foundations laid, when
work was suspended until about three
weeks ago, when Il loan of Sl5UD0 for ten
years, without interest. being secured from
the Congregational Building Society of New
YORK, the construction of the edlfice was re-
stunned.
The Mount Pleasant Congregational
Church was organized November 2, 1885,
with membership of nineteen.
Rev Charles II. Small, who had just
graduated from the Divinity School, New
Haven, was called to take charge of the
new congregation and faithfully mnistered
to Its needs for eight years. During this
period and to the present time services
Fave been held in building originally
erected as a public hall. For the first five
years the church rented this hall for it's
regular services. but in 1891 by gift and
purchase the stock of the hall association
was secured by the church and the title to
the property vested in the trustees of the
society.
Rev. Ffshburn Called.
In the summer of "a Mr.. Small received
call to the First Congregational Church
of Hudson, Ohio, and the Rev. NJ. Ross
F1shburn, then assistant pastor of the
First Congregational Church of this city.
was called to take his place.
Rev. NJ. Ross Fishburn, NJ. A., b. D.. is
thirty years of age, native of Ontario,
Canada, where his father was settled as
pastor of Lutheran church.
In 1879 his parents returned to Pennsyl-
Vanla, their native state, and there he le-
ceived his early education. He was gradu-
ated from the Filthy School of ThieI COL
lege in 1888, at Pennsylvania College, Get
tysburg. in 1887. and at the Divinity School
"
tions during his divinity course were spen.
In the west, where he was engaged in home
missionary work While in Two Rivers.
Wis, he assisted in the organization of the
only church in that city in which English
is preached.
During the closing year at Yale Mr. Fish
burn received call to the pastorate of the
Congregational Church at Roxbury, Conn.
which he accepted. He was ordained at
the Roxbury Church in September 1891
From Roxbury he came to Washington in
1872 to accept the assistant pastorate Of
the First Congregational Church For two
and one-half years he remained with the
First Church, having entire charge of the
church during twelve months of that time.
In October. 1893, Mr. Fishburn was married
to Miss Emma N. Hummel of Harrisburg
Pa. Mrs. Fishburn is well known in Chris.
tian Endeavor circles, having served as
chairman OF the junior rally committee at
the time of the '96 convention.
In November, 1894. Mr.. Fishburn accepted
call to the Mt Pleasant pastorate. His
ministry there has been attended with in
creasing success. All of the organizations
OF the church which he found on taking
up the work have developed in numbers
and influence, while other important socie-
ties and committees have been formed.
During his pastorate of less than three
years l2o persons have been added to the
membership of the church. which now num-
beers 20. Almost $4,000 has been raised
for all purposes. and nearly 5000 of this
amount has been devoted to missionary
and charitable work.
Church Omcers.
The officers Of the church are: Deacons.
B. P. Davis. E. s. Peck, ]. B. Sleman and
ID. S. CARL; deaconesses, Mrs. N E. Young.
Mrs. F. L. Campbell; clerk, Joseph M. Nor
gan: treasurer, w. d. Quinter.
oficers of the society-President, General
Ellis Spear; trustees, N. E. Young. r. l..
Campbell. L. s. Emery. T. C. Drlin: secre-
tary, CAPTAIN H. H. Parmenter: treasurer.
II. RorsavilIe.
The finance committee, which has in
charge the raising of funds for the new
jr., chairman: B. P. Davis, w. III. Ronsa
Vile, w. ]. Bowman, r. c. Dulin. Robert
II. Young. Joseph M. Morgan, James M
Sreer, l.. S. Emery ~
The building comnittee-D. S. CARL. T. C.
Dulin. Rev. NJ. Ross Fishburn.