Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-24
A NEW1H0UE OF WORSHIP
Plans for Rebuihingthe Dumbarton Avenue
II. Fl Church.
The Details 90 he Presented to the
Congregation ,fTomOrrOw-COnfl-
dences in the Project.

II present plans do not miscarry 1t is
likely that Dumbarton Methodist Episcopal
Church will soon have one of the finest
houses of worship in the section of Wash
ington lying west of Rock creek. The
Guiding committee appointed by the off,
cial board of the congregation has selected
plans prepared by Architect William ].
Palmer for the new building, and has ac-
cePted the bid of a well-known contractor
Professionally. The rroviso is that the con-
gregat1In shall decide to commence the
work Immediately, and that they will sub
scribe the necessary money. 1t will take
quite large sum to carry out the ideas of
the building committee and the architect,
SO that tomorrow at the regular services
the eatire matter will be presented to the
congregation, and they will be asked to
subscribe literally to the building fund. If
the responses shall show the Willingness of
the congregation to go ahead with the en-
ttrprise, then it is expected the absent
members, of which there are quite a num-
Der, will be solicited individually to con-
tribute.
When the people see and appreciate the
plans prepared for the new edifice 1t is eX-
pected that they will be ready to subscribe.
but whether the work is to be commenced
this summer or later will depend on the
conclusion reached tomorrow. w nile IL Is
not determined to tear down the present
it win be left to enable one to
identity the building as the old
that will be left of the edifice will be the
two side walls. Even the length and height
OF the building will be considerably in
creased. while the architecture Is to be
changed entirely.
Cream-ColOred Brick Front.
The front is to be erected of cream-color-
ed brick. something new in church archi-
lecture in Washington, and will be trim
med with Indiana limestone, the latter to
be used quite extensively on the lower
story. The main entrance will be through
double arched doorway, leading into
wide vestbule, while directly above the
entrance there is to be a large and hand
some rose window filled with fine grade Of
cathedral glass. To the right and left of
the entrance are to be towers, that at the
southwest corner to be higher than the
other, though both will rise above the high
est point of the roof. The Vest1bule VIII
have a door entering directly into the lee
ture room, located on the first floor. and be
supplied with rolling partitions, SO that the
Whole may be thrown at will into one large
room or converted into several smaller
class rooms.
distance IN the rear, while the ceiling will
be three feet higher than the one in the
old building. This annex will have the eff
feet of doubling the capacity OF the present
infant class room. IStairways will lead up
through the two towers from the vestibuie
to a platform entering into the main audi
torum OH the second floor and from this
platform to thebauditorium gallery.
AsRehr Annex.
The annex in the rear will admit of the
pulpit platform, choir gallery and organ
being moved back distance, so that with
the large gallery on the south end of the
church, which will take the place of the
three old-style galleries now running
around the three sides of the auditorium,
the seating capacity will be increased, and
consequently the church will have
seats for between 900 and loo people
within easy range OF the pulpit platform.
Overhead the ceiling is to be timbered,
differing very much from the present one.
while the walls will be Stenciled and finish
cd with decorations, In stucco.
In planning the decorations of the church
the architect has chosen all of the latest
designs which have stood the test of use
fulness, and the result will be that the new
Dumbarton will combine grace with solidi-
ty in its construction. All the windows are
to be filled with cathedral glass, and it is
expected that some of the members of the
congregation will donate memorial win
doWs. Toilet rooms are to be located under
each of the stairways in the front. At The
rear of the edifice, and connecting directly
with the lecture room, there is to be d
small building set apart for the use of the
ladies' societies of the church and equipped
with a full line of culinary utensils. The
lighting will be of both gas and electricity
while the heating is also to be of the latest
design.
An Old Organization.
Dumbarton Avenue Methodist Episcopal
Church is one of the oldest Of the societies
of the denomination in America, and the
q,
lumbia. 1t is reasonably certain that the
first Methodist sermon in West Washington
was preached by Robert Williams, an Eng
Hshman, who first preached the doctrines
of Methodism here in October, 1772, that
the 18TH anniversary of the origin of
Methodism in the District of Columbia vii!
occur this fall.
Robert Strawbridge, the father of Amer
lean Methodism,' and Richard Owings,
were the first to actively work for the
spread of the denomination in Georgetown,
the latter. OHings. spending a good deal
of time here. They We're followed by Philip
Catch. William Duke and William Waters,
all well known in the annals of Methodism
and they in turn by a long list of pastors.
some of whom attained to eminence and
four ultimately reaching the episcopate, as
follows: Bishop Enoch George, Robert r.
Roberts, Beverly Waugh and William Tay-
lor. One Philip Catch, afterward left tue
ministry, and became distinguished jurst
of the state of Ohio.
The Original Meeting House.
The first Dumbarton Church was located
on Montgomery street, and this was fol-
lowed by another chapel replacing it III
1900. In 1906 the original meeting house
was enlarged, and in 1919, during the minis
trations of the Rev. Henry Slicer, the pres
ent edifice was built. Subscriptions were
gathered from a number of Cities and since
then the church has been repaired and i'm
proved. The present pastor, Rev. DR.. Jo-
seph b. Stitt, was reared in Washington
hut was educated at Dickinson College
Carlisle. Pa. All Of his appointments have
been in the Baltimore conference and he
has been pastor of several of the most
prominent churches. Among the members
of the building committee are the follow
ing: Rev. ]. Il. Stitt, D. D., the pastor,
chairman, and Aessrs. John T. Mitchell
w. T. Birch, Columbus Thomas, Isaac
Birch and Chas. H. Johnson
Dag ofsG0au Containing
$50, hid in plain view mot buriedD, in Con-
gress Heights woods: free to finder; cleo
trio line from Naty Yard bridge. Come
over with lunch basket and spend Sunday