Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-28
DELIVERS THE KEYS
COMMITTEE TRANSFERS HOUSE
OF WORSHIP TO TRUSTEES.
Interesting Service Yesterday at
the Washington Heights Pres
byterian Church.

rian Church, at Kalorama avenue and Co
| lumbia road, was formally opened yester-
day afternoon. The building was crowded
| to its fullest capacity. All the seats were
taken, and even the available standing
| room was occupied. The decorations OF
palms, roses, lilacs, lilies and other cut
flowers in the pulpit presented an attractive
appearance, and the music for the occasion
was of a specially pleasing character. Mrs
Susanna Oldberg directed the choir and
Mrs. Shepard presided at the piano.
During the exercises the choir sang Gou-
mods ''Sanctus'' and several hymns. Other
musical numbers were My God, My
Father" Marston, Miss Elizabeth Fill;
open the Gates of the Temple Knapp,
Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes, and 20 God, Have
Mercy" Mendelssohn, Mr. Halstead F.
Hoover.
Rev. Lawrence Hunt, pastor of the
church, presided at the exercises and intro
duced the first speaker Rev. w. j. Hutch
ison of the Westminster Church Memorial,
who brought greetings to the new organiza-
ton. Rev. A. S Fiske, pastor of Gunton-
Temple Memorial Church, was the next
speaker He congratulated the church on
its splendid work thus far and predicted
for 1t most successful future for the new
society. He warned the members against
working for the interests of their church
only, and said they must remember the
great field and work on broad lines. A
pleasing feature of the exercises at this
point was the recitng of the Tooth Psalm
by Louise Sprenger, a little girl three
years of age and a member of the Sunday
school.
The Keys Transferred.
Following congratulatory remarks by
Rev. Mr.. Warren of Faith Chapel, Mr.
Thomas C. Noyes. chairman of the building
committee, presented the keys of the new
church to Mr.. Charles A. Douglas. chair
man of the board of trustees. Mr.. Moves
in his presentation speech said it had been
the wish of the building committee to turn
over the new edifce to the trustees free
from debt, but the short time which was
allowed for the work made this plan quite
impossible. He hoped however that the
trustees would be able to successfully take
up the work of clearing the building from
debt, and that at an early date.
Mr. Douglas, in accepting the edifice
spoke of the sacrifice of time and labor on
the part of the building committee and
especially the chairman, and said that
when 1t became necessary to construct a
larger church the trustees and congrega-
ton would be entirely willing to intrust
the guidance of the work to the chairman
of the committee who had just completed
his task.
Dir. Luccock of Metropolitan Church made
a few remarks complimentary to the new
organization. He said in part: THE other
Presbyterian churches of the city will help
you during the first year or two of your
work The only thing that might make
us hesitate to offer assistance is that Won
are so abundantly able to take care of your
self"
In acknowledging this graceful tribute
and kindly offer of help from the other
Presbyterian churches Mr.. Hunt said he
wished to assure DR.. Luccock that the new
church had no spirit of isolation or false
independence. and if it were helped by VOL
untary offerings from the other churches
during its early struggles it would certain
70 ND 10 he coll Gov
assistance from other churches when 1t be-
came strong, and should they be in cir
cumstances under which they would re-
quire aid.
Presents Gift of $3.50.
In Introducing DR.. Bittinger, Mr.. Hunt
spoke of the affection the members of the
church felt toward the first moderator of
their session, and whose wise counsel
guided them in organization of the new
church. DR.. Bittinger said he represented
the presbytery of the city, whose greet
ing he brought. He said he was also
commissioner and had the pleasure to bring
gift of $3.50 for the church from Mr.. C.
b. Church. elder of the Westminster
Church Memorial. Mr.. Church gave that
organization its beautiful new building on
18th street southwest, during the last year
of DR.. Bittinger's pastorate, and it was
dedicated a few months after Mr.. Hunts
ordination as its pastor.
Short addresses were also made by DR..
Mcleod of the First Church, DR.. ]. 7.
Kelly of the Fourth Church and DIR. c. B.
Ramsdell of the North Church.
Letters were received from all the Pres
byterian pastors of the city not present
explaining their absence and expressing
their congra tulations to the new church.
There was a large collection, amounting
to over 800
There will be special services at the new
church all this week. The program for to-
night provides for a fraternal visit from
St. Margaret's Protestant Episcopal Church,
the only other church on the Heights. Rev.
II. Scott Smith, the rector, will conduct
the services and deliver the address.