Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-24
A WEEK OF. REJOICING
Luther Place Memorial
Church tois Celebrate .
FIRE ANNIVERSARY
RESTORATION or EDIF1cE TO BE
Contemplated.
Program of Exercises Includes Three
Special Services Sunday-sketch
of Work Accomplished.


The membership of Luther Place Mo-
mortal Church. facing Thomas Circle. will
Sunday next commemorate the first anniver
sary of the fire that swept through it from
auditorium to steeple by the formal re-
opening of the restored building, which
Will be marked by celebration The ex-
ercises will continue until the following
Sunday
The fire occurred the evening of January
20, 1904, and caused over $4,000 damage.
The structure has, always been regarded
as one of the handsomest churches in the
capital city, and contains Individual me-
MORALS to great men in national and re-
ligous life that have made it historical
landmark 1t has been restored almost ex-
actly, being, if anything, more attractive
to the eye now than it was before the fire.
Rev. ]. G. Butler, the pastor has been
instrumental in arranging q program for
the celebra ton that will do justice to the
event. The details have not yet been an
nounced, but 1t is known that Rev. DIR. G.
w. Miller of Baltimore is expected to
preach at the II O'Clock service next Sun
day morning. At 3 Pm. there will be an
observation-disclosures fellowship meeting and
addresses by neighbor1nE pastors. meet
ing at which representative public men. yet
to be announced, will speak is scheduled
for next Sunday evening at ss3o o'clock.
49,. Social to Be Held.
A congregational social will be held Tues
day evening under the auspices of the
Mems Club and the Christian Endeavor
Society. Thursday. in the chapel, serv-
ices preparatory to the, celebration OF he
Lords supper on the following Sunday will
be held. An organ recital by Prof. Erick
F. Rath and Paul Whitney Fishbaugh will
be given Friday evening.
The pastor will preach Sunday, February
5, at both services after each of which the
Lords supper will be cemmemorated by the
members of the congregation.
AS this church is Supported entirely by
voluntary contributions "a plea is being
made to the members te,,contribute what
ever amounts they can AFFORD to pay the in
debtedness incurred by the rebuilding. APP
proXimately $4,000. above insurance and
present subscriptions are needed to cover
the cost of the completed work, Including
the fine new organ. = ssssts<Sasdz SzzSszzsz
History of the Church.
For nearly thirty years the Luther Place
Memorial Church has been one of the
adornments of the city. Situated in the
triangle between Vermont avenue, 14th
street and N street. northwest facing
Thomas Circle, with its parking adorned
by the colossal statue of Martin Luther, it
has never failed to attract the attention of
those who have passed by.
st. Pauls Lutheran Church, 18th and H
streets, purchased from a Protestant Epis-
copal congregation. the lot on which the
Memorial Church u, stands. paying for it
$500. A chapel was soon erected and was
dedicated July :, 1898 Shortly afterward a
sunday school W organised chiefly of
Ieachers ana schoiarss from ST. Paurs.
freachlng services We're begun shortly af-
terward, and from thai time to the perma-
nent organization of ihe church in 1879
rev. Dr. j. g. Butler.s who was formerly
pastor of St PauFs had charge of both
congregations, being. aided by associate
pastors. -
The cornerstone of the. Memorial Church
was laid October 81, 1870 on which occa-
SION Or. Butler reporteas as follows 1.-The
. cash DOCK shows that NEARLY $4,000 has
been paid, into the treasury. largely from
the people of ST. Paul's Church"
AT the time of it's orga aization the church
mao 1orty-elght members Since then it
mas grown to be one OF the largest and
Wealthiest English Lutheran churches in
the city
The three towers of the edifiee were COM
pieted in 1883 by George Ryneal, jr, a
rial to his father and mother. The same
year, when the Protestant world was cele-'
bratlng the Tooth anniversary of the birth
OF Martin Luther an idea to erect statue
projected, and. by voluntary contributions,
was prosecuted without delay. The statue
or the llberator of modern thought" was
unveiled with impressive ceremonies in
1854
Memorial Windows and Pews.
The windows and pews of the church
have also been made memorial The names
OF Luther, Calvin and Wesley were inscribed
on the three windows In the main tower.
as representative of the three types of reli-
gious thought and life, running parallel
with the life of the American republic.
The remaining windows were made me-
mogial to noted men in American Lutheran
history. Grant, Lee, Howard, Sumner and
many others We're plsmorialized in the
pews by friends. In the'fre of January 20 of
last yea" many of these historical features
OF the handsome edifice We're completely
ruined CIR very badly damaged. In the re-
construction, howeer,s rs stated, much has
been restored
The Luther Place Memorial Church has
NO reised pews being snpported entirely by
velope system. The rich and poor meet to-
gether and all are welcomed. Regular at
tenants IN many cases occupy family peWs,
as in pew-renting churches but only by GUS
tom.
The church. founded at the close of the
civil war, is regarded by interested church,
men as memorial. in large sense, of
Gods goodness In bringing those awful days
public. and to Gods mercy in delivering the
land from slavery
Rev. j. G. Butler, the present and only
pastor of The church,sis a native of Cum
berland- Md, and was educated at Gettys-
burg, Pa. AS soon as he was ordained as
minister he came TO st. Pauls, in this CITY,.
The policy of the church has been one of
expansion. For nnfaber of years the
membership has beens close to 400. lions
Church. corner of 6tft; hnd streets, was
founded by the Luther Memorial; also the
Church of the Redeenaer colored, and the
Kelar Memorial 9th and Maryland avenue
northeast, over which, Rev. c. H. Butler,
son of the pastor of the mother church, pre-
sides.
Free Hospital in Annex.
In the annex of the church building, on N
street, is the Luther Eye Ear and Throat
lnfirmary, for the free. treatment of the in
digent poor, regardieM of race, sex or re-.
ligion.S The good ace1ns plished by this in-.
stitution Grows year " year This also IS
supported wholly bxf Voluntary contribu-s
tions. and now awaits only the gift OF q
building or money to expand into hos.
pitaL Until the recent sfife the congregation
OF the Luther Place MEMORIAL Church was
free from debt.