The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-30
PRESIDENT SPEAKS
At THE DEDICATION
Reopening of Luther Me-
mortal Church.
FOR LIBERAL CHRISTIANITY
Interesting Services in Connection With
the Completion of Repairs
Caused by Fire.
FOR LIBERAL CHRISTIANITY

The Luther Place Church. which was
damaged by fire about enc year sago,
was yesterday rsopened and rededicated.
President Roosevelt attended the SER
vices and made an address.
In the afternoon an interdenomina
tional service was held In the evening
there was a platform meeting, at which
Commissioners Macfarland, Senator
Knute Nelson, Senator Dick and Ellis
H. Roberts. Treasurer of the United
States, made brief talks.
At all the services the attendance
was large, and the members of the
church Were congratulated heartily.
President Roosevelt in his address
called attention TO the fact that Satur-
day was the seventy ninth birthday of
the pastor, the Rev. Dr. J. G. Butler.
Mr.. Roosevelt's Speech.
The President gave an outline of the
history of the Lutheran Church. He
pointed out the fact that almost stimuli
taneous with the first settlements in this
country the Lutheran Church was es-
tablished. The church was in a position
therefore to welcome newcomers, who
had left their home churches. In this
way, he said, the church accomplished
much good. ,-.
Plea Tor Liberaufy.
In closing his address President
Roosevelt said:
LET me congratulate you and con-
graduate all of us that we live in land
and at a time when we accept 1t as nat
ural that there should be an inter-
denominational service of Thanksgiving,
such ceremony as is to take place
this afternoon, in which the pastors of
other churches join TO congratulate
themselves and you upon the rebuild
ing of this church
.,One of the constant problems of life
Is to try to cultivate breadth without
shailowness, just as we want to
try to cultivate depth without narrow
ness. 1t seems to me that Thanksgiving
with the combined earnestness, the lib
erty, Of the great body of the pastors
who for our good fortune, are in the
various churches OF this country can
be accepted as in a peculiar measure
typifying the American spirit in reIig-
ious thought, that for our good fortune
these men have been able TO combine
ferror in doing the Lords work with
with certain differences in the nom
essentials.
THE forces of evil are. strong and
mighty IN this century and in this coun-
try, as they are in other countries, as
they have been in all the past centuries;
and the people who sincerely wish to do
the Lords work Will find ample oppor-
tunity for all their labor in fighting the
common enemy and in assuming toward
their fellows of a different confession
an attitude of generous rivalry in the
effort 70 see how the most good can be
done to our people as a whole
Il thank You for having given me the
chance to speak TO you this morning, TO
say word of greeting to you, and to
wish you Godspeed with all my heart
Sermon by Dr.. Miller.
The sermon was delivered by Dr.
George NJ Miller, of Baltimore
Dr. Butler in a brief talk spoke of his
pastorate Of fifty years He said that
$4,000 had been spent in rebuilding the
church and Sc, COG Is still due.
Addresses at the afternoon meeting
were made by Bishop Henry Y. Satter-
lee, of the Episcopal Diocese of Wash
ingten; Rev. DR.. Samuel II. Greene. OF
Calvary Baptist Church; Rev. NJ Ross
Fishburu, of the Mt. Plea SAINT Congre-
gational Church; Rev. DR.. Frederick D.
Power, of the Vermont Avenue Christian
Church; Rev DR.. w l. Davidson Of
the Mountain Lake Park Chautauqua.
Nd; Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe, of the
New York Avenue Presbyterian church,
and Rev DR.. John NJ. Sehick, OF Grace
Reformed Church.
An elaborate musical program was
rendered.