Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-22
SEARCH FOR NEW HOM[
Assernbly's Congregation With
out House of Worship.
DELAY IN UNION PROJECT
Church Edifce Sold to Cheov Sholon
Hebrew Congregation.
PLANS UNDER ADJUSTMENT
Union With One of Two Other Church
Bodies or Erection of
New Building.

With $4,000 practically to their credit and
their house of worship about to be sold the
two hundred members of the Assembly $
Presbyterian Church and their pastor, Rev
DR.. George p. Wilson. are looking about for
a place to continue their labors and main
tain their church life This situation has de-
veloped as a result of the decision of the
congregation at a special meeting last even
ing to ask for permission to withdraw from
the proposition of union with the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, and also to
complete the sale of its property to the
Cheov Sholon Hebrew congregation. which
has already paid $500 upon it, out of what
the Assembly's Church considers fairness to
the prospective purchasers.
The attitude of the presbytery OF Wash
ington at its last meeting was such that 1t
Is confidently believed by those interested In
the matter when that body receives the re-
quest of Assembly's Church to be allowed
to withdraw from the proposed union the
presbytery will grant it, especially in view
of the fact that the request is made by
unanimous ballot of the Assembly's congre-
CATION
Alternatives Open.
There are three possibilities open to the
Assemblys Church provided the union with
the New York Avenue Church is called off.
One, of course, is that another building be
procured and the church continue it's indi-
vidual existence The other two are
union with the Fist Church or union
with the North Church
Present indications point toward the lat
ter idea, as both churches are said to favor
1t. In fact, In the election of an elder last
evening by the Assembly's congregation the
do hot
then consist of three members, which Is
exactly the number on the board of the
North Church, and that therefore the two
churches, II they chose, might unite on an
equal footing. 1t was in order that this state
of affairs might exist that only one elder
was elected last evening when there were
three vacancies.
Rev. Dr. c. b. Ramsdel, who was the
pastor of the North Church for over thirty
years, died suddenly at the meeting of the
presbytery several weeks ago, and the pas
torate of that church is now vacant This
condition. 1t Is said. would make union
with the Assembly's Church more desirable
Assembly's Church is located at the corner
OF 5th and | streets northwest, and the
North Church on n street between 9th and
10th streets northwest, so that their fields
are practically the same
Meeting of Presbytery Called
A special meeting of the presbytery of
Washington has been called for July 2
next, when the request Of the Assemblys
Church will be considered. A special meet
ing of the Assembly's congregation is to be
held July to consider what shall be its
next move.
The Hebrew Congregation will become
the possessor of the AssembIy's property,
if no hitch occurs in the present plans,
about the middle of August and by that
time the homeless Presbyterian church
70 hox- jAR ffaI,r
future action shall be.
AS result of the troubles of the Assem-
bly's Church four elders of that church,
who were practically the only members of
the congregation who fought for the New
York avenue union after the cathedral idea
of Justice Harlan was stricken out of the
union agreement, have left the church.
They are John M Foster, o. B. Brown,
Thomas p. Keene and A. M. McBath
The two remaining elders are L. Cabell
Williamson and DR.. William I. Dollison.
The newly elected elder is Joseph Began.
The church has full board of seven trus-
tees. who are In position to convey the
property to the prospective purchaser If the
conditions are favorable.
Action of the Church.
The action of the Assembly's Church last
evening is the latest chapter In most in
teresting series of events growing out of
the effort of Justice Harlan of the United
States Supreme Court, an elder of the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church. to bring
about the establishment of great national
Presbyterian cathedral In this city. The
Assembly's Church claims that it went into
the union proposition merely to further this
idea. and that the presbytery failed to give
the cathedral proposition the stamp of APP
prevail which 1t thought necessary
Being unwilling to unite with the New
York Avenue Church and give up its iden-
tity for any other reason, the Assembly,s
congregation petitoned the presbytery to
instruct its elders to call congregational
meeting and allow the people to express
their views In the matter. the majority OF
the elders having refused to call such
meeting.
The presbytery so instructed the elders.
Last nights meeting was the result. and
the decision to get out of the whole prob
lem was reached. AS the arrangements had
been made with the Hebrews to sell the
church to them while matters were in an
he fai of he hy1 rch