Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-31
CORNER STONE OF CHURCH
CEREMONIES BY MEMBERS OF
BAPTIST CONGREGATION.
Grand Lodge of Masons Aids in Lay
ing the Granite Block-For
Temporary Use.

The corner stone Of the new Bethany
Baptist Church. I'd street and Rhode Is
land avenue. was laid with impressive
ceremonies by the Grand Lodge, F a
a N. of the District of Columbia. yes
terday afternoon. Samuel W. Woodward.
president of the American Baptist Mis-
sionary Union. presided, and many Bap-
tst ministers Of this city participated
The ritual was under the direction of
+. J Woodman. grand master of Masons
of the District of Columbia. The ex-
ercises were opened with a cornet solo
| by Miss Grace Beelman Rev. c. +. Win
bigler made the Invocation. and Bible
reading from the second chapter of the
book Of Ephesians. ny Rev. J. c. Ball.
followed. Rev. +. Hez SVEN asked di-
vine blessing, and Rev. j j. Muir deliN-
cred an address, congratulating the con-
eregatton on its undertaking. His theme
was that people of the present day must
not have the impression that the Idea
of God is an antiuuated one. tit only to he
re!egated TO museums. but that 1t is as
ever present today as always. and that
the religion that means something is not
the free religion, but that which costs
something TO sacrifice. He stated that
when house of worship is erected II
shows that there are some people in the
community who believe there is God
Grand Lodge Lays Stone.
The Grand Lodge then laid the corner
stone. 1t contains an autograph photo
graph of President Roosevelt and silver
quarter OF the denomination of 1907 from
Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou
copies of the hymns. Christian En-
deavor.' America" and Great God. Our
King, to Thee We Sing a hat. dollar,
coinage of 1880. from r. J. Tracewen. con-
troller of the Treasury. A book. Roger
Williams, the Pioneer of Religious Lib
erty. from Oscar S. Straus. Secretary of
Commerce and Labor: the Baptist Mis-
sionary Magazine, photograph of Rev.
Hugh I. Stevenson, pastor OF the church.
and also one of Boston w. Smith. man
ager of the chapel car the last page
from the journal of Luther Rice. the
pioneer OF the denomination. presented by
William Allen Wilbur. dean of Columbia
| University Theological School. Gov.
Hughes president of the northern conven-
ton of the church. presented Bible. and
DR.. Strong, president of the American
convention. gave a copy of the Demon
| national Outlook" There were also parts
of the records of Brown. and Colgate uni
versities. the oldest of their denomination
| in the country. Pamphlets Of the history
of the Baptist denomination. and Ma
sonic code of the District of Columbia.
| proceedings of the Grand Lodge of 1895
ard Masonic calender of 1907 were also
included.
For Temporary Use.
The church building. which is not
large one. Is expected to fill the needs o.
| the congregation only until larger one
can be built. when it will be used
branch building for the Young Mems
Christian Association for the youth of the
neighborhood. The movement which re-
suited in the location of the Bethany
Church in the section in question was the
result of the activity of John E. Dawson
and his associates, who completed prep
arations three years ago. At that time
the church had membership of fifty
two The membership at present Is 1885,
The Sunday school membership was forty
five In 1904 and is now 300
The meetings of the church have been
held in an old mansion on Sd street near
Florida avenue. For two years Rev. Hugh
T Stevenson has been pastor. He Is a
native of Hamilton. n. Y. and graduate
of Colgate University.