The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-16
BEST OF The AGES
Church of To-day Also Is
Growing Better.
SERMON BY REV. DR.. BUTLER
Venerable Pastor Occupies Pulpit on
Thirty-fifth Anniversary of Luther
Place MemOriHI-DecInreS WASH
ingtOn without Church Influence
Would BE as the SOdOm of Old.

Al the SpeSldi SeINlCeS IN COfnnlenOrd-
ton of the thirty-ffth anniversary of the
founding OF the Luther Place Memorial
Church yesterday morning. Rev. DR.. ].
G. Butler, the pastor. delivered a sermon
upon Church building"
The Luther Place Memorial Church,
which is at the corner of Fourteenth
street and Vermont avenue northwest.
facing Thomas Circle, was founded by the
present pastor. DR.. Butler. who has been
with the church ever since. He was pas
/ tor of ST. PauIs Lutheran Church, Elev-
enth and II streets northwest, for more
than twenty-three years, and has been
in this city for almost ifty-nine years.
DR.. Butler took for his text 1 Corin-
thians
Though you have ten thousand in
structors in Christ, yet have ye not many
fathers. fo- in Christ Jesus l begat you
through the Gospel" He said that the
congregation Of Luther Place Memorial
Church had been gathered under his min
iStry, and had been forwarded upon the
broad principles of the Gospel of Christi
anity. ''fellowshipping all believers in
Christ and working heartily for all people
who are working for better world here
now"
Here We have a free-seated church"
DR.. Butler continued, with no rented
pews, and supported by voluntary weekly
offerings. working TO gather in the I'M
churched and especially the unchurched
Lutherans."
Church of To-day Rest
In the view of the church. DR.. Butler
took a backward look at the church Of
Corinth. founded by Paul THE idea
that the early churches were better than
the church of to-day. is all erroneous"
he said. The best church in all history
is the church of to-day. II is not only
the best church. but il is becoming better
every day. Full of imperfections as
it is, IT is true, it is the worlds regener-
ating power. Remove the churches from
Washington with the agencies growing
out Of them, and you have a city wicked
as Sodom. The church at Corinth was
organized not only by the humblest
classes, but it proved a great power in
reaching as the apostle tells us. the
outcast, the Hcentlous. and the wicked.
The mission OF the Christian church is 10
lift up the downtrodden humanity into
clearer, purer, truer, and better life.
There were factions in the church at
Corinth. il is true; and It is not surpris-
ing to find factions in churches to-day.
Some are for Paul. and some are for
Apollos, and some are for Cephas. moved
by the same envy and jealousy and am
bition found in human nature to-day. A
story Of these epistles Of the church at
Corinth reveals in that church social. do
nestle, and civil pollution. strife and
degradation. Despite the labor and self
sacrificing love OF the Great Apostle. His
name was cast out as the very filth of
the earth. The whole picture Of the
church, as revealed in the two epistIes TO
Corinth. is the one that suggests the
wonderful power Of the Gospel as we
look at the church Of to-day, filled with
the intelligent, thoughtful. pure, and no.
bic people who are really the light Of the
world and the salt of the earth"
Plans to Lift Mortgage.
Nine thousand dollars must be raised
by the Luther Place Memorial Church
congregation before May next. in order
10 pay of mortgage that falls due the
latter part Of that month. TIE full
amount of the church debt is $1,000. but
this has been cut down to 5000 by ne
generosity of a friend Of the church, who
has agreed to give 5000. provided that
the other $4,000 be raised. To this sum
the pastor has added $1,000 to help paw
off the mortgage, and he suggests that
shares OF SO. or the multiples thereof. be
dealt out in honor of the thirty-ffth an
niversary, for the extinguishment OF the
entire debt.
Subscriptions, made payable not later
than Easter. 1909. have been suggested.
No questionable methods will be used in
raising money. Free-will thank offerings
have been requested by the pastor from
his people and friends to remove the
mortgage from the church. He said that
Gods house ought not to be mortgaged.
Heavy Expenses Met.
More than $500 interest has been maid
off by the church since the fire that dam
aged the building in 1904. ard repairs
amounting 10 $4,000 have been made since
then. A new church spire was erected at
the cost of $1,000. In addition to the
mortgage and repairs, the church had
just paid off a debt of $4,000 when the
fire came. Particular emphasis is laid
by the pastor on the free-will thank
and he has made an earnest
appeal for cheerful responses from his
and friends. Otherwise. he
says. the church, is growing and is very
At the evening services the son of the
pastor Rev Charles H. Butler, preached. !
The Ruhher cfore ooQ 4. T. cI.,