The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-25
FORMER REPORTER
COMES AS PASTOR

been chosen TO lead the congregation OF
the Luther Place Memorial Church, in
this city
Il know the circumstances of the last
few months at the church." he said yes
terday to a representative of The Wash
ington Herald. But l am taking up my
pastorate here with the intention of
winning, and 1 am going TO win. l am
not going to conduct a school. There are
reference books at the Library Of Con-
gress for those who want TO study them.
am a preacher, and | shall be a preach
er IN the pulpit and out Of H."
Characteristic Sermon.
Rev. Mr.. Douglas looks younger than
his age by several years. But from the
black hair on the top OF his head to his
clean cut chin and the finely drawn lines
about his mouth there are determine
ton and frankness.
His inaugural sermon was Characters
tic He stated his position before the
congregation, gave a suggestion of his
religious views. and his estimate Of what
a good church should be, and paid tribute
In the highest terms 20 the work Of his
predecessor, DIR. Butler. II would be his
purpose, he said. to make the church
worthy of large membership, and new
names would then appear on the books
as q logical result He would make the
church, not, primarily. a social club,
but a communion of believers" and 1t
should be known neither as church
OF the ariStOCratic" nor as a church OF
the proletariat," but a place Of worship
for all who might cross its threshold
Mr. Douglas spoke from the text: las
We have heretofore received Christ Jesus
the Lord, walk We in Him; established
in the faith: as ye have been taught.
He said in part:
Permit me to begin my ministry
in your church by registering this
vow: That with God as my guide and
helper, l shall endeavor, so far as lies
within me, 10 render to Him and TO you
an acceptable service. And I should be
happy II each one Of you might silently
offer a pledge at this moment that so
long as you believe in my sincerity you
will give me your hearty cooperation and
support.
states His Position
In the future I shall be sparing Of
my use Of the first person singular.
shall try to make the message sufficiently
attractive 10 preclude the necessity OF
talking about the messenger. But to-day
I am obliged 10 speak Of myself in re-
latlon to our pending operations.
"I am neither an iconoclast nor a rev.
olutionist. I have not come here to up
set what have found. or ruthlessly de-
stroy that which has been achieved in
the past. Those things that have been
dear 10 you will become dear 70 me; your
traditions will be respected; your Gus
toms honored; your church usages kept
inviolate. You hold In solemn and sacred
reverence the memory OF the man who,
through these many years past, labored
so tirelessly and efficiently in the inter
ests OF this church. I have not come here
as his rival. but as his successor.
'T cannot expect to-day 20 define
the minutia OF my anticipated work
even II that were TO be thought
necessary or expedlent I hope TO give
you a few excerpts from my working
creed and lay down a few OF the funda'
mental planks I'm my platform. You may
not care whether I am a Democrat OF
a Republican, whether l am in favor oil
capital punishment for murderers. what
/ Is lily Itl nUlAul AtlEAF IA AAaN AAethAHA ~
! books. music. art You have a right e
be interested in my conception OF thC
kingdom OF Jesus Christ and my indi
I vidual belief as 10 the methods Of It's
y advancement.
/ Names in the Church Book
May I say first, then. that I have no
come here for the sole and exclusive pur
/ pose OF writing names in a church book
That we will write many names there
have no doubt. and that we shall be mos
happy to do so goes without saying W,
will strive to make Memorial Churcl
great. and when. by patient application
/ 70 her trust. she shall have demonstrate,
! her usefulness. her greatness is assured.
Many clergymen, whether 90 curry IA
vor with the nonchurch element or seel
| fame by the notoriety route, I know not
lead IN a chorus Of reproaches upon th
church for her hypocrisy, her pettiness
/ her futillty. I do not find myself IN sym
patty with this movement.
The only time Mr.. Douglas mentioned
even indirectly the recent trouble In IN,
church. when a portion Of the congTe
cation seeded, was when he said:
"Our business-mine as a minister ant
yours as a layrnan-is to hold the churcl
with a regard so high and a reverence
SO deep that her welfare and standing
IN the community shall be one OF tn
supreme desires OF our hearts. II is tru
that church members do not always Sc
eye TO eye. It is true they cannot al
ways bring their ideas Of methods. pol
] ity. doctrine, and administration int
perfect juxtaposition. But that does no
impugn their sincerity or reflect upon tn
honesty Of their convictions"
Continuing, Mr.. Douglas said:
MY ministry shall not be directed &
meet the peculiar needs OF any particula
class or caste Nothing is further from
my desire than that this church, durini
my pastorate, should ever become know
as a poor mans church. or the rich man
church-as the church OF the aristocrau
or the church OF the proletariat
While the new pastor was preachin
his inaugural sermon in the Luther Plac
Memorial Church. the Independent Luth
eran congregation, which recently left tn
fold. was listening 10 its first sermO
since its admission last Friday 10 tn
Maryland Synod. Rev. G.. Albert Getty
OF Baltimore, preached on "Justihcatlo
by faith" at the home Of the new con
gregatiOn, 1922 Vermont avenue The ad
mission to the synod has no effect on tn
search for a pastor. as the congregatio
has already instituted the hunt Severe
men, outside of Washington, are unde
consideration.
Rev. Mr.. Getty and Rev Mr.. Dougla
preached before their respective congre
cations at the services last night.