Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-08

- -ANY of the members of Luthui
IN ~ Place Memorial Church are
l" DESTROYS that the dissenting
members of that institution
who withdrew some months
ago and organized the Independent Lu
theran Church. return to the mother
church. This fact became known yes
terday, and II is believed that before
a very long time has elapsed there II
strong possibility that the greater
part of the members who withdrew
from the mother church Will come
back AS the members left the churc,
on account of their disagreement Wit
the late Rev. DIR. Butler ana iarst
part of the congregation as TO the proper
kind of church government. 1t is stated
that with the coming of new pastor &c
the Luther Place Church they will de-
eide to again come within the fold OF the
older church.
prominent member of the mother
church in spea king of the matter yes
terday admitted that there is a de-
sire on the part of MANY OF the ne"
organiza ton To return. He said tina,
each and every one will be welcomed
and that there is no desire on the part
of any of the present members OF the
older church to keep those who left the
church from returning. In fact. lie said
there is strong desire on the part OF
Church that those who left 1t return ano
that the spirit of brotherly love be al
lowed to predominant.
Many Want to Return.
There has been much written in the
papers about the situation in the church
that is entirely beside the mark" he
said. land whether there shall be any
change of situation between the church
81 ,;~,t1 Ie
entirely on the future 1t is understood
that there are those who would like tc
come back into the church. and it is not
improbable that many individual mem
berS may do so. OF course, the moment
they organized another congregation
those who participated therein lost al
rights and privileges in the church they
had left, under both civil and eccesias
teal law. But there is no disposition or
the part of the members of the church
to be vindictive toward those who with
drew. If they seek to come back as in
dividuals 1t is my belief that ways car
be found for such return; on the other
hand if they wish to build a church else.
where in the city the Memorial congre-
CATION will in wise hinder them
rather. it would help them in so far as II
has the power, thus living true to its
traditions as church of great mission.
airy spirit
IN speaking Of the new pastor to be
chosen he said:
"As to the selection of a successor to
DR.. Butler, that has been discussed only
in the most general way. With a mag
nificent edifice in which to worship. splen-
didly located. and a congregation filled
with desire to extend its usefulness, the
people of the church believe that they
ought to go slow and select the minister
best suited for this field. They want to
build up the church, to extend the field OF
its usefulness. and to make 1t able tc
reach that great mass of Lutherans tenn
porarly residing here, who ought to have
a church home while in the city. In Off
cial Washington there are many such, and
the right sort of a minister will be able
TO reach them. The memorial pastorate
offers one of the best fields for a useful
ministerial career that is to be found any
where, and when the congregation comes
to take the matter of a successor to DR.
Butler under consideration they will be a
unit for securing the services of the ablest
and best minister they can get.
Rev. Charles III. Butler will undoubt.
eddy be asked to continue in charge of the
work until permanent arrangements are
made. His earnest and conscientious de-
yotion to the work Of his father during
the last years of the latters life has made
q deep impression upon the congregation