Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-06-02

are of course numerous chapels and churches in Washington. In fact, a man may stand in any quarter of the city and see from a street corner two or three worshipping places, but few of them are structures of imposing appearance.
 l Many capitals of the world are just i ly famed for their churches and for i little else, so unless there is an uplift in this direction, Washington will have to depend on it's other glories for distinction. This deficiency, how ever is keenly felt and even now there is a movement afoot among all sects to beautify Washington churches.
 The only churches in Washington at present worthy of mention are those built during the decade before and the decade after the Revolution.
 Probably the most exquisite surviv- al of these earlier periods of church building is Old St. Johns Episcopal church, which stands just across La Fayette Square from the White House. This is indeed a remarkable quarter from an architectural point of view. The historic square is lined with nota ble structures, among them are the Commodore Decatur House, the John Hay house and the Arlington hotel. Old St. Johns itself is classic in type and follows closely the dictates of Inigo Jones. It's graceful portico, of the Roman Doric order, faces Sixteen tn street, while it's length extends along the square. It's belfry is the most typical feature about the edifice, it's classic lines, pyramided to a spire, calling to mind the best of London steeples.
 There are other churches in Wash ington belonging to the same period but smaller and less noteworthy. One of fifty years later however, is worth mentioning, in that it is remarkable example of church architecture al- though built during a period of de- presson It is the cathedral of St. Dominic, a Catholic church, in South west Washington, a little frequented section of the city. This church is | the most perfect gothic building in the city and while not as ornate as con- l tinental gothic cathedrals, it is of l high plane of excellence. 1t is not among the churches shown to sight seers who come to Washington, how ever, and is seldom seen save by those who frequent. it.
 l Another of the churches built in ] the "black walnut period is Grace church in Georgetown, which is con- tiguous to Washington and now i part of it. Grace church is of rcd brick and gothic. It's chief merit lies in a remarkable belfry although the entire structure is unusually graceful.
 Two notable churches, however, arc now being erected by the advo-
 cates of better church architecture in, Washington. The one which is toj stand at the head of Washington's list
 of ecclesiastical ediffces is the cathe-
 dral of Saints Peter and Paul, at
 Mount Saint Alban, which overlooks
 the entire city. This cathedral which is just rising above it's foundations,
 will be of the most elaborate gothic
 design. It will resemble York Min
 ster, an Old World church of fame,
 pointing twin towers high above a
 maze of flying buttresses and carv-
 ed images of saints. The chapel of
 the Holy Nativity, a part of the ca thedral has already been dedicated
 but the main cathedral, will be nearly
 as long in building as the Cathedral
 of St. John The Divine, in New York.
 Another notable Washington church, Inow under construction is the First Church of Christ, Scientist, nearing Icompletion on Columbia Heights, fashionable residence section of the city. This church is classic in design, land is built on the lines of the Pan theon. It will be the most imposing church of it's type in Washington. Equally as fine will be the Temple of the Scottish Rite, but that strnc- ture will not be completed for months and probably years to come.
 This general movement toward bet
 ter church architecture will, in the
 next decade, put Washington on a plane with other cities of it's size as
 far as excellence of such edifices is
 concerned.