The Washington herald., 1913-08-03
Central Church
SALE ON TUESDAY
Will Be Turned Over to Col
ored Baptist Congre-
CATION.
WHERE WILSON ATTENDS
Worshiping Places Of Presidents in
This City Always Show Re-
markable Growth as Result.
WHERE WILSON ATTENDS

| Central Presbyterian Church. Third and
/ Streets Northwest, where President VIII
son worships, will be sold to the congre-
cation OF Mount Carmel Colored Baptist
Church On Tuesday. The deal will then
be consummated. $1,000 being paid IN
cash. The purchase price Is $4,000.
The new edihce of the Central Presby-
terrain Church will be at Sixteenth and
Irving Streets Northwest. and will cost
approximately $1,000 The structure will
be ready for occupancy within four
months. Until that time the congrega-
ton will continue to worship in the old
edifice.
A great deal of interest has been
aroused by the announcement of the sale
Of the church. The mere fact that a
church is TO be sold is nothing unusual.
but behind this sale lies an interesting
story. 1t has always been the case in
Washington, especially in recent years,
since society has been composed. not as
il used to be, of the oldest and best
families, but Of people who have money
enough to entertain on a lavish scale,
and those who by chance may be thrown
into the social whirl, that wherever a
President has attended services, the con-
gregation has swelled to twice its fcrmsi
size. Although Woodrow Wilson has been
in ONCE only a few months. the fact that
ut uds seltCteu CuuTCn 10 "OIsnlp III
has been heralded around the Capital
City, and as a consequence the church he
has selected-the Central Presbyterian
Church-has been crowded to the doors
every Sabbath. So crowded in fact that
many people have been turned away. The
congregation, 1t Is safe to say, will con-
tinue to grow until the end of Mr.. Will
sons term of Office.
While Prof. Taft was President he
worshiped at All Souls Unitarian Church.
He also worshiped there as Secretary Of
War, but while he held the portfolio of
the war Office the church. going population
of Washington paid little or no attention
to the small building. There were lots OF
prominent men in Washington and many
Of them every bit as prominent as the
Secretary Of War
But, William Howard Taft became Pres
ident Of the United States. and immedi-
ately photographers began to haunt the
doors of the church every Sunday. The
CONGREGATION numbered only a few hun
drsd. Soon 1t began to increase. and then
1t was found that the building was too
small to house the worshipers. 1t was
decided to build a larger edifice. and
President Taft was one Of the principal
speakers at the laying of the corner stone
The church has not been completed yet,
but the officers contracted for the church
and building operations are still pre-
gresstnS. 1t is needless to say. however.
that the congregation has diminished ma
terially, and the church will have a strug-
gle for many years to lift the debt.
When Theodore Roosevelt made his
home in Washington he attended services
at Grace Reformed Church. The build
ing was on a street In a not too fashion
able section of the city. No one noticed
II when Roosevelt. as Assistant Secretary
of the Navy. and as Vice President. at
tended services there. But, he too, be-
came President, and Immediately the con-
gregation began to grow. 1t was soon
found that the building was too small
and an addition was built. Since Roose-
welt left Washington the congregation has
diminished very much, and they are still
paying the debt incurred by the building
operations and bid fair u continue to do
30 for many years at the present rate of
liquidation.
Some OF the churches retain their glorx
even after . President leaves ONCE. but
there are few. St Johns Episcopal
Church. opposite the White House, has
been the house Of worship for 30 many
Presidents that time does not seem to
dim its glory. Maybe II Is because It is
30 near the White House.
Another church that has been attended
by 30 many Presidents that 1t is popularity
dubbed "The Presidents Church." is the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
It IL but two blocks from the White
House. At this church Presidents Polk,
Buchanan, Harrison. Andrew Jackson.
Martin Van Buren,, and Grover Cleveland
we're regular worshipers. while other
Presidents were casual attendants.