The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-18
Grace Street and West
minister Are to Vote on
Question Sunday.
WILL BUILD NEW
HOME IN WEST END
United Congregation Will Wor.
ship in "The Grace Presbyte-
Tian Church." to Be Erected
on Either Lee or Stuart
Circle-Both Join in
Electing Pastor.

Formal plans for the union OF Grace
street Presbyterian and Westminster
Presbyterian Churches have been
agreed upon by tho joint committee
and Will be submitted to the two con
SreSations for ratification on Sunday
morning. 1t is provided that they unite
under tho name. The Grace Prcsby
terian Church that they Jointly elect
pastor. and that they build a new
house OF worship west OF Lombardy
Street and between Broad Street and
Grove Avenue.
The merger will form n congregation
OF about 500 members. and vii! give
tho Presbyterians "a stronghold in
the fast-growing West End At the
present time Grace Street Presbyterian
Church Is located at Fourth and Grace
Streets. but its building has been sold
Tho Westminster Church Is at Davis
and Park Avenues. Tho tacit under
standing is that the home OF tho
united church will be built on one o:
tho triangular corner lots on either
Lee Circle or Stuart Circle. This how
ever. will be left TO p. building commit
tee composed or members of both
churches.
Both Make Conce>hions.
The proposed plan Of merger. which
was drawn by n aubcommittce Of the
Joint committed. covers In detail the
various phases OF tho matter. With the
approval OF the Joint committee il
has been printed and n copy mailed
10 each member OF the two churches
Hy having 1t in hand several days be-
fore the business meetings, the two
congregations will be in a position on
sunday morning to act with h fun
knowledge OF what Is proposed on
this subco,niaittec were y. G. Johnson.
chairman; Willio,n Y. Miller and John
W. Williams
In entering into this union the young
and thriving Westminster Church sac
iifices its name. but Is given In re-
turn equal representation with the
Grace Street Church on tie board Of
elders and board Of deacors IL also
exercises equal power iH the selection
of pastor TO accomplish tie union
the older church also surrenders some
portion OF its ancient name and enters
into the merger on pa: with the
younger congregation.
Church law provides that the actual
union can DO accomplished only by
East Hanover Presbytery. but x is only
In rare instances that the presbytcry
goes counter 10 the Expressed desire
OF tho individual church This union,
after being voted by bosh congrcga-
tlons. Will then be submitted TO East
Hanover Presbytery in the form OF q
request for permission to unite
Although the Grace street congreEa-
not be called upon 10 turn IL over to
the purchaser for about q year. How
ever. since this congregation is with
out a regular pastor II has been pro-
vided by the Joint committee that the
two congregations worship IN the West
minister Church as soon as tho union
has been agreed upon and sanctioned
BY presbytery.
Tho Rev. D. Clay Lilly. d D.. re-
signed the pastorate OF the Grace
Street Presbyterian Church IN Septem-
Der to become field secretary OF the
Iayman's Missionary Movement, and.
With constant talk Of q merger no Sc
,ious effort has been made TO fill tho
vacancy. The Rev J. Y. Fair, d u.
pastor CT Wcstminster Church, was af-
fliated with the Grace Street Church
years ago and still holds q warm place
In the regard OF that congregation. Al
though not written as an article OF
Enion the election of DR.. Fair as pas
tor OF the united church has been prac-
tically an agreed feature since the
movement for the merger began. Thus.
Westminster Church would be recon-
pensed for tho loss Of its name by re-
tanning its pastor.
Full Text of Merger Report.
Tho full text of the proposed plan or
union Is as follows:
Your under signed subcommittee, ap-
pointed to consider and report n plan
that the committee from each church
make tho following report TO the Of
fetal body of its own church, with the
recommendation that the BODY adopt
the report ana present it to the church
assembled properly in congregational
meeting for it's action. care being taken
to have the congregational meeting I'm
each church on the same day and at
the same hour:
Your committee would respectfully
report that it has met from time to
time since it's appointment with the
like committee from Grace Street
Westminster Church; that tho joint
committee has given the matter of tho
union Of these churches most earnest
and prayerful study, and that it has
come. with singular unanimity, to the
conviction that these two churches owe
1t to themselves, to Prcsbyterianism In
Richmond, to the church ut large and
to its Great Head. the Lord Christ, to
unite: that. In It's Judgment, in bringing
about this union. due consideration
should be paid to the hoary past
OF Grace Street Church and duo
consideration to the present eff
fectiveness of young Westmin-
ster Church,; that in choosing
the location for the house of worship
OF the united congregation. chief ro-
gard should be had to that locality
which will give most additional lever
age to the Presbyterians in Richmond
living west or Twelfth Street; that the
contamination OF the union rs bound to
be somewhat hastened or retarded by
business oxigencies connected with
realizing on the properties in present
use; but. that Immediately after tho
union has been consurnmated the
united church should proceed orderly
10 the election OF n pastor.
Your committee Is advised that the