The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-12
RELIGIOUS PLAYGROUND
 UP IN NORTH CAROLINA
By JOHN EVANS

Weatherly Is at once well fortified to
 carry out to a successful end her gigantic
 undertaking.
 The site is located about three miles
 from Black Mountain. about the same
 distance as the Y. M C. A. and Montreal
 associations and is said to surpass any
 other spot in that region in point of scenic
 beauty. The only condition attached to
 the gift is that all the money derived
 from the sale of lots shall be spent on
 improving the property for the benefit of
 the residens. It is planned to have the
 plans of the Church Retreat under way
 in about one year The organization ex-
 poets to expend between s35o.O0 and S4o0.ooo
 In equipping the playgrounds for the
 Episcopalians of the south.
 Unsurpassed Scenic Beauty The site of the land donated by Mrs. Neatherly is said to be unsurpassed In scenic beauty even in this land of the
 beautiful. It is located on the sides of
 all imposing mountain, commanding a
 magnificent view of peaks of many noun tains for miles in every direction. As stated above. the land has already
 been surveyed and will be divided into
 200 lots which will be placed on the mar
 ket and sold to people who will build on them. In this manner 1t Is planned to have POO houses erected by Episcopalians from all points of the south. Roads will
 be Duiit lnTpuSnOuI lne property. NdIkS
 and drives made, water, sewerage and
 electric lights installed and everything
 else done to make the property as mod
 ern and up-to-date as possible.
 The buildings contemplated Include a
 large hotel for the convenience of the
 guests who will visit the grounds: huge
 auditorium and many other buildings that
 have not been definitely decided upon as
 yet.
 The Church Retreat organization, of
 which Bishop Horner of this city Is pres ident, plans to eXpend nearly S4o0 GOO in improving and developing the property
 and making it fit for the gigantic plans
 that are now being made by the organi- zation.
 With the work that Is now proposed to be done, it is expected that the retreat will be finished in about one year. Peo- pie of the Episqopalian faith are expected to gather by the thousands each year During each summer 1t is planned to have | large number of lectures by prominent
 members of the church. and many other
 attractions will be offered to those who spend their summers at the retreat This will be the only religious center | Of the kind in the United States pos sessed by the Episcopalans and it Is expected that 1t will not only appeal to the members in the southland but all members of the faith in all sections of the country, especially to those who live in | large cities
 Other Colonies There The plan to establish the Episcopalian colony at Black Mountain is but follow ing out the plans of nearly every large | church of the country for the region abound Black Mountain Is probably the greatest religious center in the world It | IS the official playground of about 4O00 : ooo church members of various denoml- nations. The Baptists have their head quarters at Ridgecrest, 100000 strong: ooo'OOO members of the Y. NJ. c. A and Y. | w. C. A have headquarters near Black 1 Mountain and Montreal is the offijcal playground of 3O0O00 Presbyterians, be- sides the Methodist Conoly company. i which commands the interests of the Methodists in that section
 I Besides Bishop Horner the Rev. Wyatt I Brown and Mrs. Weatherly there are several other members of the board of trustees of the colony proposed to be es- abolished Mir Hegeman, cashier of the Commonwealth bank at Black Noun. | tain. Is the treasurer of the organiza | tion. No field secretary has as vet been selected, but it Is expected that one will pc chosen at a future meeting of the | trustees.
 The news of this great playground tc be built by the Episcopaians will be re- ceived with interest, not only in Ashevillc
 and North Carolina. but all oyer the south, and 1t is believed by those who are interested in the movement that by next summer thousands of Episcopalians will | De gathered there to enjoy the summer.