Evening star., 1915-06-13
PRESIDENCY IS GIVEN
TO A. J. D. WEDEMEYER
Luther Statue Association of the Dis
trict Holds Its Annual
Meeting.

The Luther Statue Association of the
District of Columbia met in annual
session Friday at noon in the di-
rectors' room of the Columbia National
Bank. Those present were A ]. d.
Wedemeyer of Liberty, y. Y. president:
George Ryneal. jr.. formerly of this
city, now of Martinsburg, W. Va, vice
president: Judge John ]. Dobler. Bal
timore. Md. secretary; A. F. Fox, l.. r.
Appold. DR.. W. X. Butler and Cornelius
Eckhardt
Since the last meeting Charles 4.
Schieren, formerly mayor of Brooklyn,
y. Y. and the treasurer of the associ-
| alton. died. and the president was re
quested to draft appropriate resolu-
tions to be engrossed and placed in the
hands of his sons and daughter, Mrs
Schieren having passed away within
twenty-four hours of the death of her
husband.
MIR Schieren was closely allied with
Mr. Wedemeyer. the prime mover in
the erection of the statue. and devoted
much energy and time to the project.
The Luther statue cost about $4,000.
1t was unveiled May 81. 1884. The as
sociation at that time was made up of
Rev ]. G. Morris, J. 6. Butler, A. J. ID.
Wedemeyer, Liberty, n. y: A. kountz'e.
New York city; J. " D Dobbs, New
n y; C. A. Dobner, Baltimore, and
George Ryneal. jr., of Martinsburg, W.
Va. The latter and Mr.. Wedemeyer
are the only representatives OF the orig
inal board alive today.
To fill the vacancy on the board
caused by the death of Mr.. Schieren.
William Spillman of the Missouri Synod
| branch of the Lutheran Church and a
Baltimorean elected The nomI-
nation was made by Judge Dobler.
Officers Elected for Year.
year then took place and resulted as
follows:
President, A. J. d. Wedemeyer; vice
president George Ryneal, jr.: secre-
tary, Judge John J. Dobler. and treas
urer Albert F. Fox.
Funds in hand reported to be about
$3.50. will be turned over to the treas
urer-elect in due course.
Action was taken instructing com
mittee to look into the matter of grad
ing around the statue and also clean
ing it.
The president read letter from the
executive committee Of the Lutheran
Society for New York and vicinity, in
which it asked the cooperation and
Endorsement of the Luther Statue AS
sociation for civic Lutheran refor-
nation celebration. II was heartily
| indorsed and the desired co-operat tion
cordially extended. The plan is this:
For the civic celebration, il is sug
gested a national committee of 100 of
| the most prominent American citizens
| in harmony with the project of ma
ton vide civil reformation celebration
| be organized, likewise local committees
and possibly state committees, too, of
| like character in all large cities and
| centers throughout our country.
These committees are to arrange
| for appropriate civic celebrations Of
the reformation. preferably the 31st of
october. 1917. otherwise the Sunday
| nearest thereto. along lines marked out
| by the national teXecutive) committee
| THE endeavor shall be to nave all
| who appreciate the great blessings
| that have redounded from the refortna-
| tion TO all mankind and our country in
| particular unite as citizens in this
| celebration and thereby to emphasize
| the significance Of the reformation
| with respect to the civic life Of ma
as distinct from all purely religious is
sues involved in the reformation
| Hence. tho. 1t is to be understood from
the very outset that no religious ex-
ercises are to be connected with this
civic cele bration."