Evening journal., 1920-01-20
pRESBYTERY TO
MERGECHURCHES.
Strip of so Feet Offered BY
First Presbyterians to
Alfred |. dupont
HALF MILLION FUND
FOR NEW EDIFICE

1ened in special session, at . o'clock
his afternoon, in the First Presbyterian
Church, TO assent to the merging OF
the First Presbyterian and Central
Presbyterian churches OF this city. The
Rev. Charles II Bohner, pastor Of Han
iver church. IS moderator OF the Pres
)ytery.
The proposal to merge the two
churches was presented by George w.
Jones, John TAFT, Jr., and John w.
Heinzroth, as commissioners, repre-
senting First church. and by Judge
William s. Prickett, Leonard Z. Wales
md Mrs. Mary w. Taylor, representing
.enlral church. lnasmuch as the pro-
ect has been voted upon and adopted
)y each congregation. no doubt was
elt Of its ratification by the Presby-
cry, and in fact the action OF the Pres
oytery was regarded as somewhat per-
'unctOry.
The Presbytery was asked TO give as
Ient for the actual merging OF the
congregations early in March. This
length OF time is desired that the two
congregations may dispose OF any prop
arty they see nc and make necessary
arrangements for common worship. IN
der the agreement presented this af-
lenoOn. the Rev. Josiah II. Crawford,
pastor OF Central hurch, will be con-
tinued as moderator OF the combined
CONGREGATION, pending the call Of pas
tor. Firch church has been without
a regular pastor for some months The
formal name OF the combined conTe-
cations will be the First and Central
Presbyterian Church.
Provision is made In the agreement
for the erection OF new church edi-
nce. This probably will be located
lust north OF the present First church
on Market street Negotiations nave
been under way for several weeks FOR
ihe sale OF the site occupied by the
nresent First Presbyterian church, with
a frontage OF 80 feet and running from
Market street to King to Alfred l. du,
Pont, Il is expected Mr. duPont VIII
use this site for an addition 70 lle
Delaware Trust Company building ne
now is erecting on the corner OF Mar
ket and Ninth streets.
II was hoped to have these negotia-
tions completed by today and II IS pc
IIeved they would have been but Tor
circumstances over which Mr.. dupont
has no control. The trustees OF the
FIRST Church have offered 80 feet front
age through to King street to Mr.. du-
Pont. through George n. Davis lot
s6 600 a front foot or 100000 In an.
"A is understood Mr.. dupont was IA
,orablv Impressed with the plan, par
ic,tIarlv as ten floors OF the new Della
are Trust Company building already
,ave been engaged. OF these ten floors
ne Atlas Powder Company, which now
,as lie Offices in the GOmery-Schwartl
,uildinr on North Broad street, Phila-
ieIphia. has agreed 10 take four, while
be Hercules Powder Company, when
low has its quarters in the DUPONT
,uilding will take five more. one en-
lire floor. It is said, will be occupied
nv Offices Of the various industries
with which Mr.. dupont is connected.
Word OF Mr.. duPont's assent to the
deal is expected at almost any time, es-
peciallv as the contractor digging the
. cellar for the Delaware Trust Company
building, has been having much dlt-
iculty in snoring up the walls OF the
first Presbyterian Church adjoining.
The First Church months ago sold
trim OF 90 feet frontage on Market
,treet. at Tenth, and running to King,
'or Public Library building. Just
,outh OF this plot II is planned to leave
an easement OF IS feet, also running
'rom Market street to King. This VIII
guarantee light and ventilation TO the
'ibrarv building and the new First and
Central church ediflce, 1t IS proposed
m construct lust south Of the new
Iibparv at a cost probably OF S2JO,OOO 10
s2OO OOO The First Church received
s2O0OOO for the library site, which mas
,een turned into a permanent endoW-
,onf fund for the benefit OF the con-
-regation. Seventy feet Of frontage IS
,iloftod for the new combined church
,,,st south of the easement strip. Ihls
,,,ili r1n All the way back TO King street
M ,vill nrovide room for building ID
he rear fronting on King street, Whlch
nav he rented out for commerclal puI-
,oSes still further south OF the new
.burch building, will be LETT sElp Ol
rround ten feet wide and running lr0nn
,farLet to King street, also 10 provide
vontiIation and light on the south side
n the edince and between II ana tle
extension Of the Delaware Trust buliu-
ing. should the latter take over. the
ground. a.,
FIRST church land which came from
Timothv Stidham in 1887, provides mat
A. sbalI always contain a church build
Inc ana a cemetery. This. however, is
denied There Is no such proviso, II is
authoritlvely stated. However, II any
graves are left in the ten foot sTip
south OF the First and Central Church
building. the grave Of Cunning Bed
ford in all probability will be among
those permitted to stay. This grave
and monument is now just about on
should the sale OF the 80 foot plot
10 Mr.. dupont go through, " will give
fhe new CONGREGATION $500 600 towards
ihe new end common building fund OF
the combined churches, besides the
soon 600 endowment fund.
Meanwhile. 10 IS estimated the Cen
trail church property on King street,
below Eighth, can be sold for from
siO0O0O 10 Si50O00 thus making the
funds OF the consolidated churches at
least 100000 in cash and S2OOOOO in
endowment, or more than half a mil
lion in all.
pending reply by Mr.. dupont, TO the
proposal TO take the site Of the First
Presbyterian Church. the congregations
probably will continue OF worship in
their present ednces Should he take
A. work on a new edilce for the com
b'ned congregations will be begun
north OF the present First church.
pendlng completion of whcih the First
- -. -. ...nrallIn In The Con-