Evening star., 1921-05-22
|DR|VE SHOWS NEED
FOR NEW Church
Combined Capacity of Chevy
Chase Buildings, $50. and
Population, 1000.

seen a striking illustration of ex-
pansion of church activities in the
District in the Inauguration of the
movement for financing greater build
ing accommodations for religious
worship at Chevy Chase Circle.
With a population of six or seven
thousand in Chevy Chase. which in
cludes the community settlements on
both sides of the Maryland-Dis
line. the combined capacity of the
churches there is only $50; with 2.15O
children of school age in that area.
the nSo combined "aM,nHm AK E5a T%is TShaay IS
not all that has confronted Chevy
Chase. In five years it is estimated
that the population of that territory
will reach upward of 5000 people and
that the number of children of school
age will reach at least 1000. This is
the condition of affairs in one OF the
largest suburbs of the National Capt.
tai that has caused the awakening
of interest and support of the most
prominent men and women of Wash
ineton during the past week. The
church that the Presbyterians of that
community are planning and Tor
which they have been conducting
campaign among prominent Presby-
terians throughout the United States
is designed to provide for 1000 peo-
pie at the regular church services and
1.1Oo children at the Sunday schooi
services. The work on this new build
ing. the church auditorium structure
will begin as quickly as possible and
is expected to be completed before
the end of 1921.
Provides Triple Capacity.
1t will provide Il triple present ca
pacity for the Sunday school under
greatly improved conditions. Under
the present inadequate situation the
.j. i nf "a
they embrace attendants of a variety
of creeds and faiths. have to be
taught in outside quarters rented by
the church. and in one case several
blocks away from the church.
Sometime the church will be aug
mented by the erection of an entirely
separate Sunday school house, adapt
ed to the most modern training meth
DDS. with numerous class rooms. ade-
quate assembly rooms. library room.
offices. church society rooms and ac-
commodations for social gatherings.
There is also planned. but not for
erection at this time. a manse on the
newly purchased ground on Patterson
street. adjoining the church. where
the pastor. Rev. DR.. Hubert Rex john
son. and his family will live. The en-
tire program therefore will eventu-
ally cost 100000. which is expected
to provide for the religious expan-
sion of Chevy Chase for some years
to come. along with building or i'm
provement operations that may be
made by the other churches in the
community.
Description Sent Out.
To every home in Chevy Chase there
has been sent by the committee in
charge of the Presbyterian home
movement a comprehensive descrip-
tion of the new S125.000 church. with
comma ndations from the organized
Presbyterian bodies regarding the
project. 1t states. among other things,
that the Chevy Chase problem has its
national factors as well as local. and
that the thousands of young men and
women every year leave their home
and come to Washing
ton to meet unknown influences in
this great city. which is now out
only thirteen American cities" 1t is
also pointed out that all the Wash
inGton churches always face a shift
ing population, and that their cur
rent support comes largely from
'low-salaried governmental employees
Office. many of whom look upon them
selves as but sojOurners here"
The leaders of the movement have
pointed out that Methodist Episcopal
Church South. has already raised
throughout the south 100000 and has
ou'it Hhe ne" representative chufch
in Washington. Under the head
of What the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, is Doing" thus writes
the announcement distributed to all
Chevy Chase homes by the Presby-
terian committee says:
Not Commercial Center.
Our national capital is different
from any and all Of the capital cities
of the world. 1t was made to order.
by plan. for the capital of the new
republic. Other capitals grew by
various processes. commercial and
political. through long years 1t is
not commercial center and never can
be. Many other capital cities are
metroplises of trade. as well as
capitals Of nations. Many of them
are adorned by great ecclesiastical
buildings erected by appropriations
from the national Treasury. Many of
their great churches equal. if they do
not surpass. the political buildings
which surround them.
But what contrast is found in
Washington when its churches are
compared with the Capitol or the
Congressional Library. This fact is
not creditable to the capital nor good
for the nation.
How can this be remedied?
buildings of the city cannot be erected
by appropriations from the national
treasury. Nor can they be built by
the people who live in Washington, for
the population changes with every
change Of administration. and if it
were more stable it can never be COM
posed of men and women of great
wealth, since there is no wealth-pro-
ducing commerce in the city.
Duty to Have Edifice.
I'm view of all these facts. it seems
to be the manifest duty of every great
religious denomination in the country
to erect at least one more representa-
tive church at the National Capital
And their duty and their interest CO.
incide in the matter. for without such
Il church their members who for any
cause come to reside in the city will
drift away into other communions
that are better housed.
"WARREN a. GAMBLER. Bishop"
The Presbyterian Church at Chevy
Chase was first suggested by the late
United States Senator Francis c.
Ecwlands. He made the suggestion
that no better field would open within
Il generation and expressed the hope
that it would be occupied in a strong
way so as to develop from the start a
spirit of religious unity.