Evening star., 1924-10-26
Old Church and Modern Structure
BY HELEN NICOLAY.

0 HE popular theory that politics
and religion can no more
dwell together in amity than
Il fundamentalism and modern
ism, or jazz and Bach fugues.
4ets severe jolt on upper Sixteenth
street, where embassies and nation
AZ churches of varied denominations
stand shoulder to shoulder. bordering
ribbon of asphalt down which a
runaway motor might catapult di-
rectly into the White House. were it
not for the friendly buffer OF Lafay
ette Park.
The street itself bore for a time
upon its lamp posts the name Exeeu
tive avenue. which might be trans
lated politics plus" and it is most
literally sprinkled with steeples, from
old ST. Johns at its lower end to the
newer edifices crowninG the heights
above Boundary Castle.
One of these, All Souls, the Unitar-
ian church at Sixteenth and Harvard
streets. which is now being dedicated.
stands at the very crest of the hill. at
d spot near, il not actually within,
the limits Of the old Jockey Club, the
fashionable race course Of long ago,
where horses won or lost amid wild
est enthusiasm. and betting was so
high that il is said 500 negro slaves
changed masters one Autumn after
the meet was over.
Congress, which used to assemble
earlier in those days. was too digni-
fed to adjourn to attend the races,
but ii found that week in November
a convenient time to make minor re-
pairs in the respective chambers.
Schoolboards had the wit to pro-
Claim holidays that would have been
taken in any event; and almost the
only institution whose personnel re-
manned unimpaired indoors was the
District Jail.
After the Jockey Club lost favor.
the silk~orm craze caused large
holdings in this part of the District
to be subdivided and planted with
mulberry trees. to provide optimistS
with Persian farms" which were to
exait worthy families to affluence, or
provide ladies' missionary societies
with funds for their pious work.
few decrepit trees remained as
monuments Of this feetinE dream un-
til they fell before the onconning
apartment houses. After years, dur
ing which the region was neither
city. nor suburbs, nor country. but a
depressing mixture of all three. came
the sudden change which transformed
IL into q residence section filled with
palaces, and Executives avenue to q
street where the most diverse inter-
ests meet and mingle in open day.
dwell together in amity, IL not in per-
feet accord. 1t was the Mexican En-.
baSsy that furnished the Unitarians
with electric current to light their
Emerson Assembly Hall last Autumn.
when builders delays and District Of
fetal red tape prevented the church
from installing it's own line in time
for the first parochtal event within
the unfinished building, Whether IL
was atavism or modern initiative.
those having the matter in charge
sent out and borrowed the electricity,
exactly as their colonial ancestors
Sc, TO tho next neighbor for q live
coal with which to kindle an ex-
tinguished fire. And their Catholic
Deighbors accommodated with the
same friendly readiness.
y x
THERE is much that is colonial
both in spirit and design. about
the new building, OF rose tinted brick
might rise out OF New England elms,
and it has achieved an air of per-
manencc and long residence even be-
fore the builders have removed their
tools. II is entitled to this, for, de-
spite the newness of the present edi-
fec. the church has 1o3 years Of
Washington history behind it-a his
tory which further shakes belief in
eHe mutual enmity of politics and re-
lig1ou. SO many Of its members have
testified to the quality of the faith
-nat was IN them by diligent public
service.
It was on November II. 1921, that
TIM church came into being by adopt
ing IT'S constitution. but the group of
liberal minded men who composed 1t
had been meeting for year or more,
inspired. doubtless, by DR.. Cbanning's 5
notable discourse in Baltimore in
1918. It's first home was . rented
room over those public baths on c
street, between Four and one-half
and Sixth streets northwest, whose