Evening star., 1925-08-29
PRESIDENT TO BE ASKED TO @. X. /
CHURCH PLANS CAUSING RIFT
Congreatonalists' Factions Split One Favors Purely
Religious Edifice Other Combined Dormi.
tory and Church.

When President Coolidge returns to
Washington in a few days he is ex-
pected to receive q delegation from
the First Congregational Church, who
will present to him and Mrs. Coolidge
a plan for erecting an expensive new
edifice on Sixteenth street, it was
learned today.
This delegation will represent the
view expressed some time ago among
wing of the Congregationalists that
the new edifice should not be part
church and part office building and
dormitory. but should be devoted to
religious activities alone. and in its
architectural lines be suggestive of
purely sanctimonious things.
Rev. Jason Noble Pierce pastor.
who stood with President Coolidge and
the trustees of Amherst on the demo
ton of Prof. Alexander Meikleiohn
will conclude his vacation in New
England September IS and then re-
turn to Washington TO resume his
charge and assist in directing the
nationwide campaign for 81 600, 600
shrine In the National Capital. DR..
Pierce has kept in close touch with
the Coolidges on the subject of the
new church, and ii is likely he will
see them before they come back, and
certainly soon thereafter. lie will be
IOlileu DN lnllueIlldl Vi llie
congregation and of the national or
ganization who will attempt to iron
out serious differences now existing
over the type of building TO be erected
and the neiShborhood it should occupy.
Two Factors Disagree.
Members admit the question must
be taken up at private conferences
and settled in such manner that the
laity will have a voice in the deci-
sion. At present there are two fac
tionS striving automatically and IN
p3rlia amentary fashion for the mas
terry. One wants fine church or
the fashionable avenue of the Pres
idents, as betitting the dignity and
prestige of the national organiza ton
Ii is averse to the thought that the
church OF the President and the First
Lady of the Land. who have. a
/ least more than three years 10 stay
in the White House, should become
a combina tion of church and gym
nasium, half devoted 10 purely sec
tartan affairs and half to shelterine
Government clerks. mostly young
women. in dormitory accommodate tionS
and perhaps with a bustling cafeteria
in connection. This section wants nc
0story dormitory and office build
ing, or even a 10story one, with
church affairs submerged at the bot
tom. like the huge structure erected
at Chicago as elf-supporting insti-
tuition. Finally, these members, who
claim TO represent the spirit of true
progress, are not satisfied TO make
any kind of an improvement at the
northeast corner of Tenth and G
which, for many years, has contained
the comfortable but modest edifice OF
the congregation.
The opposing faction in the church
wants not only to stay at the old
stamping ground at Tenth and G, but
TO make the church what it has al
ways been-a city of refuge for the
poor and the weak, the hungry and
the oppressed, the beggar as we'll as
the man of large means. This fac
tion believes that the highest church
service consists in helping distress
of spirit and body, and it is strongly
opposed to the creation of a shrine
on Sixteenth street. Generally
speaking, the members live close to
the present edifice, and TO move to
the church and embassy neighborhood
of Sixteenth, at or near Columbia road.
would seriously inconvenience most
of them and curtail their attendance
Such would be particularly true, 1t
is pointed out. of the older members
who were born and have since lived
near the church and TO whom trave
to a newer neigh borhood would be
hardship.
Present Edifice Historic.
But there is a stronger tie that
binds the older brethern and sisters
to the present location. 1t is the
history of the church itself. SO re
plete with strife over the slavery
question and scared with the many
scars contracted in bitter periodic
struggles for existence. The "Old
Guard" remember the prediction of
Gen. o. o. Howard, leading member
and known as the Christian soldier.
that when money enough was avail
able to erect a steeple. it would be
raised in honor of him; but, he added
Il never expect to live to see it," Gen
Howard was a leader in the Union