Evening star., 1925-05-24
S2,0DO,0lO Church
IN CAPITAL VOTED
|. BY PRESBYTER|ANS
Theological Seminary and
Plan for Outside Aid Also
Thought O. KID.
PROJECTS PASSED ON
BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Might Mean Church Merger.
Three Local Pastors Joined
in Recommendations.

The General Assembly of the Pres
byterian Church in the United States
Of America, in convention at Colum-
bus, Ohio, has adopted a report, prob
ably in its entirety, of a special com
mittee which for the past two years
has studied the church situation in
Washington and which involves three
projects-the establishment here of an
interdenominational theological sem
mary, the building of a $4,000
monumental church and the furnish
ing of outside financial aid to the
local churches.
This was indicated last night in dis
patches from Columbus, according to
Rev. John c. Palmer, pastor of the
Washington Heights Presbyterian
Church, and member of the COM
mittee which drew up the report.
Three Washington Members.
The committee was named by the
General Assembly two years ago. 1t
consisted of Is prominent clergymen
with DIR. Palmer, Rev. Wallace Rad
cliffe and Rev. Charles Wood, pastor
of the Church of the Covenant, as the
local members. The report was drawn
up in three sections, DR.. Palmer said.
The first section stated that outside
funds were necessary for improve
ment of the parish churches here.
Washington churches, DR.. Palmer
said, must care for Presbyterians from
all over the country, who reside here
temporarily, but retain their member
ships in their own communities. Thus
the Washington churches do not have
the financial support which would go
to similar institutions in other cities
with a permanent rather than float
ing attendance. An extra burden is
thrown upon those Washingtonians
who consider the Capital as their
home and its churches as their
churches.
Church Is Planned.
The monumental church project, DIR.
Palmer said, has been widely discussed
| but is still in q formative stage. Two
plans have been considered-the con-
struction of an entirely new ediflce,
unconnected with any of the present
churches, or the making of some
church now here the nucleus for the
contemplated structure.
There has been considerable discus
sion, he said, of making the Church
of the Covenant at Connecticut ave-
Huo duu SlICcl ILLS A0SICOo-
church, it was revealed, might sell
its present property and move into
the Washington Heights section, pos
sibly combining with the Washington
Heights Church, thus furnishing at
once two strong corner stones for the
national church.
The Church of the Covenant prop
erty, DIR. Palmer said, is valued in
the neighborhood of s500,000, which
ha Cd 70 no eAj-
flee. If this plan were adopted 1t
would call for 100000 more to be
raised locally and about $1,o00,000
raised among the Presbyterian
churches of the country at large.
Hear Aid is Possible.
The interdenominational theological
seminary and training school for
church workers, DR.. Palmer explained,
would be even greater project IL
carried out. 1t was originally con-
sidered as purely a Presbyterian pro-
posal. Last Winter the committee
learned that John d. Rockefeller
might be interested in partially en-
dowing such a seminary with the
understanding that it be interdenomi-
national.
The matter has been taken up with
leaders in other churches and has
gained wide approval, DR.. Palmer
said. The value of such a seminary,
| he pointed out, would be greatly en-
| hanced by the libraries, art museums
and scientific bureaus Of the Govern
ment, which would be available for
| students.
Union Seminary in New York, he
| explained, was now a very similar
| institution, although it was originally
entirely for the training of Presby.
| terian clergymen. Methodist, Con-
gregationalist and Episcopal ministers
now are educated there. Courses are
offered in the fundamentals of the
| clerical calling which are common to
nearly all Protestant sects. In addi-
| ton. specialized training is given in
| the creeds of the church which the
! student wishes to serve.
Site Not Considered.
The plans had not reached the
point, DR.. Palmer said, where any
property was under consideration.
The chairman of this committee Is
Rev. George B. Stewart, president of
Auburn Theological Seminary at
| Auburn, n. Y, who has been espe-
cially interested in this last proposal.
The committee drew up its report
after an exhaustive study of the
| Washington field and the opportu-
mites for Presbyterian service here.
The monumental church as out
lined in the proposal will serve as a
permanent headquarters for the Gen.
eral Assembly and as Presbyterian
headquarters for the Nation. AL
though the dispatches from Columbus
failed to mention the seminary prof.
ect, DR.. Palmer said that it was clear
the entire report had been adopted,
since none of the proposals would
have been dropped without consider
able discussion.
VOTES PENSION Plan