Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30
NATIONAL CHURCH
Is PLANNED HERE
BY PRESBYTERIANS
Continued from First Page.)


derson, Washington, and Ralph Har-
bison of Pittsburgh.
The architects will be the firm of
Cram & Ferguson of Boston, Mass.
associated with whom will be Maj
George Oakley Totten, jr., of this city,
and Edward p. Mellen of. New York
City. Ralph Adams Cram, senior
partner of the Boston firm, is recog-
niZed as master of Gothic architec.
ture, which style the Presbyterian
national shrine is to follow Tenta.
tive drawings already have been sub.
mitted, but these are subject to
| change.
| Calvert street than Connecticut ave.
nue.. covers 10 acres, of which the
church may occupy four, giving the
architects ample ground on which to
construct an edifice in keeping with
| its great mission and leaving enough
| space to permit landscaping and park.
| ing to match the structure itself
Nothing viii be spared to make the
church one of the really beautiful
structures of the National Capital.
I'VE may well desire for this build
ing" the National Capital Presby.
terrain commission declared in a book
let on the subject, "a beauty and dig
nifty such as belong to the most famous
| and exquisite churches of ancient and
| modern times. BY it's harmony, its
simplicity, it's serene and noble lines, it
should give visible testimony to the
faith that reared it's walls and lifted
its spires.
While loyalty to our denominational
obligations has characterized our
church, yet we have always proudly
proclaimed and illustrated a catholic
spirit. OF that spirit this building will
be a worthy expression" 1t is hoped
that there will be housed there, too,
all of the offices for the varied activi-
ties of the Presbyterian Church, and
place provided for the annual meet.
ings of the General Assembly, general
missionary conferences and interna-
tional councils,
AS a name, st. Andrews Cathedral
has been suggested, In honor of the
first Presbyterian Church to be built
in Washington. which has since passed
out of existence. 1T was pointed out
that although the name Cathedral
might raise objections from some Pres.
byterians, the parent Presbyterian
body in Scotland has long maintained
| cathedrals. No definite decision on a
| name has yet been reached, however.
The possibility of the new church
Incorporating one or more present
Washington congregations within it
also has been discussed, but in this,
too, the decision has been left free for
the future.
The first suggestion of National
Presbyterian Church 10 the Federal
City was advanced IS years ago by
Associate Justice Harlan of the
| United States Supreme Court and
Rev. DIR. Wallace Radcliffe. Although
patriotic little groups have been
| working since that time toward such
a goal the movement did not attain
really National impetus until the last
three years. The general council of
the church at its meeting in Column
bus, Ohio, In 1925, officially COM
| mended the idea to the entire de-
nomination.
The Presbytery Of Washington
asked the General Assembly to con-
slider such a plan in 1921. The fol-
| lowing year the assembly passed
resolutions affirming It's sympathy
| in the suggestion, the next year it
authorized the Presbyterian National
Capital Commission and in 1924 this
commission was constituted. Since
! then it has led the movement and
| in 1925 the General Assembly gave
| the necessary added acceleration by
commencing it to Presbyterians
evervwhere