Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-27
ME.
Church IS PLANNED.
NEAR AMERICAN u.
New EdifiCe to Replace His
toriC Building About to
Be Torn Down.
RELICS TO BE BUILT
INTO NEW STRUCTURE
General Features of Famous Old
John Marshall Place Church
Will Be Incorporated.

Forced from its stately and historic
old edifice at John Marshall place and
G street northwest by the municipal
center building program, Metropolitan
Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church,
which is the National Church of
Methodism" and was the place of wor-
ship Of President U. S. Grant, President
William Mckinley and now of Vice
President Charles Curtis, will build a
new church lin the area of American
University" This announcement was
made today by Rev. DR.. James Shera
Montgomery, pastor, who is chaplain of
the House of Representatives.
There will also be a merger of the
historic Metropolitan Memorial and the
new Wesley Heights Methodist Episco-
pal Church, which has been meeting in
the Wesley Heights Club House, DR..
Montgomery stated.
Decision to build new church was
reached late yesterday afternoon by vote
of an adjourned session of the fourth
quarterly conference of the church and
plans will be under way "in a few days"
DR.. Montgomery said, for the new build
ing.
Site Not Selected.
The exact site of the new structure has
not as yet been selected, DR.. Montgom-
cry said, but he verified the report that
one of the locations under serious con-
Sideration Is a triangle of ground
bounded by New Mexico avenue, Me-
braska avenue and Newark avenue.
This lies In the general location between
wesley Heights, American University
and the estate of Charles c. Glover.
Many historic features of the famous
old church will be removed and built
into the new edihce, including the
chimes, pulpit and altar rail made of
wood from the Holy Land and pewB.
The decision of the church conference
was arrived at late yesterday afternoon,
following a long series of meetings and
protracted consideration of the future
OF the church. 1t is known that sew
eral different prospects were considered,
but the vote taken yesterday was deci-
sive and immediate steps will be taken
to provide a new church home before
the congregation is forced to leave by
the steady progress of the Governments
great building program.
Under terms of the Government con-
tract, the church received in cash two
weeks ago today $4,000 for the old
church structure and site. with the
privilege of stripping the place of any,
thing OF historic worth or permanent
value. The contract provides that the
building must be vacated by January
l, 1881, so that following the decision
yesterday all speed will be made in
steps for erection of the new building
SO as to have it completed and ready
Tor occupancy within less than a
calendar year.
Pastor Is Chairman.
DR.. Montgomery was appointed chair
man OF the building committee, whose
members will be appointed from the
ohicial board within the next few DAYS
The exact site probably will be selected
soon, and plans for the structure itself
VIII be pushed forward. The new
cnurcn, DR.. Montgomery said, in all
prooan lllty, will carry out in general the
same lines of architecture as the present
building, but this has not been decided
stone.
The exact cost of the new structure
mas not been determined. but DIR
montgomery indicated that it was
DEFINITELY decided that the plan should
avoid an accumulation of any indebt-
eonesS, With the valuable property to
De saved from the wrecking of the
olo nunolng and the $4,000 cash al
ATOVEInn1HnI-
the church is in substantial position
20 go forward toward the early com
pietlon Of a beautiful and stately
edlhce to replace on the heights near
american University the National
Church of Methodism."
Under the contract with the Govern
ment the congregation occupies the
cnurcn, which Is now owned by the
government rent free until next jan
uary /. O'''A
Would Face CAMPUS.
should the new church rise on the
SPeclnc site reported to be under favor
aole consideration, bounded bv the
three avenues, 1t would not only provide
new ana monumental feature to the
nelghborhood, but would find itself In
ton with the rolling terrain ana the
three principal features of the yicinitv
the American University, WESLEY
helghtS and the huge Glover estate
II would face the college campus and
'front.' on what eventually will be the
great quadrangle which is to RIM
through the entire campus.
me meeting yesterday afternoon was
presided over by DR.. j. Phelps Hand
Dlstrlct superintendent of the Methodist
Fraser Mcdowell, Methodist Bishon for
washington, spoke on the question
under consideration.
Inc old edifice to be RACED for tho
new Municipal Center is one of the
famous churches of the city and con-
Jams many unusual relics. The WV IN
the east side of the church was grown
IRON slips brought from the tomb of
Martin Luther by Mrs. j. p. Newman
vile OF the first pastor OF the church
Inc marble tiles in the veStibule aft the
east entrance were brought from the
DEBRIS OF Solomon's Temple in JerI-
salem by Bishop Newman. The puInit
ana and altar rail in the auditorium are
parity made from olive wood from the
Garden OF Gethsemane and Mount of
owes and cedar wood from Mount
Lebanon, This wood was brought from,
the Holy Land in the rough logs
The keystone in the arch above the
pulpit was cut from a stone brought
rom the ruins of Solomon's Temple
and has on 1t the inscription I'm Hebrew.
Jehovah Jireh."
The famous pew now occupied by Vice
President Curtis is decorated with a
simple silver plate inscribed, "The Presi-
dent, placed there when Gen. Grant
was Chief Executive and a member of
the board and regular worshiper
president Mckinley occupied the, same
pew, as did also Vice President Charles
w. Fairbanks. The corner stone of fire
cnurch was laid in 1854 and The h,,sJS