Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-31
ROCKVILLE CHURCH
CORNER STONE LAID
Impressive Service Marks
Ceremony at Site of New
Presbyterian EdifiCe.
special Dispatch o The star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, March 31.-The
corner stone of the church Rockville
recently acquired lot on the north side
of West Montgomery avenue, in the
western section of Rockville, was laid
yesterday afternoon before a large
assemblage.
The exercises, conducted by the pas
tor, Rev. Henry K. Pasma, included
responsive reading, led by DR.. Pasma
prayer by Rev. Bertram M. Osgood of
the Rockville Baptist Church, the lay
ing of the stone and singing of hymn,
after which the asSemblage repaired to
the Methodist Church nearby, where
the sermon was delivered by Rev. James
H. Taylor, pastor of Central Presby-
terrain Church, Washington. The SER
mon was preceded by singing, reading
of the Scriptures by DR.. Pasma and a
vocal duet by Mrs. Frank H. Higgins
of Rockville and Mrs. Stanley E. Ever
benediction followed.
Placed in Stone.
Before the corner stone was laid a
copper box was placed therein. DR..
Pasma explained it contained names of
members of the church and of friends
of the congregation; two copies of the
deed to the church property; copy OF
the articles of incorporation and copy
of the agreement between the county
commissioners and the church trustees,
touching the sale Of the old church
property The box also contained a
copy of the Christian Observer and the
Presbyterian of the South; a copy OF
the program of the last services in the
old church building; clipping from
the Montgomery County Sentinel of
August %, 1873, telling of preparations
for building the now RACED Presbyterian
church; several newspaper clippings:
a copy of the manual of the Potomac
Presbytery: historical notes of the origin
and names of members of the Rockville
Circle of Kings Daughters. The front
page of The Washington Evening Star
and copies of the Montgomery indie
pendent, Maryland News and Mont
gomery County Sentinel were included
The new church building, which will
cost SIS 900, exclusive of equipment and
site. viii be of Montgomery County
variegated stone and modern in every
respect. The old church property was
sold to the county commissioners to
make room for the new court house and
jail to be erected here.
Ready in Summer.
The new edifice is expected to be
ready for use by the middle of the
Summer. In the meantime the congre-
cation will worship in the club house
of the Montgomery Country Club. on
the extreme western end of Rockville.
The building committee is composed
of Harold C.. Smith, chairman; Judge
Robert B. Peter, j. Garnett Ward, John
@. Mcdonald. Mrs. Edwin Smith, Mrs
Theodore S. Mason and Rev. Henry K
Pasma
Howard w. Cutler of Silver Spring is
the architect and A. C. Warthen Sons
Of Kensington, the builders.
The Presbyterian Church Of which
the Rockville congregation is the con-
tinuation grew up with the county from
its earliest beginnings A Presbyterian
congregation first worshiped near Po-
tomac, this county, about 1725, the
county then being part of Frederick
County. At the time Rockville was
called Lawrence Owens Ordinary. The
church referred to became known as
the Capt. Johns Presbyterian Church
and counted among its members the
families of Beall, Bradley, Clagett
Douglass, Cation, Chopper, Fisher
DoWd, Councilman, Spates. Magruder
Offutt, Orme, Lodge, Peter, Scarf, Wash.
ington, Perry and Witkin. The Capt
Johns Church subsequently became the
combined congregations of the Bethesda
and Rockville Presbyterian churches.