Evening star., 1933-02-05
IS In Washing
inations Having House., Of Wo,ship in Wash-
Church Property Here Is One Of the Largest
includes Many Magniti ticemt EditGces:

tribute to its upkeep after making the gift Of
the $500 900 building Of Georgian marble, mod
eled after the columned splendors Of the Gov-
eminent structures The auditorium Is beauti-
fully simple, With two of its lateral walls almost
entirely given over to large stained glass pic
ture windows honoring the church bishops This
Is another Of the churches with antebellum be-
ginnings, as it Is successor to the Mount Vernon
Place Church erected in 1869 across the street.
diagonally on the corner
It Is told that 1t was a bishop Of Southern
MethodiSm who stirred his copastors to action
some years ago in the matter of the need for a
fitting church here by his comment: II never
go to washington that am not profoundly de-
pressed by the utter shabbiness of the Protes-
tant churches there"
h/HEN the Baptists were able to materialize
w their dream of erecting a national me-
mortal to religious liberty the effort was
launched by both the Northern and Southern
conventions. The result is the National Bap-
tist Memorial Church, strikingly like the
United States Capitol Building with its
rounded series of columns terminating In q
spire. It has all the subdued dignity and
familiar charm of that building. It seems to
stand at the crest of Sixteenth street, looking
down this avenue to the very portal Of the
White House. but in reality it Is located on
lot bounded also by Columbia road and
The main exterior was completed in 1924
and the work since that day has been con-
centrated ON installation of the missionary
windows, state pews and rooms for display
Of historic data relating to the pioneer strug-
giles of the church from Roger williams to
the Civil War; This congregation hopes to
build . modern educational addition on the
adjoining lot, now owned by the church
Just In the period the United States was
tingling with discussion of the Young plan
for collection Of World War reparations the
Universalist General Convention was busy
with the erection Of a national church In
Washington. The author of the Young plan,
Owen d. Young Of New York City, was q
member of this faith. A number Of his
friends financed the Peace Tower for the new
church. naming it for him to remind the
passerby that universal peace is the fruit Of
religious liberty.
Although this denomination Is not among
those having the largest number Of followers
in this country, 1t has placed an architectural
gem on Sixteenth street northwest at r
street For perfection of detail on the In
terror, for real Gothic harmony on a compact
scale and the artistic use Of color undertones,
the chapel Of this church can be ranked with
those Of any magnitude.
Much OF the effect is due to the deep blue,
the glowing rose the red and green shot
through with amber used to Offset the Gothic
austerity. These colors are in the stained glass
windows which are not picture or figure win
dows, bat carry out a scheme OF religious
symbolism depicting mans growth from the
Dark Ages through Christianity. The local
congregation shared with the General Con-
vention In the construction, financing and
dedication Of the building in 1880.
It Is most logical that dissemination
identified since the dawn of Christian worship
with the Identification of its church houses
should aspire to have in Washington the
largest edihce Of its faith IN the United
States The Catholics declare that the Ma
tional Shrine Of the Immaculate Conception,
now being erected by them on the campus
Of Catholic University, in Brookland, will be
the most beautiful shrine in the world upon
its completion II the exquisite chapels already
finished In the foundations are to be taken
as basis for such prophecy, this will be true