Evening star., 1933-02-05

church of Gothic feeling as their national
house of worship. The corner stone bears the
date Of 1904.
= As this denomination Is comparatively
young organization, being about 40 years old
and of strictly American origin without any
roots into foreign lands, the impulse toward a
national church likely came from the bishopric
and General Conference first rather than from
the local group.
This particular locale was chosen because at
that time the general neighborhood was with
out churches, a condition that has now been
remedied as the population grew The church
has hourished to the extent Of requiring an ex-
2ansion Step by step the congregation Is beau
tifying the interior to conform with the design
of the architect which was not entirely car
ried out at the time the church was first oc
cupied.
IN 1907 the foundation stone of Washington's
most ambitious project along the line of ma
nonal churches was laid by the Protestant Epis-
copalians on Mount St Alban, fronting on Wis
consin avenue northwest. Here the beautiful
Washington Cathedral began its rise on site
400 feet above the 1otomac River level the past
25 years witnessing the completion Of several
million dollars worth Of church construction.
It Is surrounded by allied and educational
buildings occupying 81 acres of ground. It is
fourteenth century Gothic in architectural
mode the ground plan being in the form Of
cross with the north and south Transcripts
placed as its arms.
Work has been completed on the foundations,
the north transcept, three crypt chapels, the
crypts beneath the nave. the ap6e, the choir
and q portion Of the piers of the crossing, all
OF which are open to the public. This under
taking requires continuous organization to
promote its accomplishments the National
Cathedral Association, having some 49, 600 mem
hers inclusive Of residents Of every State In the
Union, and stated by $50 active committees.
II issues q profusely illustrated quarterly de-
voted to the progress and needs Of the Ca
the6ral.
The unique occurrence OF q national church
having the name Of the man credited with be-
| ing the chief means Of its completion has hap
pened with the Wallace Memorial Church It
Is at Randolph street and New Hampshire ave-
nue. northwest. This red-brick edifice, erected
by the United Presbyterians of the United
States, carries out a design Of the English
Gothic school, admirably trimmed as to arches
and openings It commentaries the devotion
of DR.. Alexander G. Wallace, one-time secre-
tary of the Church Extension Bureau in Pitts
burgh, Pa, to the campaign for a representa-
tive church ct the Capital.
The zeal of congregation that never omitted
its Sunday services although it had to use
tent at one time and gas station at another.
had also fired his imagination. It Is tradition
that members of his family were large donors
to the building fund as a result Of his en-
thusiasm. The name Of the church for its
first year Of existence was the Knox Memorial
United Presbyterian Church; then the First
United Presbyterian Church in 1911 and,
finally, ON April 1, 1915, just fortnight after
the dedication Of the new building, 1t became
the Wallace Memorial. Bible school has been
built since that dedication date
Heavy pedestrian traffic flows along the side
walks fianking the tall pillars Of the national
church Of the Southern Mcthodists, known as
hhe Mount Vernon Place Church. This stream
pe humanity sometimes diverts itself into the
ehEBch building In large numbers during the
neck as well IS on the Sabbath which fact may
kccount for the outstanding numerical strength
3 rs local membership and for the fact that
b has been SELF supporting since its dedication
hearty Is years ago.
u had been the intention Of the General
cbR,neex,ee ~ &l,e Snntl1ern MethodiStS "a con-