Evening star., 1933-02-05
Washington Cathedral, on Mount St

thus authorized was completed at cost Of over
5000 900 on John Marshal place. 1t was called
the Metropolitan Memorial Methodist Church
From the beginning. it has laid great stress on
its function Is . national church, reserving
pews for the Chief Executive Of the Nation
and his official associates marking with suitable
placards the outstanding Americans from Gen
Grant to Vice President Charles Curtis, who
have worshiped beneath its shelter.
About seven decades Of service were passed
in that first location but the Federal Govern
ment needed the site for the new Municipal
Center few years ago, 50 the congregation
merged with the University Heights Methodist
Church and opened, in 1881, the national church |
which now stands on Nebraska avenue at New
Mexico avenue.
The architecture Of this new edi6ce Is like
unto that used by the very ancient of Gothic
churches, the Methodists tracing their ineageI
to the Epscopalians by its use. Its gray stone.
walls laid In random broken range rise to a
spire that stands above the roof toward the
back. This marks an important altar point In
the chapel beneath. Flamboyant colors trac-
ing the lines of the Gothic roof on the interior
Is reminiscent Of the French and blends per-
fectly with the great purple velvet dossal over
hanging the altar and catching the orchid lights
from two windows effectively placed.
The nave only Is completed in the group OF
buildings, including an educational department.
and tower for the chimes brought from John
Marshal place planned to occupy the lot. This
Is opposite the campus Of the American Uni
versity which was founded by the denomina-
ton.
THOSE Washhgtonians who have grown to|
have an affection for the sturdy figure Of
Martin Luther standing fast to Thomas Circle
during the years. have not known perhaps that
this national church group was built In spirit
Of true thanksgiving 1t represents the graft
A..L ~yI~I> T,.xI eoFkk H. Nof
Gods goodness In delivering the land from
slavery and from war" The parishioners Of st.
Pauls English Lutheran Church, in co-opera-
tion with the Maryland Synod, raised the first
money to buy the ground and build the chapel.
This was dedicated in 1868 and is still in use
Is . Sunday school ROOM
The title Of Memorial Evangelical Lutheran
Church was shortened to Luther Place Me-
mortal Church. Additions have been made to
the original structure. The red sandstone walls
are now decorated with manteling ivy below
the Gothic spire and sloping room. Fire dam
aged the building in 1904 but it was restored
within the year.
The statue of Martin Luther was put up by
the Luther Statue Association, its unveiling
taking place in 1884. The memorial motif has
been stressed in the tributes of stained glass and
marble to John Calvin John Wesley and Mar
tin Luther within the auditorium.
As the eighteenth century was drawing to .
close the general convention of the Church
of the New Jerusalem of the United States au-
thorized the Washington Society Of its organ
ization to erect here a national house OF wor-
ship This denomination IS composed OF the
followers of Emanuel Swedenborg and would
not permit the construction to be undertaken
until the funds subscribed tn all sections Of the
Nation were actually in hand In 1896. the
authentic Gothic church house Of Indiana lime
stone standing at Corcoran and Sixteenth
streets northwest was dedicated as the
Church of the Holy City, the parish house ad-
joining being added in 1912.
The architecture Is so purely Gothic, even to
realistic gargoyle used as q rainspout at the
front caves, that after SO years its line and form
are still the students Joy. On the interior the
assembly chapel is very like glorifed English
parish church, the library and reading rooms
being separated from the nave only by the s1de
veStibule.
This brings the national church movements
chronology to the twentieth century. And %
the 100 block of North Capitol street, Vhese
the United Brethren have q large brownstone