Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-10-09
Bishop Dun Joins Fight to Save
St. PduFs From Condemnation
Letter to Fleming Protesting u S. Action
Read Before Meeting of Congregation

The Right Rev, Angus Dun,
Bishop of Washington has joined
st. Pauls Episcopal Church, GIT
Twenty-third street NV, in its
fight to preserve the church from
condemnation by the Government
to clear the entire block for new
George Washington University Hos
pital
A letter from Bishop Dun was
read at meeting of the congrega-
ton in the parish hall yesterday
after the morning service. The let
ter was presented by the Rev. Airing
ton A. McCallum, rector. Progress
in the church fight against the
Government and G.. w. U. was out
lined by several speakers. The at
titude of DR.. Cloyd Heck Marvin,
president of the university, was
: sharply criticized during the session.
The congregation was told by
Wales H. Jack, junior warden of the
church, who is a member of the
special committee of the vestry au-
thorized to handle the matter, that
hearing on the case in District
Court, which had been scheduled
for today, had been postponed until
Thursday. The church's petition
for an injunction has been joined in
by several property holders in the
block.
Letter Sent to Fleming.
In the letter to Maj. Gen. Philip
B. Fleming, Federal Works Admin
istrator, Bishop Dun explained he
had kept in mind the fact that the
church is called upon to give full
weight to the total community well
fare, and not simply to our own
special interest.
Seeking to approach this issue in
that spirit" the Bishop wrote" it
is my considered judgment that
there is a very substantial inequity
In the summary action contem-
plated.
THE congregation of St. Pauls
Church has worshipped in their
present location for some rs years."
he said. Their life as a congre-
cation is deeply rooted in this church
building, its altar and it's memorials.
On about the 18th of September
they were informed that they must
vacate before November l. While
it is true, of course, that the church
is made up of people knit together
In one worshipping body, and not
of stones and mortar, it is also true
that such body depends on having
a church home they can call their
own.
This contemplated action will not
only destroy a building; it will scat
ter and threaten the very existence
of church in the deeper sense. They
cannot possibly find another site and
make provision for their continuing
common religious life in the time
allowed. AS their chief pastor, am
bound to be deeply concerned, anc
the whole Episcopal church in this
diocese is concerned, in step
which threatens the continuance OF
one of its parishes In our view
only an emergency of the most crit
ical sort would justify the sacrifice
VI LllCSc fdlucS.
Reconsideration Sought.
"For these reasons, most earn
estly ask for a reconsideration of thi,
project, especially with regard to the
time element. ask this quite apart
from the outcome of the court action
to which the vestry of st. Paul,s is
a party.
The Government of this Nation
has shown in many ways it's interest
in furthering the life of our churches
cannot believe that an important
agency of our Government will fail
to give every consideration to the
church's stake in this undertaking
when the matter is called clearly to
its attention"
Bishop Dun closed with the as
surance shat I shall continue to