Evening star., 1947-10-20
National Church
Dedicated by
Presbyterians
President Truman
Unveils Plaque;
Pleads for Peace
picture on Page A-4.)
By Cospor Names

Church in the United States o1
America.
At impressive ceremonies yester-
day, attended by President and Mrs
Truman and many distinguished
guests, historic Covenant First
Church became the National Presby-
terian Church of the denomination
The church at Connecticut avenue
and N street NV, original home
of Covenant Presbyterian Church
will hereafter be known by that
name.
The dedication climaxed a move
begun in 1923 when the late DR.
Charles Wood was pastor of Coven-
ant Church. That year a commits
sion was appointed by the demon.
nations general assembly to study
the project. In 1927 the national
church was Incorporated, and in 1926
the general assembly Endorsed the
plan as special project. Two years
later Covenant Church was selected
for the honor. After Covenant and
First Churches merged in 1880, the
project went forward as the plan OF
the new congregation.
Peace Theme of Services.
Peace was the keynote of speeches
and services attending the dedica-
tion of the national church. Presi-
dent Truman voiced plea for peace
as he unveiled plaque on the out
side of the edif1ce.
There never was time in the his
tory Of the country when we needed
more the backing of those people
who believe in the Golden Rule and
who believe in the teachings of the
Gospel of Christ" Mr. Truman said
Now Is the time to mobilize behind
those principles so that the things
for which we stand, an honorable
decent. peace in the world for every
nation in it, may be accomplished
For that reason I am exceedingly
happy to perform this service today.
Wilbur F. La Roe, jr., moderator
of the General Assembly, gave the
principal address
1T is the peculiar function ot
the church of Jesus Christ to pro.
claim the truth calmly and firmly
while invectives, fly. to challenge
the world of peace and brotherhood
in the face of blatant and stubborn
militarism," he said.
u. N. Support Held Duty.
"It is the duty Of Christians tc
think and talk in. terms of peace
and to throw the great moral and
spiritual weight of the church be-
hind the United Nations" he con.
tinued.
Asserting the Presbyterian Chufch
must proclaim to the world it's un-
compromising opposition to dictator
ship" Mr.. La Roe declared that while
two widely divergent ideologies may
suggest the possibility of war "the
Church of Jesus Christ stands un-
alterably against war as a method
of settling international differences.
The speaker also denounced seq
regation and race prejudice in oul
Nation, taxation without repre-.
sentation" in Washington and the
Influence on elections by those "whc
are closer to the race-track interests
and to the liquor interests than tc
the church"
Church History Traced.
DR.. William B. Pugh, Stated Clerk
Of the denomination, in tracing the
history of American Presbyterians
said "the COMMON elements of a
Presbyterian polity and a Calvinis-
tic theology fused them into one
patriotic mass glowing with an in.
tense passion for religious and civil
liberty"
President and Mrs. Truman, ac-
companied by Maj. Gen. and Mrs
Harry H. Vaughan, arrived by auto
promptly at 4:30 pm. at the church
They were greeted by DR.. Edward
L. F.. Elson, pastor of the church
and leaders of the denomination.
DR.. Harold Willis Dodds. president
of Princeton University, placed 6
wreath at the base of the monu.
ment to John Witherspoon, early
president of Princeton and only
clergyman signer of the Decla.
ration of Independence, immedi.
ately before President Truman un.
veiled the historical plaque.
The Scripture lesson for the ser.
vice, which was held inside thu
church following the placing of tht
wreath and the unveiling of thu
historical plaque, was read by DR.
John c. Palmer, board of trustees
president of the National Presby.
terian Church. DR.. Albert j. Nc.
Cartney, pastor emeritus of thu
church and now director of tht
Chicago Sunday Evening Club, reae
fraternal messages to the gathering
The benediction was given by DR.
Elson. Presiding over the service
was the Rev. Horace c. Lukens
moderator of the Presbytery o1
Washington City.
Among those attending the cere.
monies were Supreme Court Jus.
tices Stanley F. Reed and William
o. Douglas, and their wives; At
torney General Tom Clark, Demo-
cratic Representative Hendricks o1
Florida and Gregory of Kentucky
and Mrs. Gregory, and Rear Ad-
miral Glenn B. Davis, commandant
Potomac River Naval Command
and Mrs. Davis.
First Presbyterian Church was or.
ganized in 1795 in a carpenters
shop on what is now the White
House grounds. Eventually the
congregation met in a building or
John Marshall place near C stree,
NV.
Covenant Presbyterian Church
was planned in 1888 at the hom,
of Supreme Court Justice William
Strong, 1411 H street NV. Tit
present site was chosen for tn,
church, the present edifice being
used since it was built in 1885. For
NAL organization of the church tool
place October 13, 1885.
First and Covenant Churche'
were merged in 1880 as Covenant
First Presbyterian Church, DR.. Nc
Cartney becoming the first pasto
Of the united congregations.