Buy St. Paul's Church, Washington, D. C.

Washington (D. C.) Daily Post

The Foundry M. E. Church has sold to First Church of Christ, Scientist, the old St. Paul's Church building soon to be vacated by the United Foundry and St. Paul's Methodist Churches, when they move into the new Foundry edifice on Sixteenth Street. The Christian Scientists expect to move into their first church edifice in the district early in February, giving up the hall which they now occupy in the Scottish Rite Building on G Street.

The price paid by the Christian Scientists for their new church home was not all in cash and it is not therefore possible to state it in exact figures, but it is estimated to be about $40,000. A cash payment was made and the society also gave to the Methodists the valuable lots owned by the society on the corner of Erie and Ontario Streets, Washington Heights, on which it was intended to erect a new Christian Science edifice.

The sale of the building is mutually very satisfactory. The Foundry Church people have been very anxious to sell since they determined to build their magnificent new church on Sixteenth Street, and as church property is always harder to sell than good residence property or office buildings, there has been some misgiving as to whether the value would be realized. It was felt that only a church would probably be willing to get anything like the value of the property out of its use.

The Christian Scientists, on the other hand, have been hampered by having no other home than a hall and have felt that their growth was greatly retarded. In the past year, notwithstanding this handicap, the society has increased largely in membership, and it has become evident that something must be done immediately. The St. Paul Church building fills all the wants of the society and more, being much larger than there is any present need for. The Scientists believe, however, judging from their experience during the past year, that it will not long be too large for them. There is also the possibility, though this has not yet been discussed formally, that the two Christian Science Churches of the city will unite and use the new building.

St. Paul's Church building was erected in 1894-1896, and is, therefore, one of the newest church buildings in the city. It stands on property that has been occupied by Methodist churches and congregations for thirty years, since 1874. The old wooden structure, which had long been a landmark in this part of the city, was torn down in 1894 and the present fine brick building was then begun.

The purchase of the building by the Christian Scientists has been under discussion for several weeks. The society formally agreed to purchase at the beginning of the present week, and the committee in charge of the sale for the Foundry Church accepted the terms offered at a meeting last Tuesday evening. The committee on sale for the Foundry Church was composed of Messrs. A. B. Browne, Theodore Harding, Jr., and Joseph T. Birch. Mr. Harding was the real estate man in the deal.

Washington (D. C.) Daily Post.

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