Seeking accord over symbol

A window's Masonic symbol spurs city's and Catholic mission's search for solution.

By MIKE HOOVER
Daily Record/Sunday News

Dr. David Drew was expecting a fight with historic preservationists over several changes to a former synagogue in downtown York.

But after a 90-minute discussion with the city's Historic Architectural Review Board on Wednesday evening, he was somewhat satisfied there was room for compromise between religious freedom, private property rights and historic preservation.

HARB agreed to support plans to cover a Star of David with a bronze crucifix on the front of the Sts. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission, 129 S. Beaver St. The HARB also indicated they will recommend plans to cover the Adas Israel date stone and a Protestant date marker with new signs for the Catholic Mission, once both sides agree on the designs.

The council has to approve changes to buildings in the city's historic district.

Both sides also agreed to keep discussing ways to address a Masonic symbol in a stained-glass window. The symbol was included in the original construction in 1906 by some of the synagogue's founders, who were Masons. Drew said congregation members find the symbol offensive, saying the Masons are a secret society with ties to the devil.

"I am pleased they were conciliatory. I was expecting a fight. I was expecting them to tell me no to everything. I feel good that we are trying to work this out within a historical perspective," said Drew, chairman of the mission's board of governors.

Since 1906, the building has been the location of two synagogues, two Protestant churches and now a Catholic Church. The mission has been at odds with historic preservationists since purchasing the building last year. The city has fought to protect the building's historic features while the mission wants the right to practice religion without interference.

"Basically, it is a conflict of rights. They look at historic preservation. I am looking at freedom of religion on private property," Drew said.

Drew said he will see if stained-glass experts can find a way to cover the Masonic symbol while not obscuring the beauty of the rest of the stained-glass window. He initially wanted to remove the Masonic symbol and use the glass to fix other broken windows. HARB rejected his proposal, saying it would alter or destroy a historic building, but regulations allowed for historic features to be covered as long as the work was not irreversible.

A few board members suggested replacing the Masonic symbol with another piece of stained glass and putting the original in the care of the York County Heritage Trust Historical Society Museum. But others favored covering up with glass with shutters, curtains or another piece of stained glass.

"It (the Masonic symbol) was there when you purchased the building," said board member Mary Homsher.

Leslie Webb, who lives near the mission, said that she appreciates all the efforts taken to restore the building. But she said that renovations must consider the building's rich and unique history for generations to come.

With each change, the building loses its historic identity, she said. "It's a slippery slope to nowhere."

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