 The land had once belonged to Stephen M. Young , who had been a General in the United States Army during the American Civil War and was a friend of Abraham Lincoln . Young sold the property to Frank M. Curtis for $ 7 @,@ 000 in 1902 . It was sold to David A. Leslie for $ 17 @,@ 000 in 1914 . After Mr. Leslie 's death in August 1938 , attorneys spoke to Mrs. Leslie about selling the property and she agreed to sell for $ 20 @,@ 000 cash . On December 1 , 1938 , the congregation made a down payment of $ 500 cash and few days later , the Building Fund Campaign opened for the new church with a committee of one @-@ hundred volunteers . Each parishioner who was employed full @-@ time should sign a pledge to give $ 60 over a period of five years towards the building of the church . The committee was split up into groups , and the volunteers went door to door almost every day for five years until enough money was collected . 
