Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-12
LOCAL NEWS
Ryland Chapel-Re-a~s;c

There is seldom witnes sed more ion prsssive
ceremonies than these " hich took place yes.
rerday morning at the dedication OF Ryiand
Chapel, corner Of 18th and u streets. Island.
The day was fine. and come time before the
hour for services arrived the house was
crowded with persons an xious 10 hear the clio.
quent sermon OF Rev. Bishop lanes. Among
those present were President johnson, Secre-
tary Seward, Mayor WalIach, and several
ether distinguished persons, who remained
throughout the proceedings, and were atten-
i've listeners to all that was said. In the pull.
pit Were Bishop james, the head Of the Baltt-
more Conference; Rev. j. Nicholas Brown
Morgan Presiding Elder of the Potomac Dis
rict; Rev. Henry Sheer. OF the East Baltimore
Conference; and Rev. Mr.. Hamilton, pastor OF
the Chapel
Services were opened with the hymn BEGIN
ming, the Lord is my king" which was sung
10y the caoir. aided by number OF volunteers
from the cho'rs OF other churches IN the city,
The Rev. Mr.. hamilton then read the one
hundred and seventh Psalm, a portion Of Scrip
ture peculiarly applicable 10 the occasion
Al ITS conclusion, the Presiding Elder, Rev.
Mr.. Brown, gave ont the popular hymn
Before Jehoyahs awful throne,
lie natlens bow with sacred JOY" &c
Joining IN, and thereby adding greatly to the
effectiveness and beauty OF the piece.
AN appropriate prayer was then offered up
Redeemer to shower down His blessings upon
the whole universe, but more especially to
look after The little mock who had that day re-
commenced
labors afresh under auspices OF an encouraging
and comforting character. "Ea.
Al the conclusion Of the prayer, Rev. Mr..
Slicer read from the I'd chapter of the Ephe-
slams, from the 10th to the a2d verse Teach
me Thy way, 0 Lord" was then sung by the
choir; after which n. ss4
Bishop James arose and read from the 9Th
chapter OF the book of Isaiah, as basis Of the
sermon which he was about to deliver The
distinguished divine preached about one hour
aaring which he expatiated Oh the happy
Influences intn o-A
comforting assurances to be derived from the
stndy Of, and adherence to, the precepts of the
Bible. At the conclusion of his clog uent
ADDRESS, the subject of Sunday schools and their
oenenclal influences upon the minds of the
young was advefted to. The trnest in SEPARATIONS
OF religion and moral culture we're there to be
oerlved,' and every parent should consider it a
paramount duty to enter their children at those
institutions OF moral and divine instruction
Inc usual dedicatory exhortatIon and prayer
was then read from the Church Discipline in
Vhich the congregation joined with zeal and
devotion. .n -.
Rev. Mr.. Slicer followed Bishop James in
review Of the history of Methodism in this
country, and its wonderful rise and progress
since the days of the Revolution. Some inter.
esling "reminiscences in connection with the
life of Rev. Francis Asbury. of England were
reproduced In which ii was shown that Mr.
Asbury crossed the Atlantic in 17?f, and la
bored without interruption, under the most
adverse circumstances, till, from physical in
hrRlty and old age, his lite ebbed out, and he
died upon the soil OF the Old dominion Dur
ing the war of the Revolution ali the Memo
dlst preachers went back to England but As
oury, who sta1d and worked faithfully for the
cause to which he had dedicated his lite
Texas Mr.. s said, was annexed to Metbodism
long before she was annexed to the Union.
and, Ia the opinion of the speaker, Methodism
did great deal towards annexing that State
TO the Union. Francis Asbury was the founder
and great bulwark OF Methodism in this conn
write history of the Church and leave ont
has name, had as well play Hamlet and leave
out that character from the play.
The speaker then spoke of the origin of Ry-
land Chapel, ana eulogised the memory OF the
good men who donated the ground upon which
the chapel was built; Mr.. RyIand was IA
quently attended his church while he was in
public lite in this city. The chapel had had a
succession Of experiences. During the war it
had been rased and fallen into such condition
10 render worship therein mpracticable
and for the pasttwoyears the congregation bad
held their meetings in the basement. Soon after
me Close OF hostiiities steps were taken to re-
build the old edifice, but the wsrk has pro-
crossed slowly because OF the heavy expense
which must be incurred In doing so, and the
hardness with which subscriptions came in.
Although now the improvements had been
completed and the edifice was ready for uss
yet IL must be understood that the work was
NOT yet finished; for there was debt OF SO 500
hanging over II, " hich the trustees had become
responsible for the payment of, and that amount
must.be raised. The rebuilding Of the chapel
coat &laotO, on which $4,000 had already been
"
ceiling this debt, that ten persons in the con.
gregation give 800 each, ten give $50 each,
others $40, $50, and SO on, till the subscription
be made up. This proposition was then put,
when there were two responses to the S5U four
10 the $40 ten to the $50, and q large number
contributed in smaller sums. from $40 to ST.
one HUNDRED and thirty three dollars were
raised in the gallery.
The doxology was then sung, benediction
pronounced, and the congregation dismissed.
The singing Of the choir ON Yesterday was
conducted by Mr.. j. b Dawson, and Miss Liz.
zie 5. Pope presided at the meiedeon.
The original church was built in lsI3. The
and Rev. William Ryland, after whom the
church was named In 1861, the old edifice
was taken by the Government as a hospital
After its vacation in 1862, II was torn down,
and the present structure was reared at q cost
II $4,000. Both on tside ana in, the chapel 1t
Is taultlessly neat and substantial in appear
anee The main worshipping hail is treseoed
OF solid grey colcr with q faint colered circle
on the ceiling. The pulpit is built OF walnut,
and the ministers stand OF beautiful polished
marble. Gas cluster lights projec from each
sioe OF the wall which afford suffi cient light
10 enable the congregation to dispense with the
e1penee which wonla have bee a necessary to
incur II chandelier had been procured. In
front OF the pulpit is the only gallery which
the chapel has, and this is principally intend
ed for the use of the choir. Altogether the
chapel is model OF neatness and adapta ton
10 the service for which In ia intended RI ho
used.
The pastor of this church is the reverend
Rev. W m. Hamilton, ID. ID i, the oldest active
minister OF the church in the Baltimore Con-
terence. he is now in the third year OF his
service a. this church, having been appointed
by the Conference In March, 1865. 70 him
ana the membershfp, assisted by friends, be.
long the credit OF rearing this beautiful struc-
ture, which has Just been dedicated TO the ser.
vice OF the Most High.
Services were held in the afternoon, when
the exercises Were begun by prayer from the
Rev DR.. Hamilton, who, after the congrega-
ton LAD sung hymn, addressed the congre.
gatien. He was much relieved now that the
Church was finished 1t had been 8 great bur.
den 10 his mind for long time. But there re-
NAMED yet another burden. The Church was
TO be paid for, and when that shall have been
done, he would be retie we'd of another nxiety,
Prayers would not build q Church, neither
would they furnish the money to pay for tt:
II they would. the Church would have been
quilt and paid for long ago. He exhorted the
congregation to contribute literally towards
the payment of the Church debt Bishop
James was introduced and congratulated the
congregation upon the accession Of their new
Church and its completion. He was assured
that those who had been engaged in the work
OF helping along the work Of completing the
Church felt FULLY compensated. II only one
soul should be BROUGHT 10 see the light OF God,
they would feel compensated, but he felt as.
sured that hundreds, yer, thousands, wouid
be brought to know God from The gospel
preached in This Church The Rev. Henry
Siicer then delivered address, after which
a collection was taken MP, ana q considerable
sum realized. 1-.s
At O'Clock In the evening, an eloau ent and
effective sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr..
Slicer. The collection in the morning amour ted