National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-09

Metropolitan Presbyterian Church-DedI-
rntOry Services esteFdny-Sermon by

Metropolitan Presbyterian Church-DedI-
rntory Services Eesterdny-Sermon by
Rev. DIR. Chester.
The ceremony Of dedcating the Metropolitan
Presbyterian Church took place yesterday morn
Ing at II O'Clock. The church was nlled almost
IN Overlooking, and among the vast multitude In
attendance there were President Grant dmeT-
Gus members Of Congress, Judges OF III courts,
heads Of bureaus, and large NUM- sr Of our
most prominent citizens.
DESCRIPTION OF TaK CHURCH.
The church structure Is Of English style, two
stories high, with slate roof. The fronts are Of
pressed brick, and all the bases, sllls, caps and
trimmings, throughout are Of Connecticut brown
stone.
the main entrance is on Fourth street, whe re
the bell splre, which Ia eighteen feet square, pro-
jects six feet from the front line OF the building
The spire Ia TO he 100 feet high to the top Of the
brick work, (the spire Is not yet completed upon
work fOrty-One feet high, making the top Of the
spire lII feet from the pavement, The iron work
Of the splre and Crownmg ornaments above will
weigh nearly seven tons. Through the base OF
the hell tower the main entrance leads direct to
the nhst floor, which Is divided into three rooms,
one large Sunday-sChoOl room nfty-aeyen aud
sixty feet, and two infants class rooms twenty
and twenty eight feet each, the ceilings Of all
being twelve feet In the clear. In the front Of
the building there Ia a yestibule nine feet wide,
running the height OF both stories, and In this
vestibne are the stairs leading TO the second
story or ordinance room, which IL twenty-nine
feet In tho clear and II nfty-seyen and ninety
feet, with an additional recess for the pulpit,
from which private stairway communicates to
the lower story.
The pulpit Is OF the finest Italian marble-a
present from A. X. shepherd. The pews have
white pine seats and backs, with walnut ends,
and are neatly upholstered Immediately over
the entrance TO the room Ia a CapaClOus choir
and organ loft, the front Of which IL paneled
IN yarcOlOred wood. The ceiling Is composed Of
panels Of French plate glass, through which
the light sheds upon the audience from argand
burners arranged between the ceiling and the
roof. The winduws are Of stained glass Of va
riOus patterns, and the walls and ceilings In both
stories are frescOed. The walls throughout the
whole building will he wainscOted for about four
feet from the moor, with alternate strips Of wal
nut and yellow pine. CapaciOns furnaces In the
cellar supply the requisite heat.
Mr.. Z. y Frederick was the architect, and
Messrs. Q. Il, Lathrop, q. A. Bohrer, and John Il.
ArrisOn the building committee on the part OF
the congregation, The following I'VE the present
officials: Pastor, Rev. John Chester; ruling
elders, George A. Bohrer, Robert LeitCh, Calvin
NJ. Parks, Thomas q. Jones, William NJ Tenney;
deacons, John r. Zimmerman, James T. But
chard, James simpson; trustees, George A. Bob
reT Charles II. Parsons, Calvin NJ. Parks, John
X. Zimmerman, Charles d. Willard, William NJ.
Thomas a. Jones; superintendent II Sabbath
school, Robert Leitchi sexton, Edward McWIl-
hanson.
THR SERVICES BEGAN
by the choir singing the b2d hymn, "ZlOn, that
Happy place" followed by "a prayer from Rev.
Dc. Van DOren, after which Rev. Or. j. II. Parks,
Of Philadelphia, read selections Of scripture from
the 1874 Psalm, 10th chapter Solomon. A prayer
was then offered by Rev. @. A. Hall, OF the Young
Mems Christian Association, upon the cOnchl-
sion Of which the choir rendered another hymn,
followed by the dellCatOTy sermon delivered hy
the pastor, Rev. Dr. John Chester.
THE SERMON.
1"Ihou shalt remember all the wa. which the
Lord thy God led thee."-Deut. SO.
The reverend gentleman commenced by saying
that they were present To dedicate another build
ing 10 the worship Of God. Before them lay as
u were three yolnmes-the future with It's
hopes, the present with Its anNietlea the past
with It's memories. lie then referred to the irst
meeting held under the spreading branches Of a
tree some eight years ago, from which had
sprung weU-organlLed class. Then on u Sab.
hath morning, February 20, 1864, a company Of
about ntteen persons met In little frame
schOOl-hOuse, yet standing on Twelfth street
who had been invited by him to confer on the
subject Of organizing church on Capitol Hill.
Prior TO that time he had COnyeTsed with Rev
Dr, Gurley on the subject, who stated that such
an undertaking had been contemplated for some
time, but which hal not been carried into effect.
lie then visited other pastors, who seemed TO he
OF the same mind.
The few Presbyterian families then residing
on the hill were next called upon, and expressed
themselves willing TO unite In the Undertaking
The meeting was called, and a. the result OF Il
they saw to-day the church IN which they sat-
Referring again TO the early history, he said the
the bchOO-hOuse, during which they Increased
rapidly, Yet that schUOl-hOuse had no mean
audiences ether IN size or character. He re-
membeTed that one morning there Rat together
on the hard pine bench Judge GrieT Of the
United States supreme Court, senator FOOte, of
Vermont, and senator Browning, OF Illinois.
The congregation having outgTOwn this, oh
talned permission to use a larger one at the
corner Of Third and streets southeast There,
SIX weeks after the memorable beginning the
Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church was organized
ny the PreabyteTy OF the Potomac, consisting Of
~ members, 80 from other churches and Two
on profession OF faith.
a#1lUs A..
he was installed as such on the same occasion.
lie then gave a history Of their struggles up 70
February, ia6h, when the chapel was dedicated
which had been erected at a cost OF 1900 with
congregation OF seven hundred. The history OF
thsiT labors In the chapel the organization Of the
Sabbath school and Bible class, were then stated,