Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-08
GRACE M. r. CHURCH.
Description Of the New Building.


On Sunday morning next the lecture-room Of
the new Grace Nj. +. church, corner Of 9Th and
) streets, will be dedicated, and Rev. Bishop
Ames, IT is expected, will preach the dedica-
tory sermon. This church was formerly known
as the Wesley Chapel Mission, and had
ITS ORIGIN
as follows: A little over nine years ago-there
being no church or Sunday school in that neigh.
borhood-some young men from Wesley Chapel
organized Sunday school in building at the
corner of eth and Boundary streets, and during
the warm weather the meetings were held in
the woods. Mr.. George w. Riggs, on being in
formed of the success of the school, made the
trustees of Wesley chapel q present of three
lots of ground at the corner of 9Th and streets,
to be used only for church purposes: About
the first of January, 1854, small frame
building was erected. Revs John Riggles and
G. G. Burr, two local ministers, took charge OF
the congregation, then numbering scarcely a
time conducted under the superintendent OF
Mr.. Mark Woodward. Both the congregation
and the Sunday-school have continued to in
crease to the present time, and now there are
about 15O members of the church, (nearly one
third having united during the series of pro-
tracted meetings in progress for the past three
weeks, y and the Sunday school numbers abou,
$50 pupils. Since the congregation was organ
lied, Revs. VIM. Prettyman, VIM. Shrek, Jas
g. Henning, l.. Dobson and VIM. McPheeters
oficiated as pastors until the spring of 1872
The Sunday-school has been conducted up to
the present time by Mr.. 8. A. Terry.
At the session of the Baltimore Conference in
1872, an application was made to have
THE CHARGE MADE INDEPENDENT,
ana a minister was asked for, and in the ap-
pointments that year Rev. NJ. F. B. Rice, a
young minister, was appointed to 9th street, and
in short time after entering on his duties he
induced the membership to appoint a building
committee and take some means to build a ne W
church edifce. Messrs. John Riggles, Warren
Choate, VIM. II. ReardOn, s. A. Terry AMI j
Richard Riggles were appointed the committee,
and they entered on their duties with determ.
ination to erect such building as would be a
credit to the congregation and an ornament to
the section of the city in which it was to be
erected. Mr.. j. G. Hardness kindly presented
the plans for
THE NEW BUILDING,
and the committee in a few months having OBJ
tanned subscriptions to the amount of s., 900.
determined to proceed with the enterprise, and
the frame building having been moved to an
adjoining lot the work was at once commenced,
and Notwithstanding many reverses, among
which " rs the blowing out of one of the walls,
they have erected a very fine looking building,
which has cost so far about S12, 900. The upper
portion will not be finished for the present
stone course at the sill, and fronts A. feet
on 9th street, running back ~ feet on S, and the
total height is So feet to the peak.
Althou Oh the upper portion will remain unfin-
ished for the present, the windows tpainted
head and figured glass; being IN, it will appear
finished from the outside. The lower story is ID
feet In the clear, and in it il the lecture room
4s by 40 feet on the east of which is the pastor 5
study ar ibrary-roo located on either side
OF the main entrance. Under the stairways
and at the eastern end there is an infant class
room, with raised seats, separated from the
audience room by grained sash, in which is
stained glass, and on either side of this are class
rooms II by IA feet. Immediately in front of
the infant class room is the minister's stand and
desk, around which is a neatly finished walnut
railing and ballusters. The lecture-rOom is
fitted up with reversible settees of walnut, cal
cuiated to seat about $40 persons and including
the class-rooms there will be seats for $50
persons.
The brick work was done under the super-
intendence OF Mr.. Peyton Scrivener; the press
brick work, by Ringgold & Co.; the carpenters
work, by Humphrey & Somerscales; the plaster
ing, by Webster & Bro; painting, by s. Groves
granting, by John Finch; gas fitting, by Henry
McLinder, and the seats, by G. Stevers & Co..
of Baltimore; the windows and doors were
furnished by Tucker & Sherman; the iron work
columns in the lecture roOm,) by Schneider;
stone work, by the Mary land Stone Co., of
Georgetown; roofing, (slate,) Montgomery &
Clark, and Timing, by John Pepper.
fine little church organ has been placed in
the lecture room, and Prof. w. H. Tucker has
organized, and will have charge, of quite fine
choir.
The dedicatory services will take place ut II
O'Clock on Sunday morning, when Bishop
Ames will preach. Rev. ii. A. Cleveland, of
the Foundry Church, will preach at O'Clock
and Rev. Richard Morris, Of Waugh Chapel, at
3 O'Clock.