National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-03-13
W lSnINGT0N CHURCHES.
tLAy,8 AT THE LAST CENSUS,

strii,uts or the Various Religious ncnoin-
iuntIon., Their Organization, Numbers,
Church Property, and Increase DurinG
the Lau Ten Ycnrs-An Interesting ES-
hibit.
The District Of Columbia las for many years
been famous for the number and strength ana
high character Of The churches within Its bounds.
II has hecn the pride and boast OF regular elti-
gems that all religious institutions at tho nations
capI,al are not only well sustained, but even
handsomely supported and that with a rapidly.
Increasing population the multiplication Of rell- |
uious ORGANIZATIONS. church edinces and bona |
tds membership has kept equal pace.
As will be seen further on, some organizations
show = much greater vitality than others and
much more rapid Improvement, but all Of them
show a steady increase that cannot be otherwise
than gratifying to al. interested.
The facts aud ngurcs presented IN this criticize |
arc culled from tho chapter on "Chnrch Stalls |
tics" In the ninth census OF the United Sta'cs'
and are computed upt 1870.
Since they were prepared from reports made
10 the Superintendent Of the Census three years
have elapsed, and during that time material In
crease has, Of course, been made; for never
In the history Of Washington have religious
bodies been more active than In the immediate
past. The reader having attention thus point
edly called to a consideration Of these interest
ing and Important facts will be prepared for the
statement that In the District Of Columbia the
census Of 1870 reveals the following hgurcs con-
ccrnilg it5 religious bodies:
TIE CHURCHES cortETE.
Number Of organizations, Ill; number OF cd.-
nces, il2; sitting, 6),s35; amount Of church
property, 81, 393,O NO.
In 1850, according to the census Of that year,
the condition OF the churches In this District
was Us follows: Number Of churches, "a; ac-
commodatlous, %, $50; value Of church property
Ss6J,o00. This shows that during the decade GO
additional churches were built, slttlngs or ac-
eommodatlons provided for l36i5 additional
wOrshipers, and that the value Of church prop
erty increased TO the enormous sum Of tl,4IO $50.
Sweeping back into the past twenty-thrce years,
which Ia really long timo In this age Of the
world some Of the oldest Inhabitants will rccol-
lect that In 1880 there were only forty-siN
churches Of all denominations In this District,
embracing accommodations for o., 1870 persons,
and that the value Of the church property was
rated at the Insignificant sum Of f3G9,Oo
How many OF the truly devoted ministers Of
Christ have died In thus District during the last
twenty.three years we have no means OF know
ing at present, but II the vast increase In this
"yineyarl Of the Lord" Ia a sign Of their right
eousness and OF the favor OF Heaven, they now
"shlne forth a. the sun IN the kingdom Of their
Father" and reflect back to earth the bcatltud
and the glory OF faithful servants"
We now come to details which are quite Gs In
teresting as the general results.
THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION.
One Of the most active and pushing OF the de-
nominations Of this District hiS been the Bap-
fist. II IL enabled TO make the following exhibit
In the census OF 1870 Number Of organizations.
10: number Of edlnces, Is; slttingI, SITE; value
OF church property, t275,oOJ In 1850 lts condi-
ton here was as follows: Number OF churches,
.; accommodations, $3.50; value Of church
property, $4,000. Thus II viii be seen that To
ten years the llOors Of the Baptist Church In
the District Of Columbia have resulted In eleven
additional church edlnCcI being built, IN au In
creased accom- NJ latiOn tor 5,Il5 persons AMI In
an a rpreclation Of the value Of church property
oftAT,0O.
Perhaps as an organization they have not ac.
chmplishcd all they wanted TO, bnt they have
certainly done well. And besides, It mast not
be forgotten that the dry statistics Of a census
report are made ~ Of ulallrned figures, and
show nothing OF the vast AMOUNT Of good &C.
cOmrIlshsd III community by compact, we'll
disciplined body Of ChastiIns Thl5 remark, Of
cJun-e, applies to all denominations.
Passing On In the review, we come to the
coSGREoArIoSAL CHURCH,
denomination which, foe some reason, ApoiIos
until within few years. In 1850 1t was not rep
resented here, but the following statement re-
veals Its strength in 1870: Number or organiEa-
tlonA, O. number OF edi1ces, l; slttings, l,sOO;
value OF church property, sii5,OOO NOtwith-
standing this church has but one eli1co tits very
powerful as an organization, and Is much re-
spected.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
We have little means at our command for
judging II the individual power or the aggregate
strength Of the denomination known as "Chris-
tlaas." The census Of 1870, however, says they
have here the following: Number OF orglnlza-
lions, /, number Of edinces, !; sIttlngS, 400;
value Of church property, 5000 In 1860 there
was no organization Of the kind In this District.
Tue PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
A well-wnttcn histo.y OF the PrOtcstaut EHis-
cOpal Church IN this District would form a roll.
gOus chapter OF stately anl spcnllI proper
tons, and Il might be set with many q rare and
precious gen. Even In this article we can hardly
refrain tom recalling son, Of It's Illuminated
pages, Of dwelling for a moment upon tho gran
dCur With which Us foundation here wl1 invest !
oil, anl OF taking rcv.cently OF the heroes and
fathers Of the republic who were ~ pillars, aud
Of the strong aud beautiful women WAC were It's |
ornaments and Of the long succession Of its
wardens, TeGtyrs anl bishops, bat the bounds !
within which we are concluded are too narrow.
Asin other cases, We can only rccur 10 the ng
ures a. found Ia the census Of 1870: Number
OF organizations, 10; number Of cdlnces, lc; Sit.
ungS, 6,63J; value VI cnucch properly, sj5i,bJJ
In 1860 1t stood q, follows; Number Of churches,
10; acoolnmo Iations 1900; value OF church prop
srty, slsJ,4OO. In 1850 tho following exhibit was
made: Number Of churches, 5; accommodations,
900; value OF church property, 5i,5!J. Theac
ngures speak for themselves aud are full Of In
terest to churchmen.
TUE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.
10 1850 the Eyllg slIcll Association hal no or |
gauiEatiou In this District. In 1869 the following |
exhibit was made OF lts strength; Nunbcr Of |
organizations, |; number Of eId,e3, /; sIttlngI, |
800: value Of church property, sgJ,OlJ.
TUE FRIESps.
Since 1860 there has been In this Dlstret but a
slight increase Ia the number ami strength OF !
the Friends. In 1870 they slood As follows: Mum.
her Of organizations, Q; number OF cdlnccs, /; |
slttlugs, 100; value OF church property, $4,000.
TIE JEWISH sYYAGoGuEs.
The Washington Hebrew congregation, Eighth |
street. Il, we believe, the eldest Of the jewish |
organizations IN this District. The other. the
AdAs Israel congregation, Orthodoxy meets at
Isl Pennsylvania avenue. Since 1880 they have |
made slow advances In numbers and wealth. In |
1870 they had this strength; Number Of organ.
IIations, 2; number OF elIaces, /; sl!tlag', SO;
value OF church property, Sls,O)o
THE LurHERASs
Tue Lutheran body OF CnrlsianI In thlS Dis |
tnct IA one OF great influence all power. II In.
cIudes many wealthy and highly respected cltI- |
Gems, and II Is rapidly extending IL induGnce
throughout the District. The census Of 1870 has |
the following report; Number Of organizations, |
10; number Of edinces, 10; sltting5, $780, value
Of church property, sl25.O0O
Com pairing this report with that Of 1880 the !
prosperity Of this organization becomes appar-
ent. Its strength then was as follows: Num-
Der OF churches, .; agconmo lltions, 1000; value |
OF church property, tIl5Jj. This shows an In |
crease In ten yeas IN the value OF property Of |
Si0O,oOO.
TUE swEDESBoRIIASs.
The New Jerusalem or SweienbOrgan church |
OF this District represented In 1870 the following
p9ures Number Of organizations, /; number OF
edinces, l; sitting5, 4OJ; value Of church prop
erty, $4,000. This church has been established
here slnce 1850, and Is regarded as IN flourish
lug coalition.
TUE USITARIISs.
Number Of organizations, /; number Of clI-
ncos, 1; sIttings, 900; valuo OF church property,