National Republican., 1873-04-04
THE BRIDGE-ST. CHURCH.
An OLD LANDMARK PASSING AWAY.

Bsich-Hi- Remsiss Removed from the
vault at the Church.
As was announced in the REPUBLICAN some
days since, the congregation Of the old Bridge
street Presbyterian church decided to build as
place Of worship new church ou their lot, which
Is located on West street, and tear down the
present structure. The cause Of this change was
on account Of the location Of the old church be-
Inu too far from the centre OF the town. The
question Of tearing down this venerable edincc
long agitated the minds Of the old worshlpors to
no little extent, and they would not have yielded
had not the younger members Of the congrega. |
few weeks ago plans were presented for the new |
edlnce, aud II was concluded that the material |
Of the old Bridge-strcet church could be used In
Wy YeSterIsy ssS a. O'Clock the work Of removal
began by tearing down the steeple, the
main PSSn i *: gss %no n tse
vicinity during the day. As this church Ia tho
oldest In the District we give below history Of
congregation and constructing this church.
The founder, stephen BlOonler Balch, was born
IN Hartford county Maryland, In lIts. While aboy
his family removed with him to North CarOllna,
from whence he entered Princeton College.
After leaving college he took charge OF school
In Calvert county, Maryland, TO which he had
been recommended by DIR. Witherspoon.
lie remained as teacher four years, after which
| he was licensed by the Presbytery Of Donegal,
June I, iiIo, as u inissiouaty, and made circuits
/ and rsturned TO North Carolina about two years
after. Here he engaged In missionary work,
and endured many prlyations. On one occasion
| ulght overlook him, and he entered a strange
dwelling and asked for a nights lodging. The
| master Of the house was absent, but his vile re-
ceiyel him Hospitality. Being much iatlgned be
| soon fell aslecp, but was aroused by the arrival
| OF the owner Of the house, ucn. Williams, who
entered the room where Mr.. Balch was sleeping
and s.ld 81 Will allow no no. one Mho ps,cS y not y.
piled, "Let me rest IN peace, therefore; ! was
educated under Dr. WIthenpoon, one Of the
signera Of The Declaration OF l1dsPennIenes;; Pna;or
where he preached TO congregation IN the
woods Of place now known as High street near
Bridge Ne urged ne people o. sii HenTnlns sna a.
once set at work In the undertaking. In llei he
succeeded in getting the people interested IN
| pIes houses. In lisa funds enough had been
raised to purchase a lot, aud the congregation
chose the one on which the old church Is built,
| owing TO Its commanding location, and q brick
church was started. The church was small, but
large enough TO hold his congregation, ABOUT
two years after the completion OF the church
the PresbyteTians were found to DO In the ma
jority and they purchased the rights Of the other
denominations In the building and called the
Presbyterian church. -
The congregation graduslly became 80 large
, that It was determined to enlarge the building
, and Il was done, and In l52i II again became
necessary TO make an addition. About this time
meeting OF the congregation was held, when
they determined to tear down the old building
I and construct new one, which Is the present
, church. some years after he gave certificates tS
sixteen Of his congregation, under Daniel Baker
. who founded the New York avenue church. Tn
congregation Of the old church numbered IN -
membership the COngressmen VINO were u
Washington during the session Of Congress ant
other dignitaries. ADout this time the Metho
. dlst Protestant church was organized IN mi,
church, with DR.. BaCh as moderator. lie als'
: helped to organize ". Johns Protestant Epls
: 10 1851 his house on First street caught nre
: when he lost everything aud saved his lie p
: jumping out OF the secOud-stOTy window. u
was then cghty-nvo years OF age. The mornln
after the nfe nc appeared On me sueeta sttIe ,t'
! neighbOr His congregation Increased with IN
] city and up 10 the 22d Of September, on while
h residence, on First street, TO the church, wher
DR.. Harrison, of Alexandria, Va, preached th
7 funeral sermon from Acts yill:G "Deyont me
carry stephen TO be buried" On the conclu
l. sion Of the services the remains were depOs
i ited In a vault on the outside OF the church
The last sermon he preached was from Lux
u kiss: "Lct us make three tabcTnaclea-one 10
Thee. one Tor Moses and one for Elias"
Tue death Of Dr. Balch cast gloom over IN
town, and all the private residences were drape
=, In mourning; even the butchers had their stAl
II drapcd. up 10 the time Of Dr.. Balch's death b
had married over two thousand couples.
T. served In the Revolutionary war and for his sc
vices received a pension from the Government
4 lie was married twice, his INST wife being MI
/" Beall, and he had twelve children, four Of who
:" are still living.
ar In person he was tall and commanding, aud b
10 eyes were small and keen. His gait was $40
n. and cautious, indicating that ho was aosen
minded. lie had an exuberancc OF good humo
1, which continued until death. Hlspreaching W
~ - generally dOctrlnal, and characterized by gre
" ~ fesressness and energy. After the death OF u
i' Bach the pulpit was nllcd by DR., Jno: Z, smit
who left IN lstO and was followed by Reys. IL.
a Berry, Of Virginia, who remained ten years, N
\, Atkinson six years, J. II. Booker four years,
ns T. Brown three years, Mr.. Taylor four years,
81 W. Moffatt, and =, II. Howe, the present past.
Yesterday, Mr.. Jos. y. Burch, undertaken, vi
as Mr.. X. X. Shekels. who built the vault In whit
a the body Of Dr. Balch was placed, began reno
he ing the tomb, which was over the grave a
as against the wall. tisa monumental stone
re white marble, which rests on white mari
mt base, and bears the following inscription:
I SACRED TO the memory OF stephen Bloom
Balch, D. D., who died September u, 1859, In
hty-seyenth year Of his age. lie was I
MI founder Of this church, and for more than n
gospel In this town, and his example for ma
he years life TO Its Inhabitants. He being dc
on yet speaketh.
al =" Rciigni norfalIs StsphdHi Bloomsr Bdlch, D..
er Sab hoe mdriHorrs In hTmdHdtcr.
et "Ilia children have erected this tablet TO rect
Is. the virtues Of the dead aud the gratitude OF
Z. living"
nc the stone, found that tho earth had fallen
IS and after removing the same found the conn
on decayed that It could hardly be removed frC
m the vault. The skeleton was found mixed
II. with the earth Bone after bone was collect
'e- aud placed IN q new conn and removed TO I
on old Presbyterian ground, where they were rel
ne tered.