Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-04
<,ur Methodist Churches.

ington street, will be opened on the lO q lnsl.,
for divine service for the first time suce repairs
were begun there. The church has been Goa
side1ably improved and has been refrescoed
withiu, and its exterior and interior handsome
Iy painted. The pulpit has been made lower
and moderuiz d, and the rail OF the chancel re-
placed by one more suited to the new surround
ings. The pulpit recessis handsomely frescoed,
its ceiling representing the sky with clouds and
stars, from which the Heavenly Dove descends.
The walls and ceilings of the church are Tres
coed 10 panels of sober tints, soft to the eye.
The pt VS. are newly painted, as is all the wood
work of the church. All the curtains oil the
church and furniture have been renewed. hlr.
Fost urg, of Washington, did the frescong;
the cabinet work was done by Alexander Lylcs;
tine joiner's work by Charles Glover; Isaac
Rudd painted the interior of the church, and
R. II. Wade the exterior; the upholstery is
the work of Charles Grimer, and the curtains
by j. G. Clarke. The renovated church is
credit to its congregation.
The Methodist Episcopal Church South, on
the opposite side of Washington street, was
handsomely improved as to its interior las
year. A new front Of handsome design has
been n progress for some tune, and Is uow near
" completed. the brick work having been hn-
ished on Friday. The new front, which Is
the design of Mr.. John r. Llmbdin, is of
brick, unique 10 style, with ziuc mouIdlngs.
AID will be one OF the ornaments OF Washing
ton street. 1t takes thr place OF the old open
porchway, and will contain, besides the stair
ways, several foe roous for church uses. jag.
Jayins is the contractor FIR the brick work, W IN.
Viocent for the joiner 'lk, and +. II. Rudd
| for the painting.
The Methodist churches here have long be&n
most important PORTIONS OF town-lite. We give
below & succiuct history of Methodism here,
for much of which We are largely indebted to
the venerable James LawrcDson, of Wash
ngton
Methodism iu the county IF Fairfax, OF
| which Alexandria was then tue county seat,
dates from l774, the church here being prob
ably, at that early period, portion OF large
circuit including. perhaps, large portions of
the States OF Maryland aud Virginia.
Alexandria was set IF as part of special
charge 10 1871, and Rev. Ezekiel Cooper WIS
appointed pastor The Baltimore Conference
| of 1892 was held in Alexandra. ln 1898 the
congregation here numbered 9S members, OF
whom forty were colored. Rev. jeremiah Cos
deo was 10 charge that year, the appointments
! being annual ones.
| In 1894 the Baltimore Conference made
| Alexandria STATEN, and in that year the pas.
tors were in turn Rev. John B!oodgood. and
Rev. Thomas Anderson, the services being held
| iu a sail loft. At this period the charge con-
| cd one hundred members, OF whom forty
| we're co!ored Services were held 10 sail loft
near the river. L. 1895 Rev. Lemuel Green
was placed 10 charge OF the congregation. Rev.
BcD,oo Riggiu succeeded as pastor in 1896,
| The umble church prospered, and 10 1901
| Alexandra District of the Baltimore Coo er-
ence was established, with Daniel Hit presid-
ing elder, This district was composed OF FAR
fax, Stafford, lancaster, Berkeley, Wiachesi er,
Rockingham, Pendleton and Allegheny Cir
cults. Rev. VIM. Waters was in charge. ln
1923 Rev. Joseph Rowan -ucceeded to the
pastorate. The yellow fever prevailed here
| terribly during that year. The success 0: Rev.
Mr.. Rowan revival exceeded all that had gone
| before, and 10 1904 the membership reached
$50, 25O whites and 300 colored persons. a lot
Was purchased this year and frame house of
worship was erected on Church Alley, the site OF
the present Catholic Church. The cntrarce was
upon the alley running into Duke street. Here
ofhciated 10 turn Rev John Pitts Rev. Thos
+. Sergeant, Rev. Seeiy Buou, Rev. Robert
! r. Roberts and others, the congregation grow
ing year by year. Oue can recall some OF our
best citizens worshippers at the old church :
| I -. lain I,br hal,
Benoni Wheat, Richard Libby, Aquia Lock
wood, Bernard Bryan, Isaac koil, j ohu Crcigh.
ton. Jacob Hoffman, j ohn Shack elford, Samuel
Grgg aud others.
About 1911 the congregation had so lucreas-
ed that a larger church was required aud the
old building on Church Alley was sold to the
priest, Rev. Francis Male, aud was occupied
a. a Catholic church. The present house Of
worship was erected on Washington street, and
soon it was filled with worshpners. Tier:
oficaed Rev r cbard Tidings, Rev. Joshua
Wells, Rev. w ill., Ryland. Rev. Alfred Griffith,
Rev. Andrew Hemphi Rev. Jacob Larkins,
Rev. Job Guest, Rev. Wm. Hamilton, Rev.
Norval Wilson, Rev NJ Coombs, Rev John
Lapahan, Rev. Go RoszeII, Rev. s. S. Ros-
zeIl, Rev. Alfred Cookmao and others. Among
the late pastors have been Rev. Mr.. Coombs,
Rev Johu Lauahau Rev. W. L. Phelps, Rev
| JOS h. w heeler, NV. |. ri. Haynes. he'.
Mr.. Hemmenway. Rev. MIR. Boyer and the
present able aud eloquent pastor Rec. W. e..
Wepb. Mary we'll known ciizants are mem
bers of this c,ugregation-Ex Mayor Berkley,
Hon. Jas. Nj. Marshall, Thomas Davy, Allen
g. HalmaD, and Others.
Near.y hall ocu,ury ago the colorcd NJ. b
Church'of south Washington street establish
ed itself as a separate coogrega:lan. In 1880
| there was q considerable secession of pOdlv m an
who formed the NJ. ?. Church, now on
Washington, north Of King street. and in the
church division, some quarter Of century
since, large numbcr OF the leadinR Metho-
dists of AL xandra adhered TO the South and
erected the magni6c nt church, which, with the
old church, is nrw being improved.
The NJ 4 Church South was organic d here
at the lower room of Old Fellows Hail, now
occupied as. St. johns Academy. The eIo
quent Rev james a. Duncan was its first pas
tor, and there have followed succession OF