Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-04-27
SUNDAY IN WASHINGTON.

| SUNDAY IN WASHINGTON.
You hear from afar of Washington
gayety, its ceaseless round of dissipa-
tions, its political entanglements, its
rings and its extravaganza, but who
has spoken of its churches, of its Sab
baths, Or Of its missions among the ig-
norant? !? / know no city in all our fair
America where the Sabbath has a more
sacred observance, outwardly at least;
our national Congress begins its daily
sessions with an appeal to Heaven for
guidance; no one has thought of redu-
cling the Chaplain's salary in the pres
en-. spasm of economy, while the GEN.
tlemen who make the. laws thin the
Possession of . pew in some opular
church . regular paEtef their Niaton
establishment. The Episcopala and Meth
odist Episcopal shrines are most nu-
merous; then come the Catholics; after
them the Presbyterians and Baptists.
The Hebrews have their synagogue; the
Unitarians their place of worship, and
the followers of Swedenborg meet to
rehearse their faith in that later revela-
tion. The slender graceful spire of the
Metropolitan Methodist Church marks
the place where the President is a reg
ular attendant. Its audience room is
lofty and spacious, it's organ aud choir
are thoroughly well managed, and the
fame of DIR. Newman widely spread
Its membership is very large, and then
of course strangers will always throng
wherever peep may be had at the
Chief Magistrate. Before the hour of
service the pews are filled; folding chairs
are placed in double rows down the
wide aisles and the galleries are crowd
ed. One pew remains vacant, till the
opening hymn has been sung, very Of
ten all the opening prayer has been Of
fered, then there is bit of polite rus
tie and stir; leveling of all eyes in one
direction, while President Grant threads
his way between those chairs, closely
followed bv guests or members of his
family. Mrs. Grant comes but rarely,
but Col. Fred's lovely wife almost al
ways accompanies the President. There
was any amount of nonsense written
about this young girl at the time of her
wedding, and the splendor and variety
of her reception toilettes have been an
unfailing topic for correspondents, but
| never yet saw her on the street or at
church in any dress which could be
called conspicuous. Sunday after Sum
day this Winter, the bright sweet face
has peeped out under the shading of
the same dark blue hat, while the dress
matching the modest hat was her in
variable costume. don't wonder that
the President and Mrs. Grant are fond
of their new daughter. for she makes
every one love her with her gentle gra-
clous manners, and her bright thoughts
most sweetly uttered. Col. Fred's per-
ceptions were surely not at fault when
he chose his wife. President Grant has
never found staring an agreeable ova-
tion. He avoids it whenever it is pos
sible, holding his hat SO as to screen
his face while he passes up the aisle,
and never turning when once seated in
his own pew. He listens attentively to
every word Of the eloquent sermon; (for
Dr. Newman is eloquenD be bows his
head devoutly during the prayers, and
never fails to attend to '.the mint and
cummin' of the contribution baskets,
when that part of the service is reached
Vice President Wilson used to occupy
the seat back Of the President, and
Gen. Cowan, late Asst. Secretary Of the
Int h.,.
Tyners handsome head is always seen
very near. while members of Congress
dot the crowd thickly. believe Sena-
tor Logan is n member Of this church,
and Senator Wright, of Iowa, is always
seen here
The New York Avenue PRESBYTERIAN
church is by far the most popular one
of that denomination. Secretaries Bris-
tow and Chandler are represented there
by their families. if not in person; JUS
tice Bradley has his pew there; indeed.
if YOU wish To be high flyer at fash
inn religiously. and do not affect the
ritual of the Catholic or Episcopal SER
vice. by all means get seat ut Doctor
Mitchelrs. 1t is eminently the correct
thing to worship there. DIR. Sunder-
land (the chaplain Of the Senate)
breaches on Four aud half street
This sanctuary is SO large that almost
any congregation looks scattered. The
President pro tenn. of the Senate is num-
bered here among the regular atteu.
dants, but his popularity is not so ex.
cessive as to prove any great attraction,
and DR.. Sunderland's hearers are not
greatly increased or diminished by the
floating swarms of Winter visitors.
The Catholic churches embrace in
their membership very different class
from those frequenting their affairs in
the North. Maryland has always been
a Catholic State, whose old families
handed down their religion along with
their estates, and very many prominent
officers of the Army and Navy are adj
herents OF this creed. The wife of Gen.
Sherman Is deyout Catholic, whose
zeal is well known; Senator Herman
and his family are Catholics, while any
Catholic charity holding fair is sure
TO show the beauty and grace of our
fairest bellies behind the tempting ta-
bles. st. Aloysius Church though most
remotely located, is ALWAYS crowded on
Sunday afternoons, for the music of its
vesper service is wonderfully perfect
st. Matthews shrine on Ii street is in
the midst of fashionable residences, and
one NAV always see it's worshippers
coming and going. Indeed it is quite
as common in Washington To see ladies