National Republican., 1878-07-29
81. LUKES CHURCH.
Enterprise Of Coiored What
DIR. Crunmci Has Done.

Enterprise Of Coiored Epi-copaiians-wha
DIR. Crummci Has Done.
Some years ago, soon after the war, Mrs.
Person Of Brentwood, tho mother Of the wife
OF Captain Patterson, Of the Coast Survey,
caused TO be erected and fitted up for occupa-
ton what Is known as st. Mary's Chapel, on
Twcnty.third street, between q and II streets,
and donated Il aud the ground on which islands
TO st. Johns parish. for the benefit oftho colored
Episcopalians, with tho understanding that
they were to keep service there, falling In
which II was to revert to the executors Of the
st. Johns parish. II was soon occupied aud
under tho fostering caro- Of the parish, and
through tho instrumontahty of Rev. DIR.
Lewis. rector, the mission was greatly bcne-
'itcd and prospersd to such an extent that
tho ediiice became incapable Of holding the
increasing congregation. On account Of
desire for moro central location, the steady
increase Of their congregation, and above all, to
benefit the church, the congregations set about
making strenuous oxcrtions to have another
church built. A lot on Fifteenth street, opposite
what Is now ~. .Augustines 5 church, was selected
rs the site Of tho new cdfce. Five hundred
dollars had been paid on II but, ns they were
unable to meet a number OF payments u was
forfeited. Still persistent with the intent to
have n church in keeping with the times and
to answer their purposes fully, they transferred
their energies IN u new direction and secured
a lot corner Of Fifteenth and Samson streets.
Here they broke ground for the foundation of
81. Lukcs Church prospective. At first 1t was
named 81. Mnrys parish, but on account OF
a conniCtion with the mother chapel. and u
doubt as to which nations were sent when
under that address, IL WAS changed last year to
St. Lakes. Before th' aforementioned Ell.
forts were made, nn attempt 10 create parish
IN tho northern section Of the cty was made.
Ia order to occupy moro central position,
under the name of st. Andrews, with Rev. w.
A. Harris Ms rector but Tor some good reason
It was unsuccessful; and the project wus
| abandoned. Its members did not weary. how
ever but still prcScvercd and joined st. Lukc's,
| which had by this time been nominally estab'
lished.
| After the foundation had been laid the work
| progressed rapidly until tho walls were erected
a. high Us the sills of the windows on the
| lower floor. During this work, which was IN
lS76 between three aud four thousand dollars
were expended. The corner stone was laid in
tho fall OF 1876 by Bishop PinCkmey. In the
winter ard spring of 1877 subscriptions 10 the
amount Of 5000 weIe obtained, aud the work
| was again resumed. In the fall Of tue same
| year the walls, preparatory to roofing, were
| completed. Preparations arc now being made
| for roofing In, and II Is expected that the odl-
flee will be ready for service by winter. Va.
rious concerts aud contributions by the con-
rrcgation have added a number Of very credit
able sums to the building fund, and there is
now about 500 In bank to its credit. The
| sinking fund association, an auxiliary 10 the
church, has also made various contributions
| of several hundred dollars each. Several thou
sand dollars are needed yet before tho build
| ing can bo completed, rs tho building COM
mittcc arc determined not 10 have any
work performed for which they can
not pay Immediately on Its com
! plction. Rev. Dr. Alexander Crummcl,
the pastor Of st. Mary's Chapel, has been for a
long timo cmcrsctically engaged as missionary
OF the convocation of Washington In building
the church in question, st. Mary's Chapel co.
| operating to the best Of its ability. Dr.
| Crummcl l. now absent from the city, cn-
| deavOring to procure means by which to help
along the work. The building committee Of
the Washington ConvOcatiOn, Of which Rev.
| DIR. Lewis Is. chairman, took charge of the
work OF building the new church In 1876, In
| order to facilitate and promote its completion.
Before they took charge tho whole work was
| performed by DIR. Crummcl who in reality, By
his strenuous cxertiOnS was building the
church
The church when completed. will be yery
| handsome, and will be capable of seating 200
porsuns. 1t will bo truly the first colored
! Episcopal church ever erected IN the District
| Its prospective congregation entertain great
hopes of their enterprise, and have no doubts
Of its growth being more rpid than that oil
any other church In the city, as 1t is cen.
trally located, tho only one OF tho kind and
as most OF its members now live in Its vicinity.
1t is very evident that Rcv. DIR. Crummel will
| fill the pulpit position which he richly de.
| serves, after having worked so long and
earnestly In its behalf