National Republican., 1880-07-13
THE OLD ASCENSION.
Demolition of One of the Landmarks
of The City.
Bazing the Old Church Building or II street
Cash Versus sentimeut--Somo Inter-
csting "reminiscences 49, How tho
city Appeared When the
Church was Built-Some
of The Pastors, ttc.
Tho o,d Ascension church.

Tie Old Ascension Church.
One by one tho roses fade. The landmarks
of autc-bollum Washington are fast disappear
ing. Very soon there will not be one rose OF
the wilderness left on its stalk TO tell where
the garden has been except tho Washington
monument, which some future Gorringe will
guide over tho sad sea waves to New Zealand
~ a specimen Of the needles with which North
American Cleopstras used to sew buttons on
the togas Of their Antonics. The change in
the architectural aspect of Washington is
pleasant TO tho eye OF utility, but CRATES
harshly in the telling upon the ear Of scnti-
mcnt. Aud In the removal Of the old Ascension
church cdihcc aud the otferingat public auction
of tho grounds upon which IL stood, to be
converted to domciiary uses, there arc many
persons in tho District who, like tho lover of
Hoods Fair Ines" feel no Joy but only
"music's wrong" COusccratCd by so many
and so holy remomblanCCs, IL causes pang to
sec the last vestige of the dearly loved sane
tuary removed, and bare spot mark the
place where 50 often the knees of the pentont
have bent aud the heart of the mourner boon
consolod. The altar whero so many stately
matrons Of the city have brcathcd their mar
riago VOWS; tho font whore the pledges OF
their welded love were baptized; the chaucol
around which have been gathered In their spot
less confirmation robes so many Of those who
now make upa large part Of the beauty and
worth ofWashingt on, all these are gone with the
old cdihcc, and nothing but their memories
remain. Prosaic utility, that values the hearts
emotions only rs they can be converted into
cash. like beef, bricks or barrels, calls the
uttcrunce Of such emotions "cuSh." But the
heart that docs not entertain them is q very
dry one aud beats on, 4 fraud against nature,
in perpetual protest against its morbid and
abnormal condition. There are many persons
in Washington to-day whose tonderest aud
holicst recolections are entwined about the
old church edfice that has crumblcd away,
from the hours of prattling childhood to those
of busy, thoughtful man and womanhood and
they echo the scutmOnts which moved the
heart Of The REPUBLICAN reporter as he saw
the work of destruction 80 on in this hallowed
old ediicc.
Tho members Of Ascension parish wOr.
SHIPPED for long season prior TO the building
of tho now demolished church in that little
frame building on the southeast corner Of II
aud Ninth streets. Here during tho week, for
many years, John +. Norris, Mr.. James Beck
and others taught school, while on Sundays
the members of Ascension parish worshipcd
within its narrow walls. All that neighbor-
hood in those days was the farm of n cele.
bratcd Washingtonian, the famous husband of
a still more famous wife, General Van Moss.
About thirty-six years ago 10 donated to As
church. as also to the presbyteriaps space
enough OH Ninth to erect the sanctuary so long
known as the Fourth presbyterian church The
Church of the Ascension was built in 1915, At
that time there was only ono house on the
| square where it was erected. The entire city
north was literally n wilderness. In the win
ter the ice formed on the nlsrshy ponds, where
the boys wont skating. In the summer the
| huckleberrics and tho chigOes tempted the
| william skatnrs IN the faos.s .haro tho siyalp.
ton always sat, for wrestle with She huckle-
| berries always succeeded in bringing q lot OF
| chigoes with 1t. The marsh msllon and the
| wild rose bloomed and bushed and wasted
| thor sweetness on the desert air. Tho build.
ing Of the churches soon changed all that. The
parish grew originally small and of restricted
means, so much so, indeed, that Mr.. John A.
NJ. Duncanson, one Of its members, was forced
to give his notes for the payment Of the con.
tract money for building the e1ifce. He had
credit the church then had none. 1t
| Is needless TO say that tho parish
soon paid him back. The Ascension parish
today would scarcely find any difficulty in
contracting n loan or building another church.
| It's face Is good without note or indorser.
The first rector Of the Ascension was the be.
loved and lamented Mr.. Giliss, whose mem
ory is still green aud fresh in the hearts of his
congregation. lie died on New York avenue
between Ninth and Tcnth streets mourned
by tho whole city. New York avenue
between the two named streets was nl
ways flvorite place for clergymen''
residences. Rev. Mr.. Stanley followed DR.
Gilliss, and then came Rev. DR.. Hutton
who was in turn succeeded by the present
rector, Rev. DR.. lnow Bishop Pinckney. Rev
DIR. Elliott is the associate rector aud Rev. Mr.
Morrison assistant. Among tho original mem
bors of this parish were Mr.. Watkins, old DIR
Gilliss, Mr. John Waters, so well and nifec
tionately known us "oid John Waters" viii
lam j. Stone, the lawyer; Mr.. j. A. NJ. Dun
canson, and Others whose names now sscap
the reporters memory. The congregation, !
is needless to say, has increased nightly sine
those iar-oT days.