Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-28
THE PRESIDENTS CHURCH.
The Ancient and Honorable Record a
the First Presbyterian Church.
THE EARLY DAYS OF WASHINGTON AND ITS |
PRIMITIVE CHURCH BufLDiNGs-TKE DIKgr |
CHURCH AND DIR. SUNDERLAND.

THE EARLY DAYS OF WASHINGTON. AND ITS
PRIMITIVE CHURCH BuHLDiSGs-THE FLEET
| CHURCH AND DIR. SUNDERLAND.
The history of a church organization, especi-
/ ally when ii dates from an early period, Is so
/ closely interviewer with that of the connmu-
| nifty in which it Is planted, that r. Is 'diff-
| cult for the chronicler to write separate aud
distinct histories. There is perhaps no better
| Illustration of this Identification Of a church
/ with community than may be found in the
| record of the FRS. Presbyterian church Of this
| city, which has been selected by President
/ Cleveland as the church which he will attend.
| It was organized when the city was still in its
| infancy, as only five years had elapsed since
| Congress had decided upon this site on the
| Potomac as the location Of the National capital
| city. The owners OF the farms lying within the
| ten-mile square had hardly begun to realize
that their property had suddenly been changed
| which lay beneath the water and heavy vege-
| tation of q swamp, and nearly all of which
still unbroken. The sound of the hammer and
! the music OF the trowef was heard as the new
ings We're erected for the accommodation of
| Congress and the executive departments. Five
| years before the scat OF government was finally
Church in this his part the
| met in Bladensburg, which then, owing to the
| great depth of the Eastern Branch, was
| almost seaport town, as sea-going YES
sells from foreign and domestic ports
| Presbytery was held on the oath of June, 1895,
| and was called for the purpose of taking steps
to ordain Rev. John Breckenridge as pastor of
| ton was then known. The organization of the
church was SO far effected at this time that Mr..
breckenridge was installed as its first pastor.
He continued with the church fora number Of
years and had the affection and love of his con-
gregation., He and his wife now lie buried in
| the grounds connected with the Soldiers Home.
| THE FIRST MEETING PLACE.
| The first place of meeting of the congregation.
about which there is any definite information,
was in the carpenter and joiners' shop erected
| on the grounds of the White House for the
workmen employed in constructing that build
! ing. This was in 1897, and at this time there
| were but few church organizations in the Dis
! trict. The church of Rev. DIR. Balch, Presby-
| terrain, had been organized in Georgetown about
! the close of the revolutionary war, and was still
started the street church. which occupied
! Willard hall for SO many years. In the year
1900 Christ church at the Navy Yard was built,
| ana for several years was the only Episcopal
| church in the District.
After occupying the carpenter shop for some
frame building on F street. near the corner of
! 10th, which was torn down few years ago.
| ing near the Navy Yard, known as Academy
East" The successive movings finally brought
the congregation to the opposite end Of the city
| from that where they had started. When the
Capitol building was completed, in the first
| year OF the present century, they obtained per-
mission to use the room occupied by the United
States Supreme Court. Here they seem to have
! been permanently located for some years, but
| in the war Of 1912 the British invaded the city
| thus thrust out into the world the congregation
| was unable to provide another meeting place,
ana tor some two years services were suspend
| ed. This did not continue long, for in 1919 the
congregation felt strong enough to call as their
! second pastor Rev. DR.. Reuben Post. They were
then occupying a building which they had
erected themselves which KIM
the Little White Chapel under the Hill" This
building was south OF the Capitol and almost d.
| stone mansion of Gen. Butler One Of the first
ruling elders of the church, Capt. John Coyle,
turned the first spadeful of earth for the new
| edif1ce.
THE PRESENT SITE.
The congregation remained in this locality
until 1928, and then selling their property to a
colored congregation-the Israel Bethel-they
removed to their present location on 41s street
The church edifice erected upon the site where
the present structure stands, resembled its
successor in being plain, substantial building
| without apparently any other idea in the de =
sign than to give accommodation to the wor-
shippers. The front had an open portco, the
| the pastorate of Rev DR.. Post occurred that
famous quarrel among the members Of Presi-
~ s @ N regard 70 the SOCIAL
Secretary of War. Before her marriage with
Cen Eaton she was known as Peggy O'Neil, the
| in this city. and she was famous beauty. Gen.
Jackson warmly espoused the cause of Mrs.
tnat IN his sch style
| episode was taken advantage of by the factions
| then existing in the democratic party, led re-
| spectively by Martin Van Buren, and John C..
| Calhoun, and as the result the entire cabinet
was reorganized, and the political effects OF hat
the a ssss to ssess sre the
slight cause would seem to justify in the caira
| quarrel extended to the church and the pastor
of the Second Presbyterian church, which occu-
pied the site where the New York avenue
church now stands, Rev. Mr.. Campbell, refused
to recognize Mrs. Eaton, and so Old Hickory, in
nigh dudgeon, left the church and went to the
l Earst church, where he remained until his
| and he retired to his home in Tennessee.
Rev. William MeL Lair was the third pastor,
lowed by Rev. Charles Rich, who remained
until 1S43. During the pastorate of Rev. w. F.
1s tn 1877 n aad
| tended the church, and before be retired from
| the White House he appointed his pastor to the
sprole was the Rev. Elisha BaiIantynes who
served from 1S4S to 1851.
DR.. SUNDERLAND CALLED.
The pulpit remained vacant for about two
years, and then, in 1883, the present pastor
Rev. Byron Sunderland, d. D., was called. He
has occupied the pulpit continuously for thirty
about sixteen months, however, from 1854 to
1866, he was absent in Europe, having been
| sent abroad by his congregation on account of
| failing health. While In Paris he officfated as
| pastor of the American chapel. Dr. Sunderland
| is so we'll known in this city and has SO long
| held prominent position that it Is only neces-
sary to refer bi lefty to some of the salient fea-
| lures of his career. Born in Vermont and edr.
| Gated in Union college, after short passionate
| in New York state he came to this city in the
| full vigor and power of his intellectual and
physical manhood. He found here q con0reea-
uon composed OF not only the best peonie OF
| this city, but of the representative men Of the
| nation, including President Pierce, who was a
| regular attendant He was well Qualified for
the place; A man OF poetic temperament and
pathy for the griefs and nisfortnnes Of others
| that perceived no distinctions, he won his
way into the affections of his people and
was and Is not only the elOq uent preacher
| but faithful and afectionate pastor In
| the trying times before the var, when public
! opinion was still uncertain on the grave Issues
connected with the great national question OF
slavery, Dr. Sunderland was bold and unfinch.
! ing IN hts anttslavery sentiments When the
war broke out he did all in his power to
| strengthen the public sentiment I'm support OF
| the government and the Union cause His
attitude provoked criticism, and caused manV
who held different views to leave the church
| The pastor OF the First church became very
popular with the soldiers that filed the city in
| the war time, and they not only crowded to
near him, but invited him to visit them at the
| camps.
THE FRED. DOUGLASS TROUBLE.
One Of the results Of the intense feeling eroxv.
| ing out OF the war was the controversy which