The Washington critic., 1885-11-21

In November, 1919, at the age of twenty
one, Mr.. Shipper took charge of the First
Unitarian Church In Chicago. During his
eight years ministry, favored by the rapid
growth of the city, the church edillce was
twice enlarged, and in 1857 the house and
its congregation were left nearly three times
as large as he found them. As successor of
Rev. Edward Everett Hale, he then for
thirteen years was pastor Of the Church Of
the Unity at Worcester, Mass, where again
his growing congregation enlarged their
ediflce. In the summer of 1869 he enjoyed
seven months tour through Europe, and In
1871 settled in Boston as secretary of the
American Unitarian Association. During
his ten years service In this missionary body
he took active part In collecting funds for
the rebuilding of the Robert Collyer Church
in Chicago, burned in the great fire, in
saving from sale for debt the church in New
York, over which Mr.. Colyer has since
been settled, and in building the present
Church of All SOILS in this city, In whose
pastorate he was Installed in April, 1881,
and where he still continucs an earnest, de
voted and well-bcloyed pastor.
The Church of All Souls lUnitarlan) dates
from 1920. In the National IHicHgeRccr of
June of that year appears the first call for
meeting of the friends Of Unitarian wor-
ship to be held in the long room over the
public baths on c street, between Four-and-
a-half and Sixth. Religious services were
there conducted by Rev. Robert Little, then
recently from England, until on June o,
1922, the new church on the corner Of Sixth
and l. streets-built with aid from friends in
Baltimore, Philadelphia and the East-was
dedicated. Rev. Mr. Little continued as
pastor until his sudden death in Harrisburg,
Pa, in August, 1927. On this church was
placed the church bell first brought to the
city, cast in Boston, at the foundry of the
famous Paul Revere, and used for public
occasions until the time of the war. Now
in the tower of the new church, Fourteenth
and l. streets, in good time and tune, 1t con-
tinues to ring every Sunday. Among the
early leaders in the church were Messrs
Gales and Seaton, the notable editors of the
National lHiCiiigcHcr; Judges Cranch and
Eliot, Charles Bulilnch, architect of the
Capitol; Moses Young, Moses Poor, John f.
Webb, Noah Fletcher, Frauck Taylor,
Richard W0llach, John Purdy, and many
others of honorable fame In the city. Be
sides these, among the public men who
have been frequent attendants and sup
porters have been Presidents Adams and
Fillmore, Chiel-Justice Marshall aUd Justice
Story, and Senators Webster and Calhoun
John p Hale and Timothy o. Howe,
The successors of Rev. Mr.. Little as pas
tors Of the church have been, in 1889,
Rev. Andrew Bigelow; lS30-36, Rev Caz-
neau Palfrey: 1S3S-44, Rev. stephen G. Bull
finch; for six months, Rev. Edward Everett
Hale; 1S47-50, Rev. Joseph IL. Allen for
the next two winters, Rev. Orville Dewey
Then came Rev. NJ. d. Conway, fearless
and outspoken In his anti-slavery testi-
monies in the exciting times of 1856, and af-
ter him Rev. w. ID. Haley. During the war
Rev. William Henry Claiming gave the
church noble record of patriotism and
service among the soldiers and hospitals.
After the early battles, under his prompt
lead the church was the first one in the city
offered to the Government as n hospital,
and was so accepted and used, while for a
time the society worshiped in the Senate
Chamber at the Capitol. In the winter Of
1868 Mr. Claiming was made chaplain to
Congress, Since the war the pastors have
been Rev. William Sharman; for the winter
OF 1867, Rev. Rufus p Stebbins; for five
years, Rev. Frederic llinckley, and for three
years, Rev, Clay MacCauley.
As the tide of population in the city was
flowing toward the northwest and the old
church becoming inaccessible to the congre-
CATION and inadequate to their needs, an
appeal was made TO the denomination Mt Its
National Conference at Saratoga in 1876 for
aid In erecting a new and more commodious
| structure In more eligible location. The
result was a denominational contribution
| Of S35,OOO, which was added to the re-
sources at hand, and forever secured to the
| denomination by perpetual mortgage on
| the property bearing no interest. BY con
tributions in the city and by the sale of the
old church property the sum of $4,000 was
| added. And at a cost of about $4,000 foI
| lot, house, organ, fence and furnishing
| the present church edice, on the corner OF
| Fourteenth and J. streets was erected IL
| the summer Of 1877 by the wcll-knOwl
| builder, Colonel X. l. Fleming, with Il. e
Russell Of New Haven as architect, anG
building committee. The church Is without
| debt 1t was dedicated In January, 1873
Rev. DR.. H. w. Bellows Of New YorS
preaching the sermon. Rev, Clay Mac
Cauley, then pastor remained till the sum
mer of 1880, and In April 1881, was sue,
ceeded by Rev. Rush X. Shippen, the present
pastor The church has a lourishing mis-
sion school, in charge of the ladies oil thu
parish, which meets In the chapel ON Sat
urday mornings; also a large and prosper
Gus Sunday school, with excellent library
under the superintendency Of S. II. Bond
esq, meeting every Sunday morning in til,
chapel before service, A parish union, or
ganizing the social activities Of the church
has formed a valuable library for genera
use, and holds occasional meetings OF
Tuesday evenings for social fellowship AM
musical and literary entertainment to b
alternated with meetings for religion
study and culture, The business orgaulza
tion Of the church Is committed to min
trustees, Of whom three are elected eac
year, Of whom Bernard X. Green, esq, /
chairman,
Suits to order, $25 and up. Eiseman Z {; I