The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-10-07
ST. PATRICK's CATHEDRAL.


worship in the city, and was attended by
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay when liv-
ing in Washington.
There is but one Unitarian church in
the capital, All Souls church, on the cor
ner of Fourteenth and l. streets. This is
attended by a fashionable and distin-
guished congregation, comprising many
persons of high official position and of
prominence in society. Most of the
members are New Englanders, and the
congregation includes Senators Hoar
Dawes and Morrill,, ex-Secretary of Navy
Chandler and Justice Miller. When John
| Quincy Adams came to Washington there
was no Unitarian church here. A move
ment was however on foot to organize
one, and he became one of the founders of
the Old Unitarian church at the building
now used by the police court. The pres
ent magnificent structure is the outgrowth
of this early organization.
Meetings of Methodists were held in
Washington as early as 1906, and in 1915
the first church building was erected. This
was the seed from which the well known
Foundry church has grown. President
Hayes attended this church during his ad
ministration. Starting with this small
beginning the denomination in Washing
ton has more than kept pace with its
growth in other cities, until there are now
within the city more than fifty handsome
church edifices. Another notable church
is the Metropolitan on Four-and- half
street, sometimes known as the Church of
the Strangers, the seats being free. Gen
eral Grant established the fame of the
Metropolitan church by becoming one of
its trustees and regular attendant. DR..
Newman is the pastor, and during General
Grants lifetime they were close and init
mate friends. While Grant was an attend
ant of the church little incident occurred
that made quite stir at the time in con-
sideration of the position of the parties
connected with it: Salmon P. Chase,
chief Justice of the United States, was an
aspirant for the presidency. He was an
Episcopalian, and always had been a
communicate of that church. When the
Metropolitan was in process of building
ten thousand dollars was given to its
building fund, one half as the contribu-
ton of General Grant and the other as
that of Chief Justice Chase. Cry was
Immediately raised by the campaign pa
pers that the latter had given the money
for political effect, and as it was never
authoritatively denied by Mr.. Chase, it no
doubt contributed to his defeat. But it is
not my intention to give only one side of
the question. Mr.. Chase's friends claim
that an arrangement was made by which
Daniel Drew, the well-known New York
millionaire, paid contribution of $1O,
600 toward the building, $4,000 being set
4 oil e. ,f o,,l
$4,000 as that of Mr.. Chase, but Mr..
Chase wrote in his own hand after his
signature, "paid through the liberality of
Daniel Drew" If this be true the million
aire was not credited with it, but it was
published all over that he had subscribed
$4,000, nothing being said of the fact that
Drew had paid the money, which Mr..
Chase did not like, and was more than half
minded to rebuke, says one of his biogra
pliers. Among the other prominent
Methodist churches in Washington are the
McKendree church, the Hamline church,
Fourth street church and the Asbury
church. The latter has very large and
influential colored congregation.
There are twelve Catholic churches in
Washington, but the number of churches
and influence of this denomination. This
church has never had the benefit of the
patronage of big officials and yet it is very
safe to say that it Yields more influence
than any other one denomination in the
city. Probably the best known Catholic
church in the city is st. Patricks, estab-
lished in 1904, which was formerly located
on G street north, between Ninth and
Tenth streets. But year ago this con-
gregation completed the finest church edi-
flee in the city on Tenth street west, just
around the corner from the old church,
which is now used for school purposes.
The new church was dedicated as st.
Patrick's cathedral, and it is in every way
worthy of the name of cathedral. In it's
memorial windows may be found some of
the finest specimens of artistic stained
glass work in this country. These win
dows we're mostly contributed by citizens
of Washington. Among ether prominent
Catholic churches deserving of mention
are st. Dominick's, which is celebrated for
the number of fine paintings and statuary
it contains; st. AlOvsius the Immaculate
Conception, st. Peters, st. Matthews, St
Dominick's and st. Augustine's- lat
ter belonging to a colored congregation
composed of some of the most intelligent
and prominent of that race in the city.
The choir at this church is said to be the
best in the city; their singing attracts
large numbers of white people to the
church every Sunday.
Perhaps the third largest denomination
in the city is the Presbyterian. The New
York Avenue church is probably the most
prominent Presbyterian church in the
city. Mr.. Lincoln gave an impetus to it
twenty-five years ago by taking pew
there. It has a large membership and is
attended by many Presbyterians sojourn-
ing at the capital during the winter. The
First church, on Four-and- a-half street, is,
however, of more prominence of the two
at present, on account of the presidents
worshipping there. There is always a
certain clique in the capital who follow
the president, parrot-like, no matter what
place of worship he chooses to attend.
And then the many strangers who annual
ly visit the city, think their tour of sight
seeing is not complete, without look at