Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-30
RESBYTERIANISM IN THE DIS.
TRItT,
valuable Historical Sk etches Read nj
the synod OF Baltimore.

Valuable Historical Sk etches Read at
the synod OF Baltimore.
THE EARLY YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES IN THIS DIS
TRIcT - INTERESTING PAPERS READ BY
WASHINGTON PASTORS.
The centennial of the synod of Baltimore was
observed in Baltimore on Thursday by meet
Ing in the First church. Interesting historical
sketches were presented of the different pre-
byteries connected with the synod during the
one hundred years of its existence. The follow
Ing papers on the presby terial bodies with
| which the churches in the District of Columbia
were and are connected, were prepared with
great care:
Presbytery of the District.
Rev. DIR. Sunderland presented the following
sketch, which is given in part, OF the presbytery
of the District of Columbia:
The synod of Philadelphia, at its session in
October, 1923, upon petition from the pres
bytery OF Baltimore for division OF that body,
set off portion of the presbytery of Baltimore
under the title of tine presby terry OF The Dis
lowing ministers and churches: Rev. Di.
stephen Il. Balch, pastor Bridge street church,
Georgetown; Rev. john Brochenridge, u. d.,
pastor OF church at Badensburg; Rev. Prof. W IN.
Moffitt, principal OF school, at Fairfax county,
Va: Rev. John Mines pastor of church OF Cabin
john and Bethesda; Rev. Elias Harrison pastor
OF church OF Alexandria; Rev. Ruben Post,
pastor of First Presbyterian church, Washing
ton; Rev. Danei Baker, pastor of Second
PreSby terrain church, Washington, and Kew.
john y. Campbell, assistant to DIR. Balch. The
presby terry by order oI the synod of Philadelphia,
II, 1874, aud was organized by the election of
Rev. John breckenridge as moderator. AT this
time the pre>bytery embraced six churches,
| with AN aggregate membership of Az. From
the day Oh its organization to the year 1888 the
presby terry of the District OF Columbia went
steadily forward in It's operations. During this
f.
churches OF tue preSbyte reported in
| 1883 and 1886 as being 1,259. Three impor-
taAt churches were added 10 the presbytery
nancy, the F-street Associate ReioIm church
| of W asninSton from the second presbytery (As-
sociate Reform) OF Philadelphia, the Second
Presby terrain church .oi Alexandra from the
presbytery of Winchester, Va, in 1924, and the
Fourth Presbyterian church OF Washington in
1929.
THE FIRST FOURTEEN YEARS.
In the first fourteen Years of the presby terry
nine Hcentiates were received: Messrs. Belt,
Gurley, Tustin, Joshua Moore, E. d. smith, F..
5: Mines, T.. n. Bosworth. j. /. Graft and VIM.
McLi,in; Eight were ordained: Messrs. Tustn,
". Bosworth, j. 1. Graft and William McLain
Six We're Installed: Me>srs. Walton, E. ID. Smith,
j. Z. smith. Mason Noble, Drs. William Hill
ana McLain. Ten were received: Rev. Dr.
James Louvre, from the second presbyte terry (As-
socIate Reformed), of Philadelphia; Rev. Wells
Andrews, irt'm the presbytery OF Winchester,
va REV. j. l.. Skinner, from the presby terry OF
Washington, Pa; Rev. w. &. Walton, from the
presby teTy oi Winchester; Rev. j. n. Ddnlorth,
from the presby terry of New Castle; Rev. j. c.
smith, from the presby terry of East Hanover;
Rev. Mason Noble, from the preSby terry OF Troy;
Rev. L. Z. Hutchinson, from the presDytery of
bytery, and the Rev. L. Ii. Fowler, from the
presoy terry OF Albany, n. Y. Ten members
10 The presbytery ol Winchester, Va: Rev. Mr.
Moore, 10 the presoy terry of Lewis; Rev. Mr.
Andrews to the presoytery of Grand River
Rev. Mr.. Baker, to the pTesbyiery Of Georgia;
II. Asst
citation, Connecticut; Rev. William Hutchin-
Sou to the East hanover presbytery; Rev Mr..
UroII, To the piesDytery OF New Castle; Rev. h.
" smith, To the presbytery OF New York; Rev.
F. 5. Mines: TO The third presuytery OF New
union presbyIery. Rev Prof. MoftiIl died in
ISIS, and Rev. DIR. Balch in S3;;. The struc-
ture OF the first Presbyterian church in Alex
andria was destroyed by lightning July Doth,
1880. The general assembly OF 1856 trans
lerred the presuy terry vi the District Oh Colum bia
Tom the synod OF Philadelphia to the snyOd OF
Virginia.
THE OLD AND NEW SCHOOL PARTIES.
During The period we have been considering the
views OF the church-at-larse, both on doctrinal
points and on church pOiity and policy were
dividing. lhe plan OF uliOn between tue Pres
oS teriahs and = ngregationailsts, adopted in
aud In some parts OF the country, notably In
New York and Ohio, strong synods mad grown
up under this plan Oh union, to which the
stricter constructionists OF the PresDy terrain
form OF government were disposed to object
Hence, Two parties were formed in the church,
and distinguished as old scnuoI men and new
school men. Without attempting any present
recital OF that history 1t Is enough to say that
the controversy illuminated IN The general as-
semby, which met in Philadelphia in 1888,
wnen the two bodies separated and We're
thenceiorih known as two Instinct assemblies,
SCHOOL," The sympatnies Of men in every
part OF the couutry became enlisted on
e.,ner size, and the n-, members Of the
formed 10 exception. AS events uniOiued il
was found that d majority OF the synod OF Vir-
ginia were Ola School, while q majority of the
presby terry OF the District OF CoiumOi were ill.,
ciined To the New School assembly. At the
meeting OF the preseytery in April, 1889, u
mandate from the synod OF Virginia Was re-
ceived in relation to tue adherence OF the pres
oytery To the general assembly % ID Schoou on
tue OASIS OF the acts OF the assemblies OF 1887
and 1888. The subject having been taken up
ON a motion TO comply; Substitute briefly
stating the nature Of the case and prOposin.
pOstponement OF the synodical mandate " as
offered and long and earnestly discussed. The
substitute Was nnaiiy adopted by a large ma
Jority. Immediately ON the announcement OF
worth severaliy stated that they declined the
further jurisdiction Of the presby terry aud ac-
eordinsly Withdrew. The ioiiowing churches
Withdrew from the presby terry: Tue Bridge
street church, Georgetown; The + street Gu urch
Washington; the First church, Aiexan-
dria, Virginia; the church at Bladens-
burg, with an aggregate of five hundred
communicates. The Rev. John breckenridge
and the Rev. j. l. Skinner also jolneu tnein
by the general assembly (Oid SchooD as cousti-
tuting the prcsbytery Oh the District OF Column
Ola. Iney continued in IiiS condition till Line
spring Oh 1S41, when they Were merged in the
presDy terry Oh Baltimore. Tue presDyte rIal BODY
from which they departed, however retained
its title and Organization, ana, associated with
other presby teries, principally in Virginia con-
stituted the SYNOD Oh Virginia, New Scuook It.
THUS came to be known tue Presby terry of The
District OF Columbia IN 81 From this lime the
spirit Oh aggression and rivalry became more
apparent. Ureat zeal was manifested ON both
sides in painting churches aud establishing
missionary posts.
THE SECOND HISTORICAL PERIOD
The second period in the history of this pres
bytery extends from 1888 TO 1857. 1t was a
time OF great activity in every direction, and
Of high excitement both in and out of the
church. The Mexican war, the accession of
territory, the discovery OF gold in California
the industrial enterprises, the opening OF rail-
roads, the oVershadowing slavery question: both
IN state and church, all these Things exerted
powerful Influence Ia every section and over
the country at large. The churches in conuec-
tion win the presDytery OF the District OF Co.
border line oi these great conflicting inf uences
ana ieit most seusibiy their effects at the seat
OF the national government. Nevertheless
these churches held on their way despite ali
adverse circumstances. Tweniy-Lhree minis
tiers were Installed over their Respective
churches, namely: Messrs. john C. smith.
Thomas L. Homher, George l. Wood Charles
Rich, }. n. DaniOrtn, Rufus w Clark
Thomas j. shepherd, James Knox John r.
Cook, William 1. Sproe, Porter H snow
Elisha Baiiantyne, james X. Eckard, X. A.
smith, Henry Matthews, Samuel Washburn
VIM. L. Eva, Andrew u. Carothers Byron sun
0eriand, Elias j. Newiln, L. n, Haskell HOlsev
Cumming and W. i. Gallo. Rev. DIR. John