Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-30

lie
without instructlonfrom the home presby teres,
withdrew in "A body from the assembly, and
Issued an appeal TO the ministers and churches
the purpose of forming new, separate, and
distinct organization. During the summer such
d convention was held at Knoxville, Tenn,
which resulted in the organization known as
the Knoxville synod. In the following October,
the synod of Virginia, composed largely of the
nlenwho approved the new movement, held its
annual meeting in the Assemby's church, of
Washington. A protracted and earnest discus
the northern assembly and adhesion to
the Knoxville synod. The condition OF
things in the presbytery OF the District
liar. While doubtless majority OF the mem
bership and elders of the churches were pre-
pared tor separation, almost all the men who
filled their pulpits were calmly and from con-
Elction opposed to 1t, and the statement was
openly made during the discussion that If the
synod of Virginia should go to the organ
izatiOn there were those VINO would never meet
again in that ecclesiastical connection, what
ever might be the personal conseq uences. The
action proposed was, howeveN adopted by an
overwhelming majority, there being but three
inemb ers who voted IN the negative. This was
the last meeting OF the Sy nod of Virginia in
which the District OF Column bia presbytery was
represen ted. Nothing more was done on either
side, as it was evident from daily occurring
events that the nation was approaching crisis
In which both church and state would be in
volved. The presbytery of the District of Co
luInbia was thus isolated from all other eccleS-
astical connections, declining tor the time to be
represented in any higher body.
During the period from 1857 to 1862 the
presby teriai acts were few. The agitatiouS of
The country, and especially at the seat OF gov
ernment. engrossed All minds and broke out
into civil in 1861. The members of the
presbytery at this time were u mere handful of
men. The following ministers were installed:
]. l.. Bartlett, VIM. b. Evans, BENZ. L. Tanner.
John n. COON and Thtddeus B. Metals. The
pastoral relations were dissolved follows:
Rev. j. Il. Bartlett, Western Presby terrain
church,; Rev. Andrew j. Carotiiers, Assembly's
church; Rev. b. l.. Tanner. First Colored Pres
byterian church, and Rev. VIM. b. Evans,
Granite (quarries) church, Maryland. Rev:
Joshua n. Daniorth died In 1862. The Second
Presbyterian church OF Alexandria Withdrew
TO the Southern Presbyterian church in 1859.
The Rockville and Bethesda church withdrew
10 the presbytery OF Winchester in an irregular
manner aad was dropped from the rolls in 1861.
the Poolesvllle church Tor the same reason
WAS dropped from the rolls in the
year. During the year 1862 events had SO
changed the situation OF the presbyt terry OF
the District of Columbia that upon application
IL waS attached TO the synod OF Pennsylvania,
and continued in That relation to the reunion in
1869.
WASHINGTON CHURCHES IN THE WAR.
The presOyterial narrative OF 1862, the first
one made to the synod OF Pennsylvania, and
the first made to any synod since the memora-
Die year OF 1857, very fully sets forth the sit
uatiOn and sentiments OF the body as 1t Was
| then constituted. and begins follows:
1T Is very gratifying iacs, and one worthy
of record in the history of the period through
which we are passing, that every pastor ana
minister In this presbytery is an open, decided
ment. From the beginning oi our civil war to
The present moment their testimony has been
explicit aud their sympathy undoubted, and
Wniie among our people a small NUN Der have
been deluded by the Insanity of secessonisin,
yet the great mass oil our congregations have
sustained and encouraged their pas tors in their
duty 10 our country. JUDGED, so true and fervid
has been The patriotism oil our people that we
suppose In NO city in the Union was the re-
Spouse TO the presidential proclamation
Tor seventy-fve Thousand volunteers more
promptly met, and That in no one did d larger
proportion enroll themselves in the ranks than
III W asIingtOn."
The last period in the history of the presby-
terry OF the District of Columbia extends from
the lime OF its connection with the synod OF
Pennsylvania, in 1862, 10 the time of the re-
union OF the Old ana New Schools churches, in
1869. Six ministers were installed. as follows
Vim. Hart, Stella j. Martin ana stephen ID.
Noyes. The pastoral reia, ions oil the following
were dissolved: R.v. VIM. b. Evans, Granite
church, Md, i'll 1868; Rev. Dr.. II. ii. 'Garnett
Futeenih-sLreet clurch, in 1866; Rev. I. Il.
McFalls, Assembiy's church, IN 1867; Rev.
Hoisey Dunning, First Constitutional church.
Baltimore, IN 1865; Rev. Geo. ii. Smytne
Sixth Presby terrain church, in 1869; Rev. Stella
J. Martin, tliteehtn-street church, in 1870;
Rev. VIM. Hart, AssemDlys church, in 1870
Rev. Andrew q. Carothers died in o63, REV.
Moses Jewell in 1864, Rev. A. ID. HOLSTER in
1868, and Rev. Hoisey Dunning in 1860.
The highest aggregate membership of the
churches oI the preSUyiery during iuIS period
Was 1904. In the narrative for the year S66
the religious condition OIL the churciie, is stated
I to be vigorous. In the Fourth church OF This
city "a revival Was reported 10 nave been in
progress for five months, and 81 were admitted
To the cnurcn on profession.
The year 1869 is memorable in the history of
the Presby terrain church. AL the outset Oh the
war the Old School general assembly, which
mad hitherto embraced their constituencies
north ano south, was cle:tin twain and became
known AS the Northern and Southern Ola
school churches. In lo6o plan Oh union Tor
the Northern Old school ana New school
churcnes was seat down To the presby teries land
In 1869 Doth assem- olies met in the month of
May in the city OF New York. AT these sessions
arrangements were made Tor an adjourned
meeting OF the two ASSEMBLIES at Pitt>uurg i'll
the autumn OF the same year. Accordingly, in
the Inontn OF October, 1869, the two assemblies
met AT fH tsOurg, wnen Inc organic union
was effected aIniu the most Impressive scenes
UNION EFFECTED
On the final vote tor this reunion in the pres
bytery of the District of Columbia, there was
out single negative voice. In reconstructing
the church throughout the country the reunited
general assembly, which met in Puiiade lei na
IN May, 1870, attached the presby terry Oh the
District Colum bI;, TO the synod ui Baltimore
and the synod vi baltimore, which met in WIZ
mington, Del, in June, so, consolidated the
presoy terry OF The Potomac and me pre- by terry
oi Ine District 81 CoiuinUIa u:idcr the name and
title Oh Tue pre>by terry oi Washington city.
Fresby terry Of the Potomac.
Rev. Dr.. John Chester, III his sketch of the
presbytery of the Potomac, said: In 1858 the
synod of Baltimore, recognizing the need OF
organization among scattered churches in the
vi Virgins. and Mary land, organized the pres
oytery vi the Potomac, wltl eight ministers.
Ia 1893 was transferred 10 the preSDyt terry that
portion OF the presDy.efy OF Winchester, Va,
lying east OF the Blue Ridge. Tue union of the
I street and Second churches in 1859 Wa one
OF the chief acls oil Presby terianisn in WASH
Ington. This union WAS largely uue to the zeal
III Rev. DE-. Guriey, VINO Was at The death bed of
President LincoiiI Presby tef!anisIn TO this day
bears tile iniprc,S Oi his devotion anu personal
influence. Al the outbreak Oh the war most of
the churches III Virginia seceaed not only from
the Union, out from the assembly. A contro-
yerSy arose as to which was Inc real preSDytery
and Vas settled by he separation OF the church
under the northern and southern assemblies
But The presUy terry, though going through The
creased strength. 1t is not TOO much TO claim
that this presDy terry was oil the first, if NOT
the first, to place itself record as III favor of
reunion OF the Ola and New SCHOOLS. Rev
DIR. Guriey Que OF the sixteen members Oh
the committee which met in ST. Louis 10 conner
assembly. In 1870 lis last meeting was held
and within year IL stood united ny the synod
Oh Baltimore with the presbytery OF the District
of Columbia, which union has been most pleas
ant and prontaDIe.
Presaytery of Washington City.
The following history OF the presbytery OF
Washington city from its Orga nization In 1870,
down to the present time, Was read by Rev. DIR.
Bittinger: Previously to the year 1870 the terri
tory now occupied by The pres bytery OF Wash
ington city was under the ecclesias tica care and
oversight of the presby teries oil the District of
Column Dia and the Potomac, which bodies, ifnot
precisely like the aucient tribes OF Epuraim and
Judah, believing 1t TO be their mission to yex
each other, were not altogether unlike the Jews
and the Samarltans in time of our Lord in
that they uiu not have very extensive dealings