Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-20

streets selected At a subsequent meeting
a committee consisting of Messrs Strong,
Blaine, Hubbard, William NJ. Gait, William
Bailantyne and James L. Fitch was appointed
to solicit subscriptions and secure the lot by
making a payment The first payment Of
| SlO.OOO was made by the members of the COM
mittee. As soon as they opened subscriptions
the responses came in with so much liberality
that the projectors of the enterprise were
greatly encouraged, and even at this early
date the success Of the enterprise seemed to be
assured In a circular which was issued
November "a. 1873, and signed by Messrs.
Strong, Matthews. Hubbard, William NJ. Gait,
VIM. Ballantyne, C. b. Jewell, James E. Fitch,
3. +. Carter, and Reginald Fendall,it was
stated that IAN earnest effort is now being
made to erect new Presbyterian church build
ing in the northwest quarter of Washington
| city, and to organize new Presbyterian
church therein. That portion of the city is
improving much more rapidly than any other,
and 1t is being filed up with the best class of
residences. But. with the exception of small
| Episcopal chapel, there is no Evangelical
| church within its entire borders From 14th
street to Georgetown, between Pennsylvania
avenue and the boundary, there is no Presby-
terrain church, though there are many Presby-
terians resident therein. and numerous others
seeking residences therein. The most accessi-
Die church OF our denomination is that OF the
New York avenue. between 18th and 14th
streets, which is, and long has been. so crowded
| that newcomers cannot obtain sittings in it,
| and many are being compelled to find church
| homes with other denominations. Washington
city presbytery has unanimously recommended
the effort we are making. and so has the session
OF the New York Avenue church, resolving thata
new Presbyterian church in that large and grow
ing section of the city is imperatively demand
ed. An exceedingly central and convenient
| lot has been secured at the junction of Con-
| necticut avenue. 18th and streets, directly
| opposite the residence of the British minister.
A subscription of nearly $4,000 has been OBJ
| tanned, 81 considerable part of which was made
DV newcomers into the m pbhorhooI who are
without church accommodations. This, for
Washington, is a large amount, larger than was
ever before secured for Presbyterian church
here.
= I'VE are incorporated under the title The
Church of the Covenant with the following
named gentlemen trustees: Mr.. Justice VIM.
Strong, Mr.. Justice Stanley Matthew'S Gardi-
ner q. Hubbard, esq. VIM. VI. Gait, esq, VIM.
| Balantyne, esq. Claudius B. Jewell, esq.,. Jas.
E. Fitch, esq, Admiral s. p. Carter, and Regi-
maid Fendall ESQ.,"
Among the early and liberal subscribers were
Senator Cameron. James G. Blaine, William
| Walter Phelps, Col. John Hay, ex-senator
| iulee, Judge Strong, and Gardiner G.. Hubbard.
| CONSTRUCTING THE CHAPEL.
The movement grew in strength. and in the
latter part of 1884 the erection of the chapel
was begun. The rear part. of the lot occu-
pied by the chapel. the intention being to erect
the church edifce at a later period. This plan
has been completed by the erection of the
present building. The chapel was built of,the
| same material as the main building and forms
part OF the plan embracing the entire struc-
ture. The erection of the chapel was under
the direction of building committee, COM
posed of Justice Strong, Messrs. Ballantyne,
Fitch, and VI. ". Gait The room which will
! now be used by the Sunday School was fitted
up with pews and opened for
public worship October IL, 1885. The fol-
lowing week the church was formally
organized by the presbytery, the sermon
lz.,~ 4 II. ID
three persons united with the church at that
time. A call was soon after extended to Rev.
| DIR. S. 5. Mitchell. of Buffalo, formerly the
pastor of the New York Avenue church. to be-
come the pastor of the new church. He. how
| ever, declined. In March, 1886, Rev. Dr.
Teunis S. Hamlin. the pastor of Mount Auburn
church, Cincinnati, was invited to the pastor
ate. and having accepted the call he assumed
| his new duties on the second Sabbath of May
| following. and was installed as pastor in Octo-
| Der. The church at that time had 80 members
| The present membership is $50. During the
| autumn of 1886 the Covenant mission was
begun. IL is located on Pennsylvania avenue
| Just west of Rock creek, and has an industrial
| school OF over 200 members which is held
each Saturday. A Sunday shcool of about the
same size is conducted with much success. and
| several meetings each week are conducted
under the auspices of the Central Union mis-
| sion.
THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH
the chapel fastened the carrying out of the
original plan to erect church edifice. Such
| was the interest manifested that the funds
necessary for beginning this great work were
secured and early i'll April ground was broken
| for the building of the main structure The
| work proceeded rapidly and it was the intention
| to have the church ready for occupancy by the
I LIST of October last.
| THE FALL OF THE TOWER.
I On the ord of Aupnct Lost tba h,,iI lin, ~
with grea. disaster in the fall of the beautiful
tower. the last stones of which had been put
| IN place that day. This disaster seemed at
| nrst to be of such character as to wreck the
prospects of the infant organization. The
members of the congregation had in their
| trouble the sympathy of the entire community
and when it was announced that rebuilding
| operations would be begun and the church
| erected in accordance with the original design
| the satisfaction of the public. who had watched
| with interest the growth of this attractive
| building. was freely expressed. At the request
| of the trustees of the church commission,
| consisting of Bernard Il. Green, the engineer
| IN charge Of the new congressional library
building: Thomas Il. Entwisle. the inspector of
| buildings. aud Clifford Richardson. the in
| spector Of asphalt and cement. was appointed
! by the District Commissioners to investigate
| the cause of the fall of the tower The COM
mission made a thorough investigation. extend
| ing over two weeks. and submitted detailed
! report on the basis of which an agreement was
| entered into by which the church. the archi-
| tect and the builder decided to share equally
| the expense of rebuilding.
RECoSsrRUcTIoN.
No time was lost and the work was promptly
| entered upon. The stones of the tower were re-
moved to the foundation and a large portion
| of the west gable. In order to insure the
! entire safety and solidity of the new structure
the walls were carefully examined at the re-
| quest OF the church authorities by Gen. Thos.
l.. Casey, the chief of engineers t. s. A. and
! Bernard II. Green. Upon the conclusion of
their work they made the following report:
| THE FINDINGS.
AT the request of your board we have care
! fully examined and considered the general con-
struction of the walls of the church edifice at
! the corner of 18th and streets in this city
| The walls are low and thick. and have to carry
! but little more than their own weight because
| the greater part of the finished roof is sup
ported upon independent trusses and pillars
! while the unfinished part is to rest chiefly upon
! the new west gable and tower walls We ind
| that the walls. roof, and floor. as they now
| stand, and the work as it is now being done.
are perfectly safe and secure for the purposes
/ for which they are intended, and that the tower
and adjoining walls are being rebuilt in thor
ough and workmanlike manner under careful
supervision"
| THE RESTORATION
of the church has been done under the SUPER
vision of Col Robert l. Fleming, the repre-