Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-24

This was in 11S5. and eight years later the
present church buillinS was completed. II
stands today practically as it was finished in
l77}. save fer the addition of bell tower 1t
cost many thOusand pounds of tobacco and was
built under special coz. sTact guaranteeing the
best Of English brick and the best mortar.
which WIS 20 be maGe of tvO-ilirtls lime and
cne-tEird sand The shingles for the roof were
stipulated to be jumper wood three-Qaarters Of
a. inch in thickness When Christ Church was
trymen lad civil power TO make surveys aad to
receive fines for broken game laws. The
chury h wIrdcns were empowered to bind ap-
p:eniices t. their masters. the record of the
irdentures being: du.y made in the sestry book.
THE 1EcroI's SALARY N TOBACCO.
The rector's salary paid in tobacco and
the first minister received stipend Of 1880
pounds of tobacco, to which 2 800 pounds were
added because no parsonage wa provided. On
the dag that the church was formally turned
over 10 the yestry ten of the pews were offered
for sale and Gen. Washington became the pur-
chaser OF a pew for 81 pounds 10 shillings :he
highest price paid. This pew ike all the
others. was square. with high backs 80 that il
was impossible for the occupants when seated
TO see anything in the church except the walls
and ceilings. and tine minister preached high in
the wine-glass pulpit.
TIE HIGH-BACKED PKws.
This style OF pew modern writer's all agree
was fof the purpose Of preventing the thoughts
or the Imagination from dwelling on spring or
fall bonnets when they should be engaged in
devout Worship or following the words of the
minister 1t has. however. been pointed ous
learnedly by writer's On this subject that those
high pews afforded fine opportunity to those
inclined TO sleep rather than to listen to in
dnlge themselves SO il would seem that the
high pew WIS not an unmiXei blessing. They
were soon done away with in Christ Church,
but whether Ii was due to the desire on the
part Of the congregation to see what their
nelghbOrs were doing or the Intention of the
rector TO put a stop TO nodiing in church is
not known In 1916 some of the old square
pews we're divided. Five wears later the rest
Of the pews suffered the same fGtc Washing
tons pew being included in The latter number.
This pew vas. however. restored to its former
shape in 1851. and was again altered, though
soon a second time restored.
CHANGES IN THE CHUEcH's INTERIOR
Various changes have been made ia the int
riOr of tie church since Washington's time.
The ehancei railing Is the same and SO are the
tablets containing the Lords PRAYER anil the
commandments on the walls on each side OF
TIE chaacel The floor was originally covered
With tagging and an odd feature was the en-
yioyment Of women 20 sections. two Of the sex
having been appointed in that capacity. Mrs.
Cooa. who served FROM 1910 to 1871. is remem.
bered to have had a rather military air she
marched up the aisle and when she had r,she-eJ
the people in their pews she locked the pew
doors During the long period in the life Of
this church many able men have served a,
sections.
LONG LIST OF RECTORs.
The list is a long one. and includes sucl
names as Bishop Meade. who wrote a valuable
book on the old churches and furniture O.
Virginia DIR. Ruel Keith. who was professor
IL the theological seminary located near Alex
anciria; Rev. DIR. Dana. Bishop Randolph and
Others. While the name of Gen. Washington i,
closely associated with the traditions which
cluster about this old church. il Is not forgotten
tina; Gen. Robert Z. Lee. who lived at Airing
ton. was an attendant at the church. There il
even tradition that Gen. Washington frs
announced to his friends and 1seishbors at the
close of church one Sunday his intention tC
enlist his services the side II the co,onists II
the war of the revolution. and thatin later year
zen Lee first informed his neighbOrs they
fingered in the church yard that he would &.
With his state in the contest which had ther
reached a eliminating point in the civil war
In 1870 twin tabets To the memory of George
Washington ard Gen. Lee were inserted in the
eastern wall Of the church.