Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-05-07
o..o.te Rnilding. 3lO and al2 P,ince ct.
The First Presbyterian Church of this City.

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Alexandria is not so widely known Of so
-nob appreciated from 6 historical point of
ris0 90 the old EpiscopaI Christi Caurch, yst
mere is considerable interest manifested IN
IA history an6 work, which covers ABOUT
the same period.
P,es9yterianism in this aaction OF the
STATE begen round Gbout Belle Haven, as
.Ierandria was called, IN the middle Of the
last century, for mary Scotch, Euglish aud
T,ish ProtestaDts Inhabited the locality.
They wcrshipped together sometimes prior
n asking The Governors council FOR e
charter under 5he Toieration act. They got
tba charter 10 1760, and for some years
worshipped ic the town hall. litt!s buiid-
Inc IN the 1narset-pince, which Is mentioned
in rang OF tha Biographies of the Father OF
HI. Country. This lit5Ie building vas built
by sd OF q lottery, anG was Gsad for many
p1rposes-relgious, secular. municipal, the
stre, etc.
Rsy. David Thorn, a Scotchmao, led and
nrasched 30 these people many Yeer9, snG
gben the EpiscoDaliaus began to talk of
erecting house of worship they followed
ns;tern, and before John Cerlyls finished
the Episcopal church the "PreSbyterian
meetiyg house, was CnGe. contract. DIR.
:
ns-,orate Of The new church, and was forr,-
ally installed By the Synod Of Philadelphia,
meeting At Carlisle IL 1772 lie Was curator
OF the property, which consisted OF foor
building lot5 running through from
Fairfax to Royal streets near Woife. OGe-
half Oh the west Get aside for parsonage
for tha EoiscopaiaDs had @ rectoTy-end toe
church. a little square brick building with
conical roof surmounted by cupo!a or be-
fry, was placed near Fairfax street in the
middle of lot to be usef as 6 burying
ground. 1t faced the South, ana was, it's said,
built of the ssme kind OF brick used by the
Episcopaliane, md by John Mason In build
ing Gunston HsI They ere Iittie square bats
partly glszsd; some hold that they were i'm
ported from Holland.
Mr. Thorn died. and wea succeeded by
Parsou Keith, who came fsom New Jersey
in 1880. Rev. James Mnir, ScotcamGn,
whose father was oc-worker of the femous
Dr. Witherap0oD, succeeded Mr. Keith IN
1889 He wac y man OF scholarly attain
meuts, and became very popplrr 80 towns
man, being one of the leading lights OF the
Masonic fraternity ia this section. lt was
daring his pastorate that there WE aome
dissatisfaction among the congregation, ind
in 1917 the Second Church YES formed, With
sixty-three members, under Rev. Wells An
crews, of the Virginia Synod.
Rev Elias Harrison, OF Gest OtRnge, n.
J., from the Princeton Seminary, came TO
a.sis. Dr. Muir, and in 1920 succeeded to
the pasiorate. Dr. Harrison labored until
his death, In 1868, the pastorate of these TWO
men running through nearly three-quarsers
Of d century. al instance almost without
parallel.
During the pastorate Of d.. Harrison the
old church was destroyed by fire, and the
present edifce erected on the lot the year
following. 1t was In July, 1885, says 81 old
inhabitant, on Sunday afternoon, after
three days Of the hottest weather ever
known. 1t wss struck by ihundeTboit and
fired. Nobody could get TO 1t until the
storm abated, and then with dar&ened skies
overhead crowds gathered in the open space
around it, and powerIess, watched for sae
flames to buret out from the roof. When
the flames burst out nesr the Top and began
to lick around the bslfry, the intense sus-
pense was broken by some one, who ex-
claimed, the bail the ballll the bel! :!
and then strong man became weak, ana
women wruag their hands. aud children
cried, Speaking CT 1t in its issue of Tues
day, following, July 2S, 1S35) the GAZETTE
ehys. NOt tuo tcaSt tI3s3 VI tLc !CSS Sus
tanned by the town in this melancholy dis
aster was that of The bell It's mournfa
and lingering notes were familiar TO oil our
Inhabitants, and thsre was q sadness and e
sweetness IN its sound which every child
would recognize rs the aoun3 o: the church
going bell. So strong VISA the feeling
aroused by this appendage Of the venerable
building that we understand that while the
tNoIl kl-a
bel was the universal! cry Of those who
from their childhood were won't 10 hal Its
notes SIS the summons to divine worship, II
was not the mere loas of s bell, but such
bell, that was SO generally deplorsa; its
slmps sounds, perhaps, associated them
aelves In tbs earliest cherished recollection.
Since the war the church has not been
very prosperous, it sdhsriDg to the North
ern Assembly. Messis Axtel!, Macatee,
0'Bren, Green following Dr., Harrison, as
pastors, aud in 1874 split occurred in the
Second church and DR.. J J. Bullock brought
bis friends down to the First. meeting under
the name of 'Uuion" and connecting itself
with the Maryland Presbytery. DR.. Bull
locks pestorate expired In 1880 and in 1856
hev. Jas. NJ. Nourse, now OF Elizabeth, n.
j., was called as regular pastor. BE re-
signed last year. The Second congregation
having worshipped hero several months during
the rebuilding of their house bringing the donom-
nation together for tho first time in about threo.
score years, it was concluded 10 close up the old
church down town for while and worship with
them. This proposition has been fruitful. l am
told au incident by youth who lived adjoining
this place. One hot afternoon during the summer
hessw an old lady in tho graveyard near the cor
ner of the befry scratching around as if eudeavor
ing to trace something BE fiually went to offer
any assistance he might be able to give. She was
rather robust womsn with white hsir falling in
curls upon her shoulders, and her face, he says,
was the hsndsomost his eyes ever met When he
advanced she straightened herself up and smiled
""Perfaps may be able to sssist you" said he,
You are very good, she said; 81 do not think you
can | am tryingto find trace of my mothers
grave But one grave hiss been dug there in tho
last seventy five years. Thought he reckon so
too. Il WAS but moro bit of child when my
mother died she ssid after a pause, ''but re-
member the time very distinctly and whenever
come to Alexandris, come here and try to find
where she sleeps"
She pointed to the corner of the building, evi-
y 6nV 4 s.4o, r.