Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-13

REV. @. T. WILLIAMS. city that 1t becomes
more than interesting In l19 petition
land by churchmen resident of WASH
ington and Georgetown wherein IT was
prayed that new parish might
be formed under the corporate name of Wash
ington parish The petition being granted OF
Nav %, 1875. a vestry was elected and the Rev.
George Ralph was chosen rector, taking his
seat in the diocesan convention OF Indiana IN
1875. In the first year of this rectorshlp
great church edifice was erected on New
Jersey avenue, the land being donated by
James Greenleaf Esk and the building material
by Mr.. Samuel BlOdgett. who owned pianta-
tiOn known as Jamaica Farm
There are many interesting facts connected
with this old structure. President Washington
frequently and President Jefferson steadily
vorshiped there The main portion of the
present Christ Church dates from 1907 The
lots on G street southwest were donated by Mr..
William Prout and the new church was conse-
Grated by Bishop Claggett on October s,
1909. the rector at that time being
the Rev. A T. Mccormick, who retained the
rectorship until 1923. In 1903 a pew in the
church appropriated for the use of the
President and his family. President Madison
occupied this pew for some time. To Christ
Church also on Sundays came the marine and
naval officers from the navy yard marching in
solemn procession. In the old parish records
the name of Commodore Tingly. who COM
manded the navy yard at the time Of the British
invasion. is prominent He is said to have
waited on President Monroe to tender the use
of the presidential pew.
The hstDf ministers who have oficiated at
Christ Church is as follows: Rev. Mr.. Ralph
l795; Rev. A. Il. Mccormick 1903: Rev. Ethan
Allen, 1923 1880; Rev. Henry III. Bean 1885;
Rev. W. Hodges, resigned in 1855; Rev. Joshus
Morsell: Rev. Mark Olds. 1865. In 1868 the Rev.
Mr.. Harris appointed assistant rector; Rev.
Mark Olds died 1865; Rev. Charles Ii. Shield:
Rev. A Florldus Steele. assistant rector,
March, 1863: Rev. VIM McGuire, 1872; Rev.
Charles d. Andrews. 1873; Rev. Gilbert F. Will
iams 1887.
Christ Church is much stronger now than it
has been at some previous times and extensive
alterations and Improvements are being made
on the church building. The parish has one
general society, called Christ Church Guild.
The Sunday school is remarkably large in
numbers and active In contributions.
The present rector the Rev. Gilbert F. Will
Jams. Is by birth a South Carolinian. He was
during the earlier period of his life. a lawyer,
having been prepared for that profession under
his relatives, the late Judge Jao- \ highs and
Gen W. l. 4. Prince. both of Cheraw S. c.
He practiced but a short time and abandoned
the law for the holy ministry of a church to
which his ancestry In England had always been
attached.
Rev. Mr.. Williams is at present the dean Of
the convocatlon of Washington and a member
of two boards of charitable institutions of the
city and on important committees connected
herewith He IS regular contributor on
theological subjects to the columns of one OF
his church's weekly periodicals and is the au-
thor of a series of the church defense tracts
now being largely circulated in the states and
Canada
Eock Creek.
Older than the District Of Columbia, older
than Montgomery county and in more WAYS
than one the most interesting church in the