Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-25

The assembling here last evening in the
First Congregational Church of the great Ma
tional Home Missionary Society OF the Congre-
gational church attracts attention to the rapid
growth Of Congregationalism in this CITY,
Although the establishment of a Congrega-
tronal church in Washington was in the first
place a difficult matter. on account of its being
anti-slavery in sentiment, and although il was
only after several attempts TO establish such
church that lasting success was achieved the
growth Of Congregationalism in Washington
during the last fifteen years has been remark
able.
A Congregational church was first organized
i'm Washington in ls41. This church was founded
On anti-slavery principles, and was without
doubt the first church in the south TO organize
On such basis. Such a platform was surely a
ladical one for a church in the south 10 adopt
ut that day, and the fact that it was selected as
the which these people should take their
stand argues their sterling qualities. This
church lasted only little while. but nothing
Is quickened except it die. 70 in the death Of
this church resulted the bursting forth of
greater life within short time, for second at
tempt to establish Congreg ational church in
Washington was made In 1852. As in the first
instance, its members were all northern peo-
pie.
This church continued, through many strug-
giles, to exist until 1858.
DURING THE WAR.
The third attempt to establish a Congrega-
tional church in Washington was made during
the war, when the Christian commission had its
headquarters here for sending ministers to the
front to care for the spiritual needs of the sick
and dying. Mr.. William X. Hooper, who was
leading spirit in all these efforts to establish
Congregational church here. and who died only
one year ago. called at the rooms of the COM
mission and asked if there WAS "a Congre gational
minister present. One wac there and ne Was
Immediately asked to preach on the follow
ing Sunday He complied with the re-
quest, and then Mr.. Hooper went out to
find place to hold the service. BY the
payment of n small sum he was enabled
TO engage u little hall and then went to the news
paper offices and inserted notices stating that a
Congre gatioiial minister would preach i'm the
city on the following Sunday and giving the
name of the hall he had engaged. When he
went to the hall on Sunday morning he found
| thirty people present and having been in doubt
as to whether any person would come besides
himself and u half dozen friends he was greatly
pleased.
For several weeks the church depended upon
the Christian commission for minister and room
to hold its services. In short time Rev. Chas
Il Buynton. a Congregational minister, came to
Washington to accept n government position
| and he Wa, asked to take charge of the Young
IhiS Dc uii anu tDtH the pto-
pie cndeayo,ed To- find place in which 70 hold
| the meetings regularly, but such place was
difficult TO obtain. They worshiped in an old
building, now the Police Court at the corner
| of 9Th. and ID streets; later in u little hall ON
Pennsylvania avenue and after that in the build
ing now known as the Columbia Law building.
on 5th street. 1t was while worshiping here
that the members Of this church went TO several
Representatives in Congress and stated that n
Congregational minister had never been chosen
| as chaplain Of the House and asked that their
pastor, DIR. Boynton, he selected.
IN THE HALL OF REPRESENTATIVE
In response to these requests he was made
chaplain, and it was only little while till some
of the most prominent people in the church
called upon the Speaker. Schuyler Colfax, and
| asked that their church be allowed the use of
| the hall of the House of Representatives for its
regular Sabbath worship. This was also granted.
and as a consequence the First Congregational
Church Of Washington is the only regularly
| established church to hold services in the
United States Capitol. Other religious services
have been held there. however. Prior to
this time the chaplain Of the House preached in
the hall of the House of Representatives. but to
no organized body Of people. This church con-
tinued to hold its services here during the win
ter, Dr. Boynton drawing large crowds. that
filled the hall, there being often 1000 people at
these meetings. 1t was at that time the largest
be that many visitors to Washington were drawn
there by the novelty of worshiping in hall of
Congress, but DIR. Boynton was an eloquent
man and well repaid by his sermons any one
who came to hear him. On account Of the
meetings this church held in the hall of the
House of Representatives it came to be called
by some and is to the present day occasionally
referred to as the Congressional Church.
THE PRESENT SITE.
In the spring this congregation, thinking that
holding their services in the Capitol detracted
from the sacredness Of the worship, began to
look around for lot on which to erect a build
ing of their own, and they selected the spot on
the corner of 10th and q streets northwest on
which the edifice that still stands was built
This ground was q part Of tract which in
cluded the western half Of Washington and had
been owned and operated a tobacco planta-
ton by the Van Ness family for sevelty-fve
years. This was the last piece of the tract, 80
that this church, which was the first in the south
to have an anti-slavery government, was
the purchaser Of the last piece of
land in Washington which had been
operated by slave labor. There is much of
interest attached to this church in connection
with our cOuntrv's history. In October. 1865.
the members of this church were moved to feel
that it was the duty of the American people to
set apart one day in each year for special
Thanksgiving and PRAYER on account of the love
God had shown in Kidding the country of war
and in reuniting the people of the whole land.
4 committee, OF which several members are still
connected with the church, was appointed to
call on President johnson and request him to
inaugurate the plan Of setting apart a day in
| each year rs day of thanksgiving and prayer.
This request complied with and
he appointed the last Thursday in
December the day on which the
inhabitants of the whole land should render
special Thanksgiving to God for the prosperity
granted and to. ask continuance of all bless
ings. This was not the first Thanksgiving day.
for several such days were set apart in the early
days Of the government. and Mr.. Lincoln
appointed several thanksgiving days, but il WAS
through the action of this church in sending its
committee TO the President that the plan of set
ting apart special day for thanksgiving in each
year was inaugurated.
To Gen. Howard and other members of this
church the country is indebted for Howard
University. one of the foremost institutions in
the land for the education of the colored race
This institution obtained its charter in the
spring of 1867 and is accordingly this spring
celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. 1t has
now and has always had among its officers sew
eral members of the First Church. its president.
DIR. ]. Z. Rankin, having been for fourteen
years pastor of that church.
THE GROWTH OF TIE CHURCH
The First Congregational Church Of Wash
ington has since its organization been the lead
ing church of that denomination in the south.