Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-08

Robt. P. Anderson and William Mann, and the
building committee, Andrew Rothwen, Robt.
7. Anderson, William Mann, J. E. Fowler,
Chauncey Beztor. Geo. Wood, Harrison Taylor,
James B. Clark and William II. Uppermann.
The architect and superintendent Of the erec-
ton Of the building was William Mann, one of
the above named building committee. While
this church was struggling to maintain It's ex-
isteuce and erect its house of worship il
at different times, as before stated, held
in the city hall and the Masonic Temple, aud
al along the influence of the revival remained
with the church At one time Rev. George W.
Adams came to the city from Baltimore and
labored zealously with the pastor and the
church membership, and great numbers were
| converted, and many OF them were baptized in
| the Peternac river during seasons Of the year
when the ice had to be cut in order to perform
the ceremony. There was both g spiritual and
! temporal blessing upon the church in a very
remarkable degree. and the people, Ike Nehs-
miah, the prophet, had mind to build,
and ali Of the constituent and new
members lent hand, and literally contributed
TO that end as necessity arose. A lot 67xloo, on
which the edifce now stands, was selected and
| 81 200 paid therefor at some time before the
we'll Up to May 8, ls43, there had been OBJ
| tanned subscriptions amounting to about s30e0
toward paying for the lot and erecting the edi-
fee, and go full of faith was this committee that
success would attend their efforts that on that
date they resolved to erect the building-to the
height Of one story-at an estimated cost
of 10000 for the whole structure
and $4,000 for the basement portion.
The intention was to close in the first story
when finished and worship therein until the
upper portion was completed, which plan was
| carried out. The work went on, and as money
was required, these men, particularly Andrew
| Rothwell and William Mann, advanced so much
money that it became necessary to borrow
| Is, 900 on the ground and edifce from friendly
Baptist brother, Franklin Wilson Of Baltimore.
in order to pay of the debt, amounting then to
about o., 500. About July, 1915, the church
edifice was completed and the dedicatory serv-
! ices took place in the audience room, services
| being held in the morning. afternoon and
night. Rev. Geo. B. Ide Of Philadelphia, pas
tor Of the First Baptist Church, oficiated on
| this occasion
gEMoDELED BIT ARCHITECT WALTER.
During ls59-60 Mr.. 7. U. Walter, the emil
| nent architect, who was a member Of the
church and teacher Of a large Bible class, re-
| modelled the interior of the audience room;
also added the two projecting towers and re-
arranged other portions Of the building as to
afford easier access and give better appear
4 snce to the structure. This change involved an
expense to the congregation of two or more
| thousand dollars. Some years after, by munif-
/ cent contributions of Mr.. z. Richards and
| Others, mainly Mr.. Richards efforts several
| important changes in the arrangement Of the
interior Of the church were made, and today,
| by liberal additional contributions by present
| members, the audience and Sunday school
| rooms present q very pleasant and agreeable
| appearance, and were IL not that the location
has become a business center instead Of resi-
dence quarter, in years gone by, it would
with few thousand dollars expense still serve
the purpose Of q small congregation.
REV. Mr. sAMsoS's PAsronArE
The first pastor, Geo. ". Sam son, was q
young man OF remarkable energy and force Of
character, who took at once q prominent posi-.
ton as pastor in the city Of Washington. His
congregations embraced all classes There sat
Senators and cabinet officers who had ruled II
the successive administrations from Jackson to
buchanan, and at times the man who became
| the leader Of the southern confederacy listened
TO the preaching Of young Samson Among
| those more constant attendants were Secretaries
Marcy and Howell Cobb, Gen. Sam Houston
and Senator Harris Of Albany, N. Y. and Dr.
Kinney, once . professor OF Columbian Col
leSe and afterward missionary to Burmah
IL may seem strange in this present day Of
| Washington's great advance that at the date
this enterprise begun and carried out the
| sum OF only about Sl2 900 could be raised for
| the purpose, but ii must be remembered that
the people were poor and few in number The
entire population Of the city was 26 900 and all
around, say half q mile from the location OF