Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-18
A UNION EFFECTED.

This was the condition of affairs in 1853, when
proposition for union was made to the Street
Church. This was accepted.
The consolidation was effected October a.
1889. On that day it was ratified BY the pres
bytery of the Potomac. and the name The New
nork Avenue Presbyterian Church was adopted.
Inc Rev. Phineas d. Gurley, in obedience to the
cordial wishes Of the people, remained as pas
TOR OF the new organization. Among the menu
berS ~ the Street Church when the churches
united was President Buchanan, who was a reg
ular attendant. During his administration
PRESIDENT Lincoln was an attendant, and Pres
ldent johnson had pew there. The pew oc-
cupied by President Lincoln was preserved,
and recently it was replaced in the auditorium.
were Its old-fashioned appearance contrasts
strongly with the modern interior.
In July. 1859, the street property was sold
to the Messrs. Willard-the lot for 81. so per
foot, which, witt the building, amounted to
about S12.500 On Sunday, September Is, 1859,
the last service was held in that church, which
Is row known a. Willard Hall.
THE PRESENT EprFIcK.
In the meantime plans had been perfected to
build The present edifce upon the site then
owned and occupied by the Second Church.
The corner stone laid October 10. 1859
The lecture room first used July ii, 1850,
and the church was dedicated on the stormy
Sunday of October IA. 1863. The cost Of the
prosperity, and on March 16. 1865, a meeting
was held which was the first step toward the
organization OF the North Presbyterian Church
then called the Northern Presbyterian Mis-
sion At this meeting the sum Of 81. 800 was
subscribed principally by Senator E. D. Nor
gan, ex-Gov Shepherd, Gen. Darlington and
Mr. Ballantyne-for the purchase OF the site.
and on January 20, 1865. nineteen persons were
granted letters of dismisson to organize the
North Church. The Gurley Sunday school was
afterward organized. Tho pastora,e Of DR..
1868.
DIR. aURLEy's SUCCESSOR
On january IS, 1869, the Rev. Samuel 8.
Mitchell, ID, was chosen pastor, under whose
ministry the church continued Its vigorous
growth. In 1872 the present system Of sys-
tematlc benehcence was adopted, resulting in a
very large increase in ths funds raised for mis-
sionary and other purposes. The work at the
Gurley Mission was prosecuted and that at
Bethany was begun. In 1874 Bethany Chapel
was built and furnished at a cost of S3,31S, and
In 1876 further improvements were made at a
cost of 81 $50. DIR. Mitchell resigned MAY 2,
1878, to accept a call to BROOKLYN, n. Y
In June, 1878, the Rev. John R. Paxton. D. D.,
succeeded to tho pastorate. In 1880 the brick
edlice for the Gurley Mission was built, and in
1881 the galleries we're placed in the church on
New York avenue-the cost of the former hav-
ing been about Sc, 900 and of the latter about
$4,000. DIR. Paxton resigned February 10,
1852, to accept an urgent call to New York city.
UNDER THE PRESENT PAsToRArE.
The present pastor, the Rev. William Alvin
Bartlett, d. D., was chosen April II, 1882, and
commenced his labors June /, 1889, at which
time the membership was 593 In October,
1859. forty members were granted q letter
OF dlsmlssion to organize the Church of the
Covenant, and others took letters later In
1883 large improvements were added to Gurley
Chapel to accommodate its Sunday school and
to mt the audience room proper for church
services, and on February 21 1889, 119 per-
sons were dismissed by certificate to organize
the Gurley Memorial Presbyterian Church. In
the fall OF 1893 the work now known as that of
Faith Mission was begun. and in 1890 the sum
OF 900 was raised to purchase the site and
erect the building now occupied by that
mission in which the FIRST services were held
February Is. 1891.
THE CHURCH OFFICERS.
The officers Of the church are as follows:
Elders-John W. Foster. Jacob r. Van Mater,
Charles B: Bailey. Samuel F. Phillips, Heroine
| o. Claughton. Nathaniel A. Robbins, Sardis l..
Crissey, William b. Gurley. John Randolph,
| Henry II. Wells, J. R. Van Mater, clerk William
b. Gurley, treasurer.
Deacons-John D. McChesney. Benjamin c..
Somervell. Walter c. Clephane, Frank O.
Beckett, William b. Robson. James A. Freer,
Charles E. Foster, J. Rankin Imbrie. Pbilip F.
Larner, Charles s. Bradley. Robert P. A. Dem
ham. Charles G.. Stott, J. r. Imbrie, president;
William B. Robson, secretary; John D. Nc
Cbesney, treasurer.
Trustees-John NJ. Harlan, Noble D. Larner,
John VI. Thompson. John W. Douglass, James
Wilkinson. Alex. L. Brltton, Lewis Clephaue,
Frederick Filling, j. Ormopd Wilson, presi-
dent, Noble d. Larner; secretary, Lewis Gle
phane; treasurer, John W. THOMPSON