Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-30
FIFTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
Of the Metropolitan Church Celebrated
Last Night
history OF q Church - Grown From
small, Begfnnings-The Parent
StOck-Old Union Bethel.

The ffty-fifth anniversary OF the organi
zation Of Union Bethel. now Metropolitan
A.M.E- Church, was celebrated yesterday
The celebration will continue each day
| throughout the week and will consist of re-
Iigious meetings and musical and literar,
entertainments. The day was opened with
prayer meeting. conducted by Brother
Henry Lasseter. This was followed by sun.
day school exercises conducted by William
II. Conner. At II am. there was a special
service. The sermon was preached by Rev
Dr. ID. P.Seaton, pastor of Ebenezer A M K
Church of Georgetown. He took his tex,
from the eighteenth chapter OF Timothy
He spoke of the birth and training of Tim.
othy. He told Of his life. of his character
and OF his deeds. 1t was an eloquent and
able sermon and held the attention OF the
congregation throughout The principal
service of the day was held in the after
noon DR.. ]. T. Jenifer, the pastor OF the
c ... hiled the pulpit. His subject was
''Old Time Religion and his text jeremiah
Wis., In the course Of his sermon MIR. Sea-
ton said: 1T was in these days OF religious
simplicity that Union Bethel was founded
In the rear OF the house of one Mr.. Bolden,
whose residence fronted on l. street was a
small brick house at the corner OF what
was then known as Bolden's alley, now
called Union alley. In this brick lived the
motner OF John A. Simms. A Methodist
class used to meet In the house of Mother
Simms. Charles Stewart was the leader
rms class was connected with Israel AN
E. Church. Of which Clayton Durham was
pastor The journal and minutes of the
class show that II convened In the house
Of Mother Simms July s. 1898. and arter
organization, with Alfred A. Cook as secre.
tary and Titus Grant as chairman formed
themselves into an organization with view
to purchasing lot on which to erect a
sAAf-
organizing In this part Of Washington thai
the distance from Israel Church was too
great. At this meeting they agreed to pur-
chase lot 5. in block ls9. and authorized the
issue of books to collect funds. The follow.
ing committee was appointed: Charles
Stewart, John Francis Cook Titus Grant
Alfred A. Cook, Henry Gray. Basil Patter-
son and Isaac Taylor. Charles Stewart
being freeman, was chosen chairman be-
cause, according to the law OF the District,
a slave did not have the power TO transact
business.
This church was therefore organized July
6, 1885, On October of the same year, by
resolution of Basil Patterson, a committee
of three was appointed to represent Union
Bethel Society at the quarterly conference
at Israel Church. On April Is, $780, Union
Bethel Church was admitted into the Bal
timore conference. The first trustees were
c. Stewart, I. Grant, Boswell Brown and
Basil Lancaster.
Stewart was the first class leader and
Robert Wilkinson his assistant. The men,
bers were as follows: Basil Lancaster,
Augusta Watts, Lettie Tanner. Anna Smith
Nancy Gilmore, James A. Shorter James
Fitzgerald, Robert Wilkerson. Basil Patter-
SON, sophie Waters, Priscilla Hickman.
Julia A. Shorter, Nancy Stewart, Celia
Simms. John A. Simms. Louisa Wright,
Walter Freeman, Harriet Taylor, Margaret
Tighlman, Martha Simms. Hamilton Mar
TIN, Peyton Mahoney and Samuel W. Jones.
OF these three are living and present at
this service The hnf1 4,
frame. dedicated in 1S4O. and costing 81 SIS.
Rev. Edward Waters was the pastor The
second building was dedicated in May, lS5e
costing Sl.25e. and was under the pastoral
care OF Rev. A. w. Wayman,- who after
ward became bishop. In 1854 the church
bought parsonage at a cost Of s., 100. Rev
j. A. Handy was then pastor. In 1874 the
church bought two lots on NJ street and
third and present building was begun in
1851 and dedicated in May, 1886 The pas
tors from 1S40 to date are as follows: Revs.
Edward Waters, Adam S. liver. Thomas
W. Moore, Michael F. Selby, John r. v.
Morgan. Savage L. Hammond. Henry
Waters. Daniel w. Moore, j. d. s. Hall.
James A. Handy, ID. p. Seaton. r. A. Hail,
Thompson. George w. Brooks, John w.
Stephenson, George T. Watkins. Theophe-
lus G. Stewart, John @. Mitchell. John w
Beckett and John Thomas Jenifer. From
Ebenezer. Mount Pisgah. East and West
Missions. T. B., Bladensburg, Oxon AIN
Mission Plymouth. congregational and
Central M. E. The following able, pious
and honorable persons have been licensed
by this church as local preachers: John r
Cook, Pompey Tenny. Dennis Magruder.
VIM. Cook. VIM. Thomas, VIM. Guthridge
and James Smith. Union Bethel Church
has sent into the ranks Of the itine-ant
ministry James Shorter. Chas. Sawyer. ~.
w. Grimes. VIM. d. w. Schurman. Jacob
Pindle, Benjamin w. Arnett, Richard W.
Gassaway. Daniel Carroll Abraham Dent.
jackson Strong. Aaron Ptndle. b. F. Lloyd.
John II. Collett and r. NJ. Cheeks From
these God has raised two bishops, James
Alexander Shorter and Benjamin W .Arnett.
Other Services,