The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-03


Washington, Lincoln and Garfield arc
still i'll dispute During his short incum-
bency of the presidential office Garfield
was very constant attendant ut the lit
Ito Christian church on Vermont ayo
nuc, us to which all tho world has
heard much. Tho little wooden edifico
was originally bought Of Methodist
congregation, put Oh wheels and taken
to that place, where now stands quite
pretty brick church.
Clergyman interviewed.
Being somewhat wcaried of tho alto
gother too tersc and pointed replies of
members to questions us to their rcli-
gious beliefs, took tour among the
preachers, and the most interesting one
l interviewed was tho Rev. DR.. w. A.
Bartlett Of tho New York Avenuo Pres
byterian church. who said: 81 do not
just now recall ono instance of n con-
gresham bringing his letter and trans
ferring his membership from homo to
Washington, and it isn't natural that
they should do so. You see, they have
been members Mt homo for many years.
as rule, and do not know that thew
will remain hero more than two years
The homo church is proud Of it's mem
Der, Of course, and holds on to him tena-
clously. Ho is expected to give liberal
~ there and generally does, and it
would bo too much to expect him to do
the samo here. But you would be sur
priscd to learn how liberal some NOM
bcrs arc. Senator Mcmillan, who is re-
putcd to DO very near tho richest man i'm
Michigan (but l won't say anything
about that; he is magnificent man in
every rcspecG, is a very liberal giver.
SO Is Senator Brice. Mrs. Brice is not
only liberal giver, but an energetic
worker Bricc and Mcmillan gave $500
each for the entertainment of the gcn-
eral assembly, which was twice as much
as wo asked of them or expected They
give because they love to give as we'll
as from considerations of duty.
Never Misses IL Service.
Taking it one year with another. |
lind an average of about 20 congressman
attending my church. among them
Bricc and Mcmillan, German ana FRYE
tho latter has never missed q service
morning or evening since camc here so
far as l can Observation-Disclosures of
West Virginia and others. General Cor
don is an occasional attendant, and so
arc both senators from Maryland, Repro
sentativcs Martin of Indiana, Dcnson of
Georgia and Hatch of Missouri But
ought TO set Mr.. Hatch down rather as a
regular attendant and n Sunday school
worker. Vice President Stevenson and
his family, Secretary Gresham and fam
lily, Hoke Smith and family and several
Others prominent officials, are tolcrably
regular. Justice Harlan is one of nv
trustees; Justice Shiras considers it his
church home. But | need not enlarge
We have always had many congressman
who considered our church their religious
home and took very active part in
church and Sunday school work.
Now, all this stuff in the newspa-
pers, and particularly their calling this
the breckenridge church., is simply
nonsense W. G. p. Breckenridge is not
member of this church and never was
an attendant and mover saw him in
the church that can recall 1 am pref
ty positive, too, that he never had any
thing to do with the Briggs case, us
some of you newspaper men have said
In fact, he couldn't have, for he is only
layman. His cousin is tolcrably reg
ular attendant, and so is General Brock
inridge. We have the largest church
membership south of New York, except
one mission church in Philadelphia
We have over LOO members and seats
for only 200. Since l came from Indi-
annapolis i'll June, 1882, We have sent off
two churches, including the famous
Church of the Covenant. "
a Plea For Tolerance.
My next call was upon Father Wal
ters of st. Patrick's, he being the oldest
Catholic priest i'll the city. He denounced
with great vchcmcncoall the recent state
mcnts i'll the paper and said: II have
been six months trying to get a place
worth only $40 IL month for poor wom-
an, six men in whose immediate family
served in the Union army, and three of
them were killed, including her father
and brother, and I can't get it l am
out of patience with these lies and we
will not notice them. am an Amer
lean from the start. My grandfather
fought for liberty in the Revolution, and