Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-24
A SILVER ANNIVERSARY
The Anacostia M. E. Church Will Celebrate
It Tomorrow.
An interesting Sketch of the History
tr and Growth of This COngrega-
ton and It's Pastors.

The society of the Anacostia Methodist
Episcopal Church will tomorrow commence
a series Of services commemorative of it's
twenty-fifth anniversary an Independent
charge This church has had an interest
ing history Of rapid growth. 1t first ap-
peared in the minutes of the Baltimore con-
ference in 1869 an independent charge as
Uniontown Methodist Church. The child Of
1869 is the vigorous attainment of maturity
in 1894. 1t was sometime before GO, how
ever, when the original Methodist society
was founded. In the year 1874 the society,
| with seven charter members, was formed.
The church was then a mission under the
wings Of the pastorate of the 4th street
charge. Many an old resident remembers
Danforth's Chapel, located on the River
road, now Minnesota avenue. Nine years
before the society was first admitted to the
conference a church building was erected
at Jackson and Pierce streets in Anacostia.
The property was given by Messrs. Fox and
Van Hook, who were the projectors of the
new town. The chapel was siven a new
name, that of Ryan Chapel, in honor Of
Rev. w. NJ. d. Ryan, pastor of Fourth
Street Church. OF the number who were
interested in that day with the primitive
church there Is left to Anacostians Mr..
Henry A. Lnger. The first self-sustaining
pastor was Rev. Mr.. Foster, a gifted and
scholarly minister. For w.t. readiness OF
repartee and memory this first pastor of
the Methodist Church was remarkable. A
favorite pursuit of his was to recite with
readiness the entire New Testament and
large part of the old. The church at that
time was prosperous for its beginning.
Anacostians pride themselves on the pos
session Of number of its charter members
whose active efforts are still manifest in
the present church. Among those to be
mentioned first Is the name of Mrs. Eliza
z. Watson, who Joined the church In Its
infancy and today is the chief of the in
FAINT department, which position she has
these many years. charter member was
Miss Ida l.. Barber, now Mrs. James Nc
Laren, wife of the present pastor. Mrs. j.
f. Powell, now an active worker In the
Sunday school, was with the church in its
early days as a member.
In two years after It's first pastor Union
town, now Anacostia, had so developed
that its official board petitioned to be set
off by itself as a station. Rev. Francis G..
Kirby was appointed in March, 1871, as
preac her in charge, and others were added
to the roll, many of whom are today resi-
dents of Anacostia and active members.
Miss Constanta Anderson, MIR. John Z.
Powell w. T. Anderson are among those
to be mentioned, the last-named being a
member of the official body. In March,
1874, Rev. James McLaren was sent to the
church, young man just entering the
ministry. His first desire was to improve
the old church building. Its possibility
was demonstrated by the young minister,
and $3.50 of repairs soon beautified the
he left the charge wooed and married Miss
Barber. and was succeeded in his work by
Rev. o. c. Marriott, memories Of whose
piety still remain in the hearts of a large
number of Anacostians. In 1850 Rev. j. H.
Ryland was sent to the charge. Dr. Ryland
was an elderly man of considerable re-
ligious experience. and success spiritually
was very manifest as result Of his en-
deavors. Rev. w. Hirst Reed, a younger
man, was the next pastor and the church
members received a term Of evangelical
work different from any before.
In 1856 Rev. Reed was sent to Hanover
Street Church, in Baltimore, and was sue
ceeded by Rev. Charles o. Cook, an at
tractive pulpit orator. In this year
parse mage was erected next to the church.
In March. 1889, Mr.. Cook was sent to North
Capitol Street Church and Rev. Ezekiel
Richardson, a quiet, undemonstrative but
thoroughly spiritual preacher, took charge.
After several years work the Baltimore
conference sent to Anacostia it's present
pastor, Rev. James McLaren, who has now
returned to the field of his early work
Still imbued with the idea of Improvement
Rev. McLaren conceived the idea Of erect
ing a handsome church edfice. Subscrip-
lions were solicited and the feasibility of
the plan proven. AS the town grew so
did the church outgrow it's old building,
ture was erected.
Starting with thirty-ive members and
probationers in 1869. and a Sunday school
of about sixty members. there has been in
1900 per cent
A silver Offering is being solicited on this
its silver birthday, and tomorrow will
commence the series of meetings in it's
honor. Tomorrow morning Rev. J. A. Nc
Cauley, ID. D., LII. d., ex-president OF
Dickinson College, will deliver the opening
sermon. Rev. Charles Mytinger will con-
duct an old-fashioned love feast in the
afternoon. and at night Rev. NJ. F. b.
Rice will preach. On Monday the ami
versaly of the Sunday school will be cele-
brated, Henry A. Linger residing. Ad-
dresses will be made by Revs. j. NJ Star
row and Robert NJ. Moore. On Tuesday
there will be congregational reception
in charge Of the entertainment department
of the Epworth League, Miss Cora G. Nc
Lean presiding. On Wednesday will be
the anniversary of the church societies,
viz The Ladies' Aid Women's Home and
Foreign Missionary societies. Sunday
School Temperance Society. Epworth
League and others Bishop Hurst will he
the leading attraction. Thursday morning
Rev. l.. b. Wilson, the presiding elder
will preach, and In the afternoon the Ep-
worth League will conduct a missionary
concert. Friday evening the literary de-
partment of the Epworth League will hold
q meeting, on which occasion j.. Frank
Campbell will deliver an address.