Evening star., 1895-09-13
DR.. C.. H. HALL DEAD
An Eminent Episcopal Divine, Once Pastor
Of Epiphany Church.
OF His Passionate I'm
Washington Through the Excit-
ing Years of the War.

Rev. DIR. Charles H. Hall, who was pas
tor of the Church Of the Epiphany in tids
city for many years. and who. since March
!. 1869, has been pastor Of the Holy Trinity
Church in Brooklyn, died in that city last
night. DR.. Hall was a native of Augusta.
Ga, and was nearly seventy-tnree years
of age. He was chaplain at the United
States Military Academy at West Point
before coming to Washington, and he re-
tanned at the time of his death cordial
friendships with many of the ranking off,
GERS of the army, whom he knew in their
cadet days. DR.. Hall was an intimate friend
OF the late Henry Ward Beecher, and was
selected to deliver the grafton at his
funeral. as well as at the unveiling of the
Beecher statue some years ago in front OF
the Brooklyn city hail.
DIR. Halls pastorate of Epiphany extended
from 1856 to 1863, probably the longest in
the history of the church. His predecessor
was DR.. John w. French, the first rector
of Epiphany, who was appointed chaplain
at West Point by Jefferson Davis, then
Secretary of War. In 1873 DR.. Hall preached
the usual sermon at the invitation of Rev.
Wilbur F. Watkins. He had then been
away from Washington for four years. In
bis sermon on that occasion DIR. Hall said:
l gave to you people the best years of my
life: l gave You all ny heart and strength.
L claim, as / look back over the twelve
years of my stay among you, one fact
that I never hesitated at what l thought
the call of duty, for fear or favor, by day
or night And you gave me all 1 could
ask-rich memories of love and Kindness
higher views of human nature, shadows of
friendship, sfmrlacra of all the virtues and
graces. knowledge of men and women, and
little cnes which will go with me always"
DR.. Halls experiences during the war
were stirring and often hazardous. Many
in his church went south and served on
the other side" Among them was Jeffer-
enlarged Mr.. Davis was given the first
cho.ce of a Few, and he gave the pew to
his wife. When the Davis family left for
the south in 1860 Mrs. Davis asked Mr..
pew. The sexton did not do this until the
war was half over. One engraver COM
mitted suicide, another blundered, the plate
was delayed. Finally, corrected and ap-
proved by DR.. Hall. it was placed on The
pew. The outcry that followed was terrific,
though not without its extremely humor-
Gus aspect.
Citizens and press denounced the action
and pinned responsibility upon DR.. Hall.
who put the blame on the colored sexton,
believing his color would save him. In
some way the keys of the church, much
to DR.. Halls qualification, fell into the
hands Of certain burglars, to this day un-
known, and the Jeff Davis plate was stolen.
Secretary Stanton, then Secretary of War.
came to the rescue by taking the Davis
pew and occupying 1t as long as ne at
II
always vouched for DR.. Halls loyalty, and
stood by him manfully in all the vicissi-
tudes of those stormy years. Being
southern man, the doctor, like others, was
during ali that time under more or less
suspicion.
1t was during DR.. Halls pastorate that
the custom began of profusely decorating
the church with flowers at Easter. There
We're cavillers at first, but his stanch de-
light in it carried the day against all criti-
cisn
When President Lincoln was assassi-
rated, by general wish of the pastors of
Washington, DIR. Hall wrote the resolutions
expressing their sorrow at the event. AS
a writer and speaker he was a marked
man. His style was simple, lucid and
direct In the pulpit he was conversational
rather than didactic or dogmatic. He was
nc st devout, earnest and practical, abound
ing in affection for all who came within
his influence. Among the older members of
Epiphany his name and presence will ever
be cherished and abiding memory.
DR.. Hall married here in Washington in
1857 Miss Lizzie Ames, who died some
years ago. The Ames building, adjoining
the Riggs House, on G street, was the
joint property of DR.. Hall and his brother
iE-law, Rev. DR.. Ames. Dr. Hall was
most philaEthropic man and his bril-
liancy as pulpit speaker was perhaps
more than equaled by his goodness as a
pastor. His chosen diversion all through
life was the study of botany. He delighted
to make long woodland excursions botan-
izing, and probably no one gained more
thorough mastery of the flora of the Po-
tomac valley than he acquired.