Evening star., 1895-06-12
R E ADY TO BUILD
Alexandria Southern Methodists Will Erect
anew Church.
Fhe Work OF Construction Expected
10 BE shortly besun-A Prosperous
and Progressive Congregation.

The majority of the 800 members of the
Washington Street Southern Methodist
Church. Alexandria, Va, Rev. James T.
Williams. pastor, have determined that
they want new church of modern STYLE
OF architecture to take the place of the
building where tne congregation has wor-
SHIPPED since 1851. and a meeting of the
committee which is to superIntend the erec-
tion of the new ediflce was held last night
at the parsonage on King street. The COM
mittee is composed of Rev. ]. T Williams.
chairman; Messrs. George r. HILL Henry
K. Field, W. H. May R. B. Graham, ]. F.
Pollard. George w. Keys, ]. C. smoot and
Samuel S. Lindsay. The pastor, who, with
Messrs. Hill and Fields, yesterday inspect
ed a number Of churches in Washington
with view of building the rev church
Ike one of them, SO far as may be appli-
cable to the needs of the Alexandria con-
gregation, made report, and Mr.. WILL
Jams was requested to act as a committee
OF one for the purpose Of ascertdning the
relative cost from Baltimore builders of a
white marble from structure and one made
out of pressed brick.
1t has not been fully determined how ex-
pensive a church shall be built, some of
the members wishing to have an edifice
costing not less than $50, 600, in which case
If carried out, the structure when COM
pleted will be one of the finest in the Bal
timore conference. 1t is expected that the
work of demolishing the old church will
be begun in about a month, and that con-
struction Of the new ed,fice will be far
enough advanced to admit of the occu-
Fancy Of the building before cold weather
sets in.
History of the Congregation.
The congregation was organized in 1851
by 200 members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church North. whose place of worship is
directly opposite that Of the Southern
Methodists. and was caused by local ques-
tons, and with no reference to the issues
then being discussed between the north
and the south. OF the first board of trus-
tees Messrs. ]. H. Devaughan and William
+. Atwell, the latter of whom is now q resi-
dent OF Washington.are the only survivors.
Mr.. Devaughan is still actively engaged in
business, and is believed to be the Oldest
Odd Fellow in the state of Virginia.
Rev. James Duncan was the first pastor
OF the new congregation, ministering to
them until shortly before they had home
OF their own, when he WIS succeeded by
the great DR.. Leonidas Rosser who died a
Few years since. and who during his minis
try OF more than half a century was one
OF the foremost Methodist preachers of the
south
Soon after the outbreak of the war the
church was taken possession of by the gov
ernrnent, the congregation dispossessed and
the building used for four years partly as a
hospital and partly as a stable When the
congregation retired in 1861 they left be-
hind them very beautiful white marble
pulpit, but when they regained ownership
in 1865 the pulpit was missing, nor has 1t
been seen by any Alexandrian since, so Ear
as Is known.
Gus Sunday school, Mr.. James E. Alex
ander. superintendent, with a fine corps of
between thirty and forty officers and
teachers and scholarship of 400.