Evening star., 1896-07-04

tional denominational rally The history of
the Mt. Pleasant Church is closely inter-
woven with that Of the religious growth of
that section of the city Nine-tenths of the
people who were the first settlers of Mt.
Pleasant in 1853 and 1870 were religious
people and members of churches within the
city. Finding it impossible to attend the
service at their particular churches more
than once on Sunday and seldom during
the week, they established a weekly prayer
meeting. which was held in the different
homes at first and later moved into the
public school ROOM At the same time {,
Sabbath school was organized for the chill
dren- Services gradually came to be held
Sabbath evening and, often as possible,
pastors of city churches preached. After
two or three years had passed minister
was engaged to preach every Sabbath even
ing for eight months in the year.
Looking to the future, and nucleus
for a church. Christian Association was
formed, with constitution modelled after
the Y. NJ Z. A, SO that the different de-
nominations might work together. The as
sociation simply supervised all the religious
services Soon began to be discussed the
feasibility of purchasing a lot and erectinz,
a chapel or church, but after some discus
sion the fact was brought out that the
association was not then strong enough to
support church. and it was decided to
form stock company, buy lot and erect
on it a town hall.
Erection of n Hail.
This was done, the association becoming a
large stockholder- The hall erected by the
company was used for fifteen years as the
meeting place of a Sabbath school each
Sunday afternoon and mid-week teachers
and prayer meeting. The people who at
tended these gatherings during all this time
We're members Of city churches. and though
20 1rro,c cty,rr tt.<x
separate church, nothing definite was
done until 1885. when the Congregational
Home Missionary Society made a propost-
tion to send a minister to live among them
to preach regularly, provided they would
bear one-half of the expense This offer
was accepted. and the Rev. Charles III.
Small. fresh from his seminary studies. was
sent to them
gregational Church was organized and the
Rev. Mr.. Small was called to be its pastor
The mission of the Christian Association
and the Hall Association having been ac-
complished, the former disbanded and turn
ed over to the church it's stock in the Hall
Association. this example being followed by
all of the citizens who individually owned
stock By this means the building and lot
owned by the Hall Association for fifteen
or sixteen years became the property of the
Mt Pleasant Congregational Church with
out any cost except the assuming of a
mortgage of 800.
The Rev. Mr. Small proved a Jealous and
faithful worker, and when, after eight
years OF service, he accepted a call to Hud-
son, OHIO. the membership of the church
was 12S and 1t was entirely self-sunnort
tEg. During this term Of years the church
building was enlarged, renovated furnished
Win comfortable pews and carpeted at q
cost OF some 1900. and the debt of 500 was
paid
Rev. Mr. Fishburn Becomes the Pasto,
Upon the resignation of Mr.. Small in Au-
gust. 1894. the standing committee of the
church saw the necessity of promptly find
trs a new pastor, and the result was that
within two months after Mr.. Small had de-
parted for a new field Of labor the Rev. NJ
Ross Fishburn. who had been for more
than two years the assistant Of Rev. Dr.
Newman of the First Church, had been
rendered and accepted the call. From the,
beginning of Mr.. Fishburn's pastorate the
audiences increased. SO that additional pews
were placed in the already crowded audi
torium, and within few months the ne
cessity of a larger church building became
apparent 1t was deemed wise however
TO move the church to a more central loca-
ton. and in May. 1895. a lot on Columbia
road. near Nth street, was purchased Suit
able plans have since been adopted and tie
first step In the process of building will be
taken Thursday next.
Rev. Mo5heim Ross Fishburn was born
June IL. 1867. near the city of Toronto.
Canada, where his father was settled as
pastor Of a Lutheran church In 1879 Mr..
Fishburn's parents returned to Pennsyl-
vania, their native state, and there he
received his early education. He was
graduated at the Fitting School of Thiel
College in 1888. at Pennsylvania College.
Gettysburg, In 1887. and at the Divinity
School Of Yale University In 1891. Shortly
after completing his theological course
he was ordained pastor Of the Congresa-
tioral Church at Roxbury, Conn. From
Roxbury he came to Washington In 1882
20 accept the assistant pastorate of the