The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-16

original church TO know that President
Garfields old church is now a whisky
saloon. and a saloon of no very high or
der either. 1t is not so many years ago
that this church, then known as the YER
mont-avenue Christian Church. was
crowded to the doors every Sund2y with
hundreds of people anxious to get glimpse
OF the President of the United States as he
worshiped in this modest little irame builc-
ing. Not only President Garfield heiped 10
make this church conspicuous. but also the
members OF his Cabinet, four OF whom
were regular attendants. Several justices
or the Supreme Court were also numbered
among the congregation. and from the
great number of public celebrities who at
tended the unpretentious little frame
church ii came TO be known as tie court
church.. But aside from the pubic
servants who gave themselves up to God
choly story attached to it, which serves TO
give IL additional curiosity. for IL Is mat
ter of history that the assassin Guiteau
first planned TO fire his fatal shot through
the window of this church at the President
Although he failed TO execute his plot then.
after the assassination the story became
known, and the pew which President Car
field occupied on that evening but few
days before the assassin executed his dead
iy work was torn 10 pieces by the relentless
relic hunters seeking their CHASTITY memoirs.
This old frame church building was used
as house Tor the worship or GOD Tor al
most Twenty-Five years before IL was sold TO
saloon since 1854. when the present owner.
Mr.. John o OBrien, bought IL at public
auction IOr the sum OF VIZ. 1IS
has been mainly one of religion and trans
portation. and Ii has occupied no less than
seven lots in different portions of the city
in its time. Once ii was on wheels, and.
as a matter of record. religious services
We're once held in il while it thus be-
ing transported to another resting place.
The building was originally chapel Of the
Mount Nerncn-place Church, and IL then
stood on NJ street, between Ninth and
Tenth. The Vermont-avenue Christian
Church. Of which President lthen Con-
greSSman) Garfield was member. had
been meeting in halls or the homes OF its
members having no church edifice of its
own. The congregation had increased, how
ever, until it was necessary TO have a
building. So this little frame church was
trustees, but there was not money
enough in the Christian Church congrega-
ton to buy the ground on which it stood
they put their church on rollers and carted
II through the town to Vermont avenue
above - street, then on the very outskirts
of the city 1t struggled along in various
wavs until 1880, when, Mr.. Garfield being
nom mated for the presidency. the church,
CT which he was elder, of course be-
came the fashionable fad. When Mr.. Gar
fieio entered the White House the congre-
gaJion felt it due him that the executive
church should, be in more pretentious
structure was erected. but during the three
years that ii was building President Gar
fiSd was "a faithful attendant on the Sun
day services. When the new church was
completed the old chapel was sold, since
which time il has become wanderer until
to- day it has sunk down to be a cheap
drinking saloon.