Evening star., 1896-11-14

The old church. 1t is conjectured, must
have been capable of seating about four
hundred people, large audience for those
days. The building was erected on a firm
foundation of stone and was of brick
There were two tiers of windows and a
gallery running around three sides of the
Interior or this original building there
still remain the two side walls, a portion
of the front and the foundation. The tow
er, however, and portion of the rear wall
and the chanceI were added later. Various
alterations have been made at various
times during the course of the century.
The first rector was Rev. John J. Sayres,
and he came to the church in 1904, remain
ing until 1903. 1t took quite while to
complete the church. Although 1t was
started in 1896, it was not fully completed
until ten years later, in 1906. In 1909 the
church was consecrated by Bishop C!agett,
first bishop Of the diocese of Maryland.
Bishop Clagett was consecrated in 1852,
and was the first bishop of the American
church to be consecrated on American soil.
The New Parish.
In 1905 Washington parish was divided
into two portions, and all that portion ly-
ing west of Rock creek was known as St.
Johns parish. Mr.. Sayres appears to have
been successful from the start, and the
parish prospered. Here the bellies and
beaux of the early days were wont to con-
gregate on Sundays. Many people in Off
cial life took part in the parish work
When Mr.. Sayres died, his body was in
TERED under the chancel Of the church, as
was the custom in those days. Some years
afterWard it became necessary to remodel
the chancel, and his body was disinterred.
1t was placed in new casket and buried
in the cellar of the church. The records,
however, do not disclose the exact location
of the grave but it Is thought that a close
search would discover 1t. In the auditor
ium there is a tablet erected to his mem
ory, with his name, date of birth and
death, &c, inscribed in Latin. Below this
Inscription there is quite an interesting
epitaph, which was written for him by
Francis Scott Key, of Star Spangled Ban
ner' fame. Mr.. Key appears to have taken
good deal of interest in the church. aid
MIR. Sayres was his close friend.
The Roll of Rector..
The names of the rectors following M
Sayres are as follows: 1904 to 1903. Rev.
John ]. Sayres; 1909 to 1921, Rev. Walter
Dulaney Addison; from 1917 to 1878 the
Rev. Rowell Keith was assistant to Dr.
Addison. He afterward became the first
rector of Christ Church. West Washington,
which was carved out Of ST. Johns Church.
From 1921 to 1923. Rev. Stephen H. Tying;
from 1898 to 1927 the Rev. Walter D. Ad-
Olson; from 1897 to 1922, Rev. Mr.. James;
fsom 1924 to 1890, the Rev. Sutherland
douglass; from 1888 to 1911. Rev DIR. Mar
bury: from 1S41 to 1914. the Rev Clement
NJ. Butler; from 1874 to is4s, the Rev. Alex
ander Shiras; from 1S49 to 1867, the Rev
n. T. Tillinghast; from 1867 to 1869 the
Rev. 0. Perrin Chief; from 1869 to 1875
Rev. A. b. Atkins: from 1876 to 1879, Rev.
J. j. Joyce: from 1879 to 1887 the Rev.
John 5. Lindsay: from 1887 to 1892, the
Rev. Charles E. Buck.
In 1871 the church was abandoned, and
the congregation was scattered. The
church edlf1ce was rented as studio. DR..
Marbury took charge Of the parish in 1893
and built IT up. He was succeeded by the
Rev DR.. Clement NJ. Butler, who was one
OF the most eminent ministers of any de-
nomination in this section of the country.
Dr Butler, while, rector Of st. Johns
Church, delivered the sermon at the burial
or Abel Upsher, the Secretary of State who
met a tragic fate by the bursting of Com
modore Stockton's two-hundred-ton cannon
feaeemaker on board the frigate Prince
ton down the Potomac river. Dr. Butler
was also at one time rector Of Trinity
church. corner OF Sd and G streets and
during this rectorate he preached the burial
sermon over the dead body of Daniel Web
ster while it lay in state in the rotunda Of
the Capitol DR.. Butler was not man Of
great education. but he had splendid atu-
raj gifts and made the most of them. Dur
Ing his rectorate he complied the history
OF ST Johns Church. and this history,
which was in the form of sermon is now
In the possession Of DR.. Buck.
improvements to the Edihce.
During the rectorate of Rev. DR.. Lindsay,
who is now the pastor of one of the leading
Boston churches, and was prominently men
toned as candidate for the first bishop of
Washington, the church was thoroughly
repaired. and in 1875 the rectory was COM
pleted. The original lot, which was lonat-
ed to the church by Mr.. Deakins, was not
large enough for the parish purposes, and
SO ground has been added to it from time
to time. In addition to the rectory, a tower
has been built, and also Sunday school
room.
The Oldest member of the church now liv-
Ing Is Mr.. John Marbury, jr. Mr.. Marbury
was elected VeStryman in 1856, and has
served continuously since then. He how
ever, attended the church for quite while
before he was made a vestrymaa. An
other one Of the older members is Mrs
De Ia Roche widow Of Captain De la
Roche OF the United States army.
The present rector Of the church, Rev.
Charles E. Buck, is Baltimorea and re-
ceived his academical education at Char
!otte Hail. in the lower portion Of Mary
land. He was educated for the ministry at
the Theological Seminary of Virginia, and
his first charge was at Bel.sville, Prince
Georges county. Nd. in 1878. His success
i've charges have been Spesusia Church,
Perryman's, Hartford county, Md, 1881 !;
Easton, Maryland 1884, and 1892, st. Johns
Church. The present officers of the church
are as follows: Wardens, Thomas Hyde and
w. F. Gibbons; vestrymen, John Marbury
tr., j. G. Waters, Thomas Hyde, David
Rittenhouse. Gen. Thomas H. LOCKER, DIR.
F. S. Barbarin, G. L. Nicolson and DR.. H.
Suter.