The Washington bee., 1897-01-08
AN APPEAL. TO THE PEOPLE

WAS Orghuizeu. III MY, 1oo1, U.
Rev. Henry Bailey VIII built
frame structure on the groun'
where the church now stands. A
that time there was but small lol
and a dilapidated frame structur'
which 10 doubt, correspondtd Will
the aud n litiou Of the pen
pie in that vicinity. 1t was neigh
borhuud that will be !ongrrmcm-
berrd and one of which hist ry re-
cords many offenses which were
mtnaces to civilization.
The founder of the structure
failed to reform the condition of
the people in that vicinity. Not un-
til the late Rev. John Brooks, one
of the apostles of r, form, arrived on
the scene and in connection with
Rev. Johnson. this great divine,
WAS he section that was christeneL
with the name that became Obn0x
ious to the ears of the people.
What can now be sal Of this great
| citizen and his Sc, tion where the
Metropolitan church is located !:
1t is dedicated as " Paradise
Found The pronerty of all
classes is valuable. Instead of on
or two churches there are many :;
in the places of the huts and novels,
we witness silted palaces and mag
niticent ed,ficrs which will bc
ha eded down to posterity, or to our
children and chiIdren's hlldrn
The towering forms of the pioneers
will be only shadows ami their
deeds will be emblazoned on the
scroll of fame.
The Metropolitan Baptist church
was formerly known as the Fourth
! Baptist church. Rev. Robert john
son was elected pastor in June,
1870 and in 1882 the old frame
structure was torn down on acc 'unt
of its weakness. The church was
IS by 80 feet. Rev. J"hnsOn by
push and energy succeeded in n,
crrasing its membership The
church became 100 small. The
people were enlightened in the
great truths of church reform.
Rev. johnson saw an opportunity
to enlarge so he purchased tw" lots
west of the church and now lis
present Cap ,city is ten thousand
| (1O, ,OOO)<quare feet of good gr"und,
The present brick structure cost
forty-fve thousand ($45, ,000) dol
lars and its dimensio' is IS hy llO
feet, tw" (2) story press brick front,
on when tn re is Il m r'"age OF
twenty-five thousand ($22 .000) dol
lars 1t is no doubt the largest
colored Baptist church III his clty
/ and structure that lsa momumen;
to the great Bapt st denomination
The churcl is about to be sold be-
cause its membership has not, on
account of the grea fna clal crash,
been able TO meet its notes.
! We have endeavOred to do oul
: duty and to uphold this Christian
, congregation we have worked as
siduous to malnt1in our credit
and promote the Christian religion
Necessity now compels u5 to make
an appeal to he Christian people
for help. We need help ahd We
must have it. We believe that thu
dissemination Of the Christian doe
trine in this country does MS mucl
to reform an immoral people rs the
laws that are enacted to purisl
crime.
he moral effect Of the Christian
ministry upon a co immunity ha
demonstrated its power in h'
merghborhood in which our churcl
is l0c,t d. No one knows this bel
ter than those who are aware of th'
nast history If our church and th'
great work of form that ha
been instituted by our pastor anC
his coworkers.
, Must our work stop here on az
count If our inab,l lity to Ilquidat'
our chnrcn indebtedness ? Gu
government has been made rOm4
on acc unit of its crusad agains
3 crime and offrnses Our ruler
, have ben more or less Christian
advocares and promoters Of goo'
government,
The laws of church and stat,
havr kept the people III tact.
D Our Emancipation has taught u
to "a onward and upward and wha
we haze gained since Emancip ,tio'
by our industry and adherence t.
e the laws of church and State shoult
= not be lost in tins era Of our Chris
0 tian government and for'n be
Cause We are powrrless to hrl p our
selves. The Tod who controls t.
destiny of nations, r, lIgio s. reeds
J etc. j. asked TO aid us iii this hOu
t of distress. We make this appen
to the Christian people.
! 1st Because the Metrou6lital
E church is in need of financial aid