Evening star., 1897-01-13

Rev. e. Bradford Leavitt.
Samuel A. Eliot of Brooklyn will make the
charge to the minister. An address to the
people will follow from Rev. Rush r. Ship
pen, the former pastor of All Souls, who
now has a charge in Brockton Mass, and
the closing prayer will be offered by Rev.
DIR. Mayo. The services will be concluded
with a hymn to the tune "Webb," by Rev.
Alexander T. Bowser, and the benediction
which will be pronounced by Mr.. Leavitt.
Sketch of the New Pastor.
Rev. E. Bradford Leavitt was born in
Boston. June 4, 1868. His early education
vas received in the public schools of Hing
ham. Mass, where he graduated from the
High School in 1885 After spending n
year in Europe he entered Harvard Col
lege in 1886. having prepared himself with
out attending a preparatory school, and
received his degree cum laude in 1890. The
same year he entered the Harvard Divinity
School, graduating in 1893. During his
university course he was a member of the
college choir, of the glee club and of the
Pi Eta Society. In 1880 Prof. Pickering,
the director of the Harvard College OBJ
servatory, who had noted Mr. Leavitts
aptitude for scientific work. invited him to
do special work in stellar photometry and
experimental photography, and during the
last four years at Harvard his spare time
was spent in work and study at the OBJ
servatory. In February four months be-
fore graduating from the Divinity School,
he preached at Brattleboro', VT. it being
his first sermon and first service, and re-
ceived and accepted a unanimous call to
the pastorate of the Unitarian Church
there, which, py the way was one of the
finest church edifces in the denomination
For the remaining four months of his uni
Versity course the work Of church and col
lege was carried on together, though in
places one hundred and twenty-five miles
apart During his pasto-ate in Brattle-
boro MI Leavitt received a call TO the his
toric old First Parish of Concord, Mass
to Berkeley, Cal. to Beverly, Mass, and to
All Souls, Washington. which last invita-
tion he accepted last November. The pas
torate began with the new year Mr.. Lea
Witt has wife and daughter of three
years.
Former Pastor.
Rev. r r. Shipper of Brockton, Mass.
former pastor of All Souls Church is the
guest Of Mrs. Gale, 1914 l. street He will
lunch informally today with Mr. and Mrs
II. A. Willard. and be entertained at din
rer by MIR. and Mrs. Thomas NJ. Gale.
Dedicated Nineteen Years Ago.
All Souls Church was bull. in the late
seventies, and was dedicated in 1875 The
CONGREGATION had held its services inWillard
Hall In the interim between 1877 when it
gave up the famous old church, in which
IL LAD worshiped for SO many years, at
tho corner Of 9Th and ID streets northwest
In June. 1877, bond Of union was adopt
ed. which is as follows:
acknowledging ourselves to be dis
ciples OF Jesus Christ, We hereby declare
that 1t Is our purpose, in coming together
as church. to study, and TO endeavor to
practice, the pure religion Christ taught
and exemplfied.''
1t was while the services were being held
in Willard Hall that the erection of the
trcn edlhce at the corner Of l. and 14th
streets northwest was undertaken. The
expense of the structure was largely horne
by Mr.. Henry A. Willard, who was, and
still is, enc Of the most active members of
the church, and tireless in his efforts to
advance Its influence for good. The corner
stone was laid, with Masonic ceremonies
June p, 1877. The dedication was cele-
brated simultaneously with the installa-
ton OF Rev. Clay MacCauley as pastor the
aedlcatlon services taking place January
~, 1878. and the installation January 30
The first We're conducted by Rev. Rush r.
Shippen, and the sermon was preached by
the Rev. DIR. Henry w. Bellows of New
York.
The exercises attendant upon Pastor Mac
Cauley's installation were participated in
by Rev. c. r. Weld, Rev Joseph Nav.
Rev. c: A. Staples. Rev. E. H. Hall, Rev.
Grirdal Reynolds, Rev. A. NJ. Knapp and
Rev Rush R. Shippen. and the sermon was
preached by the eloquent Rev. John F. w.
Ware of Boston.
The committees on dedication and instaI
lation included Justice and Mrs. Samuel r
Miller. Secretary, and Mrs. George w. Nc
Crary. Postmaster General and Mrs. Howe.
District Commissioner and Mrs. John n
Ketcham, Mr.. and Mrs. VIM, e, Chandler
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry A. Willard. Mr. and
Mrs. Enoch Totten and number of Other
prominent people.
The church, already with large con zre9a
tion. grew rapidly, and soon became one of
the most irflue ntial in the national capital
and Its pulpit was frequently filed by
some of the most powerful and eloquent
clergymen In America, who came to WASH
ington from time to time for the purpose.
Interesting EARLY History.
The church is very old one, having sue
ceeded the first Unitarian congregation in
this city. and the early history Of it teens
with interest The church records show
that the first Unitarian services held in
Washington were conducted by Rev. Robt.
Little OF England, in 1890, at the Bafi,
House. on c street between AZ and 9TH
streets. on the site where the mail bag re-
pair shop of the Post Office Department
now stands.
The interest inspired by this powerful
preacher led to the organisation, in 1921. Of
the First Unitarian Church. Among the
original members were men distinRuished
in national and In local affairs. They IN
cluded. among others. John Quincy Adams.
John c. Calhoun, Judge w. Cranch. Thom-
as c. Wright, w. w. Seaton, JOSEPH, Gales.
senior and Junior; Moses Poor D. F. Nav.
DR.. G. May. Richard Wallach. senior; Pish-
ey Thompson. N. p. Poor, Noah Fletcher.
Charles Rnl6nch y-hn h,toat ~