Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05

Mr.. and Mrs. H. P. Maxwell Here was
afterward merged into what is now known
as the Ninth Street Christian Church. The
officers of the Sunday school were p. b.
Hail. superintendent; J. A. Scott, secre-
Ralph, musical director; Miss Bessie Ed
wards, organist, and Miss Maud Maxwell.
assistant organist.
Services were held in Odd Fellows Hall
from January until May, 1888, the meetings
being then discontinued for want of inter-
est upon the part Of the people, Cottage
prayer meetings were meanwhile kept up.
beginning January %, 1885, at the residence
OF Mrs. j. H. Tibbitts, and continued at the
houses of members and friends of the mis-
sion who resided in that section. until a
regular house of worship could be secured
Inc last OF these meetings was held April
o. 1891, at the residence Of Mr. E. L. Bug
bee. In the summer of 1888 pledges had
been secured through the efforts Of DR..
Power and Messrs. .Hillman and Hall for
an amount sufficient to warrant the pur-
chase Of lot and the erection Of house
of worship. The ground for a modest little
church was broken November a, 1890, and
the work Of construction was pushed so
rapidly that on Sunday April 5, 1891 the
hrst divine service was held in the new
church.
The membership was composed Of 129
persons GO of whom left the Vermont Ave
nue. Church to unite with the infant con-
gregation, while the. remainder were ac-
QUESTIONS as the result of protracted serv-
ices lasting several weeks, which had been
held by Rev. Edward B. Bagby, the first
and only pastor the church has ever had.
Tha results of Mr. Bagby's ministry at the
Ninth Street Church thus far have been
more than 500 conversions, about 265 men,
bers admitted by letter, a large Endeavor
Society and total enrolment in the Sun
day school during. the past six years of
more than 1900.
Mr. Rap by toId .,
most remarkable work of this remarkably
successful church has been. done in the
Sunday school More than 275 scholars
have. he said. confessed Christ .andsbeen
admitted to the church. The school has
also raised large sum toward the build
ing of the new church.
Sketch Of the Pastor.
Rev. Mr. Bagby is a young man, whose
career since he came to Washington a few
terest. He is a native of Virginia and
graduate Of the divinity school Of Yale
University. He came to this city, enjoy
Ing quite a. reputation as an evangelist,
to take charge of the small mission above
mentioned on Capitol Hill.
Mr.. Bagby has disc been honored as
speaker at one Of the international Chris
tan Endeavor conventions and he was
chaplain of the House of Representatives
during the Fifty-third Congress. He has
been president of the Junior Union of
Christian Endeavor for several years He
has the faculty of being able to talk en-
tertainingly to children, which is esteemed
to be a rare accomplishment.
In appearance Mr.. Bagby is tall and
slender. of rather dark complexion, and
with countenance beaming with good
nature In his preaching he is direct and
simple, with persuasive eloquence which
seldom fails to move his auditors. Socially
he Is very entertaining, with a never-fail-
ing fund of anecdotes.
The EARLY Work.
The Disciples OF Christ have been at
work in Washington since 1913, when Dr.
J. 7. Barclay held meetings at his resi-
dence, near the navy yard. The cause re-
ceived an impetus in 1850, when Alexan-
der Campbell visited the city and de-
livered what was considered a IA
nous sermon in the hall of the House of
Representatives. The church had a va
ried history until the coming here of Rev.
DR.. Power in the year 1875 Since then the
new house of worship known as the Yer
mont Avenue Christian Church was built
while the congregation has grown steadily
until now 1t numbers over 600 members.
During part of the time of the erection
or the building the chairman of the COM
mittee, Mr.. j. A. Scott. has been ill. The
burden OF the work has fallen upon the
secretary, Mr. q. wv. Pratt. To his wise
executive foresight, his untiring energy
and practical business methods is due much
OF the success of the enterprise.