Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-27

on Capitol Hill resulted from Wesleys cf-
forts, the organization of a Sunday school
in a tent on Capitol Hill being followed by
preaching services, and then came the cree
ton of a church building in 1862 In the
two ensuing years Wesley and Waugh were
served coniontly-Rev. r. c. Dashiel at
Waugh in 1881 and C. H. Day in lS55-and
in 1856 Waugh was made an independent
charge. In the latter part Of 1883 4 mission
was started in the neiehborhood of the
Riggs Market on p street near 18th street
but owing to diSSenSiOn in Wesley. when
Mr. T. ]. Magruder, the superintendent of
the Sunday school, and others left owing to
the refusal of the conference to return the
minister. this failed.
In 1863. by organizing a mission Sunday
school near the head of 9th street the
foundation of Grace NJ. L. Church. now a
most promising charge of 200 members. was
lald, and when the Metropolitan NJ. T..
Church was erected many of her members
werc received on certificate from Wesley.
The original chapel building was used by
the congregation until 1886. when that and
the Sunday school building were demolished
to make room for the present structure,
covering their entire holdings of over o.
by 100 feet Though the need Of Il modern
structure vas conceded there was some OPP
position shown in the congregation. the
trustees being disinclincd to assuming the
responsibility of debt. \ committee. w.
G. Deale. Jno c. Mex eden S.T.G MorsrfL
T. J. Magruder and w. R. Woodward
agreed to become responsible and were au-
thorized to proceed with the work. The
cnQrcn ana sunday school found temporary
quarters in the old. Trinity Church builG ng
on 9TH street between d and f streets. and
the building was erected. the first church
cdifice in the District in which the seats
We're in the amrhitheater form. In this
building provision made for the Sun
day school. class rooms and pastors study
in the basement. and when the congrega-
ton and school took charge ii was regarded
as the most complete church building in
the District. Mr.. s. T. G. MorSell vas the
architect and superintendent and Mr.. c. Z.
Walker the builder. The plan of this
church was followed in several places north
and west.
During the pastorate of Rev. Henry Slicer
there was quite a revival, and he also being
one of the chaplains of Congress, numbers
of senators and representatives Were drawn
to the services. In fact. it was the church
home of many during the sessions of Con-
gress. and it was often attended by Presi-
dent Pierce during his term.
Nursery of the Church.
That the Sunday school is the nursery of
the church is amply proved by not only the
membership of Wesley, but by the results
of missionary work, in which schools
have developed strong church organza-
tions. The school of Wesley dates back to
the first services, at least to the occu-
pancy of the Old chapel. The early super
imtendents We're Wesley Stevenson. W. w.
Watkins and Henry Davis. and later on the
school was in charge of T. H. Havenner, T.
Jeff. Magruder, w. r. Woodward, w. d.
Shepherd and Charles H. Lane, these filing
out the first half of her history.
AS in the church. there were reVivalS in
the school. and many were led therefrom
into the church, and some into the minis
try. Revs. ]. S. Deale, D.; Thos. Sewall,
w. S. Edwards, ID; J. B. Stitt, Page Mil
burn W. W. Van Arsdale and G. w. Israel
were in their young days attached to the
school church. The school, like the
church, has had some drawbacks, and once
the outlook was particularly gloomy Mr.
T. Jeff. Magruder in 1850 the superin-
tendent, and regarding the transfer of the
minister Rev. Dabney Ball, as arbitrary on
the part of the conference, withdrew from
the church and school, and when he walked
out nearly the entire membership went
with him. Mr.. w. R. Woodward was
elected superintendent of the school begin
ming with the following Sunday. The de-
, pleted ranks were recruited, and even
tually the school regained its former plane.
The Chapel Choir.
One of the features of old Wesley Chapel
was Its choir, organized in the early days
of the church and regarded for over a
quarter of century as one of the best if
not the leading, volunteer chorus choir of
the District. And that it was progressive
and apt to utilize good music wherever
found, 1t be stated that at Camp
meeting in Montgomery county years ago
the choir captured from the colored people
on the ground some of their tunes and in
short time introduced them at the chanel
some of them from here finding their way
to the music books and becoming popular
in church services.
In the early days it was under the direc-