Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-09

Rev. French S. Evans long a local minis
ter and government clerk. In May. 18Th.
Mr.. Evans held services with a small con-
fregaton in the hall of the Northern I.iber
ties Fire Company, then located about on
the south line of Mt. Vernon Square, in the
center of Sth street
For some cause one Sunday afternoon
the people failed in obtaining admission to
the hall. Mr.. Evans thereupon went up sth
street to point Just north of what is now
the park, and using a carpenters bench
his roStrum delivered tho glad tidings
of salvation" At the conclusion of the
services Mr.. Jonathan T. Walker proposed
to erect a suitable frame building for mis-
sion and Sunday school purposes, If the
site and materials were provided, and ten
dered the use of his shop in the rear Of his
dwelling for the purpose until the church
should b" completed.
The offer of Mr.. Walker gratefully
accepted. and Messrs. Z. JCnes. Asa Glad
mon. James H Bushhy. NJ. Reardon and
Mr.. Walker were appointed committee to
look after the construction. The last-named
had his shop swept out the succeeding Sat
urday afternoon, and seats were prepared
by using inch boards placed or kegs and
boxes
Sunday school Organized.
The Sunday school formally organ
ized June I. 1874. by the election of Mr..
John c. Hardness, superintendent; Michael
Reardon, assistant superintendent; George
w. Robinson, secretary; John d. Schiven-
er. librarian, and Il. Jones. treasurer.
Among those who We're original members
of the school. now living are Messrs. John
ID. and Peyton Scrivener. F. A. Peardon
of Hampton. Va: Rev. J. =. Evans. 2. X.
G!admon and Maj S. II. Walker of Waugh.
The teachers We're mainly volunteers
from Foundry and Wesley churche, at
first, for the enterprise was simply ex-
pertinent. but. starting with some sixty
pupils, the school rapidly grew, and the
ion of tha duet tod
Mr.. Evans became regular one The
committee on the site became somewhat
discouraged and asked to be discharged,
and it seemed crisis had been reached
Then it was that Mr.. Harkness stated that
he had been offered lot in the neighhor-
mood at moderate price-lot . square 80
fronting G3.2 feet the north side Of
Massachusetts avenue between 9th and 10Th
streets This site visited and found to
be an exhausted gravel bank, most Of il
below grade, containing ponds of stagnant
water, and its boundaries in PARTS
above grade, while the avenue in from was
a ravine in part impossible. while west
ward was a morass which at times could
he passed over only by rude bridge
Truly most unpromising site, especially
for frame building. ana almost In the
condition in which it was when the lot was
Dominick Lynch and Comfort Sands 1t
had passed through various hands but the
only use made was the utilization of the
gravel a few years before.
doughty and Determined.
Mr.. Hardness. however purchased It
and proceeded to draw a plan for
the building, 4Gla by 81 feet, with lee
ture and Sunday school room and two
class rooms in the basement. and for
an auditorium with gallery and vesti-
bulc above, reached by two sets of granite
steps. Without delay Messrs. Walker
Jones and darkness. carpenter brick
layer and architect. proceeded with the
work without waiting for the customary
laying of = corner stone, and, to the sur
prise of the community. the basement walls
were soon up. The responses for aid had
been liberal and from without as well as
within came assistance. Thus encouraged
the work Of carrying up the walls and roof
ing the building was assumed by those
named and with the gratutous offerings
of friendly mechanics the church was COM
pieted outWardly.
Then it was resolved to complete the au-
dience chamber and petition the conference
for single minister. The Sunday school
found its quarters as winter approached too
chilly. and the question of SuspenGing OPP
erationS was discussed. Then it was that
the school room of Mr.. John +. Norris. on
II street between 9Th and 9th streets. was
offered for mission and Sunday school pur-
poses THIS offer WIS gratefully accepted.
and under the minister and superintendent
the interest in the embryo charge was
maintained. and that winter the school
gave Il few entertainments of music and
recitationS.
Ear.y in the spring of 1913 the school ac-
cepted the invitation to occupy the audi
forum of the new building-the lower part
being afterward completed for the schools
ha bita ton.
The conference appointed as the first
stationed minister Rev. VIM. G. Egge-
ston, and he having a wife and one child
frame house adjoining the church was
rented and fitted up a parsonage.
Dedication Services.
The church was formally dedicated on
Sunday. April 20, 1915, Rev. VIM. Ryland
chaplain, United States navy preaching
in the morning and Rev. Henry Slicer in
the afternoon and evening. President Polk
and Secretary of State Buchanan with
many distinguished personages. attended
these services, and the collections were
liberal. Wednesday evening, April 23 the
pastor formally received the membership
who presented certificates of good standing
from Rev. Norval Wilson and Henry Tar
ing of Wesley and Foundry charges. Those
who were received, besides those heretofore
named above, included f. NJ. Spedden, G.
7. Langley, Job Mills, H. G. ONeaie W.
H. Clampet, James and Thomas Holldge
w. b. Benson Daniel Lazenby, Wilson E,
Brown and their wives and other members
of their families and others. AS stated
above, but two of the sixty are now known
to be living. With this small membership
and a growing Sunday school, the charge