Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-06
THE CHURCHMEN'S LEAGUE
AUTUMN MEETING HELD AT EPIPH-
ANY PARISH HALL.
Address by Gen. Looker-Reference t6
President JefersOn-His Interest
in Behalf of Religion.

The regular autumn meeting OF the
Churchman'S League of the District Of Co.
lumbia was held last evening at Epiphany
Parish Hall. with President Gordon In the
chair and Mr.. E. F. LOCKER secretary. In
the course of a brief address President
Gordon congratulated those present on the
growth of the league, stating that the or
ganization now has about 400 members
representing every parish in the diocese OF
Washington and some in the adjoining
counties of Maryland
After the transaction of some routine
business and the election of several new
members. General Thomas H. LOCKER read
a history of Georgetown parish. The read
ing was frequently interrupted by applause,
and when the general had concluded he was
rendered thanks by unanimous vote.
General LOCKER told of a visit made to
Georgetown in 1888 by Thomas Twining,
one of the founders of the East Indian en-
pire, while returning to England from In
dia and of reception to that gentleman
by President Washington, who then re-
sided in Philadelphia. Mr.. Twining, the gen.
erai said, charmed by the treatment
accorded him by Washington, and in speak
ing OF the incident to friends contraSted it
faVorably with a reception given him In
the orient by the Great Mogul-the auto
cratic ruler of myriad ancient peoples and
cites and villages
BY 1900, General LOCKER said. George
town had actually become the capital. 1t
gioried in being quite the court end The
foreign ministers resided there and many
distinguished citizens. national offce-hold-
ers and others. either had their residences
there or were quartered at the inns or tav-
ems. Among Others the house of Francis
Scott Key. the author of THE Star Span
gled Banner" is still pointed out.
Parish Organized.
Georgetown parish was organized as the
result of a visit made in 1904 by Rev. Wal
ter Dulany Addison, rector of Broad Creek
parish, Prince Georges county, Md, and
for considerable period services were held
in the Presbyterian Church, through the
kindness of the pastor. Rev. DR.. Balch,
who rendered the use of the editice for the
purpose.
DR.. Addison continued to serve as rector
until about 1904, and his administration
was very successful. An interesting fact
related by General LOCKER was that Thorn
jefferson. the first President to live in
the District, was numbered among the sub
scribers to the completed building. Cen
eral LOCKER spoke thus of President Jeffer-
son: His great name headed the list Of
subscribers. We hear great deal about
Jefferson in these days. claimed by this
political party or that. l know he is often
set down infidel but whatever he
may have been in the days of his hot
youth-time land they were dark and
he subscribed to the upbuilding of church
of God later, and more, the records of his
old University of Virginia bear out the
statement that Jefferson made an earnest
plea for the teaching of the Bible to the
students there, and that he originated the
idea Of co-ordinating secular and religious
instruction at the seats of the state uni
versities. His was master mind. an
original mind. and he had faith in God and
in His Holy Word
The successors to DR.. Addison in the rec
torship included many distinguished men,
among them being the celebrated Rev. DIR.
S. H. Tying, who later was called to the
rectorship of Trinity parish, New York.
Church ThrOnEcd.
During about quarter of a century fol-
lowing the construction of the church the
building, it was stated, was each Sunday
thronged to an overflow with all who were
most elevated in station and wealth from
the capital: the pews in the gallery were
rented at high rates and to persons of
great responsibility. coming from far and
near: the street before the door was filed
wants, two of the latter with drawn
swords going behind each of the carriages
of Mrs. Madison and the British minister
Shortly after this period the membership
began to decline, and in 1881 the church.
from necessity, was abandoned. 1t be-
came sculptors shop, and was sometimes
called Swallow Barn" Finally 1t was
sold for taxes. Fortunately, said General
LOCKER, it fell into good hands, Mr. w
w. Corcoran bought it and later generous
ly returned it to the original ownership.
In 1897 the church took on new life, and
since then has been very prosperous and
now has Az communicates.