Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-05
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY.
Semf-CentenninI Observance of Grace
EDiscOpaI Church..

Semf-CentenniaI Observance of Grace
Episcopal Church.
A number of prominent clergymen of
Washington will participate in the exer-
cises Of the semi-centennial celebration at
Grace Protestant Episcopal Church, begin
ming tomorrow and continuing Monday and
| Tuesday evenings. The services will COM
mence with the celebration of the holy
| communion at 7:3O o'clock am. tomorrow.
At II o'clock there will be a professional
| by the Sunday school, and historical ser
| mon by the rector.
| Grace Church was started over fifty years
| ago in ladies' seminary at the southwest
corner of 18th street and Maryland avenue
! kept by the Misses Rocker. For several
years the abandoned cocoonery Of Mr.. o.
| II. Morrison, at 10th and c streets, and an
old fire engine house, served as places of
| worship.
| South Washington was then known as the
Island and. though the oldest section of
| the capital. was somewhat isolated from
| the new part of the city. The Rev. Dr.
| French, rector of Epiphany, organized a
congregation, with the Sunday school a
nucleus and was assisted by the Rev. Mr.
Steele of ST. Mark's-now pro-cathedral.
| DIR. Holmead, a well-to-do practicing ply
| stefan in South Washington. aided by his
| estimable wife, having taken orders in the
| church, became rector about the year 49,
| and under his ministry the present location
was purchased, and a neat Gothic frame
! church was built. Some of the workers
| in the church then were Messrs. F. w. Rit-
| ter, Col. c. Fl. Alexander, Mr.. Riley Ter
| renee Riley, VIM. Burroughs, N. C. Kid
| WELL Henry R. Riley. V. Willet o. H. Nor
| rison and Chas. Tucker. Among the Sun
| day school teachers were the Misses Riley.
| the Misses Randolph, Miss Hatch Miss
Maggie Williams, Miss Lottie Martin and
Mr.. Gordon.
During the civil war the church building
was used by the government a hospital.
The congregation consequently became
scattered. DR.. Holmead resigned in 1880,
and the church building, having been con-
demned. was for some time closed.
Services were resumed under the minis
trations of the Rev. Francis elliott, now
at Ellicotsville, N Y. He was followed by
Rev. Mr. Lee, who served but a short time,
and then, it is said, abandoned the pulpit
for the stage. Rev. John w. Phillips served
the parish faithfully until his death, Easter
Sunday. 1891.
For several months it looked as if Grace
Church would become extinct. A move
ment was on foot to sell the property and
abandon the field, but Rev. T. o. Tongue
consented to undertake the work there
at a very small stipend. Under his ministry
a heavy debt was Cancelled. mortgage
was placed on the property and money
thus secured to erect the present building.
Failing health, however, led Mr. Tongue to
resign The services were kept up, how
ever, by the Rev. Field Saumeng and Arch
deacon Childs, until the Rev. Chas. F. Son.
tag, rector of Trinity Church, Upper Marl-
boro Nd, was elected rector, and began
his duties January 1, 1898. since whish time
the work has progressed with encouraging
results Sunday school and congregation
have more than doubled, and several hun
dred dollars of the debt paid off.
The church property, inclosed by sub
stantial iron fence, and several memorials
including credence table and pulpit for the
church, and a piano and new altar for the
Sunday school room, were purchased
Although very heavy debt still rests on
the parish, the prospects are said to be
bright, and the people united and happy.