Evening star., 1901-02-02

Rev. DR.. w. s. Thompson.
location In the midst of q section which
has had phenomenal growth the past
three years. the outlook for strong church
at this point is said to be most promising.
The congregation is worshiping in the Sun
day school building at present, but prepaIa-
ii ms for the erection of a comfortable and
attractive church ediffce contemplated
by the congregation to meet the constantly
increasing attendance.
This church enterprise is under the care
of the Presbyterian Alliance of this city,
which purchased the site. When the ground
shall be free of debt it will be turned over
to the congregation, which will at once
proceed to erect the urgently needed house
of worship. Mr.. B. H. Warner is the pres
ident of the alliance, having succeeded Mr..
John W. Foster in that position, and it is
expected that under his management the
balance OF the purchase money will soon be
raised. The young church organization will
be placed upon a substantial basis and
its future prosperity assured.
Sketch of the Pastor
DR.. Thompson has been in charge of the
pulpit of this church since December 15,
but under the rules of the Presbyterian
Church his full relation as pastor will not
begin until tomorrow evening, upon his
Installation. He possesses marked ability
as a preacher. and the people of Ecking-
ton and its vicinity show ng their ap-
probation of his talents by their constant
and growing attendance upon his preach
Ing.
DR.. Thompson came to this city from
Charleston, S. c.. where for twenty years
previously he was pastor of the First Cor
SCOTCH Presbyterian Church. The est
mate of his services in that city is shown
by resolutions passed by his congregation
at the time of his resignation, in which it
declined to receive the same and earnestly
urged him to remain.
Notwithstanding the flattering terms in
which these resolutions were couched Dr.
Thompson deemed it wise to insist upon his
resignation, and the presbytery of Charles
ton, after putting upon record m mute of
its sincere regret that he felt called upon
to relinquish his work in that city, reluct-
antly consented to the severance Of the
pastoral relation.
also passed resolutions expressing regret at
the loss which the city would suffer in the
removal of DR.. Thompson This took
place In May of last year, and Dr. Thomp-
son spent the heated term. with his fam
ily, at his summer home at Highland, N c.
In the fall he came to Washington
where his brother, NJ. s. Thompson, and
his sister, Mrs. j. w. Young have resided
for several years and where he has also
other relatives. He was considering a
prospective call to the Presbyterian Church
of Selma, Ala, of which Senator Morgan
is member, when, by the resignation of
.. II.
the pastorate of the lexington Church be-
came vacant. A committee of that church,
after hearing DIR. Thompson preach at a
service in the Gunton Temple Presbyterian
Church, secured his services a supply for
the lexington pulpit. with the result that
he was heartily recommended as the choice
of the committee for the pastorate and
Its report was unanimously accepted by the
congregation.
Church Extends Call.
A formal call was extended to DR.. Thomp-
son by the church, and he promptly accept
ed the same, subject to the approval of the
presbytery Of Washington city, which. at
its last meeting, the 21st uItimo, was given,
DR.. Thompson having been previously re-
ceived into its membership.
DR.. Thompson was born In Frederick
county. Va, near Winchester. but grew up
in St. Joseph Mo. His education was re-
ceived from Edward B. Neely's High School
Of that city and the University of Virginia.
He graduated from the Columbia Theologi-,
cal Seminary of South Carolina and for
eight years was pastor of the Hopewlll
Church, Mars Bluff, s. c., and, as stated
above for the last twenty years has been
the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
Of Charleston This was a small congrega-
ton when he took charge, with church
building much in need of repairs, but in
spite of cyclones and the great earthquake
that nearly destroyed the edifice it has
become one of the strongest churches nu-
merically and financially in the synod OF
South Carolina. DR.. Thompson often repre-
sented Charleston presbytery in the south
ern general assembly. He was nominated
for moderator of the Houston assembly, but
declined the honor, and for many years was
a director of Columbia Theological Semin-
ary. For years he chairman of the
committee of domestic missions OF Charles
ton presbytery. and was repeatedly chosen
moderator of that presbytery, and once also
Of the synod of South Carolina.
Cards are out for a reception by the con-
gregation of the lexington Church to DR..
Thompson and his family Tuesday evening,
February 5, at the church. corner of @ and
North Capitol streets. His family consists
of Mrs. Thompson. a daughter of Rev. Ed
ward Henry Berist, d. D., who was of a
long line of Presbyterian ministers. and
their daughter, Miss Mary Ellzey Thomp-
son. who has already become actively iden-
titled with the primary department of the
lexington Sunday school. for which work
she has had excellent preparation in the
Sunday school of her fathers former charge
and by a course of training in kindergarten
work. A young son of DR.. Thompson is
now in the preparatory department of
Davt5Sop College