Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-01

performed the ceremony at the marriage Of
the daughter of DIR. Richardson. the super
intendent of the Government Hospital for
the Insane. He stopped at Elizabeth N j.
on his journey to CatskiIl. and spent Thurs
day evening with Rev. John Stuchell, pas
tor of the First Presbyterian Church after
Or. Sunderland's retirement. Friday DR..
Sunderland spent in New York city and
reached his destination Saturday. A tele-
gram to that effect was received by Mr.
Norris.
DR.. Sunderland had been In the enjoy
ment of fairly good health during the pa ST
winter, and. as he often said to friends, he
was in sound condition except a weakness
OF his legs. Mentally he seemed to be as
bright and quick as he was in his younger
days, and his humor was unfaiIing Two
weeks ago. as chairman of the committee
appointed by the presbytery of Washing
ton to organize a Presbyterian church on
Washington Heights. he presided over the
exercises. A short time prior to that he
preached at the Fourth PRESBYTERIAN
Church. 18th and Yale streets, and in
fact. during the three years of his retire
ment from active pastoral work he readily
responded to all calls for his services when
his physical condition permitted.
He was engaged during the spring in
preparing paper for the Columbia His
torical Society, giving the recollections of
his early years in this city. covering the
period from 1925. This paper was COM
pleted and read before the society at the
meeting in May, and was received with
much appreciation. 1t displayed the powers
tor which DR.. Sunderland was famous
during his career-that of mastering detail
and of felicitOus, as well dramatic eX-
preston of thought.
His Career In Warrington.
DR. Sunderland's long career in this city,
as we'll as his prominence for nearly half
a century as pastor of the First Presbyte-
rlar Church. identified him with much of
the history of the city. He was always an
active and, to some extent, an aggressive
man. holding positive views and being al
ways ready to defend them. On account of
these characteristics. as well of the in
fluence of periods of excited public feeling
his pastorate was at times marked by
strained relations A notable instance of
this occurred during the war when DR..
Sunderland permitted the use of the church
for a lecture by the late Frederick Doug
lass. A number of families left the church
at that time. DIR. Sunderland also engaged
in controversial discussions at intervals,
and on the platform as well as in the pull
pit he displayed the abilities which gave
him a reputation not only as an eloquent
speaker. but a keen and skillful intel
lectual disputant. He once had a debate
with the late Father White. at that time
pastor of st. Matthews Catholic Church.
DIR. Sunderland and the late Bishop John
P. Newman of the NJ. f. Church had a
Joint debate a Salt Lake City on Mormon
ism with Brigham Young and Elder Pratt,
the latter representing the cause of the
Church of the Latter Day Saints.
DIR. Sunderland had a wide reputation as
a pulpit orator, and at one time the First
Church was regarded as the most promi-
nent in the city. His sympathetic nature.
warm and impulsive. attracted people to
him, and at the same time others were
drawn by their admiration for his intel
| lectual qualities. He had a strong hoId
upon the members of his congregation and
| their affection and esteem survived the
| vicissitudes which arose in great measure
| from the changes in the section of the city
where the church was located.
When DIR. Sunderland first came to the
| city the region about Az and streets was
| the fashionable residence section of the
city, and the First Church then and during
many subsequent years was one of the
| largest and wealthiest in the city. The
pastoral relations. however, continued until
three years ago, when DR.. Sunderland had
reached the age of seventy-nine, and even
| then the congregation gave consent to his
| resignation with reluctance.
Native of Vermont
DIR. Sunderland was born in Shoreham
| Addison county, Vt, on the 22d of Novem
! Der, 1919 Ex-Vice President Morton is a
| native of the same place. and in later years,
| when both had achieved distinction, they
| resumed their acquaintance in this city
| DR.. Sunderland was educated in the home
| schools, and then entered Middleburg Col
| lege. graduating in the year 1898. His alma
mater recognized his ability by comforting
| upon him the degree of doctor of divinity.
| He taught school Tor a time, and then en-
| tered Union Theological Seminary, COM
| pleting the course in the year 1s43. He
| then entered upon his work as minister OF
| the Gospel, which he continued with much
| success for more than half a century.
| While recognized even in these early
| years as a man of much brilliancy and
| ability, he began in humble way his life
| work. He had charge of a mission church
| in Alexandria, GenesSee county, n. Y, but
| in few months he was called to be pastor
| of the First Presbyterian Church of Ba-
| tavia, n. Y. He was installed in the year
| 1S43, and remained there eight years. He
| then accepted q call to the pastorate of the
| Park Presbyterian Church. Syracuse N. Y
He began his service there in 1851 and
| after two years came the call to the First
| Church in this city. He accepted it, and
/ preached his first sermon here February G.
| 1853 While in Batavia DIR. Sunderland
| married Miss Tonllinson a daughter of a
| prominent resident, and one whose quail
| ties of mind and heart endeared her to q
| large circle of friends in this city. AS the
| center of a happy, cultured home, Mrs
| Sunderland for years discharged the duties
| of her position with a grace and tact that