Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-07
DEDICATION SERVICES.
The Fort Myer Heights Baptist Chapel
Opened Yesterday.

opcue0 Iestcr0ay.
The Fort Myer Heights Baptist Chapel
was dedicated at 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon. DR.. E. B. Pollard of the First Bap-
list Church delivered the dedication sermon.
and music was furnished under the direction
of Mr.. Percy s. Foster.
Addresses were delivered by Rev. DIR. c.
w. Graves of Falls Church, and by Second
Assistant Postmaster General Shallen-
berger. At the suggestion of the for
mer collection was taken up to assist
In paying of the remaining debt Of 500.
and total of $40 was contributed. There
was large attendance and much interest
was manifested.
The origin of the movement which has
thus eliminated in the founding of a new
church is interesting. The first Sunday in
May, 1889 prayer meeting was held in the
nome of Mrs. H. w. Reynolds of Rosslyn,
Va, under the leadership of Mrs. Nettie
ollver and Mrs. w. A. Stewart Of George
town. 1t was believed there was a good
opening for a Sunday school, and the chill
dren were gathered in. Some Sundays the
httIe 'front.' room was full to overlooking,
ana In October of the same year the Sun
day school was moved to Mrs J. H Tay-
mans at Fort Myer Heights where larger
rooms were found.
Mrs Oliver and Mrs. Stewart were very
faithful, going from Georgetown in all
kinds of bad weather to teach the lesson
AMI encourage the work A Christmas en-
tertainment was held at Mrs. Tayman's.
candy and books were distributed. For
several months prayer meetings were held
after the Sunday school exercises, led by
members of the West Washington Baptist
Church and of the Christian Endeavor
Union.
For one year the Sunday school met at
Mrs. Tayman's, but in October 1900 1t
became necessary to move to Mrs. II. w.
McGeorge's. One Sunday it met at Mrs.
G. B. NJ. Ricker's, and during the winter of
l9oo-oi 1t held sessions in each of two va
cant houses. When Christmas came, a
tree frightened the bare ROOM Bags of
candy, books and dolls were under the
tree and suspended from it's branches. A
number of the books few of the dolls and
some of the tree ornaments were given by
children Of Calvary Baptist Sunday school
in Washington.
Rev A. W. Graves Of the Baptist Church
at Falls Church has attended nearly every
other Sunday and held a prayer meeting
after the Sunday school adjourned. He at
tended the Christmas exercises Friday, De-
cember g. 1900. and organized the school.
At that time Mrs. Stewart was elected su-
perintendent, Mrs Oliver treasurer and
Sarah A. McGeorge secretary.
Early in the spring Of 1901 the last va
cant house in the village was rented, and
Mrs. ]. H. Hobson opened her doors. Here
the children gathered each Sunday. until
September s, 1901 when they moved into
the unfinished chapel.
Almost Immediately after the school was
started the ladies began to talk about a
church edifice, and in January, 1900, COM
mittee was appointed. of which Mrs. Stew
art was chairman. Mrs. Oliver secretary
and Mrs. Mary Disbro treasurer. The chill
dren were given banks and the grown folks
were given collection books as means of
raising the money. Lawn parties, ice cream
and dime socials and box parties were held
to add to the building fund. 1t took nearly
one year and a half to raise s340.62. Mr..
G. E. Hid of Falls Church said he would
close in the chapel at as small cost as pos
sible, and put the figures at $542. The con-
gregation has paid him 1856 IL. About
$44S5 worth of building material was do
mated. making a total of s401, but debt on
the building of $141 remained. The plaster
ing will cost about $136, making the entire
debt s277.
Mrs. Geo. P. Robinson and Mr.. D. K
Trimmer gave a lot for the chapel in Sep
tember 1900, but the building was not be-
gun till July %, 1901.