Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-19

| longed, determined to establish a mission
scheoI, TO be held Sabbath afternoons. Ac-
| cordingly school was commenced in the
building known as Island Hall, on the first
i Saopath 6th) of July, AID. 1856, with ten
| eedchers, Principally members Of the Il
| street and Navy Yard churches, and fifty
| scholars.
.'Chastain c. Meador. late a licentiate
minister of the Mount Hermon Church. I'm
| bedford county, Va, now a member of the
Street Church, and pursuing his studies
in the Columbian College, was engaged as
| superintendent. and also to preach and
! conduct religious meetings in the hall.
The school and meetings having been
| continued with increasing interest for near
| ly year, ii was deemed important to as
certain the views and feelings of the breth-
rem and sisters of the different churches
relative to the propriety Of organizing a
| regular Baptist church; and a notice was
| sent to the four churches inviting a meet
| ing of such as could attend, in order that
| a fair expression of opinion might be OBJ
| tanned.
| "Such a meeting was held on Sunday
| evening, June 2S, 1857. at Island Hall.
| Brother c. c. Meador acting as chairman
and Brother John T; Given as secretary.
After general discussion, participated in by
Rev. @. w. Samson, George w. Dorrance,
Andrew Rothwell, - Heath and others.
the following resolution, offered by Brother
| Samson, was unanimously adopted:
| 90 Resolved, That. in the opinion Of this
| meeting, it is expedient that a new Baptist
| church be constituted in this section of the
city.
"Other preliminary meetings were held
| to make the necessary arrangements for
the holding of council to constitute tho
proposed church and to adopt articles CT
| faith, church covenant etc.
Council Called.
ION Sabbath afternoon, July &c, 1857, IN
| compliance with an invitation sent to the
several Baptist churches requesting each
to send the pastor and five delegates to
sit in council meeting was held at Is
land Hail. On motion Rev. T. w. Greer.
pastor of the Navy Yard Church, was cho-
| sen moderator and Brother L. Stickney Of
| the Fourth Church, E street, was chosen
| secretary. The following delegates were
present: Rev. G. w. Samson, Rev. J. @.
| Binney, DID,, of Columbian College, A.
| Rothwell, u. Richards, T. U. Walter,
Henry Beard, ]. C. Lewis. e Burnett and
| F. H. Stickney. A letter was received from
| the Second (Navy Yard Church expressing
\ Christian sympathy, but declining to send
| delegates because they deemed 1t unueces-
sary. Upon an invitation to all the minis
| tiers and brethren to take seats and partici-
pate in the council, the following additional
| delegates were enrolled: Rev Eugene Kim
| caid, missionary to Burmah; Rev. Thomas
| Jones of Rockville Md; Rev. S. H. Mrick,
Rev. @. w. Dorrance. John T. Given, Ed
[ mund +. Brown and John Butts"
| After inquiries the constitution and arti-
cles of faith of the new church were APP
| proved and the council so certified in the
i record book of the church by its officers.
4 Public exercises were held IN the upper
| room of Island Hall the same afternoon,
Rev. E. Kincaid reading selections of Scrip
ture, Rev. Thomas Jones offering prayer,
| Rev. DR.. Binney addressing the members
| of the new church and Rev. DIR. Samson
giving the right hand of fellowship There
were thirteen members from the e Street
Church, four from the Second Navy Yard
Church, one from Long Branch Church,
Fauquier county, Va, and three others
were added shortly after.
The new church held a business meeting
Wednesday, July %, and Invited Mr.
Meador to become the pastor at a salary Of
500 per year, to commence on his return
from visit In Virginia A committee was
appointed to invite council TO arrange for
the ordination of the pastor. George NJ.
Kendall Richard Farmhouse and James
Fraser were elected deacons. J. Z. f. Carlin
was elected clerk and James Fraser was
made treasurer.
Pastor Ordained.
Mr.. Meador was ordained September 20,
1857, and soon after the church became a
member Of the Maryland Association, re-
porting a membership of twenty-four. and
the purchase OF lot as a site for house
of worship. In 1858 the membership was
three times as large as it was at the begin
ming, and the following year OS59) the
property of the Old School Baptist congre-
cation, lot 3, square 493, fronting on ID
street between Az End 9Th streets, was pur-
chased of James Towles and Jasper Grimes,
acting for the organization. for 81 800 but
Mr. Towles contributed 800 of this sum.
Twenty years before frame building
had been erected by the Old School church,
which was known as Shiloh. This the new
owners took possession OF, and they at once
overhauled and renovated 1t. As the Island
Baptist Church it entered upon a prosper
GUS career, the membership and congrega-
ton rapidly increasing and the Sunday
school gaining in number and usefulness.
When, however, the civil war came on,
like other churches 1t suffered, and II
needed the heroic efforts of the pastor and
the working members to keep the congrega-
ton together. There was a decline numeri-
cally and financially, and for some months
it seemed that nothing but an abandonment
OF the work would result. The congregation
was unable to pay the pastor and the other
expenses of the church, and In 1853 Dr.
Meador resorted to secular employment,
but still served the congregation. In few
years the faithful members were re1oiced by
increasing interest, and by 1865 were aoie
to report that the church was out OF debt
and every interest of the church was pros
pering.
New House of worship.
So improved were the conditions that the
pastor was able to devote his entire time
to the church and the crowded congrega-
lions demanded more room. In 1867 the
proposition to build a new brick edifice on
the property met with approval and the
frame structure, Old Shiloh. was removed
to the rear OF the lot and the brick edifce
in which the congregation now worships
was erected. The lower portion was COM
pleted in 1869, and occupied, and few
was opened.
The location of the Baltimore and Poto-
mac round house In the west end of the
square was an annoyance to the church,
and several suits for damages resulted,
the congregation winning after appeals 10
the Supreme Court of the United States,
but the purchase OF the present edifice by
the railroad company ends all litigation.
The Washington Baptist Association met
here in 1877, but soon after this church with
several others of the denomination here
formed an association Sor the District.
How well the Fifth Church has succeeded
is indicated by it's near coo communicates
and its prosperous Sunday school of over
300 members, of which Mr.. S. NJ. Yeatman
is the superintendent; Messrs. s. Howison,
s. NJ Yeatman, Walter f. Carter. ]. ].
Darlinton, j. c. DeAuey, Henry L.
Stout and S. s. English are the deacons;
Mr. Charles Carter, the clerk. and a fine
choir of twelve voices. led by Mr.. George
H Lillebridge reinforced by George Gar
land, the blind organist, is an attraction.
The trustees DR.. Meador, s. NJ. Yeat-
man and Joseph b. Bailey, and the building
committee &c comnosed of the ma stOr FIoyd