The Washington times., 1902-03-04
Followers of Baptist Faith
Celebrate One Hundredth
Anniversary.
A CENTURY OF PROGRESS
Denominational Ministers Trace Growth
of Church in District From Its Origin
in 1902 Until Present Time-Exercises
to Continue All Week,

Calvary Baptist Church was well filled
last night with representative people of
that denomination, who were there in
celebration Of the one hundredth anniver
sary of the birth of their church in this
city.
The meeting was the second Of series
extending throughout the week, and was
designated as the Historic Evening" the
subject being "a Century of Progress"
Gen. W. S. Shallenbe.ger presided. Upon
the platform with him sat the Revs. A. ].
Huntington. E. Hez Sven. E. B. Pollard,
c. c. Meador, s. H. Greene, C. S. Williams,
and C. C. Coleman.
Rev. E. B. Pollard. pastor of the First
Baptist Church. spoke on the establish
ment OF the church in this city. He began
by referring to the Washington of 1902.
There were then but about 1900 inha BIZ
tants. and the seat of government had
Just been removed from Philadaiohia
Vast Difference.
The first Sunday in March, 1908. six per-
sons organized the First Baptist Church
of this city. There were five men and
one roman.
At that time there were so few build
ings that it was customary for religion,
meetings to be held in the Government
buildings. The six founders of the First
Baptist Church held their first and many
subsequent meetings in the old Treasury
Building. Rev. William Parkinson, then
chaplain in Congress. was a Baptist and
volunteered to preach for the little con-
gregation every Sunday.
Within seven month from its organiza-
ton, the congregation moved into a lit
tie brick chapel at Nineteenth and 1
Streets northwest. In 1907 call was ex-
tended to Mr.. Obadiah B. Brown. young
graduate of Newark, n. J. He was
trusted employe in the Postofice Depart
ment, caring for the church during his
off hours.
In lSi0 five members of the church who
lived in the southeast section of the city
and found it difficult to journey TO the
old church each Sunday, broke away. The
church rapidly grew TO about fifty men,
bers. and little chapel was erected on
Fourth Street, not far from the pres
ent building. 1t was known as the Navy
Yard, or Second Baptist Church. There
was no regular minister, but many prom
inent men were heard in its pulpit, from
time to time, including Spencer Cue and
Rollin H. Neil
Both churches united with the Balti-
more Association. bat in 1884 the Second
Church severed its connection, the Bal
timore Association not being sufficiently
evangelistic in its ideas and opposed to
missions The First Church had withdrawn
in 1926 and united with the Virginia AS
sociation. This was largely due to the
efforts of Luther Rice. Together with
Marion Judson he had been sent to
foreign mission by the Congregational
Church. but developing ideas opposed to
their teachings support was withdrawn.
Il became necessary for him to return
TO this country and institute a campaign
of Christian development favorable to for
eign missions. He succeeded in the forma-
tion Of the Columbian University, which
soon developed into factor in the de-
nominational life of the city. 1t was orig
inally organized in Philadelphia, but about
the time that the American Baptist PDh'i
cation So0ietT p hirn -- -..r . g. tLiH