The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-11-28

WashingtOns smallest and
least pretentlous churches as
/ his place Of worship was characteris-
/ tic Of him as man and President.
Grace Reformed Church occupies the
! rear portion Of a valuable piece Of land
! az the northeast corner Of Fifteenth
and o streets. just an the eastern bor-
/ der Of WashingtOn's most fashionable
| residence section. In common with
many other small churches. whether in
I city or village. ii represents years OF
| supreme self-denial on the part Of n
| few devoted souls-in this case the de.
scendants Of those sturdy pioneers
who came from the Rhine Palatiuate
| early in the eighteenth century and
settled In Montgomery County and
other eastern counties in Pennsylva-
mia. The adherents OF this denomina-
ton, later known as The German Re
formed Church IN the United States"
spread upW.4<alOng the Hudson and
downward into North Carolina. estab-
fishing places Of worship and found
| ing institutions Of learning. and other
wise SO deeply taking root in the fer
tile soil Of free country that AZ It's
second general synod held in Dayton.
Ohio, in 1869. the word German" was
dropped from It's name. and il became
known as the Reformed Church in
the United States"
Its worship is llturgical and its gov
ernment presbyterian. The first Of its
ministers who came 10 this country
brought with them the liturgios Of those
sections Of Germany ana Switzerland
from which they emigrated. preference
being given 10 that Of the Palatinate.
This, with a few notifications. contin-
ued in use until 1866. when the present
order Of worship was reported by
committee appointed for the purpose.
Each congregation is governed by a
consistory, composed Of pastor, elders
and dcacons The elders aud deacons
are ordained by the LAYING on of hands.
The Washington congregation was
organized in 1877, and the church at
Fifteenth and o streets was built two
or three years later 1t is a small
building, of red brick. crowned by
modest spire and cross The slopng
| ceiling is fresCocd I'm a delicate shade
Of blue, with friezcs in neutral tints,
and the windows are of stained glass
in simple, yet tasteful design over
the altar are three black tablets. bear
Ing in gilt letters the Lords Prayer
the Apostles Greed and the Ten Com
mandmcnts. At the left Of the altar n
slightly elevated inclosure forms the
choir loft.
Every Sunday morning. just at the
stroke Of II. a voluntary sounds from
the sweet-toned chapel organ 1t is
followed with an anthem by the choir.
during which an usher escorts to the
second pew in the middle tier the Pres
ident of the United States. usually ac-
companied 10y one or two of his chill
! dren. He leaves the White House n
| few minutes before II. and with rapid
/ strides passes up Sixteenth street
| scarcely slackening his pace when he
gains the brick walk leading to the
| door of the church. Taking his place
reyerently in his pew Mr.. Roosevelt
follows the order Of worship and sings
the hymns with a reverence befitting a
| descendant of the sturdy Netherland-
ers who fought kings, popes and the
ocean itself. and during their warfare
planted and nurturcd the seeds Of an
| undying faith. When the benediction
has been pronounced the worshipers