Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-12

he obtained from the rector or choirmaster.
The day of conservation is set for May T.
and at 80 an. the holy communion for
the guilds. brotherhOods and church socie-
ties will be celebrated by Rev. Frank NJ.
Gibson Phi D, and at o'clock holy COM
Ynl.ni0n services for the members of the
Sunday school will be in charge of the
rector The conservation Of the church by
the bishop of the diocese will occur at
1870, at which time he will preach the
sermon and celebrate the communion. The
afternoon and evening OF the DAY VIII De
devoted to fun choral services. with Sun
day school celebration at O'Clock ana
preaching at pm.
The first meeting to consider the Organi-
zation of Trinity parish was held in the
old city hall December :, 1876 Mr. iona
than Elliot author of "A History of Wash
ington." presided at the meeting, which
was unanimous in it's desire to found the
society and by the time of the next meet
ing, April 81 of the following year, 800 had
been subscribed toward building the church.
The council chamber was used as tenn
porary place of worship, the president OF
the common council having extended the
courtesy. The members elected a vestry
and Rev Henry Van Dyke Johns became
the first rector. The site of the first church
building was on 9TH street between d and
E streets northwest. me present location OF
a large office building. and the congregation
occupied the structure April II, 1879, 1t be-
ing cOnsecrate the following month by the
Right Rev. Richard Claiming Moore, bishop
Of Virginia.
Mr. Johns continued as rector until 1882.
when he resigned. and succeeded by
Rev Chauncey Cotton. Other rectors and
their terms of service were as follows:
Rev. f. W. Higbee, 1s34-1s36; Rev. John
owen. 1s}6-1S39; Rev. Horace Stringfellow,
1s4O-1Si6; Rev. c. VI. Butler. 1S47-1s54; Rev
George D. Cummins. 1s54-1s5S; Rev. c. NJ
Butler Second term. 1859 1861; Rev. z. W.
Syle, 1SG2-1S63; Rev. r. ]. Keeling. 1863
1861; Rev. T. G. Addison. 1s67-1s96, a term
Of nearly thirty years. Rev. Richard p
Williams the present rector, took charge
on February "a, 1891.
The erection of the present church home.
at the corner of Sd and c streets, was first
urged by Rev. C. NJ. Butler during his first
term as rector. and by 1919 So, 600 had been
raised. 1t at first the intention to
build on the original site, but at the last
moment the philanthrOpist Mr.. w. W. Cor
cOran. offered to loan the congregation the
money necessary to secure new location,
and the result was the purchase of the lot
where the present building stands, the old
edifice being sold to the First Congrega-
tional Church.
The same architect who designed the
Smithsonian Institution drew the plans for
the new Trinity Church. The corner stone
was laid In 1850 and the building was COM
pleted a short time afterward. From time
TO time alterations have been made IN the
structure. and in the summer of 1898
changes were made which resulted in the
beautiful interior of the house of worship.
The parish has a rectory which cost $4,000,
Il
which it stands. cost s3l0p0. The number
of communicates is over 800 and the Sun
day school has more than 800 scholars.
During the civil war the church was fitted
up as an army hospital and used for that
purpose for six months.
Many historical characters have been at
tendants at this house of worship, among
them being Daniel Webster Henry Clay
and John C.. Calhoun. Daniel Webster and
Henry Clay We're regular members of the
congregation and Mr.. Webster was a pew
holder.
Rev. Richard P Williams, the present
rector, accepted the call to this church in
1897. He was born in New Orleans August
"A, 1855. He graduated from the College Of
the City of New York in 1874, and in the
following year engaged in business on the
New York Cotton Exchange. For the next
fifteen years he was identified with that ex-
change. also the produce exchange, the cof-
fee exchange, the consolidated exchange
and the Chicago Board of Trade.
In 1890 he closed his business and went
10 Richmond, Va, where he studied for
orders, and was ordained in 1898, in his
tcric St. Pauis Protestant Episcopal Church
of that city. He was assistant rector of
St. Paups until 1894, when he received a
call to the rectorship of the Church of the
Holy Comforter of Montgomery. Ala, where
he remained until he assumed charge OF
Trinity Church in this city in February,
1857.
DIR. Williams is archdeacon of the District
of Columbia. district secretary Of the board
of missions for the middle states, chairman
OF the board Of examining chaplains OF
tho diocese of Washington, and was dele
gate from the diocese of Washington to
the general convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, held in San Francisco
last summer.
He is also a thirty-third degree Mason
and was presented with a handsome level
by the Lodge of Strict Observance No. 2O7
Of Richmond, April ID, 1894
He Is very popular among his consrega-
tio2 and has many friends in tie city out