The suburban citizen., 1902-11-29
Where the President
Goes TO Church.
BY Gabrielle Marie Jacobs.
HAT Theodore Roosevelt
should have chosen one oi

TTHAT Theodore Roosevelt
should have chosen one Of
Washngton's smallest and
@ least pretentious churches as
his place Of worship was characters.
tic Of him as man and President.
Grace Reformed Church occupies the
rear portion Of a valuable piece of land
at the northeast corner of Fifteenth
and o streets. just at the eastern Dor.
der of Washington's most fashionable
residence section. In common with
many other small churches. whether in
city or village. it represents years OF
supreme self-denlal on the part Of
few devoted souls-in this case the de.
scendants of those sturdy pioneers
who came from the Rhine Palatnate
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 upward 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 at its
second general synod held in Dayton
Ohio. in 1869, the word German" was
dropped from its name, and 1t became
known as the Reformed Church in
the United States"
Its worship is liturgical and it's gov
ernment presbyterian The first Of its
ministers who came to this country
brought with them the liturgies Of those
sections of Germany and Switzerland
from which they emigrated, preference
being given to that Of the Palatinate
This. with a few notifications, contin.
ued in use until 1866, when the present
order OF worship was reported by n
committee appointed for the purpose
Each congregation Is governed by
consistory, composed Of pastor, elders
and deacons. The elders and 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 q small
building, of red brick, crowned by
modest splre and cross. The sloping
ceiling is frescoed in a delicate shade
of blue, with frlezes in neutral tlnts,
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.
mandments. AT the left of the altar a
slightly elevated inclosure forms the
choir loft
Every Sunday morning, just Mt the
stroke Of H. 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 by one or two of his chill.
dren. He leaves the White House a
| 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
reverently in his pew Mr., Roosevelt
follows the order Of worship and sings
the hymns with a reverence befitting q
descendant Of the sturdy Netherland.
ers who fought kings. popes and the
ocean Itself, and during their warfare
planted and nurtured the seeds of an
undying faith. When the benedictiop