Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-21
UNWILLING OF TABLET
SPECIAL EXERCISES CONDUCTED
BY REV. FRANK M. BRISTOL.
Addresses by Leading Citizens Who
Had Been Associated With Wash
ington's Last Mayor.

Church and was attended by an interesting
ceremony. Mr.. Emery was one of the
founders of Metropolitan Church and SUI
perintended the construction of the edifice
From that time till the end of his life he
was president Of the board of trustees of
the church.
The ceremonies were largely attended, in
the audience being many well-known men,
who had been associates of Mr.. Emery and
who assembled yesterday to pay their
tributes of respect to his memory. In the
front pew were seated Mrs. NJ. G. Emery.
the widow; her daughter, Miss Mamie
Emery, and Mr.. and Mrs. w. V. Cox.
The exercises were conducted by DIR.
Frank NJ. Bristol the meeting being pre-
sided over by DR.. Richard Kingsman, chair
man of the tablet committee and a trustee
of the church. The speakers on the occa-
sion were Commissioner H. b. F. Macfar-
land. Mr.. A. B. Duvall, city solicitor of the
District, and Mr.. B. H. Warner. all old
friends of the late mayor.
The tablet is of beautiful white marble
and is placed on the wall in the north end
of the church auditorium to the right of the
west door, just opposite the pulpit. From
the capital at the top, slender columns eX-
Mr.. Emery, Jesus Calls; L Am Almost
Home" are beautifully carved across the
top of the tablet, directly beneath the
pointed capital. Below these words is the
lnScrlptlOn, Matthew flIIeIy- DUH sep
TENDER 2s 1918, died October II. 1901, Presi-
dent Of the board of trustees of the Metro
politan Methodist Episcopal Church for
thirty-two years. Last mayor Of the city
of Washington
The tablet was unveiled by Master EN-
cry Cox, grandson of the late MIR. Emery.
The Opening Address.
After the prayer by DIR. Bristol the con-
grcgation sang Lead, Kindly Light" and
Dr. Kingsman spoke briefly of the sorrow
that had come upon the church in the past
year on account of the death of many use
full members He spoke in detail of the
important position Mr.. Emery had occupied
in the organization from it's beginning until
his death.
Mr. Duvall the next speaker, told of Mr.:
Emery as Christian man. His life said
the speaker was made fragrant by good
Deeds and the Methodist Church counts
this layrnan as worthy of sincere honor to
his memory. His was pre-eminently use
full life, and he served well his day and
generation. "
He recited the history of Mr.. Emery's
connection with the Metropolitan Church;
how he had helped found it, assisted in its
struggles, and left it a permanent fund at
his death. He spoke of many acts of gem
crosby performed by Mr. Emery, among
which his donating the parsonage to
the church. His personal work in the
church, he said, could not be valued too
highly. He was regular in his attendance,
not only at the Sunday services. but at the
midweek prayer meeting. In concluding,
Mr.. Duvall said:
1.-The church yenerates his memory and
in honoring him considers that it is honor
Ing ITSELF
Mr. B. H. Warner spoke of Mr.. Emery as
he had known him in a business and social
way. He said, in part:
II was boy when / first met Mr.. Emery,
and he was then one of the prominent bust
ness men in the city He impressed me
tIa,, hxyh &c itHv in, n n
and by the lack of that arrogance which
men Of wealth sometimes display. He al
ways had words of encouragement for
young men, and as he advanced in years
his sympathy toward all who needed it
seemed to broaden"
Mr.. Warner told Of Mr.. Emery's business
career and his connection with the famous
buildings he had superintended and the in
surance and other corporations that were
started through his efforts.
Mr.. Emery he said, had three bust
ness notices. They were these: "A good
name is better to be chosen than great
riches, and loving favor than silver and
gold;' THE rich and the poor meet together.
the Lord is the Maker Of them all and
'Seest thou a man diligent in business, he
shall not stand before mean men,"
Record as Citizen.
Miss Elisabeth Wahly sang a solo, after
which Commissioner mcfarland spoke Of
Mr.. Emery as a citizen. He said:
because MS ClIlZenSnp was Ill heaven
he was the better citizen Of the state. Be-
cause he was faithful Christian he was a
faithful patriot. Besides fidelity and disin-
terestedness, he had optimism, charity and
courage. He served the community in Of
flee and he served the community out of Of
flee with equal zeal. honesty and intelli-
gence.
For more than forty years he was ac-
tive useful and prominent in the affairs
of the District. AS captain Of the militia
company which he raised for the defense
of the national capital in May, 1861, as
member of the board of aldermen Of the
city of Washington and as the last of the
mayors Of that city, that long line number
ing so many fine characters, he served his
fellow-citizens with credit as Soldier,
legislator and as executive.
He served the national government, too
laying the corner stone of the Washington
monument and Of the Capitol extension
and caring bountifully for. the sick and
wounded during the civil war.
LAS member of many prominent organi-
cations Of citizens for civic, religious, edu-
cational or philanthropic purposes, in serv-
ice on juries and in response to the general
calls of the Commissioners, he performed
the duties of the private station.
His private affairs were sufficiently en-
crossing to afford him the excuses which
many men make for neglecting the public
and private duties of the citizen, but ever
as he grew older he did not avail himself
of these excuses. He was never Indifferent
to public affairs, and he never Shirked his
public duties. He had nothing In common
with the parasites who take from the COM
munity all they can get and give nothing in
return. His keen interest in the common
welfare was unalloyed by envy or malice.
1t never found expression in carping criti-
cism. much less in malignant misrepre-
sentation of men or measures He was
candid and honorable critic He was even
free from the common temptation to think
better of the days of his greater activity
than of their successors
Although he was the last man elected
by the people to executive Office in Wash
ington, and was it's mayor when the old
city government was superseded by the ter
ritorial form of government for the entire
District Of Columbia, he never regretted
the abolition of the suffrage. and cordially
supported the government of the District
by the governors and their successors, the
Commissioners. He believed the later to
be the best form of government for the
District. He was proud Of the reputation
for good government which the District of
Columbia enjoys throughout the country
and of contrasting it with the very differ
ent reputation of other communities.
Washington's Freedom From Scandals.
''In our last conversation he spoke of the