Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-16

ment of debts and even for the non-at-
tendance at divine services, and that for
these infractions orders of suspension
and communication had been issued.
/ One individual, who had attended the
races and sold liquor there, was read
mitted to the church because of many
palliating circumstances and upon his
earnest and solemn promise he would do
SO no more"
After telling many stories similar to
this one Mr.. Clephane closed with a de-
scription Of the death-bed of President
Lincoln, where DR.. Gurley, pastor of the
church at that time, at the instance of
Secretary Stanton, broke the silence Of
approaching death with a prayer for
help.
so it may be said" concluded Mr..
Clephane, that the immortal spirit of
Abraham Lincoln was waited to its
heavenly home upon the wings of prayer
from the lips Of the pastor he loved so
we'll"
DR.. Bartlett's Contribution.
The next speaker was Rev. DR.. William
Alvin Bartlett, pastor of the church from
1882 to 1894 In part he said:
There is something august and stipend
GUS about a century. The word itself is so
ample, its forces are so world compelling.
When 1 say that was graduated from col
lege more than half a century ago, and that
l have lived two-thirds Of these hundred
years. l feel related to the aeons and the
ages. While century is but tick in the
clock of destiny, it is still long enough pro-
baton for Judgment day; long enough to
test principles, theories, experiments and
observe their trend and all thinkers are
summing it up.
TT has been a century of upheaval and
startling changes. We have quarreled with
the stars for their secrets and battled with
the earth for its mysteries. No line of
thought, religious, governmental, or scien-
tifice, but has been radicated and readjust-
ed We have excelled the fish in swimming;
we are on the eve Of surprising the bird in
flight. Religion has been proven, called in
from irrelevancies to essentials. Reverent
scholarship has sifted the Bible, to sep.
arate history from eastern legend, discrimi-
mating the voice of God from the jargon of
oriental jugglers and Thaumdturgists.
What 1 wish to say Is that this New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church has been
contemporaneous with this writing CEN
fury. 1t was born in the year of the Louis
lana purchase 1t lives in the year of the
ocean bound republic. 1t has touched with
its prayer and praise. with its holy men and
women. everything that has ever occurred
in this District of Columbia, the march OF
the nations laws improving for hundred
years-the decisions of that great .unblem-
ished court-the signatures of the execu-
tive-the stress and strain of mental con-
fiict-aH have been touched and shot
through by the influences from this church.
Its character is seen in the result, the UNI
detachable odor. the unaccountable light,
modifying and lettering. Its warp has
sought the wool by the swift flying shuttle
of events until 1t is a parcel of the fabric,
giving tint and pattern to 1t ALL"
National Impress of Church.
An address was delivered by Gen. H. v.
Boynton on 1.-The National Impress of This
Church." After paying high tribute to the
pastors of the church and the mothers OF
the congregation he said few words about
each of the famous persons who have been
on the church roll. Among the members
Of Congress who attended he recalled Sem
ators Mcmillan, Burrows, Benjamin Har-
rjson German, Elkins and Alger, the latter
two afterward Secretaries of War. and
Representatives Pennington, Blaine and
Colfax. He also enumerated the cabinet
officers and members OF the judiciary who
had attended, besides many famous men of
the army and navy. In conclusion he said:
while we look back with reverence TO
those early Presidents who gave their IN
fuence to building UP this church, let US
not fail to note and do honor to a Presi-
dent of this our day, who is not only
regular attendant upon Christian serv-
ices, but frequent particfpator in them
and constant advocate Of clean living,
OF high ideals. of citizenship which fears
God and iabors for the best interests Of
the state and humanity. An able soldier.
of intense patriotism and purest courage
on the field OF battle, Intellectually endow-