Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-17
IN THE CH URCHES.

The scventy-fifth anniversary of Wesley
Methodist Episcopal Church, at the corner
OF 9th and F streets northwest. will De
celebrated with appropriate exercises dur
ing the week beginning Sunday, october
%. An elaborate program has been pre-
pared for the occasion. and it is expected
that the event will be long remembered by
the members of the congregation. The
anniversary celebration will be of partic-
.Glar interest to the Methodist Genomina-
lion in the city. inasmuch as Wesley is
one of the old-time churches. and has been
closely identified with many of the i'm
rortant concerns of that denomination in
the District
The opening service of the celebra ton
has been arranged fer Sunday morning.
October -, when Bishop A. w. Wilson OF
the NJ. f. Church South, whose father was
AT one time pastor of Wesley. will deliver
the sermon In the evening the Sunday
school Will hold mass meeting. when
some prominent speaker will make an ad-
dress.
The services Monday night will be in
honor of the churches from which Wesley
sprung. including Dumbarton Avenue,
Georgetown; Foundry and Trinity. The ad-
dresses Monday evening will be delivered
by the pastors of the respective churches
as follows: Rev. Frank Hayenner Rev.
Robert NJ. Moore and Rev. Dr. ]. c. Nichol-
son.
Pastors of the churches which sprung
from Wesley will deliver addresses Tues
day evening. Among the speakers will be
Rev Dr. George +. Maydwell of Waugh,
Rev. DR.. Frank NJ. Bristol of Metropolitan,
Rev. DR.. Joseph Smith of Grace, Rev. j. f..
Amos of North Capitol, Rev. H f. r.
Reck of Brightwood. Rev. R. l.. Wright OF
Ryland
The program for Wednesday night will
Include addresses by former pastors of the
church. follows: Rev. DR.. j. Fred
'Heisse of Baltimore Rev. w. l. Mckenny.
presiding elder of Frederick district; Rev.
DR.. l.. b. Wilson. presiding elder of West
Baltimore district; Rev. c. W. Baldwin of
Baltimore. Rev. G. p. Wright and others.
1t is expected that the pastors of all Meth
odist Churches in Washington will attend
this meeting, and at the close of the pro-
gram there will be Il reception with re-
freshments and music.
Rev. DIR. Henry r. Naylor, presiding
elder of Washington district. will conduct
the love feast Thursday evening. and ;he
following night will be '.fraternal evening,
when the following ministers, represent
ativeS of local churches of various denoml-
ne tons will make brief addresses: Rev.
DR.. ]. G. Butler, Luther Place Memorial
Church: Rev. DR.. ]. ]. Muir, Temple Bap-
list; Rev. DIR. A. w. Pitzer. Central Pres
byterian. southern; Rev. Forrest j. Prot
lyman. Mt. Vernon Place NJ. f. Church
South; Rev. DR.. George NJ. Wilson, Assem-
7bly's Presbyterian; Rev. DR.. ID. c. Mcleod,
First Presbyterian, and Rev. A. Norman
Ward. North Carolina Avenue NJ. p.
Church.
The anniversary exercises will conclude
Sunday night November 1, with a mass
meeting of the Epworth League.
Wesley, II is stated, was the third Metho-
dist church TO organize in the city, the
Dumbarton Church. Georgetown, having
been the original Methodist organization
In the District. The first city church was
located on Greenleaf's Point. and from this
came the church on 4th street southeast,
now known as Trinity. at 9TH and streets
southeast. The second was Foundry, at
14th and G streets northwest now at 18th
and r streets northwest. The Foundry
congregation having some downtown
members, and Fourth Street Church some
uptown adherents. and the neighborhood
of the city hall giving every indication of
growing. the project of holding Methodist
services there. which had been discussed by
the Foundry people, was carried into effect.
Accommoda tons were found in Masonic
Hall. and early in 1898 regular preaching
services were held in that place Rev. Viii
liam Ryland, whose name is perpetuated in
the church at 10th and ID streets southwest,
ofiiciated for the little band. Larger quart
ers being needed. they cast about for a site.
and the present location at the corner of
9Th and f streets northwest appeared the
most inviting.
This site was part of the holdings of
Gen. John p. Van Ness, who from 1880 to
1854 was the mayor of the city, and De-
cember d 1898, he executed deed for the
site to George Crandall. Enoch Tucker and
others as trustees. Gen. Van Ness Stlpu
lated that 1t should be used for religious
purposes. 1t came as Il Christmas gift and
was an incentive to the movement. Having
the site in hand, preparations were made
for the erection of a church home. By
May following uS29) Wesley Chapel was on
the site. and it was dedicated by Bishop Nc
kendree.
1t was a plain brick structure about 80
by 20 feet in the conventional style of the
period, galleries on the sides for the public
and one facing the pulpit at the south end.
The worshipers mostly held membership in
tthe Foundry. and at the session of the Bal
umOre conference two ministers were ap-
pointed for that station and Wesley, one
quarterly conference ruling both churches.
These ministers We're Rev. Stephen George
Roszel. one of the pioneer preachers of the
conference. and Rev. French S. Evans, who
though he located few years after taking
a government position. for over half a CEN
fury was regarded as a most efficient mis-
sionary. Mr.. Roszel served again in 1890
with Rev. S. Kepler, j. NJ Hanson and
George Hidt in 1872 John Baer and
Thomas Dorsey in 1893 Samuel Bryson and
Thomas b. Sargent in 1870 and William
Hamilton and c. b. Tippett in 1867.
Mr. Justice Mclean of the Supreme
Court OF the United States often
led one of the sunrise classes. and H. w.
billiard of Alabama frequently occupied the
pulpit and assisted in the meetings. Even
at that day the services of women were or
ganiZed. for Mrs. w. q. Deale, the mother
of the late Rev. J. S. Deale frequently led
a class.
President Franklin Pierce. Chief Justice
Chase. General Grant and other prominent
men were also frequent attendants at Yves
ley.
In nine years of companionship with
Foundry. during which the most harmoni-
Gus relations existed. Wesley had so grown
as 10 inspire confidence in its membership
that the church was able to sustain itself
The parent church was equally confident
and when Wesleys wishes were mace
Known the quarterly conference at the
Foundry declared Wesley an independent
station after March l. ISIS The Baltimore
conference appointed TO Wesley Rev Geo
u. Goodman. whose fame as an orator and
Jealous worker had preceded him Rev Mr.
Goodman was the father of the late Rev
ALFRED Goodman. the noted 'sanctifcation''
evangelist. Rev. Mr. Goodman was re-
Earded as eminently successful at Wesley
and MANY new members were added to the
church. He was elected chaplain of the
House of Representatives during his pas
"a NJ