Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

home shaped the character of the future
preacher.
After attending preparatory school he
entered Bethel College. Russellville, KY.
graduating in the i. A. course, as vale
dictorian of the class of 1890. For the
next four years Dr. Bruner attended the
Southern BAPTIST Theological Seminary
at Louisville. Ky. Here. under John a.
Broadus he received training which led
to the bestowal of the degree doctor of
theology in 1894. This course was fol-
lowed by a postgraduate course of two
years largely under Noah X. Davis, at
the University of Virginia.
During most of this time at college.
seminary and university he served
churches near by, his most important
charge being at Lawrenceburg, Ky. Upon
leaving the University of Virginia he was
called, in 1896, at the age of twenty-eight.
to succeed DR.. e. Y. Mullins pastor of
the historic Lee Street Baptist Church of
Baltimore. Here for seven years a good
work was carried on. Though the church
was in downtown section. a large con-
GreSation. was drawn together by the
magnetic young preacher. the large audi
torium being crowded almost every Sun
day evening. Along all lines the church
is said to have been greatly built up and
encouraged. In the spring of 1908 he ac-
''pttu Il tNitt-eNitHueu Cdll 10 Ine cav
airy Baptist Church of Richmond, Va.
Here in about year and a half nearly
100 members have been added to the
church.
The large congregations attending and
the success Of his work have been almost
sensation in Richmond, 1t is said. Only
the greater opportunity in Washington,
1T is said. could have severed the pres
ent pastoral relation.
In April 1908. DR. Bruner was married
to Miss Maria Gwathmey of Richmond, a
woman of rare charm and ability, and a
member of a noted family. They have a
son six months old Two girls from Dr.
Bruners first marriage complete the fam
lily.
In personal appearance DIR. Bruner is
pleasing. His pulpit manner is quiet, but
intensely earnest. While highly edu-
Gated. it is said he breaches simply
enough for child to understand.
Mrs. alfalfa l.. ]. Irwin. who breaches
tomorrow morning at the Universalist
Church. 18th and l. streets. is said to be
the only southern woman in the Christian
ministry who was born. reared and ordained
and is at present preaching as pastor in
the south. She is and has been for several
years the pastor of the Universalist Church
IN Pensacola. Fla. and is returning to her
charge after attendance on the summer con-
NentionS of the denOmina ton in New Eng
land and New Jersey.
At the semi-annual election of officers
of the Bereans of the Ninth Street Chris
tan Church last Sunday the following
were chosen: President Henry Rrewood:
vice president, Edgar NJ Kitchen; leader
or teacher. Edward y. Stavens with as
sistants, Paul Newhaus, DR. F. E. Rankin
and I. y. Hostetler: chairman of the Wis
iting committee C. Percy Rhodes: head of
the employment bureau. Mr.. Allen; secre-
tary, {. q. Smith; treasurer, Henry Bre-
wood.
Interesting services are held each Thurs
day by ladies from Washington churches
for the inmates Of ST Elizabeth's ASYLUM
Tor the insane who desire 10 participate in
meetings of religious character Mrs
Graves of the Calvary Baptist Church L. A.
the head of the movement, and conducts
exercises in different parts of the hospitaI
each Thursday. The services consjSt o.
Blole selections, Psalms and organ music
One of the newest fields to be entered nv
tie Protestant bodies of the United States
Is the island of Porto Rico. a land which
had hitherto been given up wholly To Tho
Roman Catholic Church. At the present
Time the Episcopalians have one school on
tie island, with two teachers and eighty
pupils the Presbyterians have four schools
twelve teachers and 200 pupils. and the
Congrcgationalsts. three schools ten
teachers and 300 pupils The Rev Dr.
FRANK + Woodbury., secretary of the
American Missionary Association. has
charge Of the Porto Rican mission work
ior the congregational denomination and
ne had TINS I" say recently in New York
conditions under which IL is carried on:
Porto Rico has population of about
',p"Fl The peop,e are composite race
Almost lup.Cn are OF Spanish lineage One
h< Of the remainder are OF Spanish and
indian ancestry and the other half are de-
Scendauts of Spaniards and negroes The
Roman catholic was the old state religion;
anu the people were found. in the American
occupancy, TO he in Il condition OF dense
ignorance, the illiteracy reaching the an.
paling figure of - per cent of the entire
population. less than one-fiftn OF the fam.
HES being united in lawful marriage
Protestant missionary work has been car.
red on there for about five years and with
remarkable success. Already over fort,
churches have been established with near.
~ 5000 members
The American Missionary Association
began It's service early. and has churches IL
Humacao, Fajardo Lares and Juncos anc
missions at I.uquillo, Las CabeZas, Nagua
DO, La Sdrdnera. Iabucoa, La Florids
Oriente and at other points. Its schools ar,
at San Juan, Lares and Fajardo. Its MAR
work is In the easter part of the isan
The Epscopalians have churches at Sar
Juan and Ponce. with three missions. The
Methodists report ten churches; the Bap-
tlsts, twelve; the Presbyterians. nine, and
the United Brethren and the Disciples
three each Most of the Protestant mis-
sions also include school work The Ameri-
can Missionary Association has been car
rying on four schools, the Baptists two
and the Presbyterians. four
The government schools are now so well
developed that there is less need of cdr.
cational work by the churches. The Protes-
tant missionary societies are in full con.
cord. and do not interfere with one another
There has been the most promising progress
thus far in the diffusion of Protestant
Christianity"
Rev. DR.. w. v. Tudor, d. D.. announced
to preach at IL am. and pm. at the
Mount Vernon Place NJ Z. Church South,
was the first pastor of the church. and is
one of the finest pulpit orators of the pres
ent day. He has a host of friends in this