Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
.OLD-T|ME CHURCHES
Washington Organizations and
Their Houses of Worship.
EARLY DAYS IN CAPITAL CITY
Denominations Represented and Some
thing of Their History.
CHANGES MADE BY CIVIL WAR
Many Congregations Undergo Tribu-
1ations, but Most of Them Are
Flourishing Today.
CHANGES MADE BY CIVIL WAR

'"There is popularity about churches"
said an old Washington pastor, ''all point
ing by spire or peaked roof upward to the
same heaven though each has it's separate
path
Washington, il may he remarked. is we'll
provided with accommodations for religious
worship, judging from the number of
churches, and every phase of religious faith
is represented in society somewhere. Since
the days before the civil war there has been
a religious growth proportionate with the
progress made by the community in other
directiOns-indeed in some respects surpasS-
ing that in any other direction The col
umns of religious notices nowadays, in
comparison with the few such notices fifty
years ago, afford ample evidence of the
fact stated 1t may be said that every de-
nomination has in the past sixty years in
creased III numbers of churches and mem
bers, although there have been some
changes-a few churches having united with
others; some removed to other localities;
but in one instance a congregation 100 years
old, whose organization is still maintained,
sold its building years ago.
The churches in the early days were few
in numbers, small and plain in character
of building. There are few persons living
who have seen the older edifices in their
original forms, for those which antedated
1850 have been removed, rebuilt or enlarged.
tie brick church where now stands the fine
edifce of st. Patricks parish only exists
in the tradition OF some old families, and
the brick church once known as Father
Matthew'S is remembered by but few
st. NIary's. better known Barry
Chapel" III the neighborhood of South Cap
itol and o streets southwest, was in use
down TO the twenties, and went into decay
after st. Peters was erected.
In 1910 st. Matthews had at 18th and II
streets a much smaller structure than that
of later years. Within the next decade St
Marys (German) Church was erected. 1t
was a small chapel-like building at 9Th
and Washington streets. st. Matthews is
now on Rhode Island avenue, its original
property having been sold. st. Marys has
a new house.
Episcopal Churches.
Christ Episcopal Church. navy yard, had
its beginnings in a barn on Capitol Hill,
but a brick building was erected on u
street, east of 9th street, and the congre-
cation removed thereto In the early days OF
the last century. The old building was q
very modest, plain structure.
st. Johns p. +. Church at 10th and II
streets, erected about the year 1915 has
fifties. The Columbia law building, opposite
Judiciary Square is on the site of Trinity
Episcopal Church. the congregation being
now located in a modern structure at Sd
street and Indiana avenue. Epiphany was
organized at the old Apollo Hall on L
street, west of 18th street. Its house of
worship in the fifties was a modest struc-
ture located on G street, west of 18th street,
and having but little architectural beauty.
The Church of the Ascension. now an Inn
posing structure on Massachusetts avenue
and 18th street, was located on III street,
between 9th and 10th streets in quite a
| large brick structure.
First Of Baptist Churches.
| The first church erected by the BaptIsts
| was at the corner of 10th and I streets, in
| which both white and colored people wor-
| SHIPPED. The whites gave the use of the
! building afterward to their colored friends.
| who have since greatly improved and re-
| built the structure
The Baptist congregation referred tc
erected stately edifice on 10th street. be-
| tween Il and f streets. which was long
known as "ParSon Browns" This was
sold and became Ford's Opera House. the
| society uniting with that OF Rev. DR. Teas
/ dale on the site of the Builders Exchange
! This congregation is now in fine edifice
/ on 10th street.
! The Second Church congregation occii.
| pied small brick edifiee at 4th street and
| Virginia avenue southeast which was
known as the Navy Yard Baptist Church
| The site is now occupied by new struc-
ture.
| The e Street Baptist (now the Temple
| Baptist) Church at nth ana N streets was
in comparatively new edtdce. Its first