Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14
HAS EXISTED TWENTY YEARS
Founded by Residents of Eastern Sec
ton of the City.
NAMES ON THE FIRST REGISTER
Permanent Location at 7th and A
Streets acknowledgements
ton Of Sunday School.

Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church
South, on Capitol Hin. tomorrow will ceie-
brate the twentieth anniversary OF It's or
ganfzation, which occurred April Is, 1856.
Rev. ID. L. Blakemore the pastor will
| preach at the morning service. and Rev.
J. s. Hutchinson, ID. D., presiding elder or
the Washington district in the evening.
The official body of the church has had
prepared for distribution a pamphlet con-
tanning the order OF services Of the day.
with, historical sketch to the present
time. illustrations are given of the pres
ent church. of the little frame church
which was the former home of the con-
gregation, and cut OF the first pastor.
Rev. j. G. Jones. and one OF Rev. Mr..
Blakemore. The pamphlet Will also contain
directory of the present officers and the
several societies of the church with their
officers
The Methodist Episcopal Church South
was formed in 1875. in conformity with a
plan of separation agreed upon in the di-
vision of the Methodist Episcopal Church
at the general conference of 1SA4 The word
south was added to the name of the
church to distinguish Il from the section
In the north.
1t was not until 1850. however, that a
church or the southern denomination was
organized at the National Capital. The
church was under the care OF the Virginia
conference. and prospered unti the coming
exist The close of the war brought new
hope and life. resulting In the formation In
the northern section OF the city of what
later became known as Mount Vernon
Place Methodist Episcopal Church South.
This latter congregation remained the only
representative of the denomination in the
city for a number of years.
Reason for the Founding.
The reason for the founding of what 10
now known as Epworth Church was be-
cause Of the fact that persons residing In
the eastern section of the city felt the need
of a church of their choice near their
homes Prominent among them were
Thomas E. Clark. John Murphy and
Charles w. Sharswood, who conferred with
Dr. w. L. Harrison and the members OF
| the quarterly conference OF Mount Vernon
Place Church
Those named who waited upon the meet
| ing OF the quarterly conference OF Mount
Vernon Place Church were advised as their
hrst step to organize Sunday school. This
advice was Needed. and meetings were held
| at Odd Fellows Hail. on the east side OF
| Sth street between f and G streets south
east The enterprise received the assistance
Of DIR. Samuel K. Cox, the successor of Dr.
Harrison, and of Robert w. Best, Miss
Laura Bangs and other members of Mount
Vernon Place Sunday School, who taught
classes on a Sunday afternoon Thomas e
Clark was appointed superintendent and
Mr.. Sharswood secretary Of the mission
school Occasionally preaching services
j. ..
presiding elder of the Washington district.
and several local preachers connected with
the parent church
With the appointment OF Rev S. W.
Haddaway to Mount Vernon Place Church
in 1885, new start was made. Steps were
at once taken TO organize the fifty south
ern Methodists of the eastern locality into
a church. call was published for meet
ing, which was held at Baum's Hail. on the
southeast corner of ith and East Capitol
streets April 10, 1885, The name Grace
nd tod he
ent survivors of that meeting are Mrs. An
ME Moore and son, Silas z. Moore, the lat
ter then but child, and both of whom
still members of Epworth Church, the sue
cessor of Grace Mission.
Names in the First Register.
According to the first register of the
church the following persons became mem
bers of Grace Mission at the organization:
Benjamin T. Thorn, Thomas z. Clark,
Mrs. Martha +. Clark. Mrs. Emma Amery,
John w. Billup, Mrs. Mary c. Blllup. Mrs.
Elizabeth A. Nixon, Charles W. Sharswood,
Martha r. Wilson. William II. Wilson, Jen-
ME Wilson, Mrs. Annie Moore Mrs. Annie
NJ Spencer. Martha NJ. Adams, James l..
Schaaff, Mrs. Flora B. Schaaff, William NJ.
Deck. Mrs. Annie L. Deck. Frank L. Reid,
Georgetta Cox, James H. Williams, Mrs.
Rebecca Williams Mrs Catherine L. Dodd,
Rose L. Dodd (Mrs. Lepper), Annie Dodd
(Mrs. r. A. Van Horn) and Lizzie Dodd
CArs. c. w. Guilford)-
The first service was held In Baum's Hall
on April IS. 1886. permanent location was
SC ught, which resulted in the purchase OF
lot at the corner of Ith and A streets
northeast, where the present edifice stands.
One of the first acts accomplished after
locating was the reorganization of the Sun
day school.
Rev. J. C. Jones, having completed his
four years term as pastor, the conference
of 1891 appointed Rev. IL c. Febrey to Ep-
worth. On account OF Illness. Rev. Febrey
served but eight months. and Rev. Jones
was again appointed pastor.
Slowly perhaps. but surely. Epworth
Church made progress. In 1894 the men,
bership was placed at 100, and in March.
1885 at 1s3 One of the features Of this
period was the organization OF chapter OF
the Epworth League. which succeeded
young peoples society.
Change in Pastors.
At the March. 1895, Baltimore annual con-
ference change was again made in pastors
for Epworth Church. Rev. ]. o. Knott
was appointed to succeed Rev. ]. C. Jones.
whose passionate had extended over period
of nearly eight years. For some time the
matter of improvements had been in con-
Temptation and with the appointment OF
Rev J. o. Knott the work begun. Add
tionaI ground adjoining the church was
purchased. and after an appropriate. I'M
pressiye farewell service, the little frame
church that had been the home OF the con-
eregation for nine years was torn down.
The dedicatory service of the new church
occurred Sunday morning. January ". 1896.
A.
a former pastor OF Southern Methodism In
Washington city Installed In new house
of worship, every department OF Epworth
Church. with its aggressive pastor at the
heln commenced work with a new zeal
Rev William s. Hammond succeeded Rev.
Knott as pastor at the conference OF March,
1850. His passionate of four years was emf
nentiy successful The interior OF the
church building was handsomely frescoed
In oil and new auditorium carpet was
purchased In April. 1900. the membership
was reported 300 and In March, l9OS, at
800
Rev. d. L. Blakemore Named.
At the conference of March, 1903, Rev.
David L. Blakemore was appointed pastor
to Epworth and is still serving.
The report of Rev. Blakemore to the Bal
tfmore annual conference last month show
ed a membership for Epworth of 403, as
compared with 34T the year previous Last
year IS new members were received. A by
profession of faith, and "a by certificate.
and no deaths occurred. Nineteen adults
and 12 infants were baptized. The Sunday