Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22

At the request of the Churchman'S
League Of the Protestant Episcopal Church
of the District of Columbia, Alexander 3.
Hagner, retired justice of the District Su-
preme Court, has written a very interest
ing history of st. Johns Church, 10th and
II street northwest, one Of the historic
houses of worship of the national capital
This work has recently been published
and portion of it is here reproduced;
Before the church was occupied arrange
mcnts had been made for the classification,
sale and renting of the pews. In Deem
Der, 1916, the committee appointed to walt
on President Madison and offer him his
choice Of q pew in the church free of pur-
chase reported that the President desired
the choice should be made by the commit
tee, who accordingly selected one among
the large pews of the first class. In Marcn
1910, 1t was resolved by the vestry that the
pew set apart for the use of the President
of the United States in st. Johns Church
should be for the of the family of the
President for the time being and not charge
able with any rent.
Mr.. Madison was churchnan. and his
cousin of the same name, who was conse-
Grated at Lambeth Palace in lIN. was the
first bishop of Virginia.
Mr. Madison's residence In Washington
ended in 1917. when President Monroe was
inaugurated and he retired to his country
seat Montpelier. in Virginia, where he re-
sided until his death, in 1876. His WIDOW
most estimable and interesting character
then returned to Washington, and lived IN
the house now occupied by the Cosmos
Club which had been built by her brother
in-law the Hon. Richard Cults: here she
died in 1916. Mrs. Madison, whose MAIDEN
name was Payne, was the widow of Mr.
John Todd She was of Quaker parentage
and affiliations, but, as she expressed IT,
she had been much drawn toward the Epis-
copal Church during her first residence IN
L
tendant at st. Johns Church after her re-
| turn to the city, where she was baptized
by Mr.. Hawley, and confirmed by Blshop
| Nottingham; in St Johns Church she
became a communicate, and from the oio
church she was buried
"Mr Monroe's family next became occu-
pants of the Presidents pew. One page
| of the Church Record In 1920, which con-
tains an entry showing the connection OF
the Presidents immediate family with ST
Johns also includes another, eVidencing the
/ impartial performance of the pastors duty
| wit bout respect to persons; whether, to use
| Chaucer's words they be moche or lite
| The first records the marriage OF Samuel l..
| GouYerneur and Maria Ii. Monroe the
| youngest daughter Of President Monroe on
| the 10Th of March 1920, by Mr.. HaWiey, al
| the Presidents House; the other me MAJ
| riage of James, slave OF WltIiafn Wllt, ~
-
| at his residence. Among the earliest en-
| tries in the appropriate register is one OF
| the baptism, in 1917, by Mir. Hawiey, or a
| child-who ofiiciated for many years atter-
ward as senior warden of the churcn-a
| son of one of the founders, VINO was lheh
a vestryman. and short space lower cow
| appears a similar record or the baptiShl Vi
| John the negro servant of the SAID Vestiy
man The parish books contain numbers oil
| such entries of the marriage and baptism
| of slaves.
"These recall the old superstition win re,
J spect to the effect OF the services or 'he
| church upon the condition of slaves, as was
recited in the Maryland act OF 100, Ch. ~
| No. 23-which was passed TO reno nj, az
81 ound for such delusion thereafter. ne
| language is curious enough, as matter Of
| history to admit of quotation: forehs-
| much as many people have negiccteo u, ~
baptize their negroes or suner .neth - r W.
| baptized on a vain apprehension that ne
| groes by receiving the sacrament OF DAY.
| tism are manumitted and set Tree, lneis
/ fore be It enacted by and with the aoHiSe
| OF his majesty's governor ana council III
no negro or negroes, by receiving the hoiy
sacrament of baptism is thereby manuHi.,
| ted or set free: any law, usage or cus'oi
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
X Il
| while John Quincy Adams was President
he occupied one of the four large peWs
| which had previously been taken by Henry
Clay. In his autobiography he declared he
| belonged to the. Independent Congregations
Church--'in which was bred. and In which
| will die. At the time of which speak he wa!
| as punctual in his attendance at st. John.
| every Sunday afternoon while he was II
! Washington as any member of the church
After the alterations in 1912 he occupied {
| pew directly in front of the pulpit, where
his venerable and well-dressed figure made
him conspicuous and distinguished object
He followed carefully the requirements o.
tho service until the sermon began: bu
| after that he rather gave the impression
Of one not constitutionally afflicted viii
| insomnoience In church after the fashion
of the unfortunate old English judge wht
felt obliged to apply to his physician fol
| some preventive Of the occasional fits o.
! wakefulness that annoyed him on the
| Der CHI. But / have reason to believe tina
Mr.. Adams heard more of the sermon thar
! almost any one In the church. His grand
daughter, a young lady of fifteen, who sa
In his pew, was required to present to hin
Oh Monday morning summary OF the dis
| course of the previous afternoon; and, as
| happen to know, she found he soon de
tected any important omission. His auto
biography, on which he frequently began t
work about o'clock In the morning. wal
bright to the last, and gave proofs of thu
firm fiber of the man, who at the age o
fifteen had discharged the duties of secre
tary to our minister to Russia with entir'