Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-05

pItpdfdtlOilS are DelilB 1Udue
for a tournament to be held Tuesday of
this week at historic st. Johns Church.
Forest Glen. when the address to the
knights will be delivered by Brainard H.
Warner and the coronation address by
Blair Lee 1t will be an all-day affair, and
as usual will be patroniZed by Marylanders
and a large number of Washingtonians.
This is an event of moment in the social
life of the church and of the countryside,
for not only will the diversions of the
day be of interest to all, but the occasion
also affords an opportunity to visit the
second oldest church in the state of Mary
land.
1t was here in 1I74 that Archbishop Car
roll, the father of the Catholic Church in
America laid his foundation, before the
first blow In the revolutionary war had
been struck by the continental patriots.
Rev. c. o. Rosensteel Is the present pastor
of st. Johns, and has done service for the
upbuildng of the property and for the
well-being of his flock, until today the
property Is ideally preserved and beauti-
fed, and a model of suburban eccleSiaSti-
cal arrangement.
Those familiar with Maryland history de-
clare that Archbishop Carroll was no less
patriot than his distinguished cousin,
Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Father Car
roll was son of Daniel and Eleanor Car
roll and born in Marlboro, Prince
George county, Maryland, in 1873. The
eastern shore was the scene of his early
education after which he was sent to
France, where he concluded his studies.
and In 1859 became priest, afterward join
ing the Society of Jesus. On returning to
this country in 1714 he found that the fami-
ly seat had been removed to Rock Creek or
what Is now known as Forest Glen, few
miles the other side of the District line,
near the 18th street pike. At this time there
were but nineteen priests in the province
of Maryland, some being at St Engoes
Manor. in St. Marys county, and at Mill
wood and White Marsh. and most OF them
dependent for their living manual labor.
Among these were the scions of many dis
tinguished Catholic families. Some OF the
wealthy planters holding the same faith
provided places of worship for their fami-
lies and neighbors by setting apart rooms
as chapels, In which the priests might per-
form their offices.
Father Carroll found such a chapel as
this in his mothers house on his return,
and held services there when not engaged
elsewhere Being Jealous In the work, he
had made a circuit, visiting Georgetown
and passing through Fairfax, Prince VIII
liam and Stafford counties In Virginia He
had a regular monthly appointment at
Aqua creek, where lived the Brents, with
whom the CAROLS intermarried, two of his
sisters, Ann and Eleanor, becoming Brents.
The descendants of these two families are
still among the pewholders at St Johns.
Father Carroll warmly espoused the cause
of the patriots during the struggle for in
dependence, ana Wnen MS COUSIN CtaTleS,
with Dr. Franklin and Samuel Chase, in
February, 1776, went to Canada to enlist
the cooperation of the Canadians, he
went along and used his influence with
theirs, but without much success.
Even when the country was in the midst
of the war he continued active in his du-
ties to the church, building up small con-
gregation at his mothers house and form
ing bands at other points. Before the close
of 1777 his home congregation had grown
to such proportions that a chapel was
needed and was built. This was ex-
ceedingly plain structure 1t was 81 by
e3 feet, and stood on a knoll In what Is
now the graveyard of st. Johns. 1t was
of frame construction, the Notwithstanding
was whitewashed, while the INTERIOR walls
and timbers were colored with blue and red
wash. The altar was OF pine and is now In
the sacristy of the new church, being used
by Father Rosensteel on winter mornings.
Another relic Is a small bell, Weighing
about twenty-five pounds, which, mounted
on pole outside the old church, was used
TO announce the hour OF service 1t Is said
that there was no stove in the building
until 1s40 and 1t was custom of the wor-
shippers in cold weather to build fires out
, side where they could warm themselves.
After the colonies achieved independence
the question of the church in America leav-
ing the Jurisdiction of the bishop of London
opened correspondence with the clergy
of this country, suggesting meeting with
the object OF forming a provisional form of
government for the Catholic church in
America. This suggestion met with the ap-
prevail of the American priests, and meet
ing was held at White Marsh. on the Pa
tuxent river, at which a memorial with a
form of government was drafted and sent
to the pope for his approval. A list of
fourteen priests was also sent for the guild
anee of the head OF the church in appoint
ing a superior. should he approve of the
movement and Father Carroll is said to
have insisted that his name should be the
last. The meeting was held in the spring
OF 1854 Before the end of the year the
approval OF the pope. with the appoint
ment OF Father Carroll as the superior of
the clergy in the United States. was re-
ceiyed.
The Forest Glen church. of which Father
Carroll continued to be the pastor, though
his duties as superior necessitated much
absence therefron, took the name of st.
John. and through him became one OF the
leading congregations in this section of the
United States, the flock being served from
time to time by missionaries and others
.fhe foundation of Georgetown University
was laid by Father Carroll before his eieya-
ton TO the bishopric of Baltimore in 1890
and until his death In Baltimore In 1915
he was most active In his work. To his
efforts in large degree the success and