The Washington herald., 1907-09-08
Sunday Morning Chat.

The First Presbyterian Church can
claim all the honors due a very old
church and also a downtown church full
Of life and increasing power and usefuI-
mess. 1t had its origin in the days when
Washington was only a city on paper
and in the landmarks OF the surveyor. As
far back as 1885 the very small band. out
Of which the First Church grew. under
the pastoral care Of Rev. John Bracken-
ridge, first met for worship without for
mai organization in a carpenters shop in
the White House grounds. Here they
came from time 10 time till the building
was pulled down. Their nexS meeting
place was farm house on F street near
Tenth. where St. Patrick's Church now
stands. in 1853 Mr.. Breckenridge and his
flock were 10 he found worshiping in the
Academy East" IN the neighborhood Of
the navy yard. he sharing with them
bis time as supply 10 Bladensburg.
preaching Ia this city once in three weeks.
A twofold reason took them 10 this local
lily They thought that Washington would
/ grow eastward from the Capitol, and sat
as the requirements OF the navy yard
mad brought a considerable colony 10 that
section they might thereby add TO their
numbers and extend their usefulness.
Their next move was 20 the Capitol, per-
mission having been granted them To use
the supreme Court room for sabbath
services.
About the yen 1911 they ceased TO be
wandering flock. The church was
formally organized by the Presbytery Of
! Baltimore and named the First Presby-
/ terian Church, Of Washington, D. c, with
the Rev. John Breckenridge as its first
/ pastor. Plans for a permanent place Of
worship were made and site selected On
First street. just south Of the Capitol.
and the first shovelful Of earth for the
/ new sanctuary was turned by John COyle.
/ one Of its first elders, on ground covered
az that time by thick growth Of sap
/ lings. vines, and UndeTbrush- On June 70,
/ 1872. the congregation moved into the
! finished edifce commonly known as The
Little White Church Under the Hill"
Some of its walls still stand buried out
of sight by the grading Of later years IN
/ fSl7 the pastoral relation of DR.. Bracken-
ridge was dissolved. His death occurred
| in 1s41. 1t has been said that the words
NO foot Of land do I possess so apph-
cable 10 many clergymen, were not true
IN his case, as he possessed more than
| forty acres, which were sold 20 the late
William w. C0rcoran. and by him TO the
government for the Soldiers Home. His
place Of burial is here. marked by stone
bearing this inscription: Rev. John
breckenridge; died May ?. 1Sa1; the first
Presbyterian preacher in Washington
city. and who also served the church at
BladensbuTg 40 years" His wife IS buried
beside him.
OWNS to the continued growth Of
the congregation il became necessary
TO seek larger quarters. The site of the
present First Presbyterian Church was
purchased and a building erected and
dedicated in December. 1927, the pastor,
Rev DR.. Reuben Pest, preaching the
sermon. It is recorded as "a day of
great rejoicing IN the history of the
church" Again. as the years went by,
there was more room needed, and, in
above the old one, giving q large audi
tOrium. The front was altered and 1t
was rededicated in December, the ven
cradle Gardiner Spring. Of New York.
preaching the dedicatory sermon. From
this time until 1892 the church re-
mained with scarcely a change, when
there were great improvements and al
terations made, of which the church
to-day Is the outcome. This fall or
winter the church is to be enlarged In
order to provide room for the Sunday
school class Of Mr.. Barton, which is one
Of the largest and most enthusiastic In
the city.
From the beginning up to this time
the church has been the resort of prom
inent men and women in all ranks of
life, either as visitors or regular com
municants. And Presidents Andrew
Jackson, James X. Polk. Franklin |
Pierce, and Grover Cleveland wor-
SHIPPED here.
The First Church. in It's more than 100 |
years of existence, has had among its /
pastors some of the most eloquent and /
distinguished preachers Of the denOmina- /
ton. The late DR.. Byron Sunderland, |
who was installed in 1853 and served for /
forty-flve years as active and three years |
as pastor emeritus. is held in tender men, |
ory in thousands of Washington homes. /
Rev. Or. T. De Witt Talmage came TO /
the church in the fall of 1885 and served /
as co-pastor with DR.. Sunderland for /
several years Il was feared a few years /
ago that old First Church would be forced /
to leave its downtown location and move /
to the residential section. its membership 7
had grown 50 small. But fortunately, DR.. /
Donald c. Macleod was called as pastor4
in 1899, and under his vigorous. faithful
ministry the congregation has grown until /
it is now one Of the strongest churches
in Washington
DR.. Frederick D. Power celebrates his
anniversary as pastor Of
the Vermont Avenue Christian Church to-
day, and all who have met DR. Power
the church on the fact that
he has been the pastor for that length
of time and hope his ministry may con-
tinue to help and bless not only his own
church, but the city for years TO come.
as it has IN the past. When Dr. Power
came to the church il was small frame
chapel, the only one Of the denomination
in the city. and In 1851 on the site where