The Washington herald., 1907-04-28


rector Of St Thomas Church. gave re-
Gently. az St Thomas parish hall, a talk
on THE Early British Church" II was
illustrated with many fine views of old
nonasteries and cathedrals. and his IA
millarity with the places described, to
gether with the originality Of his thought
IN reference TO them. gave IL unusual in
terest He spoke Of his fondness for an
cient lore, especially regarding old
churches, saying, however. he sometimes
dnds pleasure ia giving preference TO his
own ideas In place Of the Old. This anus
ing story he told indicative Of the way
people cling to what has been handed
down While rector Of a Maryland parish
some years ago he wrote "a book on
early Maryland history. calling in ques-
ton what he believed 10 be some popular
fallacies. A lady gave the book TO her
husband for a birthday gift He re-
turned Il 70 the bookstore asking for an
other volume IN exchange, and saying:
Il don't know what views DR.. Smith
holds on the subject; and I don't intend
TO read his book, because I don't believe
he is right"
Not long ago I was told by a member
Of the First Presbyterian Church a bit
Of church history which will be of espe-
clal interest to the old friends Of the late
Rev DR.. Byron Sunderland. It will be
remembered that IL caused some surprise
when President Cleveland chose the First
Presbyterian as the church he would at
tend while in Washington. DR.. Sunder-
land having always held pronouncedly
Republican views. which. when occasion
required, were uttered with vigor. This
story explains how the President was in
fluenced in HIS choice Mrs. Sunderland.
according to my informant. attended one
Of Miss Cleveland's first receptions, and
the latter. Immediately upon hearing the
name Sunderland. exclaimed;
rs this the wife Of the Rev. Byron
Sunderland
When assured that such was the fact
Miss Cleveland requested her 10 remain
till the crowd had gone, after which she
expressed her great delight at meeting
Mrs Sunderland. and in explanation re-
marked:
My brother and I have been familiar
with the name of Sunderland as long as
we can remember. Ny mother heard the
first sermon DR.. Sunderland preached al
ter he left college. The sentiments he
expressed appealed so strongly 10 her
that il was never forgotten and We chill
dren were brought up on that sermon"
Rev. Dr. Henry R Nailor who has
always been considered one Of the strong
est preachers of the Baltimore Confer
ence. has just closed his term, six years
being the time limit. as presiding elder
of the washington district OF the Meth
odist Episcopal Church. At his own re-
quest, he was also placed on the list Of
retired ministers. Certainly he is enti-
tied to a well-earned rest as he informs
me that he began his ministry when
only eighteen years old. and has been in
active service forty-seven years. During
the time DR.. Nailor presided over the
Washington district a number Of inn
portant events took place in local
Methodism. Chief among them was the
sale of historic old Foundry Church,
which stood at the corner of Fourteenth
and G streets; the union Of St Pauls
Church, az Fifteenth and r streets, with
the Foundry congregation, and the cree
ton of the new Foundry, one Of the most
spacious and perfectly equipped churches
in the city, on Sixteenth and Church
streets. DR.. Nailor has a wide circle of
friends in Washington, few ministers
having had as many charges in the city
as he. His first church was the Metro
politan, 10 which he came In 1878 Gen
Grant was a member Of the cOngre-
cation at that time. and left shortly
afterwaTd for his tour around the world
Later, Or. Major was pastor of Foundry
Hamline, and McKendree churches While
he occupied the pulpit Of Hamline Church
the membership entirely outgreW the
l. II. !
and greatly improved in many ways.
From time to time ne has delivered very
interesting lectures Now, with the active
work Of the ministry laid aside. he con-
templates engaging in literary work,
The new presiding elder of the Wash
ington district, Rev John W. r. Sum
walt, is one Of the youngest men who
has ever held the Office he made his
first appearance before a Washington