The Washington herald., 1909-11-01

Services in commemoratiOn OF the 10th
anniversary Of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church Of Georgetown. Wisconsin ave-
nue. and Volta place northwest were held
yesterday.
The first structure erected on the site
Of the present brick church. in 1863, was
log building This humble place Of
worship antedated any other Lutheran
church or parochial school building in
what is now the District OK Columbia by
slxty-four years. It was the chadle Of
Lutheranism IN these parts.
Fitting Services Held.
The anniversary was kept yesterday
with special services, conducted by the
pastor. Rev. Luther Hess Waring. Phi. D.
The day was also the 392d anniversary
OF the mailing OF the ninety-hfth theses
10 the door Of the Wittenberg Church by
Martin Luther. october 81, 15l7. DR.. War
ing reviewed Luther's life and work in a
reformation sermon last evening.
At the morning service the pastor was
assisted by Rev. Charles II. Butler. son
OF the late Rev. Or. John George But
Ter for sixty years a leader in Lutheran
affairs In the District. The choir sang
the hymns Zion Stands by Hills Sur
rounded" Blessing and Honor and Glory
and Power" The Churchs One Founda-
ton" and How Firm a Foundation"
Dr. Waring delivered a historical SER
mon. in which no outlined the progress
OF tho church from It's establishment IN
1863 20 the present day.
BY way of historical setting, he showed
the church was founded IN its present To-
cation twenty years before the establish
ment Of the United States government, IN
Use The act TO locate the national gov
eminent on the banks OF the Potomac
was approved ia 1890. When the seat OF
government was located here In 1850 the
church was already thirty-one gears old.
The site upon which the church STANDS
was donated 10 the Lutherans IN 1863 by
Charles Beatty and George Fraser Haw-
kins, two extensive Maryland landowners,
just then projecting q scheme FOR the en-
largement of Georgetown.
Log Church Erected.
During the same year a log church was
erected by German Lutherans. who lived
in Georgetown and along Rock Creek.
and services were conducted more or less
irreCllarly by various nonresident min
listers whose ministrauons from time 70
time could be obtained. Tradition has It
that George Washington attended az least
one service I'm the log church.
The founder Of Georgetown Presby-
terianism, Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch,
p. D.. held the first services for his peO-
pie in this Lutheran church about 1850
The early days were days OF struggle.
For a time. In 1779. owing to their inabil-
fly 10 obtain Lutheran pastor, the con-
gregation was served by an Episcopal
minister by the name OF Brooke. Sub
seQuently. in the sos. German Lutheran
preachers served at brief intervals
The church Tot was exempt from taxa
ton from the time Of the original grant.
il was used from the start for burial
purposes. and three OF the Oldest tomb
stones stiu standing within the shadow
OF the present church tell their story OF
life and death IN the latter part OF the
eighteenth century.
In 1875 litigation arose when heirs OF
the original grantOrs claimed possession
of the church site. Finally. I'm 1S29. the
Supreme Court OF the United States sus-
tained the claims Of the church people.
SO far as is known, this IS the only
church property in the entire church
synod the title 20 which has been passed
upon by the United States Supreme Court.
Fell Into Decay.
The log church Of 1863 having fallen
into decay. after lapse Of some years. a
second building. a frame structure, was
erected in 1885. This building. used more
or less irregularly as a house OF worship
and as parish school. was stiH stand
ing AT the close OF the civil war.
The Georgetown congregation did not
become affiliated with any synod for
nearly a century, but continued an indie
pendent and struggling existence. On
June q. 1850. q German Lutheran con-
Eregauon was organized, with the pUr-
pose OF continuing the work OF the church
and making use OF the property
The next year Rev Samuel j. Finckel
j.. D., was chosen pastor, and the cree
tlon OF a third church. the present one.
was commenced. DR.. FinckeTs pastorate
was OF short duration, as Rev. J. j.
SLman was called IN 1859. The pastorate
was received into the Maryland synod the
same year.
ON February q. $50, during the minis
try Of Rev. Mr. Suman, IL was resolved
building be devoted exclusively TO church
purposes There was bitter feeling over
this action. The Germans took offense at
g. and ceased attending church services
and Sunday school; but the German day
school was closed. and no German has
been used since that time IN the church
or Sunday school.
In October. 1870 en- English Lutheran
congregation was regularly and constitu-
uOnaily organized.
List of Pastors.
Mr.. Suman's successors in the pastorate
Of the church have been the following:
Rev. George A. Nixdorf 1S1-lS94: Rev.
Stanley Bluhelmer. 1S94-1e04; Rev. David
Bittle Floyd, d. D., 1895: Rev. Luther
Hess Warng. Pm. D.. the present pastor.
who assumed charge in 1906.
one Of the old heirlooms still possessed
and highly priced by the congregation,
coming down from it's early history, is a
large old German pulpit Bible, printed in
Tuebingcn. Germany In 1890
Auxiliary Holds Meeting.
Twenty-six members were present at
the October meeting OF Northwest Auxil-