The Washington herald., 1910-11-14
HISTORY OF CHURCH
TOLD IN SERMON
Mem bers Are Celebrating the
both Anniversary.
FORMER PASTOR FILLS PULPIT
Rev. samuel II. Howe Opens Oh
servance at Morning Service and
in the Evening Rev. James T.
MARSHALL Administers lords Snip
per, Followed by Special Music.

West Street Presbyterian Church, the
oldest Of It's denomination I'm the District,
began a celebration of its 1SOth ami
versary yesterday. II was Home coming
Day" and from ali over the country
came former members of the congrega-
ton to join in the observance.
The church was crowded at the morn
ing service. Rev. Samuel H. Howe, pas
tor of the Congregational church OF
history OF the church. his long recital
of events during its life filing his hear
ers with a sense Of the dignity OF the old
institution and making the service most
impressive.
Or. Howe was pastor OF the church
from 1872 to 1855. and in reciting the his
tory OF West Street Presbyterian he told
OF the immense spiritual good accom-
piisheC since its organization.
A special chorus OF young people, sing
ing anthems. supplied the music at the
morning service.
Old Members Present.
The evening service. quiet and Impress
i've, without a sermon. attracted almost
as many old members as the one earlier
in the day Rev. Dr. James T. Marshall,
present pastor, assisted by DR.. Howe, ad-
ministered the Lords Supper, and a num-
Der OF special musical numbers were sung
by the choir. At the end OF the service
/ the old-timers remained and a general
handshaking was INDUCED IN.
Tonight the history and "reminiscences
OF the church will be discussed i'm detail.
Or. Benjamin +. Bittinger, d. D., will
deliver the historical address DR.. Bit
finger Is well qualified for this task be-
cause Of the fact that no attended the
old Bridge street building during his boy
hood In the year 1861, DR.. Bittinger re-
oeived and declined a call 10 It's pas
torate,s
Tomorrow evening there will be a pub
lie celebration in the chapel A brief
musical programme viii be followed by
a number OF short addresses by neigh
| boring pastors, Rev. Wallace Radcliffe,
ID. D., representing Presbyterian friends.
and Rev. Charles l.. Pate. ID. D., repre-
senting the churches Of Georgetown.
The celebration will close on Thursday
night with an organ recital by G..
| Thompson Williams. organist OF ST.
Johns Church, Georgetown.
OEEdhAACu IN ISEp.
The West Street Presbyterian Church
was organized in 1850. under the min
istry Of Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch.
who was pastor for hfty-three years.
| The first sermon was preached in a log
cabin on the site now occupied by the
/ Lutheran church. Wisconsin avenue and
/ Volta place. A permanent location was
/ later secured. and a brick church er ,cted
/ ar NJ and Thirtieth streets in 1921
( Thomas Jefferson contributed s75 toward
/ the erection OF the edifice.
} In 1879 the location OF the church was
changed TO p street, near Thirty-frst
/ Or. Howe was pastor at the time r.
1 s. T. Cissel donated a chapel, and il
contains a tablet to his memory.
/ Until DIT. Marshall took the pastorate.
in 1893 the church had eleven pastors.
/ Three of them are living at the present
I time. They are DIR. d. W Moffatt, now
living In retirement al Madison. Ind. /;
/ Or. 5. II. Howe, pastor Of the Congre-
/ gational Church Of Norwich Conn. and
! DR.. W. c. Alexander, pastor Of the Pres
| byterian Church, of Roswell. n. Mex.
/ DR. James T. Marshall, who was called
I in the fan OF 1908 and is still pastor, was
/ the first pastor OF the Warner Memorial
/ Church, Kensington, Nd, where he
/ served from 1894 TO 1905. In the latter
/ year he accepted a call TO the Second
/ Church of Oak Park, III. He was grad
uated from Lafayette College and Prince
| ton Theological Seminary, and took a
/ postgraduate course at Edinburgh, Scot
/ land.