Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-06

The funeral of Rev. DR.. John Chester,
formerly pastor of Metropolitan Preshy-
terrain Church for thirty years. and one
of the oldest and most prominent men,
bers of the Presbytery of Washington,
will be held tomorrow afternoon at 3
o'clock from the Metropolitan Church.
The services will be conducted by Rev.
Paul Robinson Hickok. pastor Of the
church, assisted by Rev. DR.. Charles
Wood, pastor of the Church of the Cove
nant
d. F. MCGOWAN, G. E. Fleming, H. K.
Simpson. William r. Spillman. William
=. Hutchinson, Appleton p. Clark. jr.,
William S. Moore and George P. Bohrer
will be the active pallbearers, while the
honorary list includes Samuel D. Luckett.
Robert L. Ewing and r. George w.
Custs. Burial will be private and in
Glenwood cemetery.
On account of Dr. Chester's wide popu
larity among churchmen in the District
1t Is expected that the funeral will be
largely attended. DR.. Chester has been
resident Of Washington since 1854,
when he received a call to this city to
institute the Metropolitan Church on
Capitol Hill and which is declared to be
monument to his Christian zeal and
executive ability.
Was Born in 1882.
He was born in Hudson, n. Y, in 1882,
and after completing his high school
course entered Princeton University,
where he graduated in 1851. Two years
later he graduated from the medical de-
partment of the University of Pennsyl-
vania and practioed medicine at Column
bia and Arlington, Pa.
In 1880 DIR. Chester took up the WORK
of the ministry, and from that year until
1854 served a congregation at Burlington,
n. j., until he received the call to this
city. He started what was first known
as the Capitol Hill Church and afterward
as the Metropolitan Church. 1t was Or
ganized in a little schoolhouse at the cor
ner Of Sd and A streets northeast, when
seventeen members comprised the consre-
CATION. DR.. Chester was the only pastor
Of the church in it's first thirty years,
and through his endeavors 1t grew from
a handful of worshipers. attending serv
ices In q room lighted with tallow dips,
to a congregation of 100, with q church
property valued at nearly 100000.
Moved to Old Market.
AS the little congregation grew it
moved to a building previously used as
q market house at the corner Of Sd street
and Pennsy laania avenue southeast. There
the congregation wa-shiped for while.
when a chapel was built on the present
site of the church at 4th and streets
southeast. While the church edifice was
being built the congregation worshiped
in a committee room of the House of
Representatives, where the Lords Sup
per and tho rite of baptism were 'ad-
ministered, the only case Of its kind, it
Is said. in the history OF the Capitol.
- ~ Il
most every department Of the govern
ment was represented in the church men,
bership. President Grant, though not
member, attended the dedication of the
edihce and also gave liberal subscrip-
ton.
Throughout his pastorate DR.. Chester
maintained the most cordial relations
with his congregation, to whom the an
nouncement OF his withdrawal on &C
count OF advancing years came as
painful surprise. He enjoyed great pop
ularity among all denominations on Cap
itol Hill.
In addition to fulfilling his duties as
one Of the chaplains at the Govern
ment Hospital for the Insane, Dr. Ches-
ter, during the war with Spain, was de-
tailed as chaplain at Fort Myer while
the post was being used for hospital
purposes He ministered there to 700
sick soldiers.
Gets Degree of D. D.
In 1892 he was appointed a member
of the advisory council on religious edu-
cation, the session Of which was held
Fat the Chicago worlds fair. Wooster
University of Ohio honored him with
the degree Of D. d. In 1874. He wrote
number of books. one being Early
Watchers at the Heavenly Gate
At the meeting Of the Presbytery Of
WASHINGTON in session at the Warner
Memorial Church at Kensington, Nd,
| Tuesday. that body sent a letter to the
| veteran clergyman wishing for a speedy
recovery, and then a prayer was Of
| fered that his life be spared for more
years of usefulness.
| DIR. Chester is survived by his widow, a
| daughter Miss Lilly A. Chester of Wash
| ingtop. and two sons. Rev. William
Chester and DIR. John Chester, both OF
| New York, and sister, Miss Elizabeth
| Chester of Washington.
RlAllIAlN anna AIN