The Washington herald., 1910-11-07

The both anniversary of West Street
| Presbyterian Church. P street. near
Thirty-hrst. Georgetown. win be cele-
biated by special services beginning
next Sunday. Rev. S H. Howe, d. D.,
of Norwich. Conn, pastor from 1872 TO
/ 1883. viii preach az the morning service.
! At the evening hour there will he a fell
! lowship service at which the Lords sup
| per VIII be administered. Monday even
ing will be given 10 history and remi-
| niscence. The historical address will be
| delivered by Rev. Benjamin r Bittinger,
! D. D.. who is well qualified for his task
/ by the fact that he attended the old
/ Bridge Street Church during his boy
hood, Ia the year 1861 DR.. Bittinger re
ceived and declined a call 10 It's pastOrate
On Tuesday evening there will be a
! public reception in the chapel A brief
musical programme will 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. d. D.. repre-
lsenting the churches of Georgetown.
| The celebration will close on Thursday
night with an organ recital by G. Thomp-
| son Williams, organist of St. Johns
| Church. Georgetown.
Organized I'm 1850.
West Street Church is the Oldest Pres
byterian Church in the District. 1t was
originally known rs the Bridge Street
Church, deriving its name from its loca-
ton in Bridge NOW Nd street The or
ganization took place IN 1850. under the
ministry OF the Rev. Stephen Bloomer
Balch. and was at first connected with
the Presbytery of Donegal It Is said
that only seven persons partook OF the
first communion, and that the session
consisted of the pastor and one elder,
James Orme.
DR.. Balchs first sermon was preached
in little log building occupying the site
OF the Lutheran church at Wisconsin
avenue and Volta place. The congrega-
ton worshiped afterward in a rented
room In a building In Thirty-thfrd street
below Q. Later this became the site of
the Market Street Chapel. which is now
occupied by st. Johns Protestant Episco-
pal Mission. A permanent location was
at length secured at the corner of Bridge
and Washington streets (now NJ and
Tllirtieth), where a frame building was
erected. A commodious brick building
was erected in 1871. Among the contribu-
lions was gift of SO from Thomas JEFF
ferson. DIR. Balch's pastorate covered
period Of hfty-three years, and George
Washington and Andrew Jackson were
occasionally found among his hearers.
Pioneer in Education.
DR. Baleh was born In Hartford County,
Md. in 1916. He was a student of Prince
ton in the days of John Witherspoon, and
later carried arms in the war of indie
pendence. From 1880 10 1865 he was the
only Protestant minister In Georgetown
He was versatile in his attachments, and
was q pioneer in education as we'll as in
religion, being the founder of a classical
school and the educator of no less than
seventy-four young men for the gospel
ministry. He was broad in his sympa-
thies, and had a number of warm friends
among the Catholic priests, as well as
among the various Protestant ministers.
On the day of his funeral all business
In Georgetown was closed, many build
ings were draped, and the members OF
the town council marched in a body in
the procession. His remains now rest in
Oak Hill Cemetery.
In 1879 the location Of the church was
changed to West street, near Congress
(now +, near Thirty-first street,. The old
builds was demolished and part of Its
materials used in the construction of the
new edifee. The pastor at the time of
the removal was Rev. s. II. Howe, D. ID.
The chapel was the gift OF r S. 7. Cissel
and contains tablet to his memory. Up
TO the fail of 1908, when Or. Marshall was
called, the church had had eleven pastors
Three Pastors Survive.
Three of these survive, DR.. d. w Moi
fatt. now living in retirement at Madison.
Ind. Dr. S. H. Howe. pastor OF the Con-
gregational Church of Norwich. Conn.
and DR.. w c. Alexander pastor of the
Presbyterian Church Of Roswell. N. Mex.