The Washington herald., 1913-03-04

Left a widow early in life, she married
! Gen. Eaton. President Jackson was al
ways fond of the dashing and beautiful
| Irish girl. Through her. his Cabinet was
broken up, and his withdrawal from the
! New York Avenue Church was only one
| of many incidents which caused much
| gossip and bitter feeling.
To-day the membership roll of the
| church bears the names of many promi-
| nently identified with the social. political,
| and diplomatic life OF the Capital.
There is probably no other church in
| the District. whose history Ia more closely
associated with the history of the Ma
tional Capital, from the time of its estab-
lishment to the present day. than the
New. York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
| While the present building has been oc-
| cupied by this congregation as a house
of worship for only little more than
| fifty years, the organization dates back
to the time when the seat of government
was moved from Philadelphia to Wash
| ington, then a city in prospect.
The prosperity Of the church has come
| with the prosperity Of the District, and
| il bears on its membership rolls the
| names of some of the most distinguished
statesmen, diplomats. and jurists that the
United States has ever produced. When
the government departments We're moved
to this city in 1900, with them came the
Associated Reform Church. which three
years later was organized into a congre-
cation of the Presbyterian faith under
authority from the Presbytery of Phila-
delphia. Rev. James Laurie was selected
as its first pastor. and continued in his
ministratlon until the day of his death,
April Is, 1853. completing fifty years OF
service. Rev. Levi II. Christian, who had
served with Mr.. Laurie during the last
two years OF his life as associate pastor.
11.,l tlVNtV g..
Phineas ID. Guriey, ID. was chosen as
pastor!
Was Old r Street Church.
During this time the congregation occu-
pied the building later known as Willard
Hall, on + Street Northwest, between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Streets. It was
designated as the + Street Church, and
as such continued until 1853. when a union
was formed with the Second Presbyterian
congregation, and the new organization
moved into the building on New York
Avenue and became the New York Ave
nue. Presbyterian Church. DIR. Gurley's
services pastor We're continued by the
new congregation, and he served until
his death I'm 1863 Rev. Samuel 8. Nit
cher, ID. succeeded DR.. Gurley. and
was instrumental in the organization of
a mission named in honor of his prede-
cessor. the Gurley Memorial Church.
which has since become prosperous in
dependent organization. Just before this.
a portion of the congregation of the New
York Avenue Church withdrew from
membership, and, under the guidance of
their forner pastor. organized the North
Church, Which is In a fourishing con-
dition, as a separate institution to-day
Dr. Mitchell resigned his pastorate in
1873 to accept a call to a congregation
in Brooklyn, y. Y, and Rev. John r. Pax
ton, n. D.. became pastor.
In 1851 several improvements were made
to the building. modern furniture being
substituted for that which had been in
service over twenty years. Galleries We're
built. $500 being expended in the work
Or. Paxton was succeeded as pastor in
1882 by Rev William Alvin Bartlett, n. n.
At the beginning of DR.. Bartletts labors
the church had 5s3 members and was in
a fiourishing condition financially.
The Gurley Chapel. which had not then
become a separate institution. was re-
built and improvements We're also made
TO the missions that had been established
in different sections OF the city. The
Gurley Memorial Church was orga nized
IN 1859. with ll9 members. all OF whom
had withdrawn from the New York Ave
nue. congregation. DR. Bartlett resigned
his pastorate in November. 1884 and May
25. 1885 Rev. Wallace Radcliffe ID. D.,
the present pastor, was chosen to succeed
him.
Lost Steeple In . Hurricane.
or add to the old church building so far