Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-25

Of washington the Rambler a.
lowed his narrative last Sunday to
drift from the Potomac hi. e. Church,
which Il IL the Cabin John region. to
Bethesda Presbyterian Church on the
western slope Of the Rock Creek wa
tershed. The reason for that jump
although hop" now seems to be the
popular word for long hight-was
that there is close connection be-
tween the Bethesda Church and the
first Presbyterian church, which per-
haps stood near the present site of
Potomac M E. Church. What that con-
nection Is. or was, the Rambler will
show in the progress Of this story.
Near the close of the narrative last
Sunday the Rambler pointed out a
small signboard on the west side Of
the Georgetown-Rookville pike about
two miles north Of Bethesda, and he
wrote that the sign bears this inscrlp-
ton: Bethesda Church-Presbyte-
rian-Rev. p. p. Flournoy. pastor.
Founded in 1902 The legend il in
gilt letters on a black background
and the signboard is nailed to green
painted post about three feet high.
Along that part of the pike there is
is covered with honeysuckle and other
vines. and above the creeping green
cry grow wild rose bushes and rasp-
berry vines. When the Rambler was
there the wild rose bushes had not
come into leaf, but the red and yellow
rose-hips lent some bright ana warm
color to the picture. Neither had the
raspberry vines come into leaf, but
the briary stalks were of that pink
and purple hue nearly overlaid with
gray mold with which everybody is
familiar who has an eye for the
country.
On top Of the bank and in line with
the little signboard stand cedars in
a row. Some Of these are quite old
and yet far from venerable. Com
pared with some trees of short life. 1t
would perhaps be fair to call these
cedars middle aged. but. taking Into
account the great longevity of cedars.
1t perhaps would be fairer to call
them young II the Rambler really
had any idea as to the age of those
cedars he Would betray them. They
are unequally spaced, and that indf-
Gates that they were planted by ma
ture and not set out by the hand of
man. And. having sprung up there
according to the nature of cedars. you
can read that an old fence stood there
once upon time. Through the bank
is a cut and here road that is
little Travelled turns OF from the pike
ana leads toward the cemetery. in
visible from this point and then
turns around the north end OF sharp
little ridge and ascends toward the
church, for Bethesda Church-Pres-
observation-disclosures on the crest Of that
ridge and back from the west side
of the pike.
But at the point where the little
embankmsnt at the roadside and
turns toward the cemetery. 4 rough
footpath leads straight up the ridge
to the trent Of the church. At first
1t leads UP . short slope and passes
close to . monster tulip poplar tree
and within few yards of that srows
another great old poplar. Vines Of
poison ivy and Virginia creeper en-
brace them. Care has been taken to
preserve these ancient trees, and
some cavities in them. caused by de-
cay, have been filled with cement.
Then you come to q steep ascent.
which you negotiate by means Of
five wooden steps. This brings you
to q clump Of cedars which have been
planted in the form Of v. and within
that v stands the church. After
climbing the Ave wooden steps, and
then a flight Of eleven other steps,
you come to an old road. grass-grown
and evidently unused for many years.
and which leads past the east front
of the church. You cross this ven
cradle wheel-trace, mount three
wooden steps. and then reach the bot
tom of terrace, UP which fight OF
six wooden steps leads. This Is the
end Of the trail and you have come
to the rooted porch at the front OF
the church.
Here there is double door, one OF
the doors being fitted with an old