Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-25

The Church of the Reformation. one
OF the historic congregations of
Washington, is celebrating its fiftieth
anniversary and also the paying off
of its Indebtedness by exercises which
began Thursday evening and con-
tinue through next Tuesday.
Representative William D. Upshaw
OF georgia was the speaker last even
ing, when there was community sing
ing and special music by a quartet.
The exercises began Thursday even
ing with thanksgiving sermon by
the pastor. Rev. DIR. John Weidley,
and the distribution of souvenir his
tories of the church
The Sunday school will have it's cell
ebration tomorrowtInorn with Ste
phen E Kramer. assistant super inten-
dent of schools. and Maj. Raymond W.
Pullman. superintendent of police, as
the principal speakers. Maj. Pullman
was superintendent of the Sunday
school from 1909 until 1916, when he
resigned and became superintendent
Of the police department.
The church services tomorrow Will
be marked by anniversary sermons
preached by Rev. DR.. Ezra X. Bell Of
Baltimore. who was a close friend OF
the late DIR. William f. ParSon, pas
tor of the church for twenty-seven
preachers in Washington in his time
Plan Jubilee Festival.
Monday evening the ladies of the
church will have jubilee festival,
when addresses will be made by Miss
Mary E. Markley. associate score.
tary of the board of education United
Lutheran Church in America. and mrs
susan Piper and Miss Clara Hickman
SnciofipS of the chuTCh,
The celebration will reach climax
Tuesday evening. when the burning
of the mortgage with "reminiscences
by pioneer members of the church
and greetings from cleygymen Of
other Washington churches
The Lutheran Church of theANdaW
nation had it's beginning in shar-
racks used by Union troops during
the civil war, which was converted
into a meeting house and stood on
LIST street southeast. diagonahy across
the corner from where the House Of
fice building now stands The con-
gregation was founded with the help
of the Rev DIR. John G. Butler, at that
time pastor of st. Paufs, later pastor
of luther Memorial Church and for.
number of years chaplain of the Sem
Ate.
Among Early Members.
Among it's early members were
many prominent men of Capitol Hill.
Including ]. c. Slater. who was at
torney for the Southern railroad: Da-
vid Young, Alexander Douglas and c.
E Lewis who are still living, and
Mrs. Sarah Utermeh who later gave
the thirty-acre site at Winthrop
Heights, D c.. where the National
Lutheran Home for the Aged now
stands.
In 1881 the work was started upon
the new building at Pennsylvania
Avenue and I'd street southeast, where
the enlarged church home now stands.
Rev. DR.. William E. Parson. who was
the first pastor of the church. went to
Japan for seven years as teacher in
the Imperial College of Toxic. He
Church of the Reformation in 1879
and continued in that capacity until
his death in 1905.
The church is nearest in location to
the National CAPITOL. and during its
early years. when many Legislators
lived on Capitol Hill. they were at
PENDANTS a the church William JeE-
nings Bryan went there while mem
Der of Congress and occasionally
preached at the evening services.
improvements to Church.
Upon the death o. DIR. Parson. Rev.
John Wcidley. the present pastor. was
called from Pittsburgh. Pa. and dur
ing his pastorate many improvements
have been made TO the church audi
torium and an addition to the Sunday
s school room built at a cost of $4,000.
After DIR. w eidley came to Washing
ton the original debt o nthe church
was paid off and by that time the
Sunday school, under the leadership
of Mai Raymond w. Pullman. became
so large that 1t needed additional
quarters. These were added in 1913
ana the payment for the improve
ments will leave the church again free
from debt upon its golden anniver-
sary.