The Washington herald., 1920-11-06
Baptist Church, Organized 40 Years Ago,
Holds High Place Among Religious Circles of City
Sunday School in Frame
Building on Capitol Hill
Developed Into Present
Body Of Worshipers Since
Days of President Grant.

sixth and A streets northeast rem
resent the oldest Baptist congre-
cation on Capitol Hin, was first or
ganized just about the time that
Ulysses s. Grant occupied the White
House.
Influenced by what they felt was
the need of a Baptist house Of wor-
ship near the National Capitol. in
1871 little band organized a Sun
day school in the frame building
which formerly stood on the site
occupied until it's destruction. by
by fire last December by the Ep-
worth Methodist Episcopal Church
South.
From this humble beginning may
be traced the history of the Metro
politan Baptist Church, whose new
building Is now one of the most
handsome churches in the northeast
quarter of Washington.
In the late '70s the small Sunday
school had grown to the Metropol-
itan Baptist Association whose
membrs planned 10 organize a
church. a lot was bought at Sixth
and A streets northeast and a chapel
was erected at a aost of $4,000.
by the Sunday school.
Organized In 1s7s-
The first step toward the actual
Organization of the church was TAX
en- February 81. 1878, when thirty
one constituent members organised
the Metropolitan Baptist Church.
OF the original thirty-one members
il is interesting to note that three
are living today and are still MEM
bers of the church.
They are Mrs. Camille \ howell.
ei9 Eighth street northeast, who is
now in her 91st year; Mrs. Marian
Mclean, 507 A street southeast. and
Mrs. Mary Taylor, who now lives In
Chica go. but who still maintains her
affiliation with the church.
Following the transfer of the
property to the. newly-organiLed
church by the association, a lot was
purchased adjoining the chapel. II
was proposed to erect a new edifice
that would meet the needs OF the
rapidly-growing congregation.
The new building was dedicated
April s, 1888. The cost, including
furnishings. was about $1,000.
In April. 1904. building commit
tee was appointed to arrange fol
the erection of a large and commo-
-dious structure to cover the entire
plot Of ground owned by the church
Owing to the ever-changing mem
beTship, funds were collected with
difficulty. and not until 1911 was II
deemed advisable to begin construc-
tion.
Corner stone Laid.
Then at last the corner stone oi
the building which Washington
knows today as the metropolitan
Baptist Church was laid, with i'm
pressiye ceremonies June IS, 1911
and the years OF work and sacri
flee of the loyal band who hat
struggled so long to secure build
ing funds were rewarded with th'
promise of a church building wor
thy of their aspirations. The new
building was also a monument t
the moral and financial aid len
by fellow Baptists of the Distric
of Columbia, most of whom gav'
hearty support to the undertaking
Since it's founding metropolitan
Baptist Church has had a distin
guished succession of elergymen IL
| its pulpit. They follow: Rev. Ste
phen H. Merrick, 1S77-1s7s; DIR. 10
seph w. Parker, 1S7s-1SS2; Rev.wil
liam Ingersoll, 1Ss2-1SS4; Rev. Will
lliaam H. Young. 1SS5-1S90; Rev
Green. Clay Smith, 1ss1-1s95: DI
{ Granville S. Williams, 1Ss6-1s03; an,
the present pastor, the Rev. Johl
Compton Ball, who was called il
1903.
washingtonians of the last cen
tury recall the romantic figure o
the Rev. Green Clay Smith, the par
| son who went down in history a
| the preacher who missed being Pres
ident of the United States by half
vote.
Parson Nearly President.
The Rev Smith, who was a gen
eral during the civil war, later
governor of the State of Aontans
and once a member of Congress, wa
a contestant with johnson for Vic
Presidential nominee on the ticke
with Abraham Lincoln. Failing I
secure the nomination by half vot
lhe was thereafter styled "th
preacher who missed the Whit
House by half a vote" Johnso
was elected with Lincoln, and upo
the assassination of the Grea
Emancipator. became President Q
the United States.
The present pastor, the Rev.
Compton Bal, halls from the key
stone State" having served at Ne,
Bethlehem. Pa! before coming her,
The Rev. Ball had studied divinity q
the Croker Seminary at Chester. La
ter, in Philadelphia, he was associat
ed with DR.. Russell H. Conwell, VIII
preached to packed pews in tn
Temple.
Under the pastorate Of Mr.. Bal
the church has grown rapidly an
the new building has been com
pleted. The original debt Of $500
Is now covered by pledges exceed
ing that sum by $1,000.
More than $1,000 worth of tn
pledges are in liberty bonds, an in
dication of the patriotism of thi
Baptist congregation. Althoug
there is now sufficient money o.
hand to raise the mortgage, It vii
be necessary to defer the joyful rit
lof burning the mortgage" until tn
value Of liberty bonds rises to par.
The church had 365 member
! when Mr.. Ball came to Washington
1t now has $50 members and tn
estimated value of the present build
ing Is more than 500 900.