The Washington herald., 1920-07-31
Fifth Baptist Church Grows from Small Foundation
To Great City Religious Edyfce in Past Sixty Years
Continuous and Varied
Work Gives Institution
High Place in Spiritual
Life of District Baptist
Residents.

At all times for many years the
Fifth Baptist Church. Six-snd-one-
half and Z streets southwest, has
carried on activities in some branch
of Christian sndeayor. Hence it's
nickname, The Twenty-Four-Hou
a-Day Church"
1t was organized July IS, 1857,
having twenty original members,
and during its sixty-three years of
existence has had but three pas
tors. Its organization grew out of
the missionary efforts of the Rev.
c. c. Meador, then a student at
Columbian College. who in 1856 es-
tablished a Sunday school in wn.l
was known as Island Hall" Vir-
ginia avenue and d street south
west.
DR.. Meador. became its first pas
tor and continued as such until the
summer of 1904, when after forty
seven years of service. he volun-
tarily retired to become pastor
emeritus. He was succeeded by the
Rev. DIR. Weston Bruner.
The church purchased its first
property in April, 1860. on D street,
between Fourth and Sixth streets
southwest. The price was s1,50O.
including an old wooden building.
This structure was torn down ana
one of brick erected in its place.
Tho in 1874 Of 1aNfnra
room and in 1878 of an auditorium
to $4,000.
Ten years later the church built
and established it's mission on Four
and-one-half street, near N south
west. the building costing $500.
The present site on the corner
of Six-and- and E streets
was bought in 1891 at a cost of
$4,000 and the improvements that
have been added since then have
brought the estimated value of the
land up to $4,000.
During the pastorate Of DR..
Bruner the church enjoyed great
prosperity. Although there but six
years, DR.. Bruner succeeded in
doubling the membership and en-
larging the Sunday school so that
it was the next biggest in the Dis
trict.
Contributions during this time
were twice as large yearly as they
formerly had been. The side gal
leries in the church were installed
at a cost of $4,000, this being nee
essary because of the augmented
attendance.
hn ah
l, 400 persons were received into the
500 of whom went out in
ways, including those who
died. Contributions during this pc
riod are said to have been $3.50, 900.
In 1910 the present pastor, DR..
John z. Briggs, came from Atlanta,
Ga, to succeed DR.. Bruner. During
Dr.. Briggs pastorate the church
has cancelled its mortgage debt,
paid in full the floating indebted
ness and has built and paid for
the parsonage adjoining the main
structure. The chapel on Four
and-a-Half street has been reopened
and the services of Miss Gertrude
Jeorg and the Rev. Alexander Wes-
tel have been engaged for mis-
sionary work in Florida and Mis-
souri, respectively.
Contributions to the church aver
age $4,000 a year and the result
ing splendid financial status of the
Institution has enabled it this year
to conduct a vacation Bible school.
More than 800 pupils have enrolled
and are about to complete the
course. Commencement exercises
are to be held at the church Thurs
day and Friday nights at o'clock.
The present deacons are as fol-
lows:
H. l. Stout, w. E. Mooney. C. L
Gessford. W. F. Carter, G. H. Shu-
mate, c. l. Woolard, L. c. Handy,
c. F. Bennett, c. c. James, ]. R.
Tune, Walter Price, NJ. R. Japhet,
and J. J. Darlington who recently
died.