The Washington times., 1922-03-04
FIRST BAPTIST .
CHURCH PASSES
12OTH YEAR
William Jennings Bryan and
John Temple Graves Par
ticipate in Celebration.

The one hundred and twentieth
birthday of the First Baptist
Church, Sixteenth and o streets.
the Rev. DR.. Henry Allen Upper,
pastor, has been reached; and in
celebration OF this historic event, a
most interesting program, at the
church, commencing tomorrow
morning has been arranged. ex.
tending from March 9Th to the 9Th.
At IL a. m. tomorrow, DIR. Tup-
per will preach the historical ser.
mon. reviewing the history Of the
church. the city, and the nation
during these eventful years. At s
p. m, Honorable William Jennings
Bryan will deliver an address.
On Tuesday evening next, by tab
leau. pageant and otherwise, the
outstanding movements of affairs
during these 100 years win be set
forth.
On Wednesday evening. Colonel
John Temple Graves will deliver
an address on. "Armageddon: The
Battle between the Good and Evil. /"
On Thursday evening, a reunion
Of those who have been and are
now connected with the church will
be held: devotional and evangelistic
services will take place; and q
social. with refreshments. will
close the program. The following
Ii a synopsis Of the church's his.
tory:
Organized In 1907.
This church was organized March
7. 1902. with the following as men,
II DNf
Charles Rogers. John Buchan,
Joseph Borrows and Sarah Borrows
At that time Congress was in SEES
sion for the second time in Wash.
ington. The city had not been in.
corporated. and contained less than
1000 Inhabitants. F street was
then the principal thoroughfare
Pennsylvania avenue was then an
unimproved road.
For five years the church was
without pastor. In January,
1907. an invitation to the pastoral
charge was given to Rev. Obediah
b. Brown. OF New Jersey. who en-
tered upon his duties on February
FL. This pastoral connection con.
tinued forty-three years. In 1914,
Oliver Comstock. while a member
Of Congress from New York, was
baptized and received as a member
Of this church, and was licensed
TO preach the gospel. In 1919 he
was ordained to the ministry by
this church, and relinquished politi.
cal life for the office OF an evan.
gelist OF Christ. The Bible School
was organized in 1919.
In 1888 a new edifice was erected
for the church on Tenth street.
Soon after the removal to Tenth
street the colored members, having
become a numerous band. a large
proportion OF them were formed
into a separate organization at the
old Westinghouse at the corner Of
Nineteenth and streets. In 1850
Rev. o. B. Brown resigned
Churches Are United.
In the edifice on Tenth street the
church continued to worship until
September. 1859, when, in pur.
suance of arrangements made with
the Fourth Church. on Thirteenth
street. the First Church took pos
session Of their building. the mem
bers Of the Fourth Church uniting
with them.
The second pastor was Rev.
Stephen p. Hill, D. D.. who entered
upon MS duties In OCTOBER, 1880.
When the church removed to
Thirteenth street, in 1859, the
pastor Of the Fourth Church. Rev
Isaac Cole, became joint pastor
with DR.. Hill. This arrangement
terminated in 1860, when Rev. DR..
Samson, president of Columbian
College, accepted the pastoral
charge.
In February, 1862, a serious loss
occurred to the church in the par.
tial destruction of its edifice on
Thirteenth street by a tempest,
which caused damage to very
large amount and rendered the
building for long time untenant-
able.
Rev. DIR. A. d. Gillette accepted
the call Of the church to the pas
torate about the close Of the year
1868 and filled the office until