Evening star., 1922-03-04
12OTH anniversary
OF BAPTIST CHURCH
Special Program to Mark Gel.
ebration by Dr.. Tupper's
Congregation.

The 12oth anniversary of First Bap-
tist Church. 10Th and . streets, is to
be celebrated with appropriate exer-
cises extending over a period of four
days. Rev. Dr. Henry Allen Tupper.
pastor of the church. has arranged
the program.
He will preach the historical SER
mon at II o'clock tomorrow morning,
reviewing the history of the church.
the city and nation. William Jen-
nirSs Bryan is to deliver an address
at o'clock.
There will be the presentation of a
tableau and pageant Tuesday even
ing. which will show outstanding
movement of affairs during the l20
years.
Col. Graves to Speak.
Wednesday evening Col. John Tenn
pie Graves is to deliver an address
on "Armageddon. the Battle Between
the Good and Evil.
There will ne a reunion Thursday
evening of those who have been and
are now connected with the church.
Devotional and evangelistic services
will be held. and social and refresh
ments will close the program.
The church was organized March
:. 1902. with the following as mem
hers: Charles P. Polk. Cephas Fox.
Borrows and Sarah Borrows. At that
lime Congress was in session for the
second time in Washington. The city
had not been incorporated. and con-
tanned less than 1000 inhabitants. +
street was then the principal thor
oughfare- Pennsylvania avenue was
then an unimproved road.
First Preacher.
Tie first preaching was supplied by
oh. .rl, in
to Congress. IN the succeeding autumn
:, new meeting house. on the corner of
and 18Th streets. was occupied. Rev.
obadiah B. Brown of New Jersey was
selected as pastor. who entered upon his
duties February II. 1907. remaining
forty-Three Years. In 1914 OliVer Ccm-
stock. while a member of Congress from
New York. was baptised and received as
Il member of this church. and was Ii
'enSed to preach the gospel. In 1919 he
was ordained to the ministry by this
church. and relinquished political life
for the office of an evangelist OF ChrlSt.
The Bible school was organized in 1919
In 1893 IL new etlifice was erected for
rhe church on 10th street. Soon after
the removal large proportion of the
colored members were formed into I
separate organization at the old meet
streets. In lSJO Rev. o. r. Brown re-
signed. In September. 1859. arrange
ments were made with the Fourth
church. on l3:h S.rect. to take ioss es-
sion Of its building. the members OF
the Fourth Church uniting with them.
DIR. HTi second Pa~tcr.
The second Pastor was Rev. DR.
duties in October. lS5o. When the
church removed to l2th street. in
/ S=.9. The pastor OF the Fourth Church
Rev. isaac cole, hecam" joint pastor
with DIR. Hill This arrangement ter
rninuated in 1SG0. when Rev. DR.. Sam
son. president Of Columbian College
accepted the past oral charge. In Feb
ruary 1862. the church was partly de-
stroyed by a tempest.
Rev Or. A. ID. Gillette accepted the
call of the church to the paStorate
about the close of the year 1868 and
filled the office until failing health
caused him to resign. In 1869 Rev.
Dr. ]. H. Cuthbert accepted the call
of the church and served for eighteen
years.
sunday school Dates to 1919.
The Sunday school of the church
was commenced in the year 1919. and
was the first one established in this
city. 1t was for some years conduct
.d as a union school. the teachers
being of different denominations.
Rev. DR.. Charles A. Stakely sue
ceeded DIR. Cuthbert in 1883 and
served thirteen years. during which
the present editica was erected. Rev
Dr. L. Il. Pollard served as acting
pastor from 1900 TO 1902, and he was
followed by Rev. Charles F.. Win
Ligler of Philadelphia. who was pas
tor of the church until January 81.
1909 Rev w. w. McMaster entered
upon his pastorate January 2. 1910
and served until his resignation was
accepted. in September. 1918. In De-
cember 1918. DR. Henry Allen Tupper
was called to the pastorate of the
church and is now serving in that
,.ary3 civ