Evening star., 1926-04-25
Frederick Widows, Chime Ringer,
Was Also a Washington Composer
Reports of sciansC Career.

was probably 1871, my information
being that he was the first to play
that chime. and in a record of import
ant dates in the history of the church
! I find this: Nov. 80, 1871--the spire,
the gift of, Mr.. Thomas Kelso, was
dedicated and the chime of bells do
mated through the efforts of Mrs. DR..
| Newman"
| November 80. 1871, was Thanksgiv-
ing day, and In The Evening Star Of
Wednesday, November 20, 1871, is
| this: Tomorrow. having been desig-
mated by both President Grant and
Governor Cooke as a day of thanksgiv-
ing and prayer, will be generally OBJ
served by the citizens of the District
as a holiday. Appropriate services
will be held in nearly all the churches
throughout the District At the
Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal
Church, Rev. DIR. Newman. pastor, in
addition to the regular exercises, the
! dedication of the new chime Of bells
will take place. Bishop Simpson Is
expected to be present and deliver an
address. During the ceremonies the
bells will ring the airs, The Ginning
( Bells Hail Columbia Changes and
Old Hundred in which all the peo-
pie will join in singing the doXology,
Praise God From Whom All Blessings
Flow In the evening DR.. and Mrs.
Newman will receive their friends in
the parlors of the church"
| And. while l have The Stars ad-
vance story Of that Thanksgiving day
before me. let me take from ii what
follows:
MANY of our citizens of the Jewish
faith will celebrate the day at the
synagogue of the congregation Adas
! Israel, the new minister, Rev. Joseph
1 Cnhop Oficiafipp
| AT the National Theater matinee
will be given at . O'Clock, on which
! occasi the pleasing comedy of Sara
| toga' will be given with Mr.. Saville
| in the popular role of Bob Sackett. In
| the evening Mr. Drayton will appear
! in his new and exciting play entitled
! Niagara
AT the Foundry Methodist Episco-
| pal Church an oyster supper Will be
given and tomorrow evening church
sociable will be held.
| The grand soiree dansante of
Messrs Marini and Bates. at their
academy on f street, between Ninth
and Tenth, will be q plea SAINT place to
| finish up the festivities of the day. 1t
will be a very select affair, as usual
THE ball of the Arlington Boat
Club at Masonic Temple will be
recherche affair"
+
tTHE Evening Star. Friday. Decem.
ber /. 1871, contained an account
| of the dedication of the Metropolitan
spire and chime. The name of the
chime ringer was not given. but, in
stead of taking time to tell you about
the article, the Rambler gives you
leave to read 1t. 1t follows:
! THE main attraction was at the
,c@ vi
! Church, where the chime bells in the
spire were dedicated and rung for the
| first time. On Wednesday and yester-
| day, Mr.. j. II. Merrill had caused to
! be circulated printed slips OF which
the following is a copy: To Ulysses $.
| Grant and others. trustees of the
| Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal
Church, and Mrs. J. p. Newman,
money collector for the church: You
| will please take notice that | hereby
| forbid your giving away the steeple
to said church. and dedicating the
! same to Almighty God, in whom l be-
, lieve, until you settle. or cause Henry
Case. contractor for building the
/ steeple. to settle and pay me what Is
! Justly my due. and also pay to Samuei
| Cooper eighteen dollars for six days,
work and to W. o. Berry the sum OF
twenty-five dollars for work done and
| to Frank Miller the sum of six dollars
! for oil and one dollar and fifty cents
I for one forty gallon oil cask and two
dollars for one fivegallon oil can. MY
own lust dues exceed five hundred
dollars. (Signed) J. II. Merrill.
! "'P. S.-The Jews have always re.
uuired that all their offerings to Goo
! should be free from blemish.'
! This injunction of Mr.. Merrill s
| did not stop the interesting cere-
monies incident to.the occasion. Pres
ident Grant and family, Gen. Babcock:
Vice President Colfax and wife and
other distinguished gentlemen ana
! their families occupied conspicuous
seats. There were also crowds OF peo-
ple outside, unable to obtain admls-
sion, Among the ministers present on
the floor were Revs. J. B. Vanmeter,
W. w. Edwards, w. F. Speake. Dr.
! DeaIe. J, NJ. Green, w. 7. l.. Weech
and j. G. Henning. The pulpit was
occupied by Rev. Drs. McCauley,
! Newman and Hamilton and Revs. ).
A. Wilson, S. NJ. Hartsock. Arthur
Foster. William Mullen King and L.
: n. Wideman. The exercises were
onened with a thanksgiving anthem
by the choir. led by Prof. Barlow
cornelius Burlew). Prof. Tasker pre-
siding at the organ
| Then follows a summary OF DR..
I
| Newman's Sermon)
! AT the conclusion of the sermon IL
| little girls of the infant class, dressed
| in white, and two small boys entered
from a side door, each bearing a flag.
Those borne by the girls contained
| the inscriptions on the bells. The lit
tie girls arranged themselves on each
| side of the altar, and each in turn an
nounced the name of the persons
whose names are cast on the bells.
| Mr.. l.. A. Bobright read an original
poem. after which Dr. Newman pre-
sented to ex-Mayor Emery, as presi-
dent of the board of trustees, the al
bum containing the names OF the con-
tributors to the spire and chimes,
with an account of all expenditures.
properly audited by Messrs. J. A. Ruff
and r. A. Tullock, and found. to be
correct, with a sufficient balance to
paw all claims. Mr.. Tullock read an
address of the trustees to Mr.. Thomas
| Kelso Of Baltimore, who had con-
tributed at the commencement Of the
work on the church $4,000, at the
| dedication $4,000, and subsequently
IS 900 for the spire. He also sub
mitted resolutions of thanks to Mr..
Kelso, dedicating the spire to him un-
der the name 'Kelso Spire.' Mr.. kelso
was then introduced to the congrega-
ton as the most liberal benefactor of
the church. Mr. Tullock then referred
| to Mrs. Newman as being wide
awake woman, actively benevolent,
and referred to her efforts in obtain
| ing money for the church proper. The
dedicatory prayer was then offered by
Rev. DR.. Hamilton. after which the