Evening star., 1926-05-30


church, were written OF. In getting
facts about Prof. Widdows. the
Rambler came upon the fundamentals
for the stories on the Metropolitan
Church, which stories have been pup
lished. While writing of DR.. BischoH
the history of the First Congrega'
tional Church was given to the
Rambler, and he will pass much OF ~
to you today with belief that you VIII
think the facts of interest and that
the names of old members OF the
church will move your memory.
No credit is due the Rambler Tor
collecting the facts of this story. Ine!
are to be found in addresses mace at
the meetings in observance OF the
fiftieth anniversary o. the founding OIL
the church. The anniversary services
were held November 11-14. inclusive
1915. The address OF most importance
for the Rambler's purpose was that
of Walter l.. Cliff, who. besides MS
own knowledge had before him
paper by William r. Hooper, read at
the twenty-fifth anniversary service,
and certain records OF the cnurcE
gathered by Prof. A X. Skinner ana
George p. Whittlesev.
A meeting of a few cf the Congre-
gationalists then living in Washlng-
ton was held August ). 1S+t. IN the
law ONCE OF 1oikSlON N L CitSs tAs
corner Of Seventh and L streets. Ihis
resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, that we proceed to the
organization of Congregational
Church in the city of washington
essentially on the plan or the cam.
bridge platform; whose standard or
piety shall be high, whose doctrines
shall be evangelical and whose actlon
favors the leading reforms OF the day.
IL
anti-slavery, Sabbath schooi anu teni-
perance efforts"
The Rambler reads in Mr.. Clift's
paper this: "It must have been the
first time in the history OF this city
and of the entire South that re-
ligious body was organized having an
anti-slavery plank in its platform. IL
Is doubtful If there were many
churches in the North that as carry
as the 40s had that idea in their
church creed"
The group Of Washington Congre-
eationalists. ACCORDING to n Congrega-
tional historian, met here, there and
everywhere" and assume that they
met at homes OF members. Among
the Congregatiotaiists was one Cook
man, who offered to build church
and rent 1t to the group. l nave not
the baptismal name OF Mr.. Goodman,
and the name is not III Washington
directory for the years 1S4'-lS5I. Mr:
Goodman caused the construction or
a building on Eighth street and the
Congregationalists held services there.
The site OF the building is now covered
by the synagogue OF the Washington
Hebrew Congregation. Congregation
alism was not we'll thought or in
Washington. and there was not unity
of opinion among members OF the de-
nomination. Let me read you this,
written by a historian of Congrega-
tionalism in Washington:
"They found the hostility of the
whole city arrayed against them.
They were an anti-s!a very church
more than that, M abolition church;
and the Washington OF 1s4S was an
extremely pro-slaxeTy city. 1t was
completely dominated by Southern
influence. Nor was this the opinion
Of the rabble merely; it was the be-
lief Of the clergy, of the bar. OF all
reputable inhabitants of the District.
The whole city was hostile to an anti
slavery church.
"There was another difficulty in the
way. They We're divided among them
selves. Needing union as no other
church ever needed 1t, they were con-
stantly Quarreling. All abolitionfsts
convictions and were determined to
impress them on every one else. Gar
rison's Memoirs illustrate that. Our
Washington friends of that date We're
no exception. They quarreled at every
meeting. Seeing no escape from diff
culties without and within. they called
a council to see if they should be
organized as a church. After hear
ing the evidence the council decided
;% IN
them as a church unless Mr.. Bigelow,
the leader OF one of the warning fac
tions, should withdraw. But as he
preferred to remain in his leadership
OF half of the little gathering, the
council departed without constituting
them a church. They held q few
more meetings and then quietly and
gradually dissolved"
THE Congregationalists Of Wash.
Il ington-they were not numerous
and the record says that they were
poor-did not give up hope of being
formed as a church. The sentiment
was growing among Congregational
lists in the North that the denomina-
tion ought to be represented by q
church at Washington. Slavery dis
cussion was interesting more persons
each year and abolition sentiment in
the free States was becoming bold and
popular. In 1852 the Washington
Congresationalists believed that they
might form a church. They wanted
the Congregational church Of Wash
ington to be as the Congregational
churches in the North we-e-a radi-
cal anti-slavery church.
Trinity Episcopal Church occupied
h site on Fifth street where the Co.
iumbia Law Building stands and was
about to move into i:s new church
building at Third street and Indiana
avenue. The old Trinity building on
Fifth street was for sac. The Con.
gregational group invited Rev. DIR.
cinnati. to minister 10 it, but he did
not accept. Mr.. Lewis Tappan of
New York, widely known as an aboli-
Zionist, sent to the Washington Con-
gregationalists a young minister, j.
B. Grtrnell, just graduated from an
orthodox theological school. He was
warranted by Mr.. Tappan as sound"
on the slavery question, which meant
that he was bold and trumpet
tongued abolitionist.
Mr.. Grmnell, fine and enthusiastic
young man. did not stay long with the.
Washington Congregationalists. Some
of them were not as stalwart aboh-
tionists as he, and believe there was
some trouble in giving the young min
lister an adequate salary. But Mr..
Grinnell. seeing the old Trinity Church
building on Fifth street for sale,
planned to buy it. He went among
the Congregationalists of New Eng
land and New York and put this pro.
posal before them: 1.-THE First Congre-
gational Church of Washington wishes
to purchase church building and
asks your aid. 1t does not ask you
TO give any money; it does not ask