Evening star., 1928-10-10

it became an independent parish. In
1925 a new church was built at cost
of $125,000 and in 1928 the commun1-
cants numbered 326. A debt Of $50, 600
remains on the new church and the
parishioners are making heroic efforts
to reduce this. In spite of this debt ST.
Columbus overSubScribes its quota Tor
missions. There is a Young People S
Society of more than 100 high school
boys and girls. These finance the
weekly parish paper and give literally
to the building fund. The children'S
Lenten offering has exceeded 81 900 an
nually for the last five years. The
Ladies Aid has pledged itself to give
$1,000 for the building fund. There are
| two Bible classes, one conducted by the
rector and one by William Tyler Page,
! clerk of the House of Representatives.
The rector is the Rev. William w.
| Shearer.
Among the beauties of the District of
Columbia which linger long in the
memories of visitors are the chimes OF
| Epiphany in the falling twilight over
| the canyons of brick and stone OF
downtown Washington. The church Is
an altar set up in the heart of the
business district, gray dusk of revery
and peace amid the turmoil of mod
ern city'S work-day world. 1t remains
open continuously and there seldom Is
an hour during the day or early eve
ming, according to attendants, when
some small group is not to be found
kneeling in prayer or seated in peni-
tential reflection amid its pictured
scenes from the lives of the Savior and
his apostles.
Beginning of Epiphany.
| rrl,o ,oor r;eI, I@ora,, &c a ,,o;eeIo,,orv on :.
terprise under the care of the Rev.
Jonathon w. French. Ground was
given for the church at its present 10
cation and the first building, which be-
came the nucleus of the present Gtruc-
ture was erected in 1874. During the
rectorship of the Rev. Charles H. Hall
| in 1857 the church was enlarged by
the addition of the transepts. Many
| interesting stories are told OF this old
church during the Civil War when, for
a time, it was used as hospital. Just
before the war its prominent COM
municantS included Secretary of War
Stanton and jefferson Davis. Davis
had the pew which Stanton wanted.
He moved in as soon as the future
President of the Confederacy had left
Washington.
Among the rectors since the Civil
War have been the Rev. DR.. Starky,
later bishop; eRev. DR.. w. F. Watkins,
Rev. DR.. William Paret, later Bishop Of
Maryland; Rev. Samuel H. Giesy, Rev.
Randolph H. McKim and the Rev.
| James E. Freeman, now Bishop Of
| Washington. Through the years its
communicates have included some of
the most notable figures in govern
mental, military and diplomatic life,
| but necessarily, due to its location, 1t
| has had a somewhat shifting congre-
cation which varied greatly from year
to year.
The chimes, in a splendid Gothic
tower, were erected by the people OF
the parish in memory of Rev. DR..
McKim, who at the time of his death
in 1920 had served the church as rec
tor for 80 years.
The church maintains many chari-
ties, including the Epiphany home at
1921 Massachusetts, avenue, the Len
thall Home for Widows at Nineteenth
and G streets and the Epiphany Com
munity Center at Twelfth and G streets
| southwest. The present rector is the
Rev. z. B. T. Phillips.
St. Johns Famous Church.
Probably no other church of any
denomination in the United States has
had throughout its history such a dis
tinguished roster of communicates as
has st. Johns, at Sixteenth and H
streets. Situated in the heart of official
Washington, for a century it has been
the place of worship of Presidents, cab
met officers, distinguished soldiers and
diplomats and leaders in the business
and professional life of the city. It is
known as the Church of Presidents"
1t was the established usage from the
days Of Madison to the presidency of
Lincoln for the Chief Executive to at
tend services there on stated occasions.
The parish dates back to 1915. The
corner stone was laid in February, 1916.
The architect was B. H. Latrobe. In
| the office of st. Johns is an interest
ing water-color sketch of the church,
then simple colonial structure, show
Ing in the foreground the White House
just after 1t had been set on fire during
the British invasion. The ro, the
west wing is shown as a mass *
ened emberS. This probably l. ~
| picture in existence showing m
dition of the White House at this lime.
Architectural Changes.
Subsequently the architecture of the
church was somewhat altered and the
tower and porch erected The most
important changes were made in 1888,
when a sanctuary was added, the inte-
rior remodeled and many fine additions
put In place. The eye cannot glance
in any direction without seeing some
memorial. Over the altar is a brass
cross, commemorating President Ar
4 thur. In the west wall is a window
commemorating Presidents Madison
| Monroe and Van Buren, A window
in the east wall commentaries Presi-
dents Tyler, Harrison and Taylor. Over
the south gallery is memorial window
to Gen. Winfield Scott. The atmo-
sphere of the old church is vibrant with
memories of the illuStrious dead, of
White House funerals and marriages
and of those secret occasions when tired
men with the weight of the Nations
troubles on their shoulders sought the
reverential peace of the House of God
to ask help.
st. Johns, however, is far from being
entirely church of memories. Under
the rectorship of Rev. Robert Johnston
it is one of the most progressive Epis-
copal churches in the country, and
maintains long list of religious activi-
ties. Notable among these are French
services, conducted every Sunday by
Rev. Florian Vurpillot for the residents
of Washington who use that tongue.
Especially noteworthy among the
Episcopal churches Of Washington is St.
Thomas, at Eighteenth and Church
streets, under the rectorship of Rev.
DR.. z. Ernest Smith. The first services
in the neighborhood of Dupont Circle
were held in rented chapel, but these
were discontinued in 1890, the years
rental on the building having expired.
The next year prominent church men,
bers of the neighborhood petitioned for