Evening star., 1928-10-10


penetrate. Broad Greek Chapel, Addison
at Upper Marlboro; Christ Church, al
emotional stimuli to those responsive to
Pilgrimages to these shrines are
planned during the coming convention.
Some of them are just outside the Dis
trict of Columbia, while others, such
as the remarkable old Bruxton Parish
Church at Williamsburg. would repay
the days trip necessary to reach them.
Their associations include names prom
inent in the history of the United
States and extend back to the earliest
English-speaking colonistS in North
America.
In some cases the churches and
chapels have been modernized, but the
work has been done by loving and ar
tistic hands. In no case has the at
mosphere of antiquity been destroyed.
The buildings still wear their chaste
colonial dress They still are parts OF
a quieter and humber age. Their voices
are the gentle voices of old-fashioned
mothers.
st. Johns Church at Broad Greek.
Md, about miles over the District
line. is one of the oldest Episcopal
churches in this part of the country
and is the mother church of all the
washington parisheS-a quaint, wrin-
kled old mother clinging steadfastly to
the ancient home, but always ready to
welcome back her city children. She
is plain of face and of dress. but the
eternal kindliness and charity OF
motherhood is in her bricks and raft
ers. The gentleness and wisdom of
age rests upon the little old church.
First Church Built in 1895.
IL
a frame building erected in 1895 to care
for the spiritual interests of the first
Episcopalian settlers in this section. The
second, of like construction, was COM
pleted in 1713. The present quaint edi-
flee of brick was finished on March 20,
1723-205 years ago. The building is of
curious construction. The bricks were
brought over from England. The same
story, as is well known, Is told about
every church and country house in
southern Maryland and very seldom rep
resents the actual facts. The colonists,
for the most part, made their own bricks
But in this case the story is supported
by real evidence. Every piece of timber
in the building was hand sawed and
the nails handmade. The walls are
hipped style An old chimney ran up
through the center of the church, but
this was torn down and new one built
on the outside.
There are two pews Of historical iT1-
portanee. One is that in which George
Washington sat and the other belonged
to Col. William LyleS. On the doors
appear two silver plates with appropri-
ate inscriptions. The two pews are
painted a dark gray and are trimmed
with black: The heavy doors, hung on
wrought hinges, close the entrance to
the pews. Washington attended only
occasionally. Broad Greek is just across
the Potomac from Mount Vernon.
Gallery Set Apart for Slaves.
In the rear of the church is a high
gallery, in which the slaves sat. Through
the front of this gallery there was
hole through which pole was passed
for the offerings. Today under this
gallery an attractive baptistry has been
built. In front of the church there are
four high poles upon which is placed
beautiful old bell. The oldest headStone
in the graveyard is dated 1760. and its
inscription is just as legible as it was
the day 1t was carved.
During the past few years st. Johns
has had many visitors, as its curious
history has become known. The sexton
lives on the grounds and is kept busy
explaining the unusual old building.
The church of st. Thomas at Croome,
Md, was built lis years ago as a chapel
of ease for Rev. Paul EveFsfield, then
rector of st. PaulS parish, one of the
original 80 parishes of the Province of
Maryland. Bishop Claggett, first bishop
conSecrated in this country, lived at
Croome and used st. Thomas Chapel.
1t was made separate parish in 1851
and since then has had IL reetorS. The
parish contains three places of worship
st. Thomas Church. the Church of
the Atonement at Cheltenham and the
Chapel of the Incarnation at Brandy
wine. The area covered is about 120
square miles. The rector holds serv-
ice in each Of the three churches every
Sunday. He spends great deal of his
time on the road, visiting lonely farm
erS.
st. Barnabas' Chapel Just over the
District line, belongs to St. Johns
parish at Broad Run. It is about 100
years old and contains several beautiful
memorials. The magnificent oaks
around the church and cemetery are
much admired by visitors.
Notable Historic Church.
A notable historic church in this
part Of the country is Trinity Church
at st. Marys City, Md, which stands
on the site of the first settlement in
the Maryland colony. 1t is built from
brick taken from the original State
house. The churchyard has a vault
containing the remains of Sir Lionel
Copley, first royal governor of the
colony. In the same churchyard is
memorial erected by the State to the
memory of Leonard Calvert This is
on the identical spot occupied by a
mulberry tree under which Calvert
of the oldest churches in the United
States In st. Georges, near ST. Marys
City. The original building was erect
ed in 1910. It was destroyed by fire a
few years later and the present edifice
erected.
Christ Church. at Chaptico. Md, was
built in 1887 after a design said to
have been drawn by Sir Christopher
Wren In 1913 the British landed a
force there and used the church as a
stable. The church was consecrated IN
1917, and in 1913 1t was enriched by
the erection of tower in keeping with
its architecture. The building has an
apsdal chancel, very rare among the
colonial churches.
Queen Anne's parish, In Prince
Georges County, has still in use a COM
munion service of beaten silver and a
marble font purchased in 17le. The
parish itself dates from 1705. The
present brick church, the third on the
same site, was erected in 1772, partly
with bricks brought from England. II
was largely financed by free will offer
ings of tobacco.
st. Matthew's Church, at Seat Pleasant,
Just over the District Line In Maryland,
is one of the oldest Episcopal churches
In the United States. But only during
the last 10 years has its status been that
of a church. For 223 years it existed
as chapel and Is best known by its