Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07
CHURCH TOOBSERVE
18th ANNIVERSARY
Dedication Of Present Build
ing Win Be Celebrated
April 10 to IA.

Members of Foundry Methodist Epis-
copal Church will celebrate the twenty
fifth anniversary of the dedication OF
the present church building at Six
tenth and P streets with special ex-
erciSes April 10 to IA.
The church record goes back to the
War of 1912, when British forces in
vaded Washington and burned the
Capitol and the Executive Mansion.
[ Foxall Gave Chapel.
The original Foundry Chapel, which
stood at Fourteenth and q streets,
where now stands the Colorado Build
ing. was given by Henry Foxall, mayor
of Georgetown, 1821-1823, and whose
name is now made familiar by Foxall
Village. The gift of this property is
bound up with the early events of the
National Capital and is recorded as
follows in the history Of those days:
MT. FoXall, having removed his
foundry from Philadelphia to George
town at the request of President JEFF
ferson, was engaged at the time of the
War of 1912 in the manufacture of
drilled cannon for the United States
Government. This fact was
of course known in London, and one
of the properties TO be destroyed should
1AAt1SAA e1OOIJo 1CdCA WdS1lM1EJOll
was FeXall's foundry The British
troops did reach Washington, and
burned the Capitol and other buildings,
but they did not reach the foundry
A terrific thunderstorm interfered, and
Iumors were heard of the rally of the
American troops with achievements.
These were the natural causes. Mr..
Foxall, being devout man, gave thanks
10 God, and, being an earnest Methodist,
his thank offering took the form of a
Methodist chapel, the first church at
the corner Of Fourteenth and G streets
northwest. His friends suggested that
it be called Foxall Chapel, he replied
that he gave the property not as a
memorial OF himself but as thank
offering to God. Some one then sug-
gested that as the gift was a thank
offering for the preservation of Mr..
FoxalPs foundry the name Foundry
would be appropriate and 1t would also
commemorate John Wesley's old Foun-
dry in London, England. This sug-
gestion was adopted by Mr.. Foxall, and
the name The Foundry Chapel was
used in his deed of gift recorded in
the land records of the District of
Columbia"
Foundry Church has fostered the de-
velopment of religious organizations to
meet the needs Of residential develop
mentS in various parts OF the District
such Methodist churches as Wesley,
.McKendree, Ryland and Waugh
Churches were started with its aid.
After occupying successive buildings
on the original site at Fourteenth and
g streets the property was sold and a
new location selected at Sixteenth
street near P. Here the society built
The present Gothic, gray stone church
The mems Bible class, formed by the
!ate Frank w. Bolgiano, and now
taught by Prof. Frank w. Collier of
American University. has high repu-
ftation and is popular among profess
sional men of the CITY, Former Secre-
tary of Navy Curtis D. Wilbur was
a regular attendant at this class and
taught it on the last Sunday of his
official residence in Washington.
Membership Is 1850. >
Foundry has membership of 1850
and church school under Rev Eddy
j.. Ford as director. This church sup
ports two American pastors in India as
well as five native pastors The mems
Bible class built Bolgiano Chapel In
Porto Rico and supports pastor there
In the last rs years it has had a
number of able ministers: Rev Robert
Moore. 1904-10; Rev. William r. We'd
oerspoon, 1905; Rev. Walter E.
Burnett, 1917-18, and Rev. Herbert F.
Randolph, 1924.
The present pastor, DIR. Frederick
Brown Harris, came from Grace
Church of New York City in 1924. On
Easter Sunday, he received a class num-
'bering so into the fellowship Of Foundry
Church.
Next Wednesday night Irving o. Ball.
president of the board Of trustees, will
give a history of the past quarter
century and others will give addresses
1on aspects of the church's activities.
Thursday evening. the Ohio Wesleyan
University Glee Club will give a con-
cert. The anniversary observance will
: eliminate Sunday, when DR.. George
Elliott of New York, who was pastor Of
,sthe church from 1887 to 1892, will ,e
rthe preacher. He is now editor Of the
Methodist Review.