Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
HISTORIC CHURCH
CLOSES TOMORROW
First Presbyterian Edifice,
Occupied 1903 Years, Bought
by D. C. Government.

The First Presbyterian Church on
coin Marshall place, which has been
occupied by that congregation for more
than 1903 years, will be closed after the
services tomorrow morning. The build
ing has been purchased by the District
government n connection with the
Municipal Centes.
Invitations have been sent to more
than thousand people to attend the
last service, which will include COM
munion.
There are only two living former
pastors of the church. They both have
been invited to take part in this
final service. These pastors are DR..
Donald c. Macleod executive secre-
Gary of the Presbytery of st. Louis,
Mo-, and DR.. John Britain Clark,
pastor of the Erskin Memorial Church
at Tryon, N. C. DR.. Clark is prevented
from coming because of illness in the
family. d DR.. Macleod will deliver the
sermon at the old church in the morn
Ing and at the new church on Massa-
sehusetts avenue at Thirty-sixth street
at 8 pm.
Dates Back to 17S5.
The old First Presbyterian Church of
Washington city had its beginning in
1875 in a carpenter shop erected on
the grounds of the White House for
the use of the workmen engaged in
building it. This little shop, becoming
too small for the congregation, a move
was made to what was then farm
house near the corner of Tenth and F
streets, thence to the Academy East
q Masonic lodge--near the Navy Yard,
thence to basement room in the Cap
itol used by the Supreme Court. Here
the communion Of the Lords supper
was first celebrated by the congrega-
ton.
During the War of 1912 the first
Church Building was erected on the
south side of the Capitol building, and
was known In church history as 1.-THE
Little White Church Under the HILL"
The corner stone of the new building
was laid on the present site on John
Marshall place, April 10. 1927. The
church ives dedicated December 9, 1927.
Elias Boudinot Caldwell, son of the
famous Rev. James Caldwell of New
Jersey, chaplain of the New Jersey
Brigade in the Continental Army from
1777 to 1779, was on the first bench of
elders. On June "a, 1795, order was
taken for the ordination and installa-
ton of Rev. John Breckenridge as the
first pastor.
Pastor Nearly so Years.
Under Dr. Byron Sunderland, for
nearly so years its pastor, the Old
Church sprang into national fame.
Lincoln welcomed him to the White
House, and he served as chaplain of the
Senate during the war.
President jackson came to the church
when 1t first moved to its present site
In 1927. Presidents Polk and Pierce
attended Cleveland came with his
young wife, to whom he was married
by DR.. Sunderland at the White. House.
She was a member during CleSeland's
when ne was general. Admiral Dahl
gren was regular attendant with his
family, his children having been raised
In the Sabbath school, James Buchanan
attended while Senator, also Senator
Thomas II. Benton and Rufus Choate.
Webster, though Unitarian, attended
occasionally. Henry Clay spoke from
the old pulpit
President Harding's last church at
tendance before his death was in this
church on Memorial day, May 80, 1928.
on the occasion of the dedication of
Grant and Dahlgren pews to the use of
the soldiers and sailors of the Republic.
Scope Of New Church Site.
The new church on Massachusetts,
avenue at the intersection of Thirty
sixth and Garfield streets consists of
about $500 square feet of ground. This
site has been purchased at an approx
mate cost of sos 900.
The church has appointed building
committee and secured an architect.
Plans are under way for the erection of
modern departmental church.
DR.. Newton P. Patterson is the present
pastor.