Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09

~ Oh our american The leadership of
the Nation centers here and here YOU
will find the documents, letters and papers
which go to make that political inheritance
with which they have enriched the Nation and
immortalized their names. Whatever you may
desire TO know about national leaders of the
past one finds here. 1t is but natural that it
should be because it is the Capital of the
Nation.
But thing we have forgotten. In the
gathering of the political inheritanceS of the
leaders of the past which interpret their leader
ship and usefulness we are in danger of for
getting the religious aspects OF their lives which
in all instances lie at the foundation of all po-
Nsical greatness. Just Washington interpretS
the political genius of national leadership so
also it holds the intimate experiences of their
religious life. The churches which have grown
up i'll Washington with the establishment of
this city hold. therefore, imperiShable mem
cries of the religious convictions of the leaders
of the past. The longer the existence OF the
church the more crowded it is apt to be with
these clements of the religious life of the great
men who led the Nation in the past. Among
any small group of such churches there stands
inevitably this church, which I now have the
honor of serving, as great shrine to the faith
Of our fathers.
THE New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
has a continued history that runs back
more than century and a quarter. It's history
wellnigh parallels the history of the Capital
City. It founded in 1903, when hunters
shot quail the Capitol and when horses
dragged coaches hub-deep in clay over the
nearly impossible road of Pennsylvania avenue.
It was the first Protestant church in Washing
ton. 1t began when the republic was an expert
ment and when the area of the United States
extended but little beyond the Coast Line,
States. 1t was organized during the Jefferson
administration. when a group of Scotch-Irish
Americans who had fought in the Revolution
came TO Washington with the planting of the
Government here.
The first meetings of the church were held
In the Treasury Building and the first minister
of the church was the sainted DR.. James
Laurie. who was for many years clerk in the
Treasury Department. because the salary he
received from the few people who worshiped
in his church was quite inadequate. After a
few years, with funds which he had secured
from donors as far north as Boston and as
far south as Savannah, he built the first little
brick church. subsequently called Willard Hall,
which was actually the first place for Protes-
tant worship in this city. Since that time and
some SO years later, the church property was
removed to its present location, on New York
avenue, and Thirteenth streets, where it
stands to the very present
There are many items Of unusual significance
about this church. While its history runs back
127 years, it has had only seven ministers I
am the seventh and began my ministry here
but few years back. Then, too, it is q matter
of historic interest that in this church there
was held the farewell service to Gen. Lafayette
on the occasion Of his departure from the coun-
try at the close of his last visit. 1t was from
the pulpit Of this historic church that John
Quincy Adams, then President of the United
States. delivered the farewell address. Then,
too. it is interesting to recall that the wife of
the first minister of the church was the cousin
of Sir Walter Scott, who presented to her at
the occasion of her wedding the manuscript of
one of his novels. On the very ground where
this first Protestant church of Washington
stood the present New Willard Hotel now
stands.
THIS church has often been called THE
- Presidents Church" because more Presi-
dents have attended it than any other place
of worship in the city. 1t was here that John
Quincy Adams was a regular attendant. Then,
too. it became the place of worship of Andrew
Jackson. William Henry Harrison, Franklin
Pierce. James Buchanan, Andrew johnson.
President Willard Fillmore very frequent
worshper here, as were also Grover Cleveland
and Theodore Roosevelt Before his presidency
Ben amin Harrison was a regular attendant
upon its services. It was said OF President
Pierce that he rarely missed a public worship
and he always went twice every Sunday to
church. With Mrs Pierce, he entertained the
Sunday school of the church as his official
guests at the White House. And the greatest
of them all, Abraham Lincoln, attended this
church during all his years of service in the
Capital. We bless God that all of our Presi-
dents have been devout men with keen faith
men who were conscious Of the presence of God
in the affairs of the Nation; and in the last
analysis only such men can be Presidents
Many Vice Presidents also worshiped here
regularly and many Supreme Court Justices,
members of cabinet and leaders in the affairs
OF State. One of the first mems Bible classes
organized in the city was that one led and
taught by Justice Harlan, of the Supreme Court
and elder in this church. At the occasion Of
the centennial celebration Of this church. I'm