Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19


Mrs. John p. Newman, through mlOse
efforts the chimes ,Uere installed in the
Metropolitan M. E. Church toner.
who are visitors, not residents, of the National
Metropolis.
There are many, and their numbers increase
annually, who repair to Washington In con-
nection with the assembling of the national
Representatives, and on business with other
departments of the Government who would
prefer the ministrations and services of the
Methodist Episcopal Church If they could easily
find a place Of worship, such 1t is intended
to provide for them, In common with the resi-
dent population who may be disposed to avail
themselves of its free accommodations"
FOR awhile the Rev. Mr. Slicer. who is said
to have been an unusually able man,
worked diligently and collected considerable
money which was applied to the purchase OF
land However, the enthusiasm of the Rev.
Slicer seems somewhat to have cooled off, for
later on Rev. w. M. D. Ryan was appointed
agent and preparations were soon under way
toward laying the corner stone which took
place october %, 1854, and under Masonic
auspices, as evidenced by the following an
nouncement appearing in the National Intelli-
gencer at the time
"Masonic.-The grand master having
been requested to lay the corner stone Of
the Methodist Metropolitan Church on
Monday next the 23d instant, the officers
and members of the Grand Lodge of the
District Of Columbia are here notified to
attend at the Masonic Hall, corner of
and Tenth streets at o'clock pm. of
that day, in order to proceed from
thence to the site of the said church to
aid the grand master in the work to
be performed Members of subordinate
lodges and visiting brethren in good
standing are invited to be present
by order of the M. w. G. Master:
"CHAS. S. FRAILEY, G. Sec"
There were then inthe city about 10 Masonic
lodges, with a membership of 4l9 in contrast to
the $4,000 $4,000 of today Quite likely all thu
lodges took part in the ceremony, but only
Federal, No. /; st. Johns, No. H. and National
No. IL, advertised that they would do So
The notice Of st. Johns Lodge, in the Ma
tional 1ntellgencer of October 1854, and other
dates. reads:
"Masonic.-The members of St Johns
Lodge, No. II, requested to meet at
Masonic Hall on Monday at o'clock pm,
10 cooperate with the Grand Lodge of
the District OF Columbia in laying the
corner stone of the Metropolitan
Church.
20. w. MARSH, Secretary"
DR.. William B. Magruder was then the grand
master OF Masons and two years later be-
came mayor Of the city, serving until 1857.
Joseph w. Nairn was worshipful master of
Federal Lodge, and S. Bulow Erwin secretary
OF Federal Lodge. The Grand Lodge then
met in the old Medical Building which stood
Tor many years at the northeast corner of
Tenth and Streets-the spot now being oc-
cupled by gasoline station-and a number of
the subordinate lodges also met there
IN THE following advertisement the secre-
tary of the board of trustees of the church
also notified the public of the ceremonies to
take place:
metropolitan M. E. Church-The
corner stone of the Metropolitan Method
list Episcopal Church will be laid with
appropriate ceremonies on Monday eve
ming next, 23d instant at $3.50 O'Clock.
"An address will be delivered by
Bishop Simpson, and it is expected that
Bishop Jaynes and other distinguished
ministers of the church will partici-
pate in the services.
'THOS H. HAVENNER.
Secretary, Board of Trustees"
Just what took place at the corner stone lay.
ing is best told by quoting the account given in
the Intelligencer of october "a, which prints
the program Of the exercises and opens and
closes with its own comment follows:
Methodist Metropolitan Church."
"The ceremony of laying the corner
stone Of this edifice, on the corner Of
Four-and-one-ha and G streets, was
performed yesterday afternoon in the