Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20
Old Unitarian Church Became a Court

house, vehicle as familiar to kids of SO years
ago the dog catcher's wagon preceded
by Sam Einstein and his horse and buggy.
THIS building had seen better days. In the
early days when Rev. Robert Little, the first
pastor, was preaching here he had in his con-
gregation such distinguished men as John
Quincy Adams, later President of the United
States; John G. Calhoun, then Secretary of
War, later twice Vice President and United
States Senator from South Carolina, and who
died in the Old Brick Capitol-where soon will
be erected the Supreme Court Building-on
March 81, 1850; William Winston Seaton and
Joseph Gales, jr, editors of the National In
telligencer, the former mayor of Washington,
1840-1849 and the latter from 1827-1829;
Joseph Gales, sr william Eliot. Charles Bull
finch, the architect John F. Webb, S. c. Fow-
Ter and Judge William Cranch
Later on the following names also appear
the church records: Moses Poor, Noah Fletcher,
Richard Wallach, mayor from 1861 to 1867;
Robert Little, Seth Hyatt, G. Andrews, S. Rob-
inson, Pishy Thompson who kept bookstore
on the Avenue and for awhile published the
American Quarterly Review; Thomas Bates, A.
B. Waller, Thomas G. Wright, M. Claxton and
S. Franklin. Thomas Law, who married Mrs.
Washington's granddaughter, among the
contributors who helped build the church
Being one of the most fashionable churches
in the city, naturally it was visited by many
prominent people, and undoubtedly up the same
aisles that lawbreakers later walked the elite
of Washington had once marched to the strains
of some appealing wedding march, while all the
society folk of the city gathered within its
folds to witness the ceremony and, perchance,
throw rice and old shoes at the bridal couple
on the way out.
PERHAPS it has never occurred to any of the
judges or attaches of the court that the
famous French-American general, the Marquis
de Lafayette who rendered inestimable services
in the American Revolution, once visited this
same spot in the latter part of 1924 when he
had returned to this country for the last times
- Referring to this incident, Mrs. Jennie w.
Scudder, in a well written article on the
Unitarian Church of Washington. published in
Volume 10 of the Records of the Columbia
Historical Society, says:
Mr. Little had a reputation for elouuence
which attracted outsiders even those of high
degree. Mrs. Seaton in letter to her parents
in 1924. said:
Lafayette goes with us next Sunday to the
Unitarian Church, being DESTROYS of hearing
Mr.. Little, of whose fervid eloquence he has
heard so much
Mrs. Scudder further tells us:
From 1921 to 1909 the Unitarian pulpit has
been occupied, for longer or shorter periods by
10 ministers. These included according to DR.:
Shippens statement Robert Little, Andrew
Bigelow, Cazeneau Palfrey, Frederic Farley.
Stephen Bulfinch Edward Everett Hale Or
vile Dewey, Samuel Longfellow Joseph Henry
Allen, Moncure D. Conway, William H Chan
ming, Rufus P. Stebbins, William Sherman,
Frederic Hinckley, Clay MacCauley and Rush
r. Shippen and since the last named have
come E. B. Leavitt and Ulysses Pierce Not ali
of these were settled pastors. Those thus
far especially mentioned have been the more
widely known, but others during those early
days contributed no less sincerely to the estab-
Sy1 he Mot
reasonableness' of liberal faith
Rev Clay MacCauley preached the last SER
mon in the First Church and was installed
minister of All Souls January 80, 1877. After
leaving Washington, Mr.. MacCauley was sent
by the denomination to explain and to repre-
sent the Unitarian conception of Christianity
to the then just awakening nation of Japan. He
Is still living and has occupied the pulpit Of All
Souls once during the last year.
GIN 1881, Rev. Rush r. Shipper was chosen
minister, and in his pastorate of ID years
the Unitarian Church entered upon more ac-
tive life than had previously been hers. Dur
ing this time, by arrangement between the
church and the American Unitarian Associa-
ton, prominent Unitarian ministers were heard
here in the Winter months
Or. Shipper is wildly and kindly remem-
bered by his parishioners, while as citizen he
made an impression on municipal life.
ITO him succeeded E. Bradford Leavitt for a
term of three years, who was in turn succeeded
by Ulysses G. B. Pierce, installed as minister
April IL, 1901.
THE character of the membership or laitv
of the Unitarian Church did not change when
the name of All Souls was adopted. The two
Presidents who attended the First Church,
John Quincy Adams and Willard Fillmore are
succeeded by William Howard Taft. Sen ators
Webster. Sumner, Hale of New Hampshire have
been followed by Senators Hoar, Morrill, OF