Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01

! "AlthouQh d. Buffers health has been frAfl
for soE1ae time, his death, which was due to
heart failure, was entirely unexpected. Last
night he took supper with his family and after
ward was somewhat indisposed but after resting
for q while he felt better and spent some time
playing with his little granddaughter. This
morning. while ON his way to the bath, he fel
Mrs. Butler went at once TO his assistance, but
he expired shortly after. He had returned from
Ocean Grove with Mrs. Butler but little more
than week ago.
"TIe. was man Of very strong Union senti-
Tnent and at the outbreak Of the war became
chaplain Of the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment OF
Volunteers, with duties in and around WASH
fngton President Lincoln made him a hospital
chaplain, and until the close Of the war he
ninistered as such to the hospitals at Wash
ington.
'He was elected chaplain of the House OF
Representatives in 1867 and served through the
Forty-first, Forty-second and Forty third Con-
crosses He was chosen chaplain OF the Senate
in 1886 and served there for seven years. For
nearly 80 years he was professor OF homiletics
and church history at Howard University and
throughout his life he labored diligently and
well for the colored race.
"In his capacity as Government chaplain
DR. Butler was in attendance on George A.
Atzerodt, who was tried and convicted as an
accompIce in the assassination Of President
Lincoln. With Rev. DR.. Gillette accompanying
Payne Rev DR.. Olds attending Herold and Rev.
Father Walter attending Mrs .Surratt. Dr. But
Ter ACCOMPANIED Atzerodt to the scaffold July Z,
1865, at the old penitentiary in the Arsenal
grounds, where, in his behalf he returned
thanks 10 the guards and attendants for kind
nesses to the condemned men and after an
earnest invocation besought God to have mercy
on his soul. .3
DR.. Butler was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.
In the conduct OF the Sunday school and in
his church work no man ever had two more
loyal sons TO assist him than did DR.. Butter.
william X the older of the two, became
physician ard from about 1890 TO some time
during the World Wcr conducted an eye, ear
and throat hospital for the poor in the church
chapel Charles H. has always been active IN
church work For many years he was pastor OF
the keller Memorial Church, but is now in
charge of the Columbia Heights Lutheran
Church.
The old chapel in which the Sunday school
and infirnsary were located, was also usso
around the early sos for public school pur-
noses. and this. no doubt gives the place added
interest to number of Washingtonians who
received a part Of their schooling there.
THE Lutheran Church got start In what IS
now the District of Columbia as early rs
1859 when George Fraser Hawkins and Charles
Beatty purchased part Of Knaves' Disappoint-
ment and subdvided it into 3o4 lots, of which
they donated for religious purposes-one Tor the
use Of the Church CT England, one for o CAL
The lot donated for the last-named church
is the one now used for this purpose at the
northwest corner Of Volta place and Wisconsin
avenue and according to the history OF the
Evangelical Lutheran Church OF Georgetown.
D. C., prepared by Rev. Luther Hess Warisg.
Pm. D.:
"a log church was at once erected on this
lot by the German Lutherans who lived IN
Georgetown and along Rock Greek and services
were conducted, more or less irregulariy, py va
rious nonresident ministers whose services Irora
time to time could be secured, and this seruc-
tire thus antedated any other Lutheran church
or parochial school building in what is now
the District Of Columbia by 81 years Tradition
says that George washington attended at least
one service in this church The founder OK
Georgetown PreSbyterianism, Rev. Stephen
Bloomer Balch, D. D.. held his FIRST services Tor
his people In this Lutheran church about 172O.
The church appears to have been under the
fostering care of the famous Lutheran mission
airy preachers, the Muhienbergs Rev. Peter
Muhlenberg the fighting parson,' of woodstock,
Va, made missionary tours in many directions
seeking to gather together the scattered mem
bers Of his faith For a time in IT'D, owing
to their inability to secure q Lutheran pastor,
the congregation was served by an Episcopaf
minister of the name of Brooke German
minister from Philadelphia served them during
part of the year 1876. Another German minisa
ter was secured in 1899"
On this side Of the creek even an earlieE
provision was made for Lutheran church,
when Jacob Funk in 1853, laid out tract
Of land between Rock Greek and Goose Creela
ON the Potomac, In Prince Georges Countk
Md" and gave lot i83 for the use of q Ger
man Lutheran Congregation" This town he
called Hamburg name which seems to have
given way largely TO that of Funkstown, from
the name of its owner. However, the church
which Mr.. Funk had IN mind when he donates
the lot did not materialize for many yearA
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