Evening star., 1940-11-10
First Congregational
History Portrayed in
Photograph Exhibit
Miss Morrison Worked
For Months to Assemble
Collection

For Months to Assemble
Collection
Through the persistence OF
woman who has been a member Tor
more than 60 years, the congrega-
ton of First Congregational Church
this week is viewing an exhibit OF
pictures covering history during the
75-year span since organization.
Thanks to nine months work by
Miss Ella j. Morrison. daughter Of
the late Ebenezer Morrison, Wash
ington paper merchant and leader
in the church in its early years, every
period in the development of First
Congregational and every phase OF
its activity is represented in the
display now being inspected as the
church enters the final week of its
diamond jubilee observance in the
building at Tenth and G streets
N. w, which has been its home
for 50 years.
The writing of innumerable letters,
tracing of descendants, and more
than little pleading and coaxing
were required in assembling the
photographs. Relatives of persons
important in the church's councils
many years ago often proved re-
luctant to let their only pictures Of
ancestors out of their hands.
Many Available for Archives.
A large number of the photo
graphs were made available for in
clusion in the archives OF the
church, however.
Miss Morrison has personal
knowledge of most of First Congre-
gational's history, for, she says, only
Miss L. Robinson is older in point of
membership. Miss Robinson, who
has been unable to attend services
for several years because OF ad-
vanced years, is the only charter
member still alive. She is the
daughter of the Rev. Ebenezer w.
Robinson, one of the church's
founders, who was seventh in direct
line of descent from the Rev. John
Robinson of Leyden, Holland.
Of the church's nine pastors, three,
in addition to the present minister,
the Rev. Howard Stone Anderson,
are living-Dr. Samuel H. woodrow,
DR.. Jason Noble Pierce and DR.. Allen
A. Stockdale.
When the First Congregational
Church held it's initial service Sep
tember IT, 1865, in the Unitarian
Church then located at Sixth and
D streets, a group of distinguished
citizens joined in prayer with the
less prominent, and through the
years since that day the names OF
many in high places have been
listed in its directories.
Coolidge Attended Services There.
President Coolidge made it his
church while in Office. DR.. Merrell
E. Gates, once president Of Amherst
and Rutgers Universities, was a dea-
con and a ''forceful teacher" in the
Bible class, and William Knowles
Cooper, for many years general sec
retary of the Young Mems Christian
Association here, was another. ALVIN
M. Lothrop, local merchant, was
trustee.
Gen. Erphalet Whittlesey and
Gen. George w. Balloch helped
guide its affairs in the first years,
and Mai. Gen. Oliver o. Howard
was instrumental in obtaining suff1-
cient funds to build the present
church building, as well as in found
ing Howard University. with which
the congregation was associated
closely for long period.
AS first president of the Con-
gregational Society and as churen
trustee, Gen. Howard worked for
contributions toward cost OF the
structure which was to become the
church's first enduring home.
Now if each Congregational
church and Sunday school will send
me at least $40
He had lost his right arm in
the Civil War, but he wrote with
his left many letters beseeching aid.
A photostat of one Of these pleas
Is included in Miss Morrison's dis
play.
II beg for this contribution to our
patriotic, national and Christian
enterprise" 1t read. in part.
Meeting Once Held in Capitol.
In addition to the few months
co-tenancy with Unitarians, the
church's early homes included Met
zerott Hall in the 900 block of Penn
sylvania avenue NV, the law
building of Columbian University
on Fifth street NV, between D and
E streets and the chamber of the
House of Representatives. Services
were held in the Capitol for about
q year.
1t was while quarters in the Co.
iumbian College of Law Building
were being occupied that plans for
establishment of what was to be
Howard University were formulated.
The great Negro educational center
began as divinity school and five
of its presidents, including DR.. j.
Stanley Durkee, who preceded DR..
W. OOll1ASOlls RlCoCAie AAOoo,
were prominent members of First
Congregational Church.
Two treasurers, four secretaries,
two librarians, two matrons and 20
instructors also called the downtown
church theirs.
All three founders of the Congre-
gational Home were memberships.
Sarah Frances Tyler Mrs. Mary
Gardner Smith and Mrs. M. Helen
Sawyer.
A feature of Miss Morrisons ex-
hibit is a metal model of the ship
Mayflower from which ribbons
stretch to cards bearing the names
of descendants of Mayf1ower fami-
lies who have been listed on the
church rolls,