Evening star., 1940-09-01

OF IL ana SlXLn SJTeetS NV. since
1907. The court held its sessions on
this site, except for a few years,
from 1878 to 1888. This corner is
also noted as the location of WASH
inston's first Unitarian Church,
dedicated on June 9, 1922. The con-
gregation had its beginning in 1919,
when 1t met at r. Shaer's school
room, on Pennsylvania avenue near
Eleventh street, and later over the
Baths, on the north side of G street
between John Marshall place and
Sixth street, prior to the erection
of the church at Sixth and D
streets.
Robert Little had much to do
toward making this early congrega-
ton a success. He came to this
country on account of poor health,
giving up his pastorate in Gains
borough, Lincolnshire, England,
having decided upon a business
career in the New World. For this
purpose, he brought to Washington
a stock of drygoods, hardware, etc,
and opened store on Pennsylvania
avenue. 1t was not long before he
became acquainted with others
holding the same religious views and
he became identified with the local
congregation, later becoming its first
pastor.
In church work, as with all other
worth while activities, success is due
In a large measure to the standing
of those engaged in the enterprise.
Attending the services were such
men as John Quincy Adams, later
President of the United States; John
C. Calhoun, then Secretary of War,
twice Vice President and United
States Senator from South Carolina,
who died in the old brick Capitol
where the Supreme Court Building
stands-on March 81, 1850: William
Winston Seaton and Joseph Gales,
jr., editors of the National Intel
lgencer, the former Mayor of
Washington, 1840-49, and the latter
also mayor, 1929; Joseph Gales,
sr.; William Eliot, Charles Bulfinch,
the architect; John F. Webb. S. G.
Fowler and Judge William Cranch.
Later, the following names also
appear on the church records:
Moses Poor, Noah Fletcher, Richard
Wallach, Mayor from 1861 to 1867;
Robert Little, Seth Hyatt, c. An
drews, S. Robinson, Pishy Thomp-
son, who kept book store on the
Avenue and for a while published
the American Quarterly Review;
Thomas Bates, A. B. Waller, Thomas
C. Wright, M. Claxton and S. Frank
lin. Thomas Law, who married
Mrs. Washington's granddaughter,
was among the contributors who
helped build the church.
Lafayette q Visitor.
Being one of the most fashionable
churches in the city, it was visited
by many prominent people. and un-
doubtedly up the same aisles that
lawbreakers later walked, the elite of
Washington had once marched to
the strains of some appealing we'd
ding 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.
Like many places in Washington,
the old church was visited by the
Revolutionary patriot, the Marquis
de Lafayette, when he returned to
Washington for the last time, in
1824-5. Referring to this incident,
Mrs. Jennie w. Scudder, in we'll
written article on the Unitarian
Church of Washington, published
in volume 13 of the Records of the
Columbia Historical Society, said:
'Mr. Little had a reputation for
eloquence which attracted outsiders,
even those of high degree. Mrs.
Seaton in a letter to ner parents IN
1924 said:
Layafette goes with us next
Sunday to the Unitarian Church,
being desirous 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 19 ministers.
These included, according to DR..
Shippen's statement, Robert Little,
Andrew Bigelow, Cazeneau Palfrey,
Frederic Farley, Stephen Bulf1nch,
Edward Everett Hale, Orville Dewey,
Samuel Longfellow, Joseph Henry
Allen, Moncure D. Conway, William
H. Charming, Rufus P. Stebbins,
William Sherman. Frederic Hinck-
ley, Clay MacCauley and Rush R.
Shipper, and since the last named
have come, E. B. Leavitt and Ulysses
Pierce. Not all of these were settled
as pastors. Those thus far especial
~ mentioned have been the more
widely known, but others during
those early days contributed no less
sincerely to the establishment in the
National Capital of the sweet
reasonableness' of liberal faith.
Two Other Presidents.
'Rev Clay MacCauley preached
the last sermon in the First Church
and was installed minister of All
Souls January 80, 1877. After leav-
ing Washington Mr.. MacCauley was
sent by the denomination to explain
and to represent the Unitarian con-
ception 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.
The character of the membership
or laity of the Unitarian Church did
rbt change when the name of ALI
Spuls' was adopted. The two Pres
i4ents who attended the First
Church, John Quincy Adams and
Millard Fillmore, are succeeded by
WILLIAM Howard Taft; Senators
Webster, Sumner, Hale of New
Hampshire, have been followed by
Senators Hoar, Morrill, of Vermont,
I3owe, Anthony, Allison, Mason,
Falmer, Burrows and Fletcher. From
tie House of Representatives may
bk mentioned Davis, Stone, Palfrey,
Eliot, Stevens, Adams, William
Everett Banks Baker the younger