Evening star., 1943-10-17
BY John Clagett Proctor.

There are few people residing in
Southwest Washington, or who may once
have resided there, who do not recall old
Ryland Methodist Church or Ryland
Chapel as it was generally called, which
stood for many years on the south
east corner of Tenth and D streets. In
recent years, the congregation of this
famous old church moved to its beauti-
full new building at Branch avenue and
S street Sc, where it will begin cele-
brating its Tooth anniversary next Tues
day evening.
AS indicated, Ryland Church was
started in 1S43, through the initial do
nation of $100 contributed by John c.
Harkness, a wellknown architect and
builder of this city, and in doing so he
made the request that the Rev. French
S. Evans, then a local elder OF this
denomination should apply the money as
a nucleus in organizing church on the
Island" as the Southwest part of WASH
ington was generally referred to during
the days of the canal that once oc-
cupied the space about along the line
of what is now Constitution avenue.
The Rev. Mr.. Evans was evidently an
energetic man, for it did not take him
long to commence organizing his con-
gregation, and in little while the small
flock of his followers was meeting in
little schoolhouse which then stood
nearly opposite the old church. and ad-
ditional financial assistance soon made
1t possible to purchase the early church
site from BarZillai C.. Smith by Rev.
William Ryland and Edward Lacey who
William Ryland, George Crandall,
French S. Evans, John C. Harkness, Will
liam Lloyd, William Bird and Charles
w. Boteler Following this, in 1874,
the church was built and named after
William Ryland, chaplain in the
Navy, and one of its founders.
First Church Building.
The church as originally erected meas
ured 40 by so feet, and cost $4,000. Build
ing material at this period was decidedly
much lower than now, and for this sum
quite neat looking structure was built
quite ample for its 81 members, % OF
whom came from Foundry Church and
26 from Wesley Church. The Rev.
Charles Eden Brown, city missionary,
was appointed the first pastor. He died
before the structure was dedicated,
which took place in August, 1874.
The dedicatory services were conduct
ed by Rev. F. Mills in the morning and
Rev Ryland spoke in the evening. Fol-
lowing the death Of the Rev Brown, Rev.
French S. Evans was appointed to fill his
unexpired term, being followed in 1845 by
Rev. George D. Chenowith. He being
followed the next year by the Rev.
Evans. After this the Rev. J. S. Gorsuch
served for one year and eight months.
Gorsuch Chapel was named for him
Rev. Samuel Kepler filled the pulpit in
1850.
The next appointment for Ryland was
the Rev. J. w. Hedges, who served from
1851 to 1852. It was he who once quantity
remarked upon COLLECTION day that 1T was
best to make allowance for shrinkage," a
remark that was used to good advantage
on many subsequent occasions. The next
appointment was the Rev. Alfred Grif-
fifth, who was pastor from 1853 to 1854.
He was full Of years and finished his
50th year in the ministry at Ryland
Chapel, then moved to Alexandria.
where he died in 1864 Father" Grif-
fifth, as he was familiarly called, was the
first to occupy the Ryland parsonage
which was built in 1854.
Military Hospital.
Other pastors assigned to this church
up to the beginning of the Civil War
were: Revs John S. Deale, Samuel Rog-
ers, j. N. Coombs and j. w. Hoover. Like
many Of the churches of this city, Ry-
land Church was used for six months
during this war as military hospital,
being opened in July, 1862, and closed
in January, 1868. During this period and
subsequently for few years, Rev. j. H.
H. Lemon looked after the church prop