Evening star., 1944-11-25
BY CASPAR NAMES.


Across Lafayette Square, opposite
the White House, stands St. Johns
Episcopal Church, "the church of
the Presidents
The church, built in 1916, has had
as attendants Presidents Madison,
Monroe, Van Buren, Jackson. Will
liam Henry Harrison, Tyler, Taylor
Buchanan, Arthur, Theodore Roose-
welt, Taft and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Most of them were regular wor-
shippers at the church, others were
members elsewhere, but occasionally
attended st. Johns.
The tradition began with Presi-
dent Madison, who was asked by a
committee of two, Thomas A. Gillis
and John P. Van Ness, to accept
the choice of pew in this church,
without his being obliged to pur-
chase the same" The President de-
sired that the committee make the
selection, and Pew No. %, first
class" was chosen. 1t is still the
presidential pew. The Presidents
all insisted upon paying the annual
pew rental
The need of an Episcopal church
in 1914 in Central Washington was
felt and plans were made for St.
Johns. The District then had
churches in Southeast Washington,
Georgetown and Rock Greek Parish.
In 1915 contract was made with
Richard Skinner, carpenter, to con-
struct a church. Benjamin H. La
trobe, architect of the Capitol. de-
signed the structure, refusing COM
pensation for the task. The corner
stone was laid on September 13, 1915.
Dedication ceremonies were per-
formed by Bishop Kemp of Mary
land on December 81, 1916.
The church has been enlarged
several times since it's opening. In
1920 fifty pews were added. Further
changes and additions were made
in succeeding years, the church be-
ing brought to its present status
by John B. Payne and Mrs. Jennie
Byrd Bryan Payne in the early
l920s.
Two unusual features of the
church are the bell in the steeple
and the pulpit. The bell was said to
be the first ever used in Wash
ington city to call people together
for church services"
The pulpit. according to one ac-
count, was unique in expressing dis
approval of a persons talk by NOV
ing. Bishop Ravenscroft one day
suddenly felt the pulpit move fur
ther and further toward the side
of the church, going rapidly. He
ceased preaching. became greatly
agitated and all the more so when
he noticed the anxiety which ap-
peared concerning him in the faces
of his audience. He was helpless
and out of countenance, when he
was suddenly stopped at the end OF
his journey with bump against
the wall" The explanation was
the pulpit had been wheeled out OF
place and insufficiently fastened
with the snap-catch.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
went to st. Johns for a private
service before his first inaugural
as President. He has done this the
last two times he was reelected
and the expectation is he will do
so again. Beginning his fifth year
President Roosevelt has observed
the anniversary day with a similar
service. The last two years the
service was held in the White House
The Rev. William H. Wilmer was
first rector of ST. Johns. He
brought the Rev. William Hawley
with him as associate. Mr.. Wilmer
resigned after a short stay, becom-
ing president of William and Mary
College. and Mr.. Hawley was rector
until -1845. On his death his body
was inferred alongside the chancel
wall on the north side of the church
and a marble tablet to his memory
was placed on the wall within the
chancel rail"
Ministers succeeding Mr.. Hawley
were the Revs. Smith Pyne, j
Vaughan Lewis, William A. Leon
ard, afterwards Bishop of Ohio;