USA > Washington DC > The centennial of the beginning of Presbyterianism in the city of Washington > Part 7
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Dr. Balch, true to his Presbyterian lineage, did not believe in the celibacy of the clergy, and proved his faith by his works, having himself been married three times. So strong, indeed, were his convic- tions on this subject that he never delivered a charge to a newly-installed pastor without empha- sizing the scriptural qualifications of a Bishop, that he be not only blameless, but also the husband of one wife. I mention this fact by way of re- minder to my younger brethren of the ministry,
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presuming as a matter course, that they will take due notice and govern themselves accordingly.
It does not surprise us, therefore, to learn that the services of Dr. Balch were in frequent demand by those wishing to be married-so frequent, indeed, that before going out in the morning he left partic- ular directions as to his whereabouts. One day, however, even after diligent inquiry and search, he could not be found, much to the disappointment of several couples who sought his official sanction and blessing. Observing their impatience, and desirous of putting an end to their suspense, one of his sons, in a prankish feat, and with neither ban nor surplice, went through a form of marriage, the parties being none the wiser, and, it is hoped, not the less happy for being married by the son instead of the father.
It is also one of the traditions of the family, that such was the restiveness of another of the sons when quite young, that the Doctor was accustomed to take him into the pulpit in order to restrain his irrepressible mischief. But " the old Adam was too strong for the young Melancthon," as was seen in the youngster, during the long prayer, picking up his father's spectacles from the ledge of the pulpit and adjusting them to his nose and opening a hymn book, said with comical gravity : " While father is praying, let us sing a hime."
Time, however, cured these juvenile indiscretions, for one of the sons became a grave judge in Florida, two became eminent jurists, and the other a Pres-
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byterian minister, Rev. Thomas B. Balch, whose eccentricity was exceeded only by his voluminous literary attainments.
In 1823 Rev. John N. Campbell became an assist- ant to Dr. Balch ; in 1832 Rev. John C. Smith, D. D., was elected co-pastor, and became pastor in 1833, resigning in 1839 to accept a call to the Fourth Church, Washington City.
The following is the succession of pastors :
Stephen Bloomer, Balch, D. D., 1780-1833 ; John C. Smith, 1833- 1838 ; Rev. Robert T. Berry, 1841-1849 ; John M. P. Atkinson, D. D., 1850-1856 ; John H. Bocock, D. D., 1857-1861 ; Rev. Archibald A. E, Taylor, D. D., 1865-1869; Frederick T. Brown, D. D., 1862-1865 ; David W. W. Moffat, D. D., 1870-1872 ; Samuel H. Howe, D. D., 1873-1883 ; Thomas Fullerton, D. D., 1885-1892; William C. Alex- ander, D. D., 1893.
In my characterization of Presbyterianism, I said it stood for education, as confirmatory of which I point to the fact that, in its early establishment in Georgetown, there existed several schools of learn- ing which doubtless exerted a wide and wholesome influence. For a number of years Dr. Balch con- ducted one of these schools which had been founded by Rev. Dr. Wylie, he being succeeded by Rev. Dr. Carnahan, afterwards President of Princeton Col- lege, and then by Rev. James McVean, at that time one of the first classical scholars in the United States, all of whom were Presbyterian ministers. In the school taught by Rev. James McVean a large number of young men was prepared for college, while others received that instruction and religious training which fitted them for the ministry, for the learned professions, for business and for prominent
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positions under the National Government. Speak- ing from my personal knowledge, I may say that, from this school, there went forth one of the early missionaries of our Foreign Board to China, Rev. John B. French ; two who afterwards became gen- erals in the United States Army, Generals Getty and Pleasanton; another, who became an Admiral in the United States Navy, Admiral Semmes ; besides many others, who became ministers of the Gospel, or adorned the medical and legal professions, or attained to distinction in offices of honor and trust under the National Government. Even to-day I recall among the living a professor in the Univer- sity of Princeton, Henry C. Cameron, D. D .; the Secretary of our Board of Publication, Elijah R. Craven, D. D .; Hon. William A. Butler, an eminent jurist, New York ; and a learned judge of our Dis- trict Court, Hon. Alexander B. Hagner ; besides many others in various parts of the country, whose names I pass over.
History, Mr. President, is impartial and will not tolerate any concealment or suppression of the truth, compelling me to say that, in addition to those just mentioned who went forth from this school of learning, conducted under Presbyterian auspices, was one who, in after years, attained to the high and honorable position of Stated Clerk of the -Presbytery of Washington City, and is the author of what some regard a valuable manual of Presbyterian Law and Usage.
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Nor in this connection must I omit the mention of another institution of learning, also conducted by a daughter of a Presbyterian elder, I mean the Georgetown Young Ladies' Seminary, founded in 1826 by Miss Lydia S. English. From this school, as from the one just mentioned, there went forth those who occupied the highest social position, some of whom became teachers, and all, in various ways, exerted that wholesome influence which ever makes itself felt in the home circle, and in every other condition where womanly piety, grace, intel- ligence and refinement are recognized and appreci- ated. I do only justice to the memory of this esti- mable lady to say that, in the curriculum of studies pursued in her school, there was no special course provided for the graduation of the "new woman," this creation of the latter part of the nineteenth century having not then found either her sphere or her apparel.
It is also a fact not generally known, that under Presbyterian influences, was nursed the germ of what afterwards developed into our present excel- lent Public School system. In 1811, Mr. Robert Ould, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and the father of one of our District Attorneys, became the principal of a school conducted according to a system devised by Joseph Lancaster of England, in the interests especially of indigent children. The idea, however, was not original with Mr. Lan- caster, but with John Calvin, with whose name the world associates, not only the idea of a free school,
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but also a free Church and a free State. I will not dwell upon this point, however, contenting myself with a passing illusion worthy of historical record, and also comfirmatory of the claim made for Presby- terianism that in the past as in the present, it has stood and now stands, not only as the pioneer of religion, but also of education.
In the beginning of the century, when Washing- ton City became the seat of the National Govern- ment, Rev. James Laurie, D. D., a graduate of the University of Edinburg, at the urgent solicitation of the Rev. John M. Mason, D. D., of New York, emigrated to this country. The yellow fever pre- vailing in New York at the time of his arrival, he went to Philadelphia, and after a few weeks' sojourn there, came to this city. Several Presby- terians, among whom was Mr. Michael Nourse, the father of our recently deceased brother, Prof. Joseph E. Nourse, invited him to settle, and gather into a church the scattered Presbyterians then in the village ; for at that time this city existed only on paper and in the land-marks of the surveyor. In after years, Dr. Laurie was heard to say that on the way thither, and after passing through an almost uninhabited waste, he inquired of the stage driver how far it was to Washington and received for answer : "Sir, we have been driving through it for the last two hours." Even then it was, con- structively at least, a city of magnificent distances.
In 1803 the Session of Bridge Street Church, Georgetown, dismissed sixteen families, which,
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together with others, were organized into what was formerly known as the F Street Church. It is probable that Dr. Laurie was installed pastor of the infant church about the same time, that is, in June, 1803. At first this little band of Presbyterians worshipped in the old Treasury building, until it was burned by our British brethren, who, not know- ing nor caring that the building held such a precious deposit, consigned it, with the other public build- ings, to the flames. This fact, however, only devel- oped in the sturdy descendants of Calvin and Knox the strength of their belief in the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and gave them fresh cour- age in obtaining a more convenient and permanent church home, so that in 1807 a neat and, for that day, elegant, brick edifice was erected and opened for divine worship. It was the first place of Prot- estant worship erected in this city, and occupied the site of the present Willard's Hall. In this house Dr. Laurie preached until the time of his death, April 18, 1853, aged 75, having served the church fifty years.
At first Dr. Laurie and his congregation were connected with the Associate Reformed Church, and continued this relation until 1823, when they became connected with our General Assembly, under the care of the Presbytery of the District of Columbia. On the death of Dr. Laurie, Rev. Phineas D. Gurley, D. D., succeeded to the pastorate, in the year 1854, who, on the union of the church with the Second Church, in 1859, was elected pastor of the united congregations.
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The following is the succession of pastors :
James Laurie, D. D., 1803-1853 ; Septimus Tustin, D. D., from 1839 to 1845 ; Rev. Ninian Bannatyne, from 1845 to 1848 ; Rev. Levi H. Christian, 1850; David X. Junkin, D. D., from 1850 to 1854; Phineas D. Gurley, D. D., from 1854 to 1859.
The next church in the order of its organization is the First, and, strictly speaking, so far as efforts were made in gathering together the scattered Presbyterians in the then embryo city, it may justly claim the title. Its organization, however, was not effected until September 15, 1812. In 1795, how- ever, it appears from the records of the Presbytery of Baltimore that, acting under direction of the Gen- eral Assembly, it commissioned Rev. John Bracken- ridge, one of its members, to labor in the city of Washington. At first the congregation was very small, and met for worship in a carpenter's shop that was used by the workmen employed in the erec- tion of the President's House. Subsequently they worshipped in a small frame chapel erected on F Street, near Tenth. We hear nothing again of Mr. Brackenridge and his little flock until 1809, when, under his commission from the Presbytery of Balti- more, he shared with them his time as a supply to the people of Bladensburg, his services in this city being held once in three weeks in what was then known as "The Academy East," the only suitable place that could be procured. The probable date of the organization of the church is 1811, although there is no official minutes of meetings of the ses- sion prior to September 15, 1812, the same year in which Mr. Brackenridge was formally called to the
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pastorate of the church, his installation being in the following year, 1812, July 4. Vacating "The Academy East," services were held in one of the rooms of the north wing of the Capitol. The con- gregation grew in numbers, and the people were much encouraged, so that, on the 20th of June, 1812, they occupied, for the first time, what was commonly called the "Little White Church under the Hill," situated on First Street, about midway between the abandoned Georgetown and Washing- ton car stables, and what is known as the Butler building. A daughter of one of the original mem- bers of this church told me a few days ago that she remembered her mother speak of walking, on the Sabbath, to this "Little White Church," not through paved streets, nor on brick sidewalks, but by a narrow foot-path, partly overgrown by grass and weeds, the way to Zion being literally a narrow way.
This reminiscence of streets overgrown by grass brings to mind another mentioned in connection with the early history of this city, on one of the streets of which was to be seen a sign-board bear- ing the following inscription : "Peter Rogers, sad- dler, from the green fields of Erin and tyrrany to the green streets of Washington and liberty."
In 1817 the pastoral relation of Dr. Brackenridge was dissolved, and in 1841 he died.
Dr. Brackenridge could not say, Mr. President, what you and I and a majority of our brethren in the ministry can say, always excluding certain real
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estate in some cemetery, "Not one foot of land do I possess," for he was the possessor of more than 40 acres of land, which was sold to the late Wm. W. Corcoran, and by him to the Government for the park known as Soldiers' Home, in which now may be found his burial place, marked by a stone bearing the following inscription: "Rev. John Brackenridge ; died May 2, 1841 ; the first Presby- terian preacher in Washington City, and who also served the Church at Bladensburg 40 years." I further say, in passing, that, while Soldiers' Home contains the mortal remains of this historic man of God, his writing-desk, made an hundred years ago, is in the possession of Mr. S. W. Handy, a member of Westminster Church.
In 1819 Rev. Reuben Post, D. D., succeeded him in the pastorate, continuing therein until 1836. Shortly after his installation, measures were taken for the erection of a new church on 4} Street, the site of the present building.
This church edifice was dedicated December 9, 1827. It was enlarged in 1869 and remodeled in 1892, as we find it to-day.
The following is the succession of pastors .
John Brackenridge, D. D., 1795-1817 ; Reuben Post, D. D., 1819- 1836 ; William McLain, D. D., 1836-1840 ; Rev. Charles Rich, 1840- 1843 ; William T. Sprole, D.D., 1843-1847 ; Rev. Elisha Ballantine, 1847-1851 ; Byron Sunderland, D. D., 1853 -; Rev. Adolos Allen, 1894 -; Thomas De Witt Talmage, 1895 -.
In 1820, May 9, by order of the Presbytery of Baltimore, the Second Church was organized. The edifice first erected was on the present site of the
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New York Avenue Church, and was opened for Divine service December 23, 1821.
Prior to this time, however, the congregation held religious services in one of the rooms of the Navy Department, conducted by Rev. Joshua T. Russel, and also by Rev. John N. Campbell, until the elec- tion of a pastor, Rev. Daniel Baker, in 1821, who continued as such until 1828. After Dr. Baker, the church was supplied by Rev. John N. Campbell until 1830, and from which time, successively, until 1849, by Revs. E. D. Smith, P. H. Fowler, George Wood and James R. Eckard. In 1853 it tranferred its connection from the Presbytery of the District of Columbia to the Presbytery of Baltimore. From the records of the Board of Trustees of the Second Church it appears that President Adams and Mr. Southard, Secretary of the Navy, were among its trustees, being regular attendants upon its services, the former loaning it a sum of money with the stipulation that no interest should be paid for its use. President Jackson also was a pewholder.
Under the conviction that the cause of Christ and the interest of Presbyterianism would be sub- served by the union of the Second Church with the F Street Church, such union was amicably consum- mated July 30, 1859, under the name and title of the New York Avenue Church, with Rev. Phineas D. Gurley, D. D., as the pastor. The F Street property was sold, now Willard's Hall, and the present handsome and commodious edifice erected on its present site, formerly owned by the Second Church.
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Previous to this time, in 1829, during the pastor- ate of Dr. Laurie, mutual overtures were made for a union of these churches, but which, for some rea- son, failed of practical effect. I also discovered, on brushing off the dust from the musty records of the Second Church, that the trustees offered to sell its house of worship to the Central Baptist Church, but which offer was declined, whether because of the impecuniosity of the Baptist Church at that time, or the absence in the Second Church of suf- ficient water privileges, the records do not state.
From this congregation a colony went forth and formed the North Church. It has also planted three missions ; one, Gurley Chapel ; another, Bethany Chapel; and the third, Faith Chapel, under the care of Rev. Edward Warren.
The following is the succession of pastors :
Phineas D. Gurley, D. D., 1854-1868 ; Samuel S. Mitchell, D. D., 1869-1878 ; John R. Paxton, D. D., 1878-1882 ; William A. Bartlett, 1882-1894 ; Wallace Radcliffe, D. D., 1895 -.
In 1828 dissatisfaction was expressed by a num- ber of persons connected with the Second Church at what they believed to be an unfair procedure in the election of a successor to Rev. Daniel Baker, who had accepted a call to a church in Savannah, which resulted in the formation of the Central Presbyterian Society of Washington City, under the care of Rev. Joshua N. Danforth, D. D. Sub- sequently a church was organized under the name and title of the Fourth Church. At first, services were held in a small building directly opposite to the present edifice. Mr. Danforth was succeded by
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Rev. Mason Noble, D. D., whose pastorate was from 1832 to 1839. In 1839, March 1, Rev. John C. Smith, D. D., then pastor of the Bridge Street Church, Georgetown, D. C., was called to the pas- torate, in which he remained until his death, Jan- uary 23, 1878, and was succeeded by its present pas- tor, Rev. Joseph T. Kelly.
I must now notice the formation of the Presby- tery of the District of Columbia, which was, in 1823, May 11, in Alexandria, at the request of the Presbytery of Baltimore, and by order of the Synod of Philadelphia. The original members were Revs. Balch, Post, Brackenridge, Harrison, Baker, Mines, Campbell and Maffit, with licentiates Belt, Tustin and R. R. Gurley, together with the following churches ; Bridge Street, Georgetown ; First, Wash- ington City ; Bladensburg ; First, Alexandria ; Second, Washington City ; Cabin John and Be- ৳ thesda, Md.
The aggregate membership of the churches in this city was 330.
In 1836 the General Assembly transferred this Presbytery to the Synod of Virginia.
But just about this time, in 1837, a certain unpleasantness betrayed itself in the Presbyterian camp, which grew to large proportions, and finally culminated in an open rupture between the tribes of that ecclesiastical Israel. Ephraim, believing himself to be Divinely moved to defend the faith, vexed Judah ; and Judah, believing himself also to be Divinely moved to defend the same precious
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deposit, turned about and prodded Ephraim; so that, as the result of the unpleasantness there was a very lively ecclesiastical scrimmage, which precip- itated a general engagement all along the line, from the bleak hills of New England to the orange groves of the Sunny South. I cannot go into particulars, pressed as I am for time, and must content myself with saying that the Presbyterian inheritance became divided. Ephraim, taking what he believed was his share, and, with brotherly magnanimity leaving what remained for Judah. There was no further trouble after this, only, to avoid occasion for a revival of the old or the creation of a new unpleasantness, both sides maintained for thirty- two years an armed neutrality. At the close of this eventful period both sides, by mutual impulse, of the Divine origin of which there can be no doubt, were drawn together, and, under circum- stances in which the finger of God was manifestly seen, they were happily reunited on terms satisfac- tory to both. What, therefore, God joined together let neither Sanballat, the Horonite, nor Tobiah, the Ammonite, seek to put asunder.
There is only one colored Presbyterian church in this city, on Fifteenth Street, having its origin in the zealous labors of Elder David M. Wilson. This church grew out of a Sabbath School formed on Fourteenth street and H, and in 1842, May 14, was organized into a church, the first pastor being Rev. John F. Cook, father of the recent city col- lector of taxes, Mr. George Cook, Superintendent
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of colored schools, and grandfather of Professor Cook, Howard University.
The following is the succession of pastors :
Rev. John F. Cook, 1841-1855; Rev. W. Catto, 1858-1861 ; Rev. B. F. Tanner, 1861-1864 ; Rev. H. A. Garnett, 1864-1866 ; Rev. Zella Martin, 1868, 1870 ; Rev. George Van Deurs, 1874-1875 ; Rev. John Brown, 1875-1878 ; Rev. Francis J. Grimke, 1878-1885 ; Rev. J. R. Riley, 1887 ; Francis J.Grimke, D. D., 1887-
In 1853, under the labors of Elder David M. Wil- son, encouraged by his pastor, Rev. John C. Smith, D. D., the Fifth, now Assembly's Church, was organized with a membership of 20, and under the care of Rev. Andrew G. Carothers. In 1863, Rev. Thaddeus B. McFalls became the pastor. He was followed by Rev. William Hart in 1868, he by Rev. Charles B. Boynton in 1870, who brought with him the disbanded members of the Central Congrega- tional Church. In June 1873, the present pastor, Rev. George O. Little, D. D., was elected pastor, and remains as such at the present time. .
Time admonishes me to content myself with little more than the bare mention of the names and dates of organization of the remaining churches, although I am in possession of many facts and incidents of interest connected with them. These churches are the following :
The Sixth, organized with 32 members, January 23, 1853, Rev. Mason Noble, D. D., being the first pastor. Dr. Noble was followed successively by Revs. Geo. H. Smyth, 1864; Frank H. Burdick, 1882; Scott F. Hershey, Ph. D., 1887, and its pres- ent pastor, Rev. Daniel W. Skellinger, installed December 14, 1894.
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The Seventh Street, now Westminster Church, organized June 14, 1853, under the care of Rev. John M. Henry, its first pastor. Mr. Henry was followed by Rev. Elisha B. Cleghorn in 1856. In 1857, Rev. B. F. Bittinger, D. D., was installed, and in 1863 was released. William W. Campbell was installed in 1865, and in 1868 Rev. B. F. Bit- tinger, D. D., again became pastor, and continues as such to the present time.
These two last-named churches enjoy the envi- able distinction of being located in that part of the city which, at one time, would have been described by an average pupil in our public schools as a nar- now strip of land entirely surrounded by water. The water has since disappeared, however ; the dry land has asserted its original supremacy, and now what once was known as "The Island " is, in modern phrase, called South Washington, the sec- tion of the city in which may be found the Wash- ington Monument, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Agricultural Department, the Smith- sonian Institution, the National Museum, the Fish Commission, the Medical Museum, and last, though not least, the Sixth and the Westminster Presby- terian Churches.
It may be known to only a few persons that, about 1850, a Presbyterian church edifice was erec- ted on Eighth Street N. W., between H and I. Some persons connected with the F Street Church were disappointed when, at an election of a co-pas- tor in 1845, the Rev. Ninian Bannatyne was chosen
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instead of Rev. Septimus Tustin, D. D., and who went out and held separate religious services. Dr. Tustin was followed by William McCalla, D. D., and he, by Rev. Ralph R. Gurley. Whether a for- mal organization was effected I cannot learn, even after diligent inquiry and search. But there can be no doubt of the fact that through the liberality, principally, of Mr. Charles Coltman, a commodious brick edifice was erected; and of him it may be said, as was mentioned of the centurion in the Gospel, he loved our church and built what literally became a synagogue ; and, as such, is now used by the descendants of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.
On January 3, 1854, the Western Church was organized with 24 members, and if I record the fact that this church also was largely indebted to the labors of that consecrated elder, David M. Wilson, you must not hold me responsible, unless it be for exhibiting his zeal and untiring activity as worthy the emulation of his surviving brethren in the eldership .*
The succession of pastors is the following :
Rev. T. N. Haskell, 1854-1858 ; Rev. J. R. Bartlett, 1859-1861 ; Rev. John N. Coombs, 1862-1874 ; David Wills, D. D., 1875-1878 ; Rev. Theodore S. Wynkoop, 1878-1893 ; Rev. H. Wilbur Ennis, 1894 -.
In chronological order I mention the organization of the Presbytery of Potomac, in 1858, by order
*The building of this church was commenced by Rev. Dr. John C. Smith, but he having been injured by a railroad accident in Virginia, the work was completed by Rev. Dr. Sunderland in the year 1857, when there was great financial distress in this country, and to pay the last $500 to free the church from all debt he took boarders into his own family.
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