Evening Star Newspaper, January 19, 1930, Page 86

THE ' SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY 19, 1930. to Mourn Passing of ‘Old Church Bishop John P. Newman, first pastor of Metropolitan M. E. Church, after its erganization, March 28, 1869. BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. (\’0 the Metropolitan M. E. Church at A John Marshall place and C street has been purchased for $190,000, and the congregation must vacate by January 1, 1931. This no doubt will prove unwelcome news to many an old Washingtonian who has grown to look upon this stately edifice as more than a mere pile of stone and mortar, - but a real house of worship, and a landmark that will really be missed as the years go on and on. -It cannot help but bring fond recollections to a host of people who have grown up with it, so to speak, who are now past the meridian of life and who can look back upon Washington when the building of this church was the crowning event of church building here, and when the population of the city proper probably did not exceed fifty thousand souls. Undoubtedly there is at least a little bit of good in every one, and very few if any care to see a church removed. Somehow—and naturally so—there is a certain irresistible sentiment surrounding one of God's taber- nacles, just as there is sentiment attached to a cemetery, where our loved ones—or some one clse’s loved ones—are laid to rest, and when this noted structure is being taken down and is being stripped of all of its splendor and past Blory, and all that is holy to thou- sands of Washingtonians, it is more than likely that these good old lines, which many of us have sung so often, will come to the minds of some of us at least: “The church is one foundation, Is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation, By water and the word; From Heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.” O doubt there are some people who, without weighing the matter carefully, will think that the District paid a large price for this property, but if anything the reverse is true, and the local government really got a hand- some bargain, for this old church cost its congregation and outside contributors at least $60,000 more when it was built than the amc-—"t the city is paying for it today, and at a time, too, when labor and material cost pessibly as much as one-fifth what they would cost now. Imagine, if you will, putting up a building like this today, even for as much as half a million dollars. But the deal has been made, and another year will roll around soon, and then—the Metropolitan Church will be a thing of the past. However, even after the building has been removed we old-timers will never forget the many occasions when Prof. Widdows played those exquisitely sounding chimes—in the old church—the Metropolitan chimes. The spire was not completed and the chimes were not installed until 1871, but for many years thereafter these charming mellow-toned bells were played upon during most every big parade and important function which took place in the city. A well selected program was always supplied, and so accurate was the sound of each bell and so excellent the playing of Prof. Widdows that the harmony was remark- ably perfect and always listened to with enraptured delight. The writer has never had the pleasure of hearing the real chimes of Normandy, nor the “Bells of St. Mary,” nor any other noted chimes or bells—but he will never forget the Metropolitan chimes of his childhood. Nor will he ever forget the great number of times that some person or some paper predicted that the steeple would some day topple over and tause considerable destruction of life and broperty. Every time the wind blew hard we were told that the spire swayed several inches, more or less, out of perpendicular; some even went so far as to say they actually saw it Swaying. During every thunderstorm in the Summer it just had to be struck by lightning one or more times, especially if news was at all scarce, and during the Winter months every high wind or blizzard affected its equilibrium; &t least that is what we were told. But withal, it still stands, and no doubt would stand ind-finitely if left alone and not purposely Famous Metropolitan, Costly Structure Built fo Serve Guests of Nation, Looked Upon by Many as Object of Afection—Chimes Have Given Emphasis to District Obscrvances—ANotable Roster of Prominent Clergy and Laymen. The Metropolitan M. E. Church, John Marshall place and C street. removed. It remains today the most lofty and most beautiful church spire in Washington, and few cities even now can boast of one as high or as pleasing to the eye. So, frequently, our surroundings are like our friends and acquaintances. We fail to note their beauty and their virtues until they are no longer with us, and then we take their absence seriously, as we shall this old church’'s bells and its spire, and long for their return, for losing this old church is, indeed, just like losing an old friend. THERE are many people in Washington who are older than this cherished old landmark, the corner stone of which was laid on October 23, 1854. Even the ground was not purchased upon which to put the edifice until March 30, 1852, so that, at the most, 78 years covers its extreme life from its very inception, when Charles W. Boteler, William G. Deale, Charles H. Lane, Samuel Norment, Dr. Flodoardo Howard, Thomas Purcell, Thomas H, Havenner and Z. W. McKnew, members of old Wesley Chapel at Fifth and F streets northwest, pur- chased the property upon which it stands. Of the lots upon which the church is built, one was purchased from John C. McKelden and the other from Joseph Davis and George H. Garrett, In 1842 the ground belonged to William Gadsby, from whom it went—through a trustees’ sale—to Johnson Hellen, William Fisher and Lewis Johnson, The idea of the purchasers of this site, “for the purpose of erecting a place of worship which should be a home for Methodists from all sections of the country who might be called here on business or pleasure,” appealed to the General Conference, and it was decided to make this church a ‘“connectional enterprise.” At the Baltimore Conference in May, 1853, the Rev. Henry Slicer, D. D, was appointed its agent for the Metropolitan Church, the agent for the District of Columbia, or selected by the eight movers of the project, being Rev. R. L. Dashiell, These men were all members of Wesley Chapel, an oblong building erected in 1829 and located at the southwest corner of Fifth and F streets northwest, but which was re- placed in 1856 by the structure that now occupies that corner. The Rev. Willlam Ed- wards was pastor there in 1850, IN a circular addressed: *“To the Members and Friends of the Methodist Episcopal Church,” and dated Baltimore, March 16, 1853, the character of the people to be served by the church then proposed is clearly defined when it says: “The erection of such a church would neces- sarily be more expensive than ought to be borne by our brethren in Washington, and they, there= fore, solicit the aid of our friends abroad. This they do the more confidently because the house is to be mairly for the use and benefit of those Mrs. John P. Newman, through whose efforts the chimes were installed in the Metropolitan M. E. Church tower. who are visitors, not residents, of the National Metropolis. “There are many, and their numbers increase annually, who repair to Washington in cone- nection with the assembling of the national Representatives, and on business with other departments of the Government who would prefer the ministrations and services of the Methodist Episcopal Church if they could easily find a place of worship, such as it is intended to provide for them, in common with the resi- dent population who may be disposed to avail themselves of its free accommodations.” FOR awhile the Rev. Mr. Slicer, who is said to have been an unusually able man, worked diligently and collected considerable money, which was applied to the purchase of land. However, the enthusiasm of the Rev. Slicer seems somewhat to have cooled off, for later on Rev. W. M. D. Ryan was appointed agent and preparations were soon under way toward laying the corner stone, which took place October 23, 1854, and was under Masonic auspices, as evidenced by the following an- nouncement appearing in the National Intelli- gencer at the time. “Masonic.—The grand master having been requested to lay the corner stone of the Methodist Metropolitan Church on Monday next, the 23d instant, the officers and members of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia are here notified to attend at the Masonic Hall, corner of E and Tenth streets, at 3 o'clock p.m. of that day, in order to proceed from thence to the site of the said church to aid the grand master in the work to be performed. Members of subordinate lodges and visiting brethren in good standing are invited to be present. “By order of the M. W. G. Master: “CHAS. S. FRAILEY, G. Sec.” There were then inthe city about 10 Masonie lodges, with a membership of 419, in contrast to the 23,000 or 24,000 of today. Quite likely all the lodges took part in the ceremony, but only . Federal, No. 1; St. John’s, No. 11, and National, No. 12, advertised that they would do so. The notice of St. John's Lodge, in the Na- tional Intelligencer of October, 1854, and other dates, reads: “Masonic.—The members of St. John's Lodge, No. 11, are requested to meet at Masonic Hall on Monday at 3 o’clock p.m., to co-operate with the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia in laying the corner stone of the Me'ropolitan Church, [] “O. W. MARSH, Secretary.” Dr. William B. Magruder was then the grand master of Masons, and two years later be- came mayor of the city, serving until 1857. Joseph W. Nairn was worshipful master of Federal Lodge, and S. Bulow Erwin secretary of Federal Lodge. The Grand Lodge then met in the old Medical Building, which stood for many yeors at the northeast corner of Tenth and E streets—the spot now being oc- cupied by a gasoline station—and a number of the subordinate lodges also met there. IN THE following advertisement the secre= tary of the board of trustees of the church also notified the public of the ceremonies to take place: “Metropolitan M. E. Church.—The corner stone of the Metropolitan Method- ist Episcopal Church will be laid with appropriate ceremonies on Monday eve- ning next, 23d instant, at 3:30 o’clock. “An address will be delivered by Bishop Simpson, and it is expected that Bishop Jaynes and other distinguished ministers of the church will partici- pate in the seryices. “THOS H. HAVENNER, “Secretary, Board of Trustees.” Just what took place at the corner stone lay- ing is best told by quoting the account given in the Intelligencer of October 24, which prints the program of the exercises, and opens and closes with its own comment, as follows: “Methodist Metropolitan Church.” “The ceremony of laying the corner stone of this edifice, on the corner of Four-and-one-half and C streets, was performed yesterday afternoon in the