History of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, D. C. Wisconsin Ave. & Volta Place, N. W. Washington, District of Columbia 1769-1909. P«par?li fur % (§nt l^nnhttli mli JITortiPlIi Anmopraarg By the Pastor Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph.D. October 31, 1909 Qass -2.0 2. History of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, D. C. Wisconsin Ave. ^ Volta Place, N. W. Washington, District of Columbia 1769-1909. J^rfparpri fur tl)e ©itf l|untirpJi atiti IffnrtiPtl) AnmuprBary By the Pastor Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph.D. October 31, 1909 ^ n/ > (k^ Nl^ r/ Present (Third) Church Building. Erected 1867. ciirt tr»n!on,» "The Lutheran chiirch in tliis coun- try is of very great pozver numerically and through the intelligence and thrift of its members, but it will groic stead- ily to even greater pozcer. It is destined to be one of the tivo or three greatest churches and most important national churches in the United States; one of the tzvo or three churches most dis- tinctly American, among the forces that are to tell for making this great country even greater in the future. Therefore, a peculiar load of respon- sibility rests upon the members of this church." Ex-President Roosevelt, in an ad- dress in Luther Place Memo- rial Church, Washington, P. C, January 2q, too^. HISTORY. Georgetown — now a part of the city of Washington, D. C. — was laid out under an act of the English province of Maryland, dated June 8. 1751, which authorized com- missioners "to lay out and erect a town on the Potomac River, above the mouth of Rock Creek, in Frederick County. Md." Tt was incorporated December IS, 1789, by act of the General Assembly of Maryland of that date — the very year of the estalilishment of the government of the Ignited States. The act to locate the seat of the national government on the banks of the Potomac was passed by Congress and approved July 16, 1790, and under its provisions the seat of government, beginning" with the year 1800, was located permanently at Washington. The authority of the go\- ernment of the United States over the District of Columbia "in full and absolute right and exclusive jurisdiction as well of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon, became vested on the first Monday of December, 1800."'^ According to the census of 1800 the inhabitants of the city of Washington numbered 3,210, most of whom were work- men employed on the ])ul)lic 1)uildings; the population of (ieorgetown was 2,903; and the total ])opulation of the Dis- trict of Columbia, then containing 100 s(|uare miles, and in- cluding Alexandria and surrounding territory, was 14,093. It can readily be seen, therefore, that thirty-one years earlier, in 1769, when the so-called P>eatty and Hawkins addition to Georgetown was laid out and a lot therein was donated to the Lutherans for church, school, and burial purposes, the population of Georgetown, including slaves, colored free- men, aliens, and all, was probably not more than between one and two thousand at most. ^Cranch's Circuit Covirt Reports, Vol. 1, pp. 15-21, 102. The records of the County Clerk's office of Frederick County, Maryland, show the original grant of this property, which is still held and occupied by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, on the northwest corner of the streets now known as Wisconsin Avenue and Volta Place. The record reads as follows •} "At the request of Charles Beatty and George Fraser Hawkins, the following deed was recorded the 17th day of May, A. D. 1770, to-wit: 'Be it known unto all persons whom it may concern that we, George Fraser Hawkins, of Prince George's County, in the Province of Maryland, and Charles Beatty, of Fred- erick County and Province aforesaid, gentlemen, hav- ing purchased piart of a tract of land called Knaves' Disappointment, lying and being in Frederick County, in the Province aforesaid, and adjoining Georgetown, formerly the property of Mr. George Gordon, late of Frederick County, deceased, and now conveyed to us for 208 acres and five-sixteenths of an acre. we. for the enlargement of Georgetow'n aforesaid and for the general public benefit, have laid off the said land into 304 lots or parcels of ground, divided by proper streets and lanes, as by a particular plot hereto annexed will more fully appear. Four of said lots we give to public uses, to-wit : one for building on. a church for the use of the Church of England, one for a Calvinist church, one for a Lutheran church, and the other for a market house, as specified in said plot, which said four lots, together with all the streets and lanes, as specified in said plot, we hereby alien, enfeoff, release and confirm and by these presents do alien, enfeoff, re- lease, confirm and make over to the public for their use the said lots, streets and lanes forever. To have and to hold the same without any molestation of us or either of us, or our or either of our heirs, or assigns, or anv person or persons whatsoever claiming by, from, or un- bLand Record W., folio 254. 6 der us. tlieni or any of tlicm. and for the remaining 300 lots we have conchided to dispose of them by way of lottery to consist of 300 tickets to be drawn in ])resence of Alessrs. Adam Stewart, Thomas Johns. William Deakins, Jr., and Jeremiah Turner, trustees and managers appointed by us for drawing said lot- tery, who are to act on oath ; the several indentures" (adventurers ( ?)) "paying us ten ])ounds currency per ticket and to receive the several lots drawn against the number of each ticket; we to survey the said lots and stake them at each corner and give sufficient deeds of conveyance to the several indentiUTs" (adventur- ers ( ?) ), ''(subject to a ground rent of one penny ster- ling per lot per annum), when we shall be called there- to, as also, at our own ])roper cost and charge, to have this instrument of writing, together with the plot here- to annexed, recorded in the public records of Frederick County aforesaid, and a duplicate of said plot lodged in the hands of the Commissioners or Trtistees for Georgetown for the time being. And for the faith- ful performance of the above, we hereby bind our- selves, our heirs, executors and administrators in the penalty of 5,000 pounds current money. "In witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed our hands and seals the second day of February, in the }-ear of our Lord 1770. "(Signed) Geo. Fraser Hawkins [Seal] "(Signed) C. Beatty [Seal] "Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of Gliomas Price, Zeph. Turner. "At the like request, the following plan or plot of the addition to Georgetown was recorded on the same (lav, the same plot or plan being annexed to the above deed." The plot on file, in accordance with the above statement, marks the lot on the northwest corner of Fourth and High Streets, now Volta Place and \\^isconsin Avenue, respec- tively, "for the Lutherian Church." Another record of importance and interest to our con- gregation is an act passed by the Legislature of Maryland, December 31, 1796. authorizing commissioners to survey certain streets, lanes and lots in said Beatty and Hawkins' addition to Georgetown, and to establish and fix permanent boundaries. This act sets forth that the streets and lots in this addition were originally laid out in 1769. The United States Supreme Court, in reviewing our title to this prop- erty in 1829, also gave the date of the original grant of this property to us as in 1769. The lots were laid out. ,'"\ liM ./"' „ ••' I ) First Church Building. Erected 1769. (Drawn from Description.) therefore, and our lot was donated to the Lutheran church some months before any papers in the case were put on file. A log church was at once erected on this lot by the German Lutherans who lived in Georgetown and along Rock Creek, and services were conducted more or less irregularly by various non-resident ministers, whose services from time to time could be secured ; and this structure thus ante- dated any other Lutheran church or parochial school build- 8 ing in what is now the District of Cokimbia by 64 years. Tradition says that George Washington attended at least one service in this church. The founder of Georgetown Presbyterianism, Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch, D. D., held his first services for his people in this Lutheran church about 1780. The church appears to have been under the fostering care of the famous Lutheran missionary preachers — the Muhlenbergs. Rev. Peter Muhlenberg, the "fighting par- son" of Woodstock, Va., made missionary tours in many directions seeking to gather together the scattered members of his faith. For a time, in 1779, owing to their inabilitv to secure a Lutheran pastor, the congregation was served by an Episcopal minister of the name of Brooke. A Ger- man minister from Philadelphia served them during part of the year 1796. Another German minister was secured in 1799. The difficulty of securing permanent pastoral oversight will be well understood when it is borne in mind that in that age the num1)er of Lutherans in what is now the United States was but a few thousand. They had but few ministers, and not a single denominational college or theological seminary in the country from which to draw for pastors, as the first Lutheran theological seminai-y in the United States — that at Hartwick, N. Y. — was founded in 1797. The lot thus donated to us was exempt from taxation from the time of the original grant. Tt was used froiu the start for burial ])urp().ses. and three of the oldest tomb- stones still standing near the present church tell the storv of life and death in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Their early inscriptions read as follows : "Died 1778, October 15th. Here Lycth the Body of Margeret Herman. Age, 70." "In memory of Mary Morris. Daughter of Randeal and Rchekah Morri.s-. Born June 4. 1702. Died Sept. to, 1793" "In memory of Elizabeth Morris, Daughter of Randeal and Rebekah Morris. Born Jan. 10, 1795. Died June 25, 1796." In 1825 Daniel Kurtx, Daniel Bussard, and John Goszler, Trustees of this German Lutheran Church of Georgetown, entered .suit against Charles A. Beatty and John T. Ritchie, seeking a settlement of the title and the issuance of an in- junction against them prohibiting their removal of tomb- stones, disturbing the congregation's peaceful possession and enjoyment of the church property, and praying for gen- eral relief. Upon hearing in the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia and County of Washington, said Court, in 1826, decreed a perpetual injunction against the defendants,'^ who then appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. This latter Court, the highest in our country, affirmed the decree of the Circuit Court, confirm- ing to the congregation its perpetual use and enjoyment of the property still occupied on the corner of Wisconsin Ave- nue and Volta Place. So far as we know, this is the only church property in the entire General Synod, the title to which has been passed on by the United States Supreme Court. In delivering the opinion of the Supreme Court in this case, in January, 1829. Justice Jose]ih Story reviewed the following historical facts : "Georgetown was erected into a town, by an act of the legislature of Maryland, passed in 1751, ch. 25. By subsequent acts, additions were made to the terri- torial limits of the town ; and the town was created a corporation, with the usual municipal officers, by an act of the Maryland legislature, passed in 1789. ch. 23. "In the year 1769. Charles Beatty and George F. Hawkins laid out a town, known by the name of Beatty and Hawkins's addition to Georgetown, and which is now included within its corporate limits. The lots of this addition were disposed of by way of lot- tery, under the direction of commissioners appointed to lay out the same, and conduct the drawing of the lottery. The books of the lottery and the plan of the lots, and a connected survey thereof, were afterwards, by act passed in 1796, ch. 54, ordered to be recorded <=See Cranch's Circuit Court Reports, Vol. 2. 10 in the clerk's otfice for the territory of Cohunbia. and copies thereof to be good exidence in all courts of law and equity in the state. r])on the original plan, so recorded, one lot was marked out and inscribed with these words, 'for the Lutheran Church." "It is proved, that, shortly after the appropriation, and more than lift}- years ago" (these words were written in 1829) "the Lutherans of Georgetown pro- ceeded to erect a log-house on the lot, which was used as a church for public worship, by that denomination of Christians; and was also occasionally, and at dif- ferent times since, used as a schoolhouse, under their direction. That at a much later period, a steeple and bell were added to the building; that the land was used as a churchyard ; that a sexton appointed by Lutherans had the direction of it ; that more than half of the lot is covered with graves; and others, as well as Lutherans, ha\e been buried there ; that the Lutherans have caused the lot to be inclosed, from time to time, as the fences fell into deca}-, and procured subscriptions for that purpose ; that the possession of the Lutherans, in the manner in which it was exercised over the lot, by erecting a house, by public worship, by inclosing the ground, and by burials, was never questioned by Charles Beatt}' in his lifetime, nor anv manner dis- turbed, until a short period before the commencement of the present suit. That Charles Beatty, in his life- time constantly a\'o\\ed, that the lot was appropriated for the Lutherans, and that they were entitled to it. ''The Lutherans have constituted but a small num- ber in the tcnvn of Georgetown ; they have not been able, therefore, to maintain public worship constantly in the house so t'recled, diu'ing the whole period; and sometimes, it has been intermitted for a considerable length of time. But efforts have been constantly made, so far as practicable, fo keep together a con- gregation, to use the means of divine worship, and to support public preaching. The house, however, in consequence of inevitable decay, fell down some time ago; the exact period of which, however, does not 11 appear; but it seems to have been more than forty years after its first erection. Efforts have since been made to rebuild it, but hitherto they have not been successful. The Lutherans in Georgetown who have possessed the lot in question, are not, and never have been, incorporated as a religious society. The con- gregation has consisted of a voluntary society, acting, in its general arrangement, by committees and trus- tees, chosen from time to time by the Lutherans belong- ing to it. There do not appear to have been any for- mal records kept of their proceedings; and there have been periods of considerable intermission in their ap- pointment and action."'' In this suit, the trustees in 1826 declared "themselves to be trustees of and agents for the German Lutheran Church, composed of the members of the German Lutheran Church of Georgetown, duly orgaui.zed as such." The court unquestionably recognized that an organized, unin- corporated Lutheran congregation existed here as early as 1769, and that this congregation held the lot in question both by grant and possession. But few names of the early Lutherans of Georgetown ha\e come down to us, as no official church or pastoral rec- ords of those years are now in existence. One name, how- ever, of nearly a century ago, stands out clearly and promi- nently, in college, in the gospel ministry, and in the field of science alike. William H. Smith, the son of Lewis Smith, was born in Georgetown, D. C., October 8, 1816. Me entered the Gettysburg, Penna., Gymnasium, and pur- sued his studies until his graduation in 1834 — thus being a member of the iirst graduating class of what is now tiSec the case of "Charles A. Bcatty and John T. Ritchie, Appellants, vs. Daniel Kurtz and others. Trustees of the German Lutheran Church of Georgetown, Appellees," Ignited States Reports, Vol. 27 (Peters 2), p. 565 et scq. The original records in this case are to be found in the office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States, in the Capitol. 12 Pennsylvania College, the oldest Lutheran College in the United States, on which occasion he delivered the Latin salutatory. This was the first Lutheran college commence- ment in America, and its date was September 17, 1834. Mr. Smith entered the Lutheran ministry, and served congre- gations at Charleston, S. C, as assistant to Rev. Dr. J. Bachman ; at Barren Hill, Penna. ; St. Louis, Mo., and Baltimore, Md. He received the degree of Doctor of Medi- cine, but when and where we have not been able to ascer- tain. In 1840 he was married to Caroline C. Trescott, of Charleston, S. C. Interested in scientific studies, he de- voted special attention to chemistry and electricity, and made a number of inventions, one of which was for the utilization of iron furnace slag, particularly for paving pur- poses. It was while visiting London, England, seeking the introduction of this invention there, that he died. The log church of 1769 having fallen into decay, after a lapse of some years a second building — a frame structure — was erected about the year 1835. This was used, like the first building, more or less irregularly as a house of worship and, perhaps, as a parish school as well at times, up to a period within the memory of people still living, as it was still standing at the time of the Civil War. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Maryland and the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States of America were both organized in 1820, at which time it is estimated there were but 170 pastors, 850 congregations, and 35,000 communicant members in the Lutheran Church in the entire United States. The George- town congregation continued its independent and struggling existence for another half century before it became con- nected with any synod, and received no assistance from other congregations or from the Maryland Synod, on whose territory it was located. At the annual convention of that Synod held at Frederick, Md., in 1842. the committee on the president's annual re- port declared it to be their opinion "that there are several 13 other stations even within the bounds of our own Synod, which should be occupied as missionary grounds; and if so occupied and aided but partiahy for a year or two, they would then be able to sustain ministers of themselves, and become important auxiliaries in co-operating with us in ex- lending the Redeemer's kingdom. They allude to Balti- more City and County. Washington City and Georgetown in the District of Columbia, and Frederick and Carroll Counties." In the light of this recommendation, the following reso- lution was adopted by the said convention : "Whereas, for various reasons it is deemed im- portant that missionary stations should be established in Washington City and Georgetown, D. C, with a view to the future formation of English Lutheran churches there, therefore, "Resolved, that our worthy brother. Rev. Dr. Mul- ler, is hereby authorized to proceed to said places and pursue such measures as he may consider proper and in accordance with the views of this Synod, to com- mence a missionary station in each place ; and as we entertain entire confidence in his piety and prudence, he is herewith recommended to the attentions of our Lutheran brethren and those friendly to our church in Washington and Georgetown, in the hope that they will co-operate with him in the accomplishment of the purpose in view." In accordance with these instructions, the Rev. A. A. Muller, D. D., organized St. Paul's English Lutheran Church, corner of 11th and H Streets, N. \\\, in 1843,'' but took no steps to strengthen the Georgetown work. Two years later, when Rev. J. G. Butler. D. D.. was its pastor, the Maryland Synod met in the new St. Paul's Church, and passed the following resolution : eTen years before this, in 1833, Concordia Church, corner of 20th and G Streets, N. W., was organized on the basis of a combination of the Lutheran and the Reformed faitlis, but its services were held in the German language. 14: ''Resolved, that the officers of Synod be a committee to examine into property which is beheved to belong to the Lutheran Church in Georgetown." The minutes of this body for the following years, how- e\er, do not make any further reference to this appoint- ment or give any report from this committee ; and the Georgetown Lutherans continued their struggling existence alone for two more decades. The small frame church erected about 1835 continued its humble but faithful serv- ice, but without any regular permanent or resident pastoral or synodical oversight, down into the sixties, as people yet living distinctly recall its existence then. In 1864 Rev. Dr. Butler, then president of Maryland Synod, recommended to that body "that Georgetown and Alexandria" (among other places), "both flourishing cities, the latter destined to become one of the chief commercial cities of the Old Dominion, and in neither of which our church has a representative, should not be neglected." It was thereupon unanimcjusly resolved by the Synod : "That Brother Butler and his people he encouraged to prosecute the work of establishing mission churches in Washington. Georgetown and Alexandria, and that these missions, as soon as established, be recommended to the fostering care of the executive committee of the Home Missionarv So- ciety." The first definite move, however, towards a permanent formal organization of the Georgetown Lutherans came from another direction. On June 24, 1866, at the residence of Henry A. Kaiser, a German Lutheran congregation was formally organized with the purpose of continuing the work of the church on the Georgetown propert}- and making use of it. There were ten charter members, namelv : George F. Wetzerich, H. B. Wisner, John Kaiser, Henry A. Kaiser. T. Rosenbusch, J. C. Kaiser. Charles Memmert, Conrad W'olz, Gottlieb LIurlebaus. and George Kraft. Thev elected John Kaiser president, George F. Wetzerich secretary, and Charles Memmert treasurer. Eleven other gentlemen soon afterward joined the organization : W. Hucles, John Hoel- mann, John F. Winkel, John Wagner, Wm. Vogt, Pimper, A. Ackershausen, John Ackershausen, George 15 Schlos'ser. Charles Altniansberger, and Valentine Maenger. On June U , 1mplars from Wash- ington were ])resent in regalia. The stone contained specimens of German and American silver coin. United States fractional currency, and the names of the trus- tees and copies of German pul)lications, and a copy of the Star and other journals. 1^he building of the cluirch is to be i)ushed to rapid completion. It is lo- 17 cated on the site of a very old burial place, and the headstones, many of them dated early in the last cen- tury, will be preserved in their places." The following further facts as to this cornerstone laying- are given in another Washington newspaper of same date as the above. Rev. Dr. Finckel's sermon on the occasion was based on the text: ''Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth" (Psalms xxvi:8). A history of the church from its foun- dation and a copy of Luther's catechism were also deposited in the cornerstone. The fund already raised by the liberal subscriptions of the German Lutherans to the work was considerably augmented by contributions received at the cornerstone laying from those assembled to witness the ceremonies. The original intention appears to have been to complete the structure in three months, and hold church and Sunday school services in it on the Sabbath and a Ger- man school during the week; but the day school was not a very great success, and "through mismanagement, im- proper cjualifications in some of the teachers, and want of proper support, operated to bring the school into disrepute, and prevent its being of any advantage to the church." The services rendered this small congregation by Rev. Dr. Finckel were in connection with or in addition to his work as pastor of the Concordia Church. He did not serve or supply Georgetown very long, however, because on the 16th of November, 1868, a very pressing invitation was ex- tended by this congregation to Rev. J. J- Suman, then living in Washington, and engaged in the government service, to preach for them. On Sunday, January 3, 1869, he re- ceived a formal call to become pastor of the church, and he accepted it. Rev. George Diehl, D. D., of Frederick, Md., president of the Maryland Synod, reported to that body at its meeting in the fall of 1869: "Rev. J. J. Suman was installed by myself on the 24th of January, as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown. Dr. Finckel 18 and Rev. (I. L. Kc-itz were on the conimiltee, but were both providentially hindered from attending." Rev. Mr. Suman was thus the first permanent pastor formally installed by .nuhority <»f any synod over this little band of Lutherans tenaciously clinging to a confession of faith (the Augsburg" Confession), then 339 years old, and to a Georgetown lot donated for Lutheran church purposes just a century before that installation. The pastorate was received into the Marvland Synod, and reported t(^ that body in the fall of Rev. J. J. Sum. AN, Pastor Tanuarv. 1869-1S71. 1(S()^), 25 cominunicant mem])ers in the church, and 10 ofii- cers a.nd teachers, and hO scholars in the Sunday School. On h'ebruar)' 27, 1870, during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Snnian, it was i-esol\-ed, b_\' a x'ote of tlie trustees, that "here- after the church building be devoted exclusively to church ]nn-poses." There was some bitter feeling over this action, as the C'lermans took offense at it and ceased attending 19 church services and Sunday school ; but the German day school was closed, and no German has been used since that time in church or school. One of the old heirlooms still possessed and highly prized by the congregation, coming- down from its early history, is its large old German pulpit bible, printed in Tuebingen, Germany, in 1730. On Sunday, June 5, 1870, the church, having been re- painted, papered, supplied with gas, and renovated, was re- dedicated to the worship of Almighty God. Drs. Butler, Finckel and Bates participated in the exercises. A masonic choir led the singing on this occasion. On October 30, 1870, an English congregation was regu- larly and constitutionally organized, supplanting all prior organization, with an even dozen members, beside the pastor. The list is as follows: Rev. John J. Suman, Geo. \^^etzerich, John Wagner, Henry Gross, Benjamin Keller, John W. Eli, Agnes Suman. Mrs. Margaret Macomb, Christiana Hane, Ida Easton, Kate Keller, Mrs. Gross, and ^Irs. P. Emerick. The records do not give the date of Rev. Mr. Suman's resignation, but it must have been within a few months after this organization of the strictly English congregation, inasmuch as Rev. George A. Nixdorff was invited to visit the field with a view to becoming pastor. The chronicler adds that "he visited us. was pleased, and on the first Sun- day in April, 1871, he preached his first sermon as pastor of the church." He was never formally installed, however, according to the rules of the church. At the annual meeting of the Maryland Synod, in the fall of 1871, there were reported 11 communicant members in the church, and 7 teachers and 45 scholars in the Sunday school. The reorganized congregation was received into connection with Maryland Synod, and was represented that year, 1871, by its first lay delegate. Mr. John W. Eli. At this Synod the pastor reported: "The attendance on public worship as increasing,' the Sabbath school as improving, and the prayer meeting as being well attended. The little con- gregation manifests commendable spirit of liberality, and deserves the fostering care of Synod." A debt of $1,800 that rested on the congregation at the beginning of Mr. Suman's pastorate was successfully pairl 20 i)iT tlirougli the assiduous efforts of Pastors Suuian and Nixdorff and a donation of $500 from l\Iar}-land Synod. Rev. Mr. Nixdorff continued as ])astor until June 3, 1894, making a most faithful and self-sacrificing pastorate of more than 23 years, for he ne\er received any financial return from this congregation through all those years. On May 29, 1886, articles of incorporation were taken out by the trus- tees of the congregation under the name or title of "The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, D. C," to continue for one hundred vears. Nine vears later George- Rev. Geokgk a. Nixdorki', Pastor April, 1871-June 3, 1894. town was merged into the city of Washington and ceased to exist as a separate corporation, ddie corporate name of our church, however, has continued thus far unchanged. In June, 1888, a Ladies' Aid Society was organized by Mr. Nixdorff, and its history is full of good works. In October, 1894, Rev. Stanley Billheimer took up the work of this pastorate, reporting at that time a total of 25 communicant members in the church, and 11 officers and 21 teachers and 45 scholars in the Sunday School. Mr. Bill- heimer was installed as pastor by Revs. J. G. Butler, D. D., Samuel Domer, D. D., and W. H. Gotwald, D. D., March 19. 1895. During his pastorate of ten years, ending Octo- ber 31, 1904, the church membership increased to 78 com- municants, and the Sunday School enrolment to 8 officers and teachers and 82 scholars; and the church property was much improved on the exterior and in the interior at a cost of about $3,000. This included new flooring and carpet, new pulpit and chancel rail, new roof and metal ceiling, Rev. Stanley Billheimer, Pastor October 4, 1894-October 31, 1904. stained glass windows, removal of old gallery, outside vesti- bule built, church repainted inside and outside, cellar dug and furnace put in, new fence built, and electric lights in- troduced. A Children's Mission Band was begun in 1896. Rev. David Bittle Floyd, D. D., was called to the pas- torate and took up its duties April 1, 1905, but resigned five months later. September 10, 1905, to accept a theological professorship in Susquehanna University at Selinsgrove, Penna. During his short pastorate he nevertheless ren- •22 (lered efficient service, added a niiniher to the cliurch, and introduced ])art of the historic Common Service. Rev. Luther Hess Waring. Pli. D.. the present pastor, began serving the congregtaion as acting pastor March 1. 1906. On October 25th following, the congregation ex- tended him a formal call, to take effect November 1st, which Rev. David Bittle Floyd, D. D., Pastor April 1, 1903-Septeml)cr 10. 1905. he accepted ; and he was regularly installed as pastor Novem- ber 13, 1906, by Rev. Charles Reinewald of Emmitsburg. Md., the president of Maryland Synod, who also delivered the charge to the ])astor. Rev. C. V. Bergner, pastor of Zion r.utheran Church of this city, delivered the charge to the congregation. During the present ])astorate the active membership and the financial oi)erations of the church ha\-e materially increased: the benevolent contributions on synod.- ical apportionment ha\e l)een more than trebled ; a parish paper has been published: the church property has been im- proved by the construction of an iron fence around the en- tire frontage of the lot. the repainting of the church interior 23 and exterior, the purchase of new furniture, including a piano, and the establishment of a new church building fund that is already well beyond the thousand-dollar mark. All this has been accom]jlished, by the blessing of God, only with ihe support of a lo)-al people with a mind to work. We mav well take courage and trust (xod for the future. Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph. D., Pastor 1906— List of LAY DELEGATES who liavc represented the congre- gation at the annual meetings of jMaryland Synod from the time of its admission to that body to the present time : 1871. 1872 and 1874. Tohn W. Eli. 1890. Tohn H. Neuhaus. 1897. Alex. P. Beatty. 1899. M. I. Rohr. 1900. W. S. Richardson. 1901 and 1902. James M. Richardson. 1903. William A. Pettis. 1904. Alex. P. Beatty. 1903. William A. Pettis. 24 1906. John S. Berryman. 1907. John F. Darcev. 1908. Charles L. Blessing. 1909. M. W. Michael. .Amounts contribntccl by the congregation to benevolence, on the synodical apportionment, since entering Maryland Synod ■/ 1872 $54.85 1891 $58.97 1873 33.98 1892 74.78 1874 27.95 1893 62.85 1875 25.12 1894 40.96 1876 22.82 1895 13.95 1877 12.09 1896 23.25 1878 13.80 1897 32.00 1879 41.73 1898 32.25 1880 (No record) 1899 20.00 1881 20.41 1900 29.50 1882 16.45 1901 20.75 1883 17.60 1902 25.75 1884 19.77 1903 48.90 1885 16.86 1904 48.33 1886 31.80 1905 48.45 1887 26.17 1906 58.00 1888 26.33 1907 100.00 1889 35.00 1908 154.00 1890 38.55 1909 169.00 ( irand total amount of monc}' raised b}- the congregation in all its departments of work for all purposes during the past 21 years, for which a full record is available: 1889 $291.20 1900 $783.68 1890 148.78 1901 682.44 1891 174.72 1902 1,363.24 1892 178.75 1903 1,089.37 1893 279.92 1904 1,018.93 1894 (No record) 1905 1,003.45 1895 562.98 1906 1,304.68 1896 814.40 1907 1,655.97 1897 690.22 1908 1,377.24 1898 782.75 1909 1,360.99 1899 733.79 These amounts do not include monies raised for benevolence by the Woman's Home and Foreign ATissionary Society and the Children's Mission Band. 25 PRESENT ORGANIZATION, NOVEMBER 1, 1909. Pastor: Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph. D., 1503 30th St., N. W. Elders: John F. Darcey, Henry F. Kunkel, Philip A. Moyer. Deacons: John S. Berryman, Alvin Cooper, James R. Hall, Wil- liam A. Pettis, Henry G. Wagner. Trustees: John S. Berryman, E. S. Walmer, D. V. S., and Henry G. Wagner. Treasurer: John F. Darcey, 3120 M St., N. W. Secretary: William A. Pettis, 3308 Reservoir St., N. W. SUNDAY SCHOOL. Superintendent, Henry F. Kunkel. Assistant Superintendent, William A. Pettis. Superintendent Primary Department, Miss Georgie Gray Wennek. Superintendent Cradle Roll, Mrs. J. R. Lang. Superintendent Home Department, Mrs. H. G. Wagner. Secretary, Anton Kracke, Jr. Assistant Secretary, William Albrecht. Birthday Secretary, Miss. Clara Hinzen. Treasurer, Alvin Cooper. Librarian, Ernest Loffler. Teachers, Miss Mattie Akard, Mrs. Helen Albert, Alvin Cooper. Henry F. Kunkel, Miss Katherine Muhlenberg, William A. Pettis, Mrs. Mary Scrivener, Rev. L. H. Waring, Mrs. L. H. Waring, Miss Georgie Gray Wenner, Miss Leonora Wise. LADIES' AID SOCIETY. President. Mrs. Henry G. Wagner. Vice-Pres., Mrs. George W. Allen. Secretary, Mrs. Henry F. Kunkel. Treasurer, Mrs. John S. Berryman. WOMAN'S HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. President, Miss Georgie Gray Wennek. Vice-Pres., Miss Katherine Muhlenberg. Recording Secretary, Mrs. Mary Scrivener. Corresponding Sec, Miss Georgie Gray Wenner. Treasurer, Miss Mattie Akard. CHILDREN'S MISSION BAND. Superintendent, Mrs. L. H. Waring. President, Margaret Kunkel. Vice-Pres., Martin Ricker. Secretary, Ruth Berryman. Treasurer, Margie Beatty. Librarian, Freddie Schafer. 26 COMMUNICANT MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH. Albert, Mrs. Helen Albrecht, Mrs. Agnes Albrecht, Miss Emma Albrecht, William Allen, Miss Gertrude Allen, Miss Helen Allen, Mrs. George W. Beatty, Mrs. Alex. P. Beatty, Margie Bernstein, ^Irs. Emma Bernstein, Miss Hertha Bernstein, Edgar Berryman, John S. Berryman, Mrs. John S. Berryman, Ruth Berthiaume, Arthur M. Berthiaume, Mrs. A. M. Billheimer, Mrs. Stanley Blackman, Mrs. Anna Blessing, Mrs. Virginia Blessing, Charles T. Butts, J. Frank Cooper, Alvin Cramer, Mrs. C!ias. W. Darcey, John F. Dauber, Mrs. Carl W. Eli, Mrs. Josephine Emrich, Miss Henrietta Fearson, Mrs. Lillie Holt Fischer, Mrs. C. M. Fry, Mrs. Sarah E. Garrity, Mrs. Appolonia Garrity, James P. Gentzler, Chauncey Hall, James R. Hall, Mrs. James R. Hickerson, Miss Anna Hinzen, Miss Clara Hinzen, Ada Hinzen, Paul G. Holt, Mrs. Catharine Horn, Irving T. Hughes, Mamie Kracke, Mrs. .\nton Kracke, ,\nlon. Jr. Kues, William, Jr. Kunkel, Henry F. Kunkel, Mrs. Henrv F. Lang, Mrs. J. R. Leonljerger, Mrs. Frank Loffler, Ernest, Jr. Loffler, William Macomb, Mrs. Margaret Michael. M. W. Michael, Mrs. M. W. Moyer, George .Moyer, Philip A. Moyer, Mrs. P. A. Muhlenberg, Miss Katherine Neuhaus, August Neuhaus, Henry Pettis, Mrs. Elizabeth Pettis, William A. Pettis, Joseph Pettis, Mrs. Joseph Pfeifer, Miss Louisa Porter, Mrs. Edgar Purcell, Mrs. Eva Raab, Miss Augusta Raulin, Mrs. .\ugust Richardson, William N. Richardson, Mrs. Esther Rohr, Mrs. M. J. Schafcr, Frederick Schafcr, Mrs. Frederick Schlosser, Mrs. John Schlosser, Miss Thercsia Schlosser, Fred Schulze, Miss Barbara Schulze, Miss Minna Schulze, Samuel Luther Scrivener, Mrs. Mary Smoot, Charles Smoot, Mrs. Charles .Stombock, Philip Stombock, Mrs. Philip Stombock, Elmer Updike, Mrs. O. T. Wagner, Henry G. Wagner, Mrs. Henry G. Wagner, Charles H. Walmer, Dr. E. S. Walmer, Mrs. E. S. Walmer, Dr. M. II. Walmer, Mrs. M. II. Walsh, Mrs. Louisa Waring, Mrs. L. H. Wcimer, Miss Georgie Gray Wenner, Miss Emma Wise, James B. Wise, Mrs. Janu-- I!. Wise, Martin Wise, John L. Wise, Miss Leonora Zollner, Charles Zollner, Oscar 27 Lutheran Congregations in the City of Washington, 1909. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, D. C, Wisconsin Avenue and Volta Place, N. W. First church built 1769. Pastor, Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph. D. Concordia (Lutheran and Reformed), 20th and G Streets, N. W. Organized 1833. Pastor, Rev. Paul A. Men- zel. St. Paul's, 11th and H Streets, N. W. Organized 1843. Pastor, Rev. John T. Huddle. Trinity, 4th and E Streets, N. W. Organized 1851. Pas- tor, Rev. H. G. Schroeder. St. JohnX 320 4>4 Street, S. W. Organized 1855. Pas- tor, Rev. George Brodthage, Ph. D. Zion, 6th and P Streets, N. W. Organized 1867. Pastor. Rev. C. F. Bergner. Church of the Reformation, B Street, near 2d Street, S. E. Organized 1870. Pastor, Rev. John Weidley, D. D. Luther Place Memorial, Thomas Circle, N. W. Organ- ized 1873. Pastor, Rev. Lloyd C. Douglas. Grace, 13th Street, opposite Corcoran Street, N. W. Or- ganized 1876. Pastor, Rev. J. E. A. Doermann. Church of Our Redeemer, 8th Street, N. W., north of Florida Avenue. Organized 1886. Pastor, Rev. D. E. Wiseman, D. D. St. Mark% 8th and B Streets, S. W. Organized 1889. Pastor, Rev. J. Luther Frantz. Keller Memorial, 9th Street and Marvland Avenue, N. E. Organized 1892. Pastor, Rev. Charles P. Wiles. Christ, Morgan Street and New Jersey Avenue, N. W. Organized 1892. Pastor, Rev. J. Frederic Wenchel. St. Matthews, D Street, between 10th and 11th Streets, N. E. Organized 1894. Pastor, Rev. F. W. Almen- dinger. Church of the Atonement, North Capitol and U Streets and R. I. Avenue, N. W. Organized 1905. Pastor, Rev. I. O. Baker. Independent Lutheran Church, 1322 Vermont Ave- nue, N. W. Organized 1909. Pastor. 28 Lutherans in the United States. ^ The l.iulieran Church in the United States numbers 8,180 ministers. 13,238 congregations and 2,100,863 confirmed members. Of this number. 900,000 use the German, 600,- COO the Enghsh, 300,000 the Norwegian, 150,000 the Swedish, 22,000 the Danish, 13,000 the Finnish, 5,000 the Icelandic, and the remainder various other languages, in their church services. Lutherans in the World.*' Pastors. North America 8,180 South .America 162 Europe 27,272 .\sia 669 Africa 749 Oceanica 270 The World 38,102 Baptized Churches. membership. 13.504 13.413,296 347 770,400 40.314 59.862,519 2,579 407,399 2,871 421,910 770 224,862 60,385 75,100.486 »Lutheran Almanac and Year Book, 1909. '^Lutherans and Luther's Writings in all Lands, 1908, by Rev. J. N. Lenker, D. D. Press of Byron S. Adams, Washington, D. C. ^'li^