Civil War Washington

As we intend to visit all the colored churches
in the above-named cities; we will speak only
of those that we have visited, reserving a more
particular description of the others to the time
when we shall be permitted to hold our meet-
ings​ in them.

Sunday morning, September 20, we find our-
self​ in the city of Georgetown. The streets of
this city are quite narrow, and the spirit of im-
provement​ having not yet taken hold of the
people, the houses have a woe-begone appear-
ance​, and say to you in language unmistaka-
ble​, "Slavery once reigned here." It is said
that there is a great deal of secessionism in
this city. We predict that is will not last
long. The vast increase of population, and
consequently of trade and commerce, which
will soon concentrate in this region, will soon
convince all its inhabitants that LIBERTY IS BEST
FOR ALL.

Having spent a few moments at the house of
Mr. and Mrs. Dove, whom we found to be an
interesting couple, the latter having a school
in which she teaches about forty scholars, we
in company with Mr. Dove, paid a visit to

EBENEZER BETHEL CHURCH.

The Pastor Rev. B. T. Tanner was in the
pulpit and had gotten well into his sermon. A
very few moments attention fully convinced us
that he had sought to become a workman whose
labors the Great Master would own and bless.

The congregation was not large, but very
attentive. There is one fact which we noticed
in regard to all the churches which we have
visited, and that is, that the people do not turn
on their seats to stare at those who may be
coming in the church. In addition to his minis-
terial​ labors, Mr. T. also keeps a day and
evening school; both of which are largely at-
tended​.

We learned that there is another church in
that city which is attached to the Methodist
Episcopal Church North (White), but we have
not yet had an opportunity to visit it. Its pas-
tor​ we learn is a white gentleman, which we
believe is the case with all the colored churches
attached to that body, in this vicinity; and
they are quite numerous.

The fact that so many colored people are
connected with the white Methodist churches
may appear very strange to some people, par-
ticularly​ those dwelling in the North; but it
can be easily accounted for, and will prove in
the end to be one of the ways by which an All-
wise​ Providence designs to spread liberty and
pure Christianity throughout the land. Our
own churches of all denominations have up to
this time preserved by their act a pure testi-
mony​ that God is no respecter of persons,
which has not been the case with the whites,
but we believe the day is rapidly approaching
when all of the churches in this country will
be united—when there will be no complexional
prejudices to separate the children of God, but
all will be one in Christ. As far as the Metho-
dist​ churches are concerned, we believe that
members of these colored churches now under
the M. E. Church will have the opportunity of
doing immense good. The colored Methodist
churches are pushing their way up the hill
whereon stand the temple of success. Her
ministry are becoming learned. Every year
her conferences, bishops and superintendents,
raise still higher the standard of intelligence;
and already one branch (the A. M. E. Bethel)
has established a college (the Wilberforce)
where her young men are to be taught, prior
to entering on the work of the Christian min-
istry​. The colored Methodists are becoming
more united as intelligence advances. This
union will make them a power only to be treat-
ed​ with by the white Methodists on equal
terms, and when that hour arrives, then will
be the time for some giant intellect to step
forth from the ranks of these colored members
of the Methodist Episcopal—extending a hand
to each party, and thus uniting them in the
bonds of Christian fellowship and love. This
would be a picture well worthy a place in the
gallery of humanity and Christianity. There
is a small

BAPTIST CHURCH IN GEORGETOWN,

Of which the Rev. S. Alexander is Pastor,
whose acquaintance we made, but we did not
have time to visit his church.

In the afternoon we paid a visit to the

FIFTEENTH STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This house has been so often described
in our columns that we know that any descrip-
tion​ by us would be quite superfluous.

Our kind friend Mr. Wm.​ Slade gave us a
seat in his pew, and at our side sat Dr. W. P.
Powell, Jr., Assistant Surgeon U. S. Colored
Troops, dressed in the insignia of his office.
The pulpit stands upon a large platform and is
a small movable desk. This plan gives the
minister plenty of room to move in. When the
church is used for concerts or public meetings
the desk can be taken away.

The Rev. Mr. Evans, a white gentleman, who
is now the minister of the church, preached an
elegant, earnest, and practical discourse, which
riveted the attention of the whole congrega-
tion​; and we afterward heard it spoken of by
old members of the church, as the best sermon
he had ever preached. It certainly was an
able spiritual discourse. The choir, which is
not numerous, but very effective, sang some
very beautiful tunes, which being new to us
were a great treat. Mr. Grant, the leader,
may congratulate himself on the ability of his
assistants. The contralto singer (we regret
that we do not know her name), has no equal
as a singer among the colored ladies of New
York. The congregation is not very large,
owing, we learn, to a difference of opinion in
regard to the minister, many of them staying
away because he is a white man. A division
in this church is very greatly to be regretted,
on account of the standing in community of
many of its members. They are among the
first people of the city, and have the power of
doing an immense amount of good, provided
they had a man at the helm upon whom all
could rely; but that all do not rely upon the
present minster was made painfully evident to
us by the gentleman himself; for after calling
the congregation "dear hearers," he was al-
most​ obliged to affirm it—nay, did affirm it a
second time, to make them believe he was
speaking the sentiments of his heart. Now
this was very bad, and was well calculated to
defeat the object which he had in view; name-
ly​, the securing of the confidence of his hear-
ers​. A portion of the church appears to want
the Rev. Mr. Garnet, and we must say that,
with what knowledge we have of the people of
the church, if a unanimous call was extended
to him by that body, we know of no place
where he could do more good than he could
there. It is a commanding position for a man
of piety and talents, and he would be sur-
rounded​ by an intelligent and public-spirited
people, who would joyfully assist him in every
good work.

ISRAEL CHURCH

In the evening, in company with Mr. Slade
and lady, and Dr. Augusta, we paid a visit to
this church, which is situated within 400 feet
of the capitol. To see the church in a favora-
ble​ light a person must be blindfolded while
passing the capitol, and the bandages only
taken from his eyes after he has got inside the
building.

The church inside has a spacious, airy ap-
pearance​, and will, we think, seat about one
thousand persons. It is very wide, but there
are no supporting columns for the roof, which
is quite low, but the sides are kept from
spreading by iron rods, which stretch from
side to side of the house. It has a singer's
gallery only.

On our arrival the house was densely crowd-
ed​ by a brilliant audience but we were very
kindly provided with seats.

The pastor of the church, the Rev. H. M.
Turner was in the pulpit, and was preaching
such a discourse as we little expected to hear,
but we have no space left to speak of it or
him, but shall reserve what we have to say
until the time when we speak of the men "the
unnamed demi-gods" of Washington.

The singing here, as everywhere else in this
city, was very good. Mr. J. N. F. Wilkinson
is the leader and the choir is quite numerous.
We shall have more to say of this church here-
after​.

In our next we will endeavor to give a list
of the churches, schools, societies, lodges,
teachers, preachers, within a radius of ten
miles of the capitol and we will venture the
assertion that it will utterly astonish not only
persons elswhere, but our friends in this dis-
trict​ also.

RT. REV. J. J. CLINTON.

This distinguished gentleman who has been
in this city for a few days; has taken his de-
parture​ for Baltimore and the North. He goes
to occupy his place as superintendent of the
Eastern District of the A. M. E. Zion Connection
in the place of the Rev. Mr. Ross, who has re-
tired​ from the position of superintendent, al-
though​ we believe he has not left the church.

We had the pleasure on Sabbath last, at
Union Bethel Church, of hearing the Rev. Mr.
Rhodes of Wilmington, Delaware. Mr. R. has
a very pleasing countenance and is a good
speaker.