Misplaced Pages

#542457

47-561: The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church was formed in 1859–1860 but traces its roots to 1803 as the F Street Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and another congregation founded in 1820 on its current site, the Second Presbyterian Church. The F Street Church was established in 1803 with James Laurie as pastor by leaders of the Associate Reformed movement, known as Covenanters , who had seceded from

94-738: A Lincoln Day sermon on February 7, 1954, to a congregation that included President Eisenhower. The sermon, titled "A New Birth of Freedom," is credited with prompting the U.S. Congress to amend the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States , inserting the phrase Lincoln used at Gettysburg, "under God." At the invitation of Dr. Docherty, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke from New York Avenue's pulpit on February 6, 1968, warning about

141-576: A Presbyterian and Reformed church, committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to the Bible as the Word of God." It listed some of its core commitments as: The ARPC takes a conservative view of the Bible, stating that "the Bible alone, being God-breathed, is the Word of God written, infallible in all that it teaches, and inerrant in the original manuscripts." The Holy Spirit reveals through the text that "God

188-783: A central government could be avoided. For decades, the Associate Reformed Church denounced slavery; however, in 1831, the church passed a resolution that members must free their slaves immediately or be denied communion. This led to a severance of churches in the Southern Synod--particularly in the Carolina presbytery--from the Northern Synod. In 1858, the Northern Synod of the Associate Reformed Church merged with

235-832: A conference center, Bonclarken , in Flat Rock, North Carolina . The conference center is surrounded by private property, many of whose owners trace their ARP roots to the beginnings of the denomination. Membership in the ARP Church is concentrated in the Southeastern United States, especially North Carolina and South Carolina. There are also numerous congregations in Florida , Georgia , Tennessee , Mississippi , Arkansas , Missouri , Oklahoma , and Virginia . The ARPC has churches in Canada and in most states of

282-524: A eulogy for him that was published in the National Republican. Another time, when his father took him to Chicago in 1859 on a business trip, a wide-eyed Willie wrote home to a friend: "This town is a very beautiful place. Me and father went to two theatres the other night. Me and father have a nice little room to ourselves. We have two little pitchers on a washstand. The smallest one for me the largest one for father. We have two little towels on

329-666: A location for public officials to engage. In addition to Adams, Jackson, and Lincoln, other Presidents attended services, including William Henry Harrison , James K. Polk , Franklin Pierce , James Buchanan , Andrew Johnson , Benjamin Harrison , Dwight David Eisenhower , and Richard Milhous Nixon , as well as members of Presidential Cabinets, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Despite never joining, President Lincoln worshiped regularly at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church during

376-632: A theology of free will ; the Old School was more doctrinally rigid and fearful of too much emotion. Second Church experienced an Old School/New School division, suffered financial hardship in covering the cost of its new building, and became involved in a scandal involving a member of President Jackson's cabinet . By the 1850s, it was barely functioning. Finally, in 1859, the F Street Church, pastored by Rev. Dr. Phineas Densmore Gurley , an Old School Presbyterian who had been called in 1853 following Dr. Laurie's death, merged with Second Presbyterian to form

423-535: A top of both pitchers. The smallest one for me, the largest one for father." When Lincoln took office as President of the United States, Willie and Tad moved into the White House with the rest of their family. To prevent them from becoming too lonely in their new home, Mary asked the wife of federal judge Horatio Nelson Taft, to allow her boys, 14-year-old "Bud" (Horatio Nelson Taft Jr., 1847–1915) and 12-year-old "Holly" (Halsey Cook Taft, 1849–1897), to play with

470-756: Is a theologically conservative denomination in North America. The ARPC was formed by the merger of the Associate Presbytery ( seceder ) with the Reformed Presbytery ( covenanter ) in 1782. It is one of the oldest conservative denominations in the United States. After the Westminster Confession was signed by its drafters in 1643, some of the " Covenanters ", a Presbyterian group, left the Church of Scotland for

517-707: Is the professional school of Erskine College; it was incorporated into Erskine College when the latter was founded two years later. The Seminary became a separate but associated school in 1858 and was reincorporated into the College in 1925. Erskine merged with the Due West Female College in the first decade of the 20th century. Erskine became the first private denominational school in South Carolina to allow women instructors at that time. Since its inception, Erskine has provided training for students of

SECTION 10

#1732790646543

564-518: The American Civil War . Lincoln rented a pew for $ 50 a year. Lincoln and Rev. Gurley developed a relationship in which they frequently discussed theology. Gurley presided over the funeral of Lincoln's son, William Wallace Lincoln , in 1862, and then over the funeral of Lincoln himself in 1865. Rev. Gurley had an "insider's" perspective of Lincoln's faith, and reported it as follows: "I have had frequent and intimate conversations with him on

611-745: The Associate Presbyterians to form the United Presbyterian Church of North America . The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of today traces its roots to the Synod of the South, formed in 1803. Almost immediately after forming the Synod of the South, the ministers looked into forming a seminary closer to home for the education of the ministry and the growth of the church. Many of the ministers were traveling for more than thirty days on horseback to attend Synod meetings in

658-579: The Church of Scotland in the mother country and retained a separate identity in North America. After holding initial worship services in the U.S. Treasury building, in 1807 the congregation began meeting, still under the leadership of Dr. Laurie, in an imposing brick building that stood where the F Street entrance to the Willard Hotel today opens on to Peacock Alley—just two blocks from the church's present location on New York Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, NW. The F Street Church, or Willard Hall,

705-1111: The Scots Irish later emigrated to the American colonies with Seceder ministers from Scotland in the mid-1700s. They settled with the Covenanters in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Some churches of the Covenanter tradition and the Seceder tradition came together officially in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , in 1782. The Synod of the South was formed consisting of churches in North and South Carolina and Georgia in 1803 and still another in Texas. Each tradition put aside doctrinal differences to come together as long as oath-signing to

752-579: The 1850s however, it exhibited evidence of assimilation. It showed greater ecumenical interest, greater interest in the evangelization of the West and of the cities, and a declining interest in maintaining the unique characteristics of its Scotch-Irish past. In 2018, the ARPC had 22,459 members in 264 churches. The denominational office is located in Greenville, South Carolina . Also, the denomination operates

799-661: The ARPC and of other denominations. Recent years, however, have witnessed ARP ministers graduating from other seminaries. Along with other Presbyterian churches, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church uses the Westminster Confession of Faith , the Larger Catechism and the Shorter Catechism as subordinate standards . In its 1990 Purpose Statement , the church declared that "we express our desire to continue to be

846-853: The Father gave His Son to save us from our sins." The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is a member of the World Reformed Fellowship , and the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council . Membership in the International Conference of Reformed Churches was dropped in June 2011. The ARPC designates the Sunday nearest to January 22 as "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday," encouraging non-violent opposition to legalized abortion. In addition,

893-487: The Lincoln boys at the White House. The boys brought their 16-year-old sister, Julia Taft , to supervise their play. In her later memoir, Julia remembered Willie as being "the most lovable boy I ever knew, bright, sensible, sweet-tempered, and gentle-mannered." Willie and Tad became very ill in early 1862 with what was known at the time as "bilious fever," most likely typhoid fever caused by contaminated water systems at

940-581: The Midwest. It withdrew from the parent body in 1820 because of Confessional disagreements regarding the administration of sacraments. The Associate Reformed Synod of the West maintained the characteristics of an immigrant church with Scottish roots, emphasized the Westminster Standards, used only the Psalms in public worship, was Sabbatarian and was strongly abolitionist and anti-Catholic. In

987-567: The New World to avoid signing an oath to the monarch. These early believers seceded from the Church of Scotland over doctrinal differences. Some ministers stayed in the Church of Scotland to work out their differences. By 1739, a Scottish Presbyterian pastor Ebenezer Erskine led a group of ministers to leave the Church of Scotland who formed a separate group, the Seceders , which again opposed

SECTION 20

#1732790646543

1034-623: The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church under Dr. Gurley. Symbolically, as a church in the young and burgeoning city, the NYAPC took its name from the avenue that separated it from the often malodorous tanyard on its south side. Not surprisingly, the new church was erected with a bold vision for the future, for although its membership stood at 291, the new sanctuary and a gallery added later accommodated more than three times that number. The church has historically been

1081-489: The North. While they were gone, the churches and the congregations suffered in their absence. The solution they agreed to work towards was an academy called the Clarke and Erskine Seminary, which later became known as Erskine College and Seminary . While the larger Presbyterian Church was a mix of Scottish and English Presbyterians , several smaller Presbyterian groups were almost entirely Scottish Seceders, and they displayed

1128-734: The PCUSA, was organized in 1820 by 16 families from the Bridge Street Presbyterian Church in Georgetown , which at the time was a separate town from the District of Columbia. These members found their church too distant for regular attendance over the often muddy streets connecting the White House area and Georgetown. Pastored until 1828 by the Rev. Daniel Baker, the Second Church congregation included three of

1175-729: The Poor People’s Campaign in Washington in the spring of 1968. Since January 2009, the church has hosted hospitality days during large public gatherings, including the inaugurations of President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump , the Women's March and Black Lives Matter 2020 protests. For many years, the church has hosted the Jewish High Holiday celebrations of Havurah . These services, which are free and open to all, annually draw hundreds from in and around

1222-613: The Subject of the Bible and the Christian religion, when he could have had no motive to deceive me, and I considered him sound not only on the truth of the Christian religion but on all its fundamental doctrines and teachings. And more than that, in the latter days of his chastened and weary life, after the death of his son Willie, and his visit to the battlefield of Gettysburg, he said, with tears in his eyes, that he had lost confidence in everything but God, and that he now believed his heart

1269-467: The United States. There are separate synods in Mexico and Pakistan. The ARP Church was among the first to send missionaries to China as early as 1880. The ARP Church sponsors missionaries internationally through World Witness. The ARP Church is affiliated with the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council and shares a common theology with other conservative Presbyterian denominations. It holds to

1316-410: The White House. After some days, Tad began to grow stronger, but Willie gradually weakened; Abraham and Mary spent much time at his bedside. He died on February 20. The whole family was deeply affected. Abraham said, "My poor boy. He was too good for this earth. God has called him home. I know that he is much better off in heaven, but then we loved him so much. It is hard, hard to have him die!"; after

1363-526: The burial, he shut himself in a room and wept alone. Mary remained in bed for three weeks and was unable to attend Willie's funeral or look after Tad. She never again entered the Green Room , where he was embalmed, or the Prince of Wales room, where he died. Abraham took solace in caring for and comforting Tad, who was still recovering from his illness and was grieving himself for Willie's death. He also lost

1410-516: The church inaugurated a new, 3-manual, 63-rank Schlueter pipe organ , with the dedicatory concert performed by virtuoso organist Douglas Major . Rev. Gench became pastor and head of staff in 2002 and retired in June 2019. In September 2019, Dr. Rev Heather Shortlidge became New York Avenue's transitional pastor, while the church's Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) searches for a permanent senior pastor. Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church ( ARPC )

1457-442: The city. In the 1960s and 70s, NYAPC created several programs for Washington, D.C.'s junior high and high school students, people experiencing homelessness, and mental health patients. Approximately 1,200 people come to the building on a weekly basis for Community Club tutoring, AA meetings, mental health services through McClendon Center or Downtown Day Services center or worship services. New York Avenue’s pastor and members serve in

New York Avenue Presbyterian Church - Misplaced Pages Continue

1504-897: The community as active participants in the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), a local advocacy organization. The church also extends beyond the boundaries of the metro region and the nation in many ways, but particularly through support—financial and otherwise—for a program for orphans sponsored by the Presbyterian Church in Njoro, Kenya, and a partnership with First Presbyterian-Reformed Church of Havana, Cuba. For several years, First Havana and New York Avenue’s congregations have reached out to one another, developing friendships and, more recently as downtown churches in capital cities, intentionally modeling reconciliation for their respective nations. In January 2010,

1551-538: The companionship of Bud and Holly, whom Mary refused to allow in the White House anymore, as they reminded her too much of Willie. Willie's remains were placed in a mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown . After Abraham's assassination in 1865, they were reinterred at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois , first in a receiving tomb and then in 1871 in the state tomb alongside Abraham and Willie's brother, Eddie. Tad and Mary were also later placed in

1598-605: The consequences of the Vietnam War . Years later, the church twice served as a host for the Christian Witness for Peace for Iraq in its efforts to call into question the war there. NYAPC pastors Dr. Docherty and the Rev. Jack E. McClendon, traveled to Selma to march for civil rights with Dr. King in 1965. The church hosted protestors of the Vietnam War and was the center for publicity and public information for

1645-618: The crypt of the Lincoln Tomb . The 2017 novel Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders takes place during and after Willie's death and depicts Abraham's journey through his grief. It won the 2017 Man Booker Prize and was the New York Times bestseller the week of March 5, 2017. See also "The Murder of Willie Lincoln" by Burt Solomon (Forge, 2017, ISBN   978-0-7653-8583-3 ). A fictional version of Willie's death

1692-538: The denomination officially calls homosexuals "to repentance, cleansing, and deliverance in the saving power of Jesus Christ." Evangelist Billy Graham attended the Chalmers Memorial ARP Church in Charlotte, North Carolina , as a child; his parents were members of the congregation. Graham was later ordained as a Southern Baptist minister. The noted Southern writer Erskine Caldwell was

1739-480: The four candidates for president in 1824. Andrew Jackson ’s wife described Baker as "a fine, plain preacher," and John Quincy Adams was an early pew holder as Secretary of State and ultimately served as a trustee. In those days, Presbyterians were divided by the Old School–New School Controversy . The New School was ardently evangelistic and revivalist , and abandoned strict Calvinism for

1786-460: The infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible. The church does not ordain women as ministers or elders, though it does permit local sessions to determine whether to ordain female deacons. Having been originally formed by a merger of two denominations holding to exclusive psalmody , this was the practice of the ARP Church until 1946, when its synod allowed the use of hymns other than the Psalms; each congregational session has right of discretion concerning

1833-497: The main group and had doctrinal differences. Ebenezer Erskine and his brother Ralph Erskine preached sermons that later became the inspiration for the Associate Reformed Church in the American colonies. The monarch moved some of Ebenezer Erskine's followers to the northern Irish province of Ulster to quell religious disputes among Catholics and Protestants. These Ulster Scots Seceders and the Catholics continued to battle and some of

1880-498: The matter of music in worship. At the 207th General Synod, a new ARP psalter was approved for use in the denomination to encourage the increased use of Psalm singing in public worship. In 1837 the church established an academy for men in Due West, S.C. , which in 1839 became Erskine College , the first four-year church-related college in that state. Erskine Theological Seminary , established as Clarke and Erskine Seminary in 1837,

1927-412: The process of assimilation into the broader American religious culture. Fisk (1968) traces the history of the Associate Reformed Church in the Old Northwest from its formation by a union of Associate and Reformed Presbyterians in 1782 to the merger of this body with the Seceder bodies to form the United Presbyterian Church in 1858. It became the Associate Reformed Synod of the West and remained centered in

New York Avenue Presbyterian Church - Misplaced Pages Continue

1974-471: The son of an ARP minister in Georgia. Noted ARP ministers of today and the recent past include Jay E. Adams , Sinclair Ferguson , Derek Thomas , Michael A. Milton , and Frank Reich . Vann, Barry. "In Search of Ulster-Scots Land: The Birth and Geotheological Imagings of a Transatlantic People, 1603–1703", Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2008. William Wallace Lincoln William Wallace Lincoln (December 21, 1850 – February 20, 1862)

2021-420: The spittoon, it never disturbed the serenity of their father's good nature." Despite his propensity for mischief, Willie also had a philosophical and thoughtful side, and it was said he was very like his father in this way. Like his father, Willie enjoyed writing and working with words. When his father's friend Edward Baker was killed in action at the Battle of Ball's Bluff in 1861, ten-year-old Willie wrote

2068-463: Was changed, and that he loved the Savior, and, if he was not deceived in himself, it was his intention soon to make a profession of religion." The Rev. Peter Marshall preached many widely publicized sermons from the church's pulpit during World War II . In the late 1940s, Marshall was appointed Senate chaplain . The book and feature film, A Man Called Peter , depict Marshall's years at the church. The Rev. Dr. George MacPherson Docherty preached

2115-415: Was one of the first buildings erected in Washington for Protestant worship. In 1824 Laurie led the congregation out of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian group to join the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA), which represented the mainstream of American Presbyterianism descended from the state-established Church of Scotland. The Second Presbyterian Church, also a congregation of

2162-408: Was one of the most recognizable members of Lincoln's family. William Herndon , Abraham Lincoln's law partner, wrote about the times Lincoln would bring the boys to work with him: "The boys were absolutely unrestrained in their amusement. If they pulled down all the books from the shelves, bent the points of all the pens, overturned inkstands, scattered law papers over the floor or threw the pencils into

2209-500: Was the third son of President Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln . Willie was named after Mary's brother-in-law, Dr. William Smith Wallace. He died of typhoid fever at the White House , during his father's presidency, age 11. Willie Lincoln was born in Springfield, Illinois, on December 21, 1850. He was born just ten months after the death of his older brother Eddie , who died of tuberculosis earlier that year just shy of his fourth birthday. Along with his younger brother Tad , Willie

#542457