contemplated to be built at the rear part of the lot; and in time, when money was in hand, the main auditorium was to follow. When this plan became known, Mrs. Nancy B. Scudder, widow of Judge Henry A. Scudder, formerly of Boston, Mass., but who then resided in this city and was a member of the Washington Society, conceived the idea that if the Sunday School rooms were built first, it would be a long time before the main auditorium would be erected; and to prevent this she decided to execute her will and leave a considerable portion of her estate to the Washington Society, to be used for building the main body of the church. Her will was executed accordingly on the 19th day of September, 1893, and on Dec. 15, 1893, she died, and her will was admitted to probate and record soon thereafter.

The committee then changed its plans, and in order to have the benefit of this legacy, decided to build the main structure first, and leave the Sunday School rooms and parish house to follow, when they could.

She made several bequests to individuals, and to the Homeopathic Hospital, and then made the Washington Society of the New Jerusalem her residuary legatee.

The Society received from her estate about $44,000, all of which was applied to the cost of the building of this church. In addition there were donors from thirty-three States, and from Canada, Scotland, and England, and the District of Columbia, aggregating over $60,000.

The property is held in trust for the Convention by the successors to the original fifteen members of the committee appointed by the Convention in 1889, and their successors, and the Washington Society is the permanent occupant of the building.

The church has a number of fine memorial windows, all of historical value for those who may be interested in the New Church.

The large creation window in the west end of the auditorium, in the gallery, was contributed by the Ladies Aid Society in memory of Judge and Mrs. Scudder. It was

built by Lamb, of New York.

The seven windows in the chancel are in memory of deceased ministers who were well known in this country, namely, Wm. B. Hayden, Richard de Charms, John Randolph Hibbard, Chauncey Giles, Abiel Silver, Jabez Fox, and John Worcester.

These chancel windows represent the seven churches of Asia, at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergomos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, and express the promise that the spirit made to those of each group, if they overcame and lived faithful to the end.

There are other windows,* one on the south side of the nave, in honor of Prof. Henry C. Spencer, who was president of the Society when he departed this life, Aug. 30, 1891; one on the north side, a large window in memory of Maskell M. Carll, who was a former President of the General Convention; and the high window, on the south side, symbolizing the Transfiguration of the Lord, and the figures of Moses and Elias, and the two apostles, John and James, placed in honor of Dr. Sewall, who was so closely connected with this church building from start to finish.

The Sunday School and parish house building was completed about 1912. The General Convention has held 5 annual sessions in this National Church, namely in the years, 1896, when it was dedicated, and in 1904, 1912, 1915, and 1919. The last known as the Victory Convention.

The present pastor of the Society is Rev. Paul Sperry,

*Since this paper was prepared, another beautiful window has been placed in the north side of the main building in memory of Rev. Samuel Swazey Seward, who was Secretary of the Convention for many years, and President for twelve years. It represents three scenes from the book Isaiah.

who succeeded to the pastorate upon the death of Rev. Dr. Frank Sewall. Mr. Sperry is also secretary of the Convention's Board of Missions. He is a graduate of the New Church Theological School in Cambridge, Mass., and of George Washington University of this city.

The architect was Prof. H. Langford Warren, of Harvard University, with an assistant in Washington, Mr. Paul J. Pelz, who was one of the architects of the Congressional Library Building.

T

NORTHERN LIBERTY MARKET.

By WASHINGTON TOPHAM.

(Read before the Society, March 16, 1920.)

'HERE is probably no institution in our city more vital

to its welfare, and of more daily interest and concern to our people than the city market-house. This was recognized in the early history of our city as provision was made for a market-house as early as 1801, nearly a hundred and twenty years ago.

The history of our market houses, their dealers and patrons, would be no small part of our city life and activities, and in view of this, I have thought that a larger place might well have been given them in the records of our city's history.

Much that has been written relative to our markets has been given in paragraphs incidental or connected with other matters, and it has been no easy task to put such together in consecutive form.

For many of the facts here given I am indebted to Mr. W. B. Bryan, Dr. Wm. Tindall, The Evening Star, The National Intelligencer, and a number of our old and respected citizens who were connected with old Northern Liberty Market.

Among my earliest recollections is the old Northern Liberty Market. I lived, the first ten years of my life within three squares of this market, and I remember going there often with my mother during, and after the Civil War.

Old Northern Liberty Market stood on a public space containing 400,000 square feet, formed by the intersection

43

of New York Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue with K Street.

Before the city was laid out in 1800, this land was a part of the parcel known as Port Royal, and was owned by Lynch and Sands, who were among the original proprietors of the District of Columbia.

As early as 1843 definite efforts were made to establish a market at this place as shown by this article from the National Intelligencer of Monday, January 16, 1843:

"Northern Liberties Market Cause:-The subjoined communication, written by a respectable citizen who takes a lively interest in the concerns of this city, and who is a property holder in the Northern Liberties, will attract the notice, we presume, of all local legislators. We think that the subject is deserving of prompt consideration on the part of the City Council, and that, we have no doubt it will receive. The convenience of those citizens who reside within the Northern Liberties, now become so populous and respectable, seems to justify an acquiescence on the part of the City Councils in the required accommodation.

"Market House in the Northern Liberties. A large and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of the Northern Liberties was held last Friday evening at Mr. McLeod's academy, for the purpose of memorializing the Boards of Aldermen and Common Council upon the propriety and necessity of establishing a market house at the intersection of Massachusetts and New York Avenues. We learn that this point was originally set apart for a market house in laying out the city, and that part of the ward is now so thickly settled that we think the time has arrived when their convenience should be accommodated. The petition does not solicit the aid of the Corporation, but merely asks to be allowed to erect the building by private subscription. It is desired, however, that the laws of the Corporation,