thodist Episcopal Church, first known as Union Bethel, was
begun by John W. Stevenson, who was transferred from the New Jersey
Conference and appointed by Bishop D. A. Payne for the specific
purpose of erecting the new building. He entered upon his work with
great zeal and alacrity, but pursued methods which, though adapted to
or suitable in the localities in which he had hitherto labored with
such phenomenal success, occasioned much friction and disgust in
Washington. He catered to elements that would relegate the more
cultured and progressive classes to the background, yet he secured
among the conservatives loyal support. At the end of his first year,
however, the spirit of rebellion was rife. A delegation of the
discontented element called on the presiding bishop to state their
grievance and effect the removal of the irrepressible minister, but
Bishop Payne was inexorable. He did not even give an actual hearing to
the petitioners, although they were personally known to him to be some
of the most faithful adherents of African Methodism. The next step was
open rebellion. Meetings were held by the dissatisfied group and in
the month of June more than a hundred and fifty persons, after the
question of forming a new religious organization had been carefully
canvassed, agreed to sever their connection with their spiritual
mother and raise their "Ebenezer" elsewhere. Notwithstanding this
opposition within and without, however, the old edifice was pulled
down and work on the new building was immediately begun.

The corner stone was laid in September, 1881, with appropriate
ceremonies under the auspices of the Masons. During the work on the
building, which was continued up to the fall of 1885, services were
held in the Hall on M Street diagonally opposite the square to the
west. By the end of Stevenson's second year, he had, by his
characteristic methods, alienated so many of those on whom he had
relied mainly for support that Bishop Payne, now disillusioned, was as
bitter against Stevenson as he was blindly his champion the year
before.[13] Stevenson was removed, but there were those who still
believed in his leadership. He refused to accept the appointment given
him and organized the Central Methodist Church with dissentients
formerly members of Union Bethel. James A. Handy was appointed
Stevenson's successor at this juncture, yet there was considerable
opposition even among those regarded as his firm personal and
politica