FREDERICK D. POWER.

      Mr. Power is a Virginian. He was born January 23, 1851, within a few miles of historic Yorktown, and was the second of nine children. His father, Dr. Robert Henry Power, was a well known physician, and served in both houses of the State Legislature. His grandfather, Dr. Frederick Bryan Power, was a Baptist, and old Grafton church, where the family worshiped, was founded in 1813. The congregation accepted Alexander Campbell's position and he visited them in 1856.

      Mr. Power's mother was Abigail M. Jencks, of DeRuyter, Madison county, N. Y. She was educated at Mrs. Willard's famous Troy Female Seminary; was a teacher and a woman of exceptional culture and beautiful character. He received his early education from his mother. When a boy of ten years of age, the Civil War broke out and his home was in the track of the armies. Big Bethel, the first battle, was fought within three miles, and the battle between the Merrimac and Monitor and the siege of Yorktown and battle of Williamsburg, were near by. During these four years there were no schools. Then for three years his father employed a teacher in the home, but two winters he was in Richmond as a page in the State Senate. He obeyed the gospel under the preaching of A. B. Walthall, when fifteen years of age, and in September, 1868, entered Bethany College to prepare for the ministry. Three years were spent in Bethany. During the vacations he preached in Eastern Virginia, and for several months, in 1870, served the church at Washington, Pa., while a student. Graduating in 1871, he was ordained at Mathew's C. H. at the Tidewater Convention, August 13, by Robert Y. Henley, Peter Ainslie, and J. W. Williams, and took charge of Smyrna church, King and Queen county, Jerusalem, King William, and Olive Branch, James City county. These congregations were far apart, means of transportation difficult, and his labors were severe, but he regarded the two years spent with these country churches as of inestimable value to him. The second year, instead of Jerusalem, he served his old home church, Grafton.

      January, 1874, Mr. Power accepted the church in Charlottesville, Va., the seat of the University, with the purpose of taking lectures at that institution. One Lord's day was given to Gilboa, Louisa county. March l7th of that year, he married Miss Emily Browne Alsop, of Fredericksburg, and in September was called to Bethany College as adjunct professor of ancient languages. His salary as pastor was $500 a year. The year spent at Bethany was one of great profit to him, being associated with his old professors, Pendleton and Loos. He preached during the session at West Liberty, W. Va. In May, 1875, he was called to Washington, D. C., and declined the invitation. Afterward, by a personal visit of one of the elders of the church, he was induced to visit them, and the result was an engagement upon which he entered in September.

      For twenty-eight years he has been pastor of the Vermont avenue church. He found a little frame chapel, with 150 members, poor and little known in the city. It was a hard struggle. In 1880, General Garfield was elected to the Presidency and great interest centered about "the little Campbellite shanty" and its little flock. A new church building was erected and dedicated in 1884, and the church has now a property worth $70,000. In 1881, Mr. Power was made Chaplain of the House of Representatives, to which office he was chosen by acclamation.

      Three other churches have been formed from the Vermont Avenue church, the Ninth Street, H Street, and Whitney Avenue. and three others are about to be added to them: The Fifth church, in the Southeastern part of the city, Antioch, near Vienna, Va. and Woodridge. The mother church has a membership of 625. Through the influence of this church the Christian Missionary Society of Maryland, Delaware, and District of Columbia, was organized October, 1878, of which Mr. Power was president for twenty years.

      The subject of this sketch is six feet in height and weighs 195 pounds. Since he was thirty years of age his hair has been grey, and he is often taken for a venerable man. He received from Bethany the honorary degrees of A. M. and LL. D., and has been for years a trustee of that institution. He is also a trustee of the United Society of Christian Endeavor. He was for many years a correspondent of the Christian Standard, and is at present associate editor of the Christian Evangelist. He is the author of a Life of W. K. Pendleton, Bible Doctrine for Young People, Sketches of Our Pioneers, etc. He is also a lecturer, and frequently appears on Chautauqua platforms and in lecture courses. His life has been a very busy and a very happy one.

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