The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-30
. nrs>s.nsS-.Esse PreSb ter u II
srnu-c7s-S Celebration.


STAUNToS. December 30. 1878.
The Christmas publications. are over in
CT. r:.,. II has been quite q guy season,
,sd has hrcn much enjoyed by our people
THE wife wrapping of winter also arrived
In lin, q allow the young folks the joyous
.y,,l.rinrut ii >lc!ghing during the holi-
Gn-. Dur streets are yet slippery with ice
and -noy7, and many ludicrouS scene is
pr,.,ntet: IS roIlc Young lady, wildly Shrek
I'M. takes her scat on the cold, cold snow
~ cmc poriiy gentleman cNciaimS beneath
n, breath as he loses his equilibrium. and
II, l,rrh!n cries what fall was there, my
sUuutrymcn.
In tie Presbyterian church yesterday Rev.
". T.. Baker. the pastor, preached an annual
,rrt.on. 10 which he reviewed the history
And progress Q! the church in this city, Of
which lie has been the pastor for sixteen
years During these sixteen years there had
been 4SS PERSONS received into tic church.
1. The us members belonging to the church
sixteen YEAR ago there now remained about 90.
h!any had died and some had moved away.
The present membership Of the church
numbers three hundred and thirty. Seventy
ler,ons huyr been received into the Church
during the present yetr-thirty-clght from
the Augusta Female Seminary and thirty.
ecclesiastical year ending April 8. 1873, there
had Iecn forty-tirc persons received into the
church on profession, being larger per.
ceL:4cc Of the congregation than is shown
br any Of the two hundred and sixty
churches il the synod. OF the present
church cdifce, which has been built within
he last three years at cost Of nearly S40,-
600, he said that il was much larger and
more ample and comfortable in its accommo-
dati m than many of the historical churches OF
England and Scotland. Ii is larger than any
church in the State, and few churches in the
lsrccr cities equal it, The congregation
should he proud OF it, as it was fully ten
years in advance Of its architectural sur
roundings. Though it has cost less than
many of The churches in the larger cities, yet
il had cost as much as all the other eight
place, of worship in our city.
Tie fnarcia! condition ofthe church is very
healthy. Formerly the expenses always eX-
cccdrd the annual receipts. But this is now
changed. During the past year the receipts
from pew rents were 81, 100, and from thir-
ty-siX weekly collections 1890; the expenses
we're S2,034, thus leaving balance OF re-
ceil,s over expenses of 81 ,056. Besides this,
Tie lldic>' sewing society have paid in
81 600, the sunday school 500, and other
sources Sl4l. There has been paid in sub
>criptions to the church 81 800. Besides
this there has been received from fourteen
other collections for the general purposes of
;hc church S64S--thc whole amount Of re-
eepts during the year footing up about
$1,000. During the year about $1,000 has
been expended in heating and lighting the
church and in bracing the roof so rs to rem
der it perfectly secure.
We music not neglect to mention the
unique and interesting entertainment which
took place at the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind In
stitution on Christmas eve. 1t was visit of
Santa Claus 10 the unfortunate children Of
this institution. Instead Of having the
usual Christmas-tree in the chapel, the prin-
CipA!. Captain c. u. Mccoy, had room pre-
pared in the snowiest manner possible. 1t
wus carpeted in pure white aud decorated
with fe.toonS Of cedar and ivy over which
-four had been thickly spripkled anu through
which dozeps Of candles were brightly
tniEkIiug On platform was placed u
sleigh, ia which sat old Santa Claus dressed
In furs, with long white beard, short black
pipe. rosy, wrinked face, and MI the other
accomplishments of this mystical old fell
low. The sleigh was heaped with gifts for
all The children Of tie institution, and were
the free offerings OF the merchants and others
OF our city.
santa Claus of course understands the
- i'm language" and many merry laugh
accompanied the gesticulated responses OF
the happy and delighted children.
Ii WAS most delightful occasion, and re-
feclS the greatest credit upon the manage
lncnt o: this noble institution. MAX.