The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-17


of the city had hardly ceased to rise meet
ing was called to consider our case, and
yentured to submit the proposition that we
should take measures to build another house
| for God.
was, Of course, raised.
Not knowing where or to whom was to
look, the suggestion was offered that an
earnest effort should bc made here, among
ourselves and our fellow-citiZens, and that
would eudeayor TO raise twenty-five thou.
sand dollars outside Of Richmond. It is but
| truth to say that while felt hope tnat my
pledge might be realized did not lmaglne
what laborious and protracted effort Woulo
| be demanded.
A very creditable subscription was made
on the spot, followed up by solicitations in
| private.
BY Gods blessing upon my exertions,
| valuable and efficient joint efforts OF Dr.
cities as far rs New Orleans, and thence
along the Mississippi to Memphis, my own
! line having been extended at that time into
| Texas, by these individual and united ef-
| forts considerably more than the twenty
five thousand dollars pledged was placed at
the disposal Of our building committee.
The noble women Of the congregation
worked. Yes, worked 1t was no sudden
burst of enthusiasm, followed by languor
and supinencss. They worked as only such
women could or would have worked-cour-
ageouSly, ingeniously, persistently, as, in
deed, they are working still; and the result
of their labors up to the present time has
been contribution to the building fund and
for furnishings OF not less than $4,000.
! This pulpit and much more than the cost
OF it was contributed by the dear youth and
| children of the Sabbath school. For time
we met and worshipped at Virginia Hall,
aud then for time in an upper room on
| Capitol street--in both places at much dis
advantage for lack of room and accommoda-
| tions; but In these places we were not With
out tokens of Divine favor: in both addi.
| tions were made TO the church on profession
Of faith in Christ.
| 1t deserves to be mentioned that during
our occupation of Virginia Hall very kind
| letter was addressed to me by my much
esteemed brother in the ministry, the Rev.
DR.. Peterkin, rector Of St. James's Episco-
pal church, of this city, dated October "a,
1867, saying In substance that he had been
debarred from offering to US the
use of st. James's church by the
consideration that bis congregation and our
own had been holding Sabbath services at
the same hours of the day, but that from
the date of bis letter the second service at
st. James would be held at night; and add
ing: If you need our church on Sunday
afternoon it will afford US great pleasure to
place it at your disposal, at all events, until
next summer" This kind offer was respond
ed to in the same Christian spirit that
prompted the generous offer.
! Our first occupation of the lecture-room,
| on the first floor of this building, on the
- Sabbath of ---, 1868, while as yet
| this part Of the house was unfinished,
was an occasion of great JOY and
thankfulness. We had for long time been
| without what answered at all to the idea OF
church home. The places occupied for a
considerable portion of the time had been IN.
convenient and unattractive. Some may
have feared that our effort would fail others
| that they would not live to see the doors
open TO them for worship. Those who
| knew and felt the burden most held to their
| purpose and worked the more resolutely IN
| sight of obstacles. The glad day came at
length, and brimming eyes met brlmning
| RESPONSES: we were housed and seated with
\
we had for 4 long time been denied. 1t was
a precious day to many of us-to some who
are no longer with us. One feature of that
first Sabbath under this roof we we'll remem.
| berthe presence of seven persons, members
| of the church. past four.score years OF age.
! Then we sat down under the banner Of
Gods love. We thanked God together, and
took courage in His grace.
For many years the title of the church had
been "Tbe United Presbyterian Church on
Sbockoe Hill" The origin of this title may
not be without interest to some present:
On the Goth of September, 1888, the two
churches then known, one as "The PreSDy'
byterian Church On Shockoe Hill" and the
otheras "The Fourth Presbyterian Church
(formcd By partition of the First PresDy'
terian church), were united by the action o
East Hanover Presbytery under the title oil
"The United Presbyterian Church or
I Shockoe Hill," numbering together then 22s
members.
On the 3Oth of May, 1870, at meeting
held in the lecture-room, change OF name
was proposed and advocated by Charles B
Williams, of honored and, as we believe, ol
sainted memory.
The reasons for the proposed change were
mainly that the designation "on Sbockoe
Hill" was no longer distinctive, as 1t had
; once been, other Presbyterian churches hav
;. ing been located here, and that the Damt
s.United Presbyterian" while it ceased tc
have any special historic value among our
selves, was liable to be misunderstood and
misapplied, in view of the fact that there
was an ecclesiastical organization in this
country known as the "United Presbyterian
Church." with which this church had no
connection, and with which, by reason OF lis
name, it was liable to be confounded to oul
disadvantage.
The title "Grace-street Presbyterian
church" was proposed aud adopted. II the
accurate history is sought, and leaving ou,
of view formalties of procedure, this
church gathered and ministered to as it had
been by the Rev. John Blair, whose name is
engrayen on the tablet before you,) might
properly have been called the First PreSby.
terian church Of this city.
On the morning of the second Sabbath oi
. Nav, 1872, we were first permitted to assem-.
ble in this room. Hope, long-deferred, was
happily realized. In the evening Of that
:. day we sat together at the table OF our
Lord, several additions being made to the
membership by letter and by profession
During that week the General Assembly
(whose anticipated meeting, upon our inYi.
tation. had stimulated our exertions in work
!. upon the church to the utmost,) met here.
and found the room admirably adapted in
its acoustic properties, its comfortable seats,
and the facilities for committee meetings be-
low for such occasions.
| And now, after nearly two years OF pleas.
mt occupation, and some good measure OF
1 - hah