The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-24
The New Presbyterian Church i'm
Ashland.
ASHLAND, March %, 1875.

ASHLAND MalCl -, 1910
Editors of The Dispatch:
The new Presbyterian church at Ashland,
Hanover county, Va, wa9 dedicated 10 the
worship Of God on Sunday the 18th instant.
The solemn services were conducted by the
Rev. DR.. Read, pastor of the Grace-Street
PRESBYTERIAN church OF Richmond, who
preached an able and impressive sermon, and
also administered tie Sacrament OF the Lords
supper on the same afternoon. The house
was crowded TO its utmost capacity morning
and night, and well tiled during all the
services OF the day. The congregations
were deeply interested and greatly delighted.
On Tuesday evening the 10th instant Il
concert of sacred music was given in the
church by the choir Of the Second Baptist
church O; Richmond. An excursion train was
sent from your city with four passenger
Goa ches crowded TO their utmost capacity,
and on its arrival filled every available spot
for sitting or Standing room in the church.
rhe concert was in all respects most graft
living success; all were delighted With the
church, the music, the excursion, and also
delighted to see everybody else delighted.
The concert cleared for the church about
5000.
This building was undertaken by the 1st
of November, and has been pushed through
to completion with much energy. The audi
ence-room is 36X50 feet, the pulpit platform
recedes 81 feet. and Il vestibule of feet, with
gallery over it, is cut off in the rear Of
tne audience-room. The walls are 1G feet
high, but the ceiling is in the shape Of three
sides OF an octagop, elevated in the centre
~ feet. The ceiling is Of pine, divided into
four panels, separated by principal ralters
ornamented with tluted-work. The walls
are pustered in imitation of granite. The
window. frames, the tluteG-work, the scrolls,
and the cornices of the ceiling and the gal
lery, and the scroll, Of the pews, are painted
I'D Imitation Of black walnut, but the ceiling
is OILED and vanished So rs 10 bring out the
natural color and granting OF the wood. The
wiidow.trameS, The panelIing OF the gallery.
the pulpit, aud the pews are painted in lmlta-
lion OF black walnut. The windows are Of
ground glass. The outside of the church
i, plan framed work, with heavy cornices
and pIasters.
The lot on which the church is erected
was purchased for the church and pre-cntcd
to it by the Sabbath school OF Rev. Or.
Reads church at q cost OF S262.50. The
ccmmunion-table was presented by the chill
dren of the Sabbath school Of the church.
I be chandelier, the pulpit.lamps, the pulpit
desk. the cushion, the Bible, the hymn
book, and Confession Of Faith were also
gifts to the church from different friends.
The church is furnished with new Burdett
organ of the value of $235-a very superior
instrument-whichW was also chiefly present
! from friends abroad.
The style of the building, it will be seen,
is plain, but neat and appropriate. lis accuse
tic properties have been proved to be excel
lent, and the remark has been made again
and again that it is gem of church. This
is chiefly due to the skill and good taste o.
MIR. John S. James, member of the church,
who superintended the whole work as q
labor of love, aud as his subscription towards
the building. But for this generous action
on his part, and the assistance OF friends IN
Richmond and elsewhere, the little Dand OF
Presbvteriaus in Ashland would not at pre-.
sent have erected so handsome and appro'
pirate u church, nor at any time at 80 SMALL 4
cost.
The building, without the pews, cost about
| 81 500; but the whole cost of the church, iE
GLIDING the organ anda carpet, the value u
the presents above-named, and the other art
Giles of necessary furniture, and also the
closing in of the lot with suitable fence
will reach the sum OF $4,000.
The church is intended 10 accommodate
three hundred people, but by introducing
extra seats four hundred and fifty can bt
seated. There were about five hundred per
sons crowded into the house the night OF the
| concert.