The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-27
cHURCH DEDICATION.
THE NEW THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEDI
GATED TO THE SERVICE OF GoD-HIsT0RT
CAL SKETCH OF THE CHURCH--1NTEREsTfNe

The Third Presbyterian church was ;dedi-
Gated on Sunday night. The services were
conducted by Rev. T. L. Preston, D. ID,
| assisted by the pastor, Rev. William M.
Scott, and Rev. J. r. Garlick, D. D., pastor.
OF Leigh-Street Baptist church.. q !.
The sermon OF DR.. Preston was an ex-,
ceeGingly able and interesting one, and emf
sently suitable for the OCCASION. Tbeser-
mon was broad and catholic in its views, eX-.
cluding no creed or denomination from the
saving power OF the gospel. -
AS the troubles and difficulties under
which the faithful fewwho constitute the.
membership Of this church have labored
has created good deal OF sympathy in the
community around them, Or wherever they
have become known, few words as to its
history will not be altogether uninteresting.
For some years prior to 1884 several phi
lanthropic gentlemen had labored amongst
the poor in Rockets and the seamen in the
harbor, distributing tracts and holding
pray yer-meetings, as the way seemed to open.
After awhile these services were held regu-
larly In wooden building which stood on
the lot now occupied by the Gas Works.
The place OF meeting was afterwards moved
to the brick building on Bloody Run street,
| aiew rods above the gas-house. Here, on
the 18th OF April, 1885, d church was organ
lied BY the Presbyterians, with twenty
three members. Rev. Alexander Mebane,
Young man who had recently graduated
at Hampden-Sidney College, was elected
pastor, and Messrs. George Hutchinson ana
Robert A. Mayo elected elders, to whom in
january of the following year were added
Messrs. Charles Yale and Thomas Samson.
1t may be OF interest to state that OF all
who assisted in the organization OF this
church, so far as is known, Mr.. Sampson is
the only survivor. He deposited with the
official body the letter OF dismissal which he
received from the church in Scotland Of
which he was member before removing to-
America.
A bell, rigged up and hung out Of one OF
the rear windows of the building, was used
to announce the hour OF service. When
the congregation removed this bell was
bought bv the late Thomas II. Wynnc,
while Superintendent Of the Gas-Works,
and hung up in the yard Of the works,
where it still does duty in announcing the
hours Of labor.
ON the 29th Of November Messrs. Peter
Van Duersen and B. F. Gridley were added
to the list of elders.
The church met with its first great loss in
the death Of its pastor, Mr.. Mebane, on the
29th of June, 1916. He had labored dill
gently and zealously in the work, and under
his administration great deal OF good had
been accomplished in that section OF the
c,ty, and many had been added to the
church. They were not left long, however.
without head, for we find that on the first
Sabbath In December Of the same year Rev.
J. Parsons Hovey was elected as stated sup
ply. He resigned the position in April,
llS47, and was very soon succeeded by Rev.
Halsey Dunning, also as stated supply, and
who took the full charge on the 1st OF Oc-
tober, 1850. Up to this time the effort had
been assisted from the missionary fund.
Since then it has been self-sustaining.
On the 23d of June, 1851, the following
additional elders were chosen-viz., Elijah
Craig, John Currie, p. B. Price, and Samuel
NJ. Price. In April, 1852, there were 80
communicates, aud two years thereafter
112.
Mr.. Dunning resigned the pastorate on
the 9TH OF November, 1854, to take charge
of church in Baltimore, and on the 29th
of ApriI, 1855. call was extended to Rev.
L. P. LedouX, Of Monroe, Mich, who ac-
cepted, and was regularly installed as pas
tor on the 29th Of April, 1855.
Mr.. Ledoux remained until the 3Oth De-
cember, 1851. At this time the membership
of the church was 129.
Calls were extended to several ministers,
who failed to accept, and the congregation
remained without pastor until April u,
1858, when Rev. Arthur Mitchell accepted,
and was installed in May. In April, 1861,
there were IA members.
At ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the late war MIR.
Mitchell went North, and not returning the
pulpit was declared vacant, and Rev. James
r. Leftwich elected as stated supply, but
on account OF ill health was soon after forced
to resign. In August, 1862, Rev. z. Is.
Price was chosen stated supply, and elected
to the full pastorate in June, 1868. At this
time there were 1876 members, which had
increased to 155 in 1867. Mr.. Price resigned
the pastorate In November, 1868, to take
charge Of a church in Rockbridge county.
In April, 1869, Rev. William E Hill, a
licentiate, OF Montgomery Presbytery, was
elected as supply, and to the full pastorate
in September of the same year. After sery-
,, ing the church in this capacity just one
wear he resigned to continue his studies aa
, the university of Virginia. Rev. E. T.
Baird secretary of the Presbyterian Publ
cation Committee. undertook the supply Of
the pulpit in October, 1870, but finding the
labors OF both offices too great for him, re.
signed the charge OF the church in October,
|1S72. Rev G. r. Vaughan supplied the du-
Lties,of pastor OF the church for ten months,
beginning in January, 1873. DR.. Samuel j.
!, Baird was chosen pastor in October, 1873,
but resigned in July, 1876, and was sue
ceeded in November by Rev. William N.
Scott, who is still the beloved pastor, and
under whose auspices the present elegant
Estructure was erected.
a few words as to the places IN which
this church has worshipped. We have
already stated that the first room fitted up
!. was in tobacco-factory on Bloody Run
street. Finding their numbers increased
andthe space allotted to them too contract
led, they determined to build a house OF
worship. In 1886 they bought lot ON the
north side Of Bloody Run street, diagonally
:. onnosite the present Gas orks, and erect
ed on tia wooden house capable of seat
!. ing from 200 to 250 persons. Here they
i Iworshipped until 1S49, when they pur-
i chased the lot on the northeast corner OF
:. Rroaa and Twenty-ffth streets, and built
thereon large brick structure, which they
a,dedicated in January, 1850, and continued
Ito use until the oath Of January, 1873,
3when lit sustained Such severe injuries by
1.-THE ,ceying-in OF the Church-Hill tunnel OF
the Chesapeake and Ohie railroad as to
render it unsafe. :.
| The ,sympathies OF the entire community
were aroused by this misfortune, and the
several churches i'm the vicinity at once
rendered the use of their buildings to the
eop gnegation. They determined, however,
to haEe q house of their own, and, renting
yaeaus lot on the south side OF Broad
street hstWeen TWeEty-ffth and Twenty
sixth> at ence erected . large wooden struc-
ture. which they called the "Tabernacle.o 2
/ On e., ,r,l,s a} tbay bowo, xUnrshiDDe6 until