Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-21
Alefanoria 6az&tte
THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 81.
Falls Church..

4
To an earnest appeal for Falls Church. in last
! weeks Southern Churchmao, Mr.. L. NJ Black
| ford, Principal of the Episcopal High School OF
Virginia, adds the following Interesting account
| of that venerable church:
Fairfax parish was established in 1854. Will
in its limits then there were two churches, on .
near the Little Falls Of the Potomac eight m'.es
from Alexandria, the sito of tho other being n
unknown. Gen. Washington was member II
the first vesry of the parish and so continue
with littlo if any intermisson until his dca!b.
In 1866 it was determined to erect two ne"
churches, one ccse to the old one at tho Ltth'
Falls, and the other Christ caursh? at Aoxsn n;
dris. They were not completed until l73 Ihn
contract price Of each wes 60Cl The specifics
tions for the builder, Mr. James Wrenn, were
unusually explicit. Eaoh WAS to contain 24OJ
square feet: the mortar was to be two thirds
lime: the shingles were to be the best cypress
or juniper and to be three quarters OF an lnch
thick Both buildings were to have galleries.
but those in Christ church we're not erected un-
til some years after the revolution, ard IN Fais
church there have never been any.
The first rector of Fairfax parish. and eon<c.
quontly tne first pastor of FAILS church was
fax county, who was ordained for tho post IN
1865 by tho Bishop of London: He was sue
ceeded in lit by the Kew. Mr. West wb"
remained two years. In l1S) the Rev. David
Griffith, NJ D., D. D., became rector and $"
continued until his death in 1889. DT. Grlit.h
q. tho time Of his election was Il chaplain IN ma
revolutionary army. he was man OF tho hIghes,
character and usefulness prominently connected
with the esry history ofthe disestsblished church
in Virginia, and in Nay, l7SG. elected its first
bishop. He never filled tho office because ne
WAS without means TO go otherwise ara Tao
send him TO England for conservation, "hnA
DR.. Madison was elected q few years late: II,
went oyor mainly at his own expense. ~.
Griffith died at tho house Of Bishop White III
Philadelphia, whom there in attendance on th'
General Convention Of 17eo Many OF his de-
sce1dsnls survive, and nro closely identified
with the church. The late Rev. William HoN-
ton, Of Virginia, WAS his great grandson.
For somo forty years after Dr. Griiil,hs time
Falls Church appears to have oeen v!rIua!Y
deserted by Episcopalians. During this tlmo !.
was used by any who were disposed 70 occupy !.
as a place of worship; and tho doors and VIZ
dows being open, itself standing on the common
highway, it WAS entered al pleasure by traveleTs
on the road and amin ais Of every kind. Ate
the establishment Of the Theologic.. Seminary
of Virginia five miles off the attention OF pro-
fessors and students was drawn TO sanb H. an
larly. The most successful effort toward IIs
revival was, we are told. made then by Mr..
Lsuncelot B. Minor, Of Fredericksburg, II
student of the Seminary, who WAS subsequently,
ordained and died as q missionary III Alrlca III
lS43. He acted as lay reader, end with ta"
assistance of fellow students OF kindred spirit.
among them the Rsv. J. Pe:eriin, maintained
q furnishing Sunday school. The chief expense
of repairing tho building at this time was bornn
by Mr.. Horny Fairfax, q grandson OF the
Rev. Bryan Fairfax, through whose. efforts and
lberslity it was for many years sustained.
Blshop Meade has lott sn interesting account
Of his visit 10 Falls Cburch,in 1S27-Lhe FIRST vjsl-
tation it enjoyed in this century. Ho speaks OF
the building then as being. 'as to outward n2.
pesrance, strength and comfort, one OF our most
desirable temples of religion" He spent 8 Sal.
urdsy and Sunday and ION the latter day, N
the midst of an OVERT owing congregation, con-
frmod six persons and administered inc holy
Communion" ~
After this time though tto asslstsrceo of SomI.
nary students was probably never dispensed
with, the congregation for many years%as soTv'
cd. in connection with that at the Courthouse.
successively by the Rows. VIM. +. Lockwood
and T. Templeman Brown, both now OF Mary
land. Mr.. Brown was in charge at the breaking
out of the war, ard continued, we believe, to OF
fciate until the village WAS reached by the out
posts of the invading army. Ai,or tho per man
ent occupation by Federal troops the church
was for two years used as hospital Later II
was occupied as s. stable by some cavalry who
shsmelully Gesecrated it, Thoy destroyed doors
and windows, floor, and indeed all the wood
work; removed sils. tore down the old tablets
containing the dee .loguo IS we'll ss ono or TWO
others using ono Of thom rs y threshold for their
quarters. The font was thrown into neighbor-
inc marsh, whence it was taken IN lS01, Al!cr
the war the United States government. on lho
score Of its having been used as hosplta, par
TALLY repaired tho church, but refused 10 mako
good tho destruction wrought by the cavalry.