Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-10-22
CENTENNIAL.

Philadelphia, October 20.-The Governors
visiting here to make arrangements for the
celebration of the centennial anniversary OF
the surrender of CORVALLIS at Yorktown atten-
ded divine service Yesterday at the old Christ
Church, which Washington attended while
President. They were seated IN the pews
which Washington and Robert Morris occu-
died. Governor Hoyt WAS accompanied by
his staff who were in full uniform. The
church was decorated with flags and national
shields containing the names of Washington,
Morris, Bishop White, Franklin and Francis
Hopkinson.
Christ Church stands on Second street above
Market, a quaint old brick building, red and
vitri6ed alternately. The entrance is from
the yard in the rear which is reached by iron
yates north and south of the building, from
Second street. 1t has a tall steeple contain
ing a very fine chime of bells, and the whole
structure is fine specimen of the buildings
which yet remain from old Colonial times
When Washington lived in Philadelphia, in a
quaint old brick house on Market street,
above Sixth he was a member OF Christ
Church, and regular attendant. His pew
stood in the front row ON the northwest
corner of the middle block, Morris on the
south side of the aisle some seats back from
the chancel but we judge that those of
Francis Hopkinson and Benjamin Franklin
were simply paid for, and but rarely occupied.
Franklin was no church goer, though he and
his wife are inferred in the burying ground Of
Christ Church, at Fifth and Arch, where An
open iron railing let into the high brick wall
some twenty years ago, shows to the passers
the broad, fat grave stone bearing the in
scription, Benjamin and Deborah Franklin.
There is no date of birth or death no inscrip-
ton save the names. Their epitaph is that
of Sir Christopher Wren, in St Paups: "Who
seeks his monument, look around.
Bishop White was, in Washington and
Franklins time Rector of Christ Church,
Bishop of Pennsylvania, and with Ashbel
Green Chen pastor of old Pine street Presby
terian Church, afterward president of Prince
ton college) chaplain to Congress; they Off
ciated alternately. William White, whose
name is dear to every Episcopa ian-indeed
TO every good man, was ordained in England
first Bishop of Pennsylvania, and with the ex
eeption OF Seabury, of New Jersey, was the
first Bishop in America. We can recall wildly
an attenuated old man with broad brimmed,
low crowned hat, leaning slightly backward
clad in broad skirted coat, knee breeches
with broad silver buckles black silk hose
and low, buckled shoes, shutting up and
down Third street under some old button
wood trees which lined the broad, paved side
walk, and leaning upon a long cane. His
snow white hair, his mild, bright face, and
his peculiar stoop are as plain before us as
they were forty four years ago. He died,
we think, in 1886, and no man ever passed
to his rest more sincerely mourned. Poor
Robert Morris. who pledged his fortune to
sustain the famished soldiers of the army
under Washington, became bankrupted, and
prisoner in the old Jail at Sixth and Wal
nut, for debt contracted for the cause. Francis
Hopkinson, lived either at Burlington or
Bordentown New Jersey His grandsons,
Oliver, who was Lieutenant Colonel of the
Second Delaware Regiment during the re-
bellion, and DR.. Joseph Hopkinson, are both |
residents of Philadelphia. These are the
men who sat in the old Christ Chruch, but |
none Of the assembled Governors sat in their |
pews. Those old yellow pine arrangements
were long ago removed The pew of Wash |
ington used to stand along with the leather
covered chair of Hancock, and Franklin's
writing table i'll the Hall of the signers,
and there we have often sat in it. But
the old church still stands intact, with it's
quaint chancel, just as it stood when Wash
ingson and his wife responded to the soft
tones of the sainted Bishop White, from
that most uncomfortable old pew. 1t was
fitting that the Governors of the thirteen
original States should 20 there to renew
their patriotism, and recall those names
which are freedoms now, and flames"
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the United States, and probably in the world,