The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-16
PETERSBURG.
Adiourne

DEDICATION OF CHURCH S22, 600 EpIFICE
BUILT BY A COLORED C0NGREGATI0N-wH WHAT
ENERGY AND SELF-DENIAL WILL ACCOM-
PLIsH-DEsCRIPTION OF THE NEW CHURCH
INTERNAL-REvENUE RECEIPTS-INTEREsf-
ING ANNIvERsARY-RIsH RELIEF FUND
DINWIDDIE COURT-ACCIDENT, &C.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatcbl
FEBRUARY IA. 1880.
The new church ediGce OF tue Gllield
Baptist congregation (colored), the corner
stone OF which was land on the 18th OF Au-
gust, 1878, will be dedicated to the worship
Of God tomorrow, on which occ isiOn the
building will be occupied for the irst time.
The dedication services will commence to-
morrow and will conclude on the Sunday
following. At the morning service adj
dresses will be delivered by Rev. William
Troy, OF Richmond; Rev. William VI.
Robinson, of Chesterfield; and Rev. John
johnson. At the afternoon services adj
dresses will be delivered by Rev. L. &.
Corprew, OF Portsmouth; Rev. DR.. T. Il.
Eaton and Rev. }. Nell. Farley, OF this
city. At night Rev. Richard Wells, Rev.
w. Hill, and Rev. z. Perry will speak. The
choir of the church, which is a very full
and fine one, will make their music fea-
tue OF each service.
The new church is solid brick struc-
ture, 60 feet front by 10j feet in depth, and
80 feet pitch. The membership is 1900, and
the building will comfortably seat 900 per-
sons. lis style OF architecture is Roman
esque, and 1t was built with an eye TO
strength as well as to beauty. The floor rests
upon dwarf walls only eight feet apart.
built upon clay foundation, and will stand
any amount OF pressure. On the left front
is an octagon tower 90 feet high. and on the
right front square tower l05 feet IN height.
These towers project five feet in front Of
the building proper. On each side OF the
edfce are six windows Of forty lights each,
OF the best glass and frosted. The interior
is handsomely finished. Four re1ectors Of
twenty burners each in the ceiling fur
nlsh abundance OF light for the main au-
dience-rOom, while drOp-lghts from the
galleries furnish light underneath. The
pulpit is Of black walnut, aud is adjust
able. The pulpit platform is OF imitation
walnut, and contains large baptismdl pool,
which is reached from the rear of the
church. Immediately in rear Of the church
is large chapel, ana connected with ii, in
which the congregations have been wor-
shipping for years. This will not be used
for the Sunday-school and churcE-mt etings.
The church cost in tie neighborhOod Of
$4,000 The cost would have been much
more but for the fact that the congregation
In large part gave their labor in prosecuting
the work. They moreover made the bricks
IGl0,000) Of which the church is built. The
church is handsomely carpe'ed.
The Gilheld church is one of the oldest in
the South, and rs history is an interesting
one. Ii was organized in 1903. lis records
prior TO 1915 were lost. The present lot
was purchased in 1917, and was part of a
tract OF land known rs Gil's field, from
which the church takes its name. Previous
to that date the congregation worshipped
on the sandy beach Of the Appomattox river,
not far above Pocabontas bridge. As the
congregation grew in numbers larger edi-
ices were successfully built at different
dates. A number OF pastors have had charge
OF the church-wblte aud eolored. The
present pastor is Rev. Henry Williams, Jr.,
who assumed charge in 1865. The member
ship was then 300; it is now 1900. The
building Is monument TO bis energy and
perseverance, and to the self sacrificing de-
voiion OF his people that the larger portion
OF the money has been paid.
The internal-revenue collections in the
Petersburg district for the week ending to-
day am0untfd to $40 208.
The Old Grays' Association, Of which
Captain Thomas Pollard Is pro sident,' met
last night, and decided 10 celebrate their
anniversary on tue 2lst OF this
month, The 22d falling on sunday. Among
the old commanders Of the Gra,s were
David Branch and John Pollard, for great
number OF years prominent citizens oil Pc
Iersbufg. lil the late war the ranks Of the