The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-12-15
A, DECEMBER
MO-. is.

Lodge No. 20, A. Y. NJ. and Rapides
Lodge, l. 0. o. F. Morning Prayer
having been said, the procession pro-
ceeded to the corner Of what is now
St. James and Second Streets, and
there, after appropriate religious SER
vices, the corner stone Of St. janice
Church was laid by the Masonic
Lodge. .a
Work on the building, however,
progressed steadily, nothing being
done unless the money to pay for it
was on bond. In April 1853 the
rafters we're raised and placed,
and on Sunday, April 9, 1854,
the first service was held In the edi-
fee. 1t was building after the
Byzantine order, 40 BY 70 feet, with
a gallery across the front end. All
the wood work Of the interior was
grained oak; the body Of the win
dows Of French plste-glass, and the
borders variegated stained glass. 1t
was consecrated by Bishop Polk,
Tuesday, June Is, 1854. In a note
written on the occasion, the Bishop
said: shat the building stoods as q
witness oftho truth, and a monu.
ment OF the uptiring devotion and
zeal Of the faithful minister to whose
patience, and faith, and labor, We are
mainly indebted for its erection"
| About this timc also tho labors Of
Mr.. Mccoy, among the slaves on the
plantations were most fruitful, there
being twelve hundred persons OF
color under his ministrations, the
number being "larger than that Of
any similar mission in our whole
country" according to Bishop Polk.
In tho latter part of this year,
| (1s54) Mr.. Mccoy was called by tho
Diocesan authorities to enter on Q
canyass Of the State to raise an en-
dowment for the Diocese. While ab-
sent on this mission tho congrega-
Ftiou was served by the Rev. Francis
R. Holman, now rector Of st. Mary's
Church, Kansas City, Missouri. This
was from December lst 1854, to
March 1st, 1856. , 4s.@ ~
In 1855 a Sunday School was or
|ganized in Pineville. This was the
initial movement Of the missionary
enterprise Of St. James Parish, q
spirito external development that
to this day is characteristic Of the
Parish, and which has resulted in
the organization of four other con-
gregatious and a Mission Sunday
School - Mount Olivet, Pineville;
Trinity, Cheneyville; St. Johns,
! Cotile; St. Paul's, Kanomie; St.
Phillips, Lodi. ga;sp.ss
4 In this year funds weres collected
to build Mount Olivet Chapel Tho
leader in this movement was'the wife
of the Rector. II is related Of her
that such was her zeal and devotion
that she opened and taught pri-
vate school, donating the entire re-
ceipts to the building fund.- About
the same time services were com
menced at Cheneyville on each third
Sunday. There a Chapel was rented
and fitted mp for the services Of the
Church. The number of congrega-
tions on plantations was at this time
seven, so that Mr.. Mccoy was then
serving ten congregations.
j On the 23d Of November 1857,
Mr.. Mccoy resigned his Rectorats
and the Rev. Caleb DOVE was elected
in his room. THUS ended the pastor
ate of the first Rector, but not the
memory Of his zeal, his patience and
his mistaken and wonderful faith.
His labofs are to this day themes
Of household talk, and the recollec.
tions Of the old Rector are. among
the treasured traditions of Alexsn.
driA as! a So 9li hss3aG
FRO BE CONTINUED. as'j
-AN investigation OF the amour,
OF gold and silver annually used II
the arts has been undertaken by Di
rector of the Mint ,Rurch ards thai