Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-04-09
yIRGINIA'S OLD CHURCHES.

Mr.. w. s. Bogart deliverd a lecture in Sa.
vapnah, Ga, Thursday evening, OIL Virginia
Churches and Church Life.
He commenced his lecture with the found
alton of the Church OF England upon Amer
ican sod at jamestown on the 18th Of May,
1G07-277 years ago; afterwards reviewing
the individual history of the principal
churches of the State which have become
landmarks in her history. The only mem
orial now left Of the FIRST church aU James
town is Il portion Of the tower fast crumbling
away and the stones that cover the dust ct
lis dead lis records are nearly all gone,
but some Of Che peculiar customs and laws
il force have been handed down TO history.
In those days absence fro.r church was ali
offence punishable with Il severe fire. I"o
sermons were delivered Sunday ana che on
Thursday. If rarishioncr wasa absent from
one service without satisfactory excuse, y
fine Of one pound Of touacco was imposed,
and for continued absence corporal punish
meat was Inflicted. Tobacco was, in those
days, the circulating medium. The salaries
of ministers were paid in tobacco, and in l770
the minister Of The jamestown Church, re-
ceivcG q salary Of $50, which was eQuiva-
lent 10 $500 pounds Of tobacco, the average
price in those days being I'd. per pound.
His salary was also :. lien Oh the parish
toner's crop, which could net be sold until
the full salary was paid. In tue second
church built upon the same site as the first
there tool, place in 1914, go years ago, two
historical eveHts-the baptism and mar.
r!agc uf Pocahontas. In 1916 this church
was burned and the third was erected on the
same spot rs the first and second. The sill
vc.' communion service taken from lis altar
is now in the library OF the Theological Sem
mary near Alexandria. Among the other
cid churches. the speaker alluded to that at
williamsburg, which is lo-dayin complete
state Of preservation i..!u contains u number
oc monuments and tablets with quaint in
scripticns. lis patcn ard chaiicc were said
to have been Of solid gold. One hundred
wears before Washington was born st.
Luke. church was built in Newport parish,
aad is now used once Il month. ST. Johns
church al Richmond was prominent in The
puitica history OF the State, but with 10
claim to age. Patrick Henry's battle cry,
Give me liberty or give me death" lilst
rang out within its walls, and Oh The same
floor the American Demosthenes pictured
the tyranny Of British rule. The odes. reg
uary used church in the state is st. Johns.
nj Hampton, in which .berc has been 10 in
terruption of service Tor 234 years.
After references to the churches at Eliza
beth and Yorktown the lecturer proceeded
to 81. Paul;s at Norfolk, wich still shows
in ils walls - caunon bail fired during the
'Gays hat tl;cd men,; souls" Tho editicc
was crec.eG IN 1879 upon ground donated
b. Samuel Boush, the Mayor Of Norfolk,
whose silver macestiil renainsin in the church
archives.
Chris: church at 4AIexandria, the parish
church t.: both Washington and Lee, holds
a page IN the history Of theStatc. The pew
occupied by Washington, with its silver
plate bearing his name, is reserved for
strangers ana visitors who attend the church
to-day. n the same church Gen. Lee was
baptized and confirmed In the eastern
wall are lwo memorial tablets, one inscribed
10 The memory Of George Washington and
tho ether Robert Edmund Lee.