Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-24


These two clergymeD ministered here
from about 1856 TO 1925 and were held in
the highest esteem by all the people IN the
CITY Of that time. They have lett behind
them the sweetest memories, and thereare
many people in this city to-day VINO love
20 think about their lovely characters and
are made better in their own lives IN con-
| tempating their kindly dispositions, their
! generous regard and affection for carn
other, their love for the people. and Their
simple. unaffected plety. Richmond IN
their day was not adorned by the beautiful
churches which she now possesses. ga
ST. Johns church on the hill and the Pine
Annie church in the valley were the only
! churches in the early days Of this century,
and the old Capitol. which stu looms mp
| so gracefully IN the midst OF the Ceauu-
ful park which surrounds II, was
used oftentimes for q place of worship.
Alternately in these places Parson Blalr
and ParsOn Buchanan preached, and 10
| was hard TO tell whether their congreGa-
tions were composed of a larger number OF
Presbyterians or EpiscOpaians. Ex-Presi-
dent John Tyler on the 4th Of November,
1853. at the Mechanics Institute III TINS
CITY delivered an address on Richmond
and It's Memories" Speaking ot these
good old men.he says: " / never know two
| better men. They preached on alternate
| SUNDAYS at the Capitol aud at the oll
church on the hill. The same congrega-
tions attended on their mnistratlons. No
| dferencein the forms of worship was per-
mtted 10 interrupt their perfect harmony.
They taught the same sublime doctrines
and were too intent on the execution or
their holy mission TO dispute about mere
external forms and ceremonies"
THEY ,5ADE MFv GOOD.
Their lives were unihedly devoted 10 the
| high and important task of making men
good citizens and good Christians, nor did
| thew esteem IL necessary IN order 10 ac-
complish these ends to make war upon
! those innocent amusements when serve rs
a respite from labor and toni. Buchanan's
| eprinr il identified with the Quolt-Club
| in the innocent festivities Of which the
GOOD old men sometimes participated.
| There were illustrlOus men associated with
| them in these harmless relaXatiOns whose
! memories will ever live III the heart OF
| Richmond.
N THEIR PLACES.
Mr.. Buchanan lived in n small wooden
! house situated near NGyo's bridge, suited
/ to his condition Of old bachelOrship. all
/ trace of which has long since passed away.
| Under that roof he was once honored by
| the presence Of another divine who, bring
! ing on suitable credentials and wearing
suitable canonicas, Ofiiciated IN the
place of the two eminent ministers at
! Church Hill and the Capitol. During his
| stav in Richmond he was hospitality en-
tertained by Mr.. Buchanan.
An ODD DISCOVERY.
! Rv some arrangement Of the toilet il was,
| however. discovered that the newcomer
was woman dressed in canonicals. Some
| time thereafter the two aged ministers
| d,ned at the Governors (then John Tyler,
Sr.). where Brother Blair INDUCED in in
.nocent raillerv at the expense of Brother
| Buchanan. TO the Infinite amusement Of All
present. Mr.. Buchanan had few DAYS be-
| fore received letter from his quondam
| guest, apoogzing for her conduct and
| giving her true patrOnvmic as Diana Smith
| She was the first woman IN America who
practically put il form the doctrine OF
woman's rights.
| cHAEMISG CosIPANIONsHIP.
| DIR. Hore. speaking of these ministers.
saws: Their friendship was of the most
| intimate character. and they made their
! intercourse almost continuous by the play
| ful notes thew w1slld write TO each other.
Parson Buchanan would write: Come TO
nv house; we VIII net discuss the apostolic
succession, but we will unbend the bow |
will come Parson Blair would reply, and
we will sharpen our arrows, not against
| each other. but against the common foe
Like true apostles, they lived and labored
together till the close of life, when,
in the providence OF God WITHIN q
upon their reward, 10 renew their
intercourse in the world OF love.
Would that such ministers more generally
| to-day filed the pulplts OF our country"
! Rev. John Buchanan was born IN scot
| land in the year 174j. lie came to Rich
mOnd AZ tho beginning OF the Kevointlon
and was minister Of the parish until his
| a. =. klQtr
was born October Is, 1859, and preached
here as pastor OF the Presbyterian church
for over thirty years until his death on
| the 10th day of January, 1873. lie leit nu-
merous descendants, many OF whom still
reside in Richmond and III oil parts OF the
State.
EARLY BAPTIST HISTORY.
There lived in this city. along with these
! worthy men, another old minister whose
! fame has not so generally descended TO our
| time. Int who was their peer in the good
! he did and in the affection Of the people
| for HIN. lie was not 50 well educated OF
so effective "a a pulpit speaker as they
were. but he was PLAIN. simple. earnest.
/ honest Christian man, and the pastor of
! the First Baptist church from 1856
to the year 1924. During his time
the First Baptist church, organized
! in the wear 1870, and the oldest
|
shipped in the house OF Mr. John FRANK
| lin. then in the hall over the market on
| Seventeenth and Main streets. It's first
edifce. a small wooden building, was To-
on, led at the corner of Second and Cary
streets. and then. in 1850, old 81. Johns
Episcopal parish church was the only
church edifce in the city. Its second
| house of worship was on the corner OF
| Broad and College streets, commonly
known as the old African church, and on
whose site is now the fine brick African
church of which Rev. James II. Holmes
(colored) is pastor.
OLD FATHrH COURTNEY.
The church occupied this house of wor-
shin from 1920 to 1S4l-abOut fifty years--the
mott of which time old Father John Court
! nev. as he was generally called. was the
| pastor. During hispastOratc the member
ship increased from 200 in 1880 10 500 IN
| 1926. It's edifice. the old African church.
as it was generally known by the genera
tion Just preceding the war, where the
! greatest men of America have spoken,
chiefly upon political subjects, was at first
a small. plain wooden building. the gift
of DR.. p. 'Turpin TO the church, and IN
1903 il was enlarged by additions on
three sides, making q cruciform building
100 feet long by 20 feet wide. Old rather
| Courtney was an earnest, godiy preacher,
/ without muCn euuculiOu rs ppIhihcN. AApAA
the schools. but he had a saving know
ledge of Gospel truth. which he exempli-
fed in his daily walk and conversation,
so thet the people who knew, him we're
sure that he was true, simple, unseiish
Christian man. Everybody respected and
| loved him, and everybody knew him.
He baptized more people and married
more of them perhaps than any other
minister Of his day.
RATHER HIS LINES THAN THE HOUSE.
He was aifable and kind to all, and went
about dong good When he became Ia his
old age too iniirm TO walk be would ride on
horseback to his peoples houses, call them
out in the street, and pray for them there.
he was in the habit of quoting IN ms ser
mons the couplet:
"No foot Of land do possess,
Nor cottage in this Wilderness"
Some one at last gave him a house and
lot. and when in one of his sermons after,
wards. forgetting the fact, he coinmehced
/ to repeat the couplet, but before hnishlhg
it, recollecting that he possessed the pro-
perty, he stopped and corrected himsell 70
lgC a