The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-26
A JUBILEE THANKSGIVING.
Concentrating the Goth Anniversary Of
the Passionate Of Rev. c. ]. Gibson.
PRESENTATION BY BISHOP RANDOLPH.
a Handsome Testimonial and "A Purse ofGOld.
Touching Response by the
Venerable Pastor.

-ihNohAisS, A., May A).-lopeCltilsl
The jubilee thanksgiving service in COM
memoration Of the ffteth year of the pastor
ate Of the Rev. Churchill J. Gibson, d. d.,
az rector OF Grace church, took place in this
city to-day.
At ten minutes past 10 o'clock the clergy
and vestrymen Of the white Episcopal
churches in the city and ministers of several
other denominations came from the lecture
room and entered the church. Rev Mr.
Gibson came in with his son, Rev Robert
Gibson, of Cincinnati.
The service was opened with a psalm by
the choir, after which 90 Come, Let is Wor-
snip" was sung. Rev. Dr. J. Kaiser taking the
tenor solo parts The morning PRAYER fol-
lowed, conducted by Bishop Whttle. The
hymn Abide with Ne, Fast Falls the Even
tide was next sung. The singing Of this
hymn was followed by the presentation Of
the jubilee testimonial to DR.. Gibson by Right
Rev. a. NJ Randolph. ID. ID.
Bishop Randolph spoke as follows: II am
reminded by the services Of to-day If an assO-
citation with a remarkable Christian woman
who though living twenty miles from Peters
burg, at Shirley, the oldest home IN America.
attended frequently the ministrations in this
church. When a boy fourteen years Old on
visit TO that home. ! remember to have heard
from her an account Of the conservation ser
vices OF the Second Grace church, and the Joy
in the privilege of attending them. The con-
secretion took place IN October, 1881. just
ten years before. IN 1871. your MINISTER
in the early morning Of his manhood,
was placed as q deacon by BishOp
Meade TO do duty in Petersburg as a
city missionary. A little more than year
after in February. 1A3, a G hurch was conse-
Grated 10 the name of Gra Gee church. bult at
a cost of 300. the lot being given by Robert
oil .s~Itf fn
through life as a generous friend OF TINS
enterprise They began with twenty-five
COMMITMENTS. eighteen oil them being
colony from 1t. Paul's, the older church.
Seven years pass away and they build an
other church, and entered that with commu-
Mon of over one hundred. Eight more years
pass away and they grew out OF
that. and in 1859 began the church
in which we are gathered to-day The building
Is almost completed and the congregation Is
woTshipping in the lecture-room. when the
cloud of war breaks upon our southern lahd
IN 1861. For five years the work IS suspended
Sad years they were but they looked sadder
lust after thew had passed than when You
were passing through them. The wreck OF
the last shock was heard all around you, the
memory was fresh of the patient herolsm OK a
starving army. the grim and deadly yalQr OK
men and soldier youths that fought IKE mons
at bav to the last your fortunes broken. your
your manhood cut down upon a hundred bat
tle-helds AOu would ask. Can we revive
again: once more can We begin 20 build the
house OF the Lord. But YOU did begin again
with brave hearts and united energies, ana IN
1870 another COnsecrated service deulcaLeu
this house to the worship OF God, and since
then your growth has been exceptional IN
members and strength for blessing % the cltyln
which you live, and the church at large and
the church of Virginia, too, has grown with
strange energy since the sad years when
YOU were worshippmg in your lecture-room,
and the sound of artillery mingled with your
hymns of praise Is there any connection
between the growth since ana the pam oil
those five years: Love IS the highest power
of unity, Is it nOt> And what Drngs
love: The sacrifice of Christ brings Gods
love 10 US Out of that suffering come the
forces that enter into and combine the eVO-
luton of our race. The pleasures
the successes, the temporal prosperity Oh
a generation does not unite It; II IS pam that
increases the spiritual momentum OF the
world Who are they that love one another
The people who together have struggled Tor
existence. Who are the men that love one an
other The soldiers who have iaceq lhe
shock of battle side by side. the husband ana
the wife who have stood together IN love and
trust through the years Surely the unity OF
love comes out of habitatiOn borne together,
and that love Is not ike that OF prisoners smut
upin Jail They feel no bond with each other:
all that they want is 20 get out OF prison ana
then they remember one another no more, 50
/ am told but the people who suuer together
for duty have IN them the distinct sense that
the suffering is arOuslng IN them all that IS
highest, noblcst and most spiritual, and that
transmutes the suffering into Joy and love Tor
the future These five years OF suffering,
then may have blessed you and kept you TO-
gether and opened the hearts OF men 10 take
in the seed that has grown into irultOn that
we see to-day During these fifty years since
your beginning as a congregation your parSh
book records l,0l9 marriages, Z.lA Daptsms,
3354 funerals, 25Ol COMMITMENTS, ana l75I
combinations. All these mlnlstrauOns repre-
sent a part of the pastoral labOrs OF the
young deacon who came TO you nifty years
ago and who is now your honored and alice
Tomato minister of three score years ana ten.
One hand has united you, marriage bonds
sealed your baptismal ceremonial and dis
tributed 10 you in the sacrament of the Lords
Supper the memorial OF this love and this re-
demption. One voice has broken the bread
and held forth 20 you the word OF
life through these long years OF the wide
reaching influence )t that pastorate OF the
tenderness that belongs tOit." Just here Bishop
Randolph left the pulpit stand and walking
up TO Rev O.. j. Gibson, ID. D.. said: Il have
hardly the cOmpOsure 10 speak TO you. Among
all the friendship that gladdens our lives
among all the ties that bind us IN LOVING
sympathy, the ties between pastor and people
seem to be unique, they take on even the gar
ments of immortality. They are as
lasting as the souls they win. they
are like the stars that SHINE forever; but /
must turn to the discharge of the gracious
duty that you have assigned TO me, IN this
clad hour. NV beloved brother, the presence
of this mingling multitude representing all
the churches and all the people of the city
that has been blessed by your ministrations,
the glad music that has given JOY and a
glory to orr worship, the presence OF your
bishops and so many of your brethren OF the
clergy from all parts of the diocese are them
selves a token of the love they bear TO you.
Bv them ] am commissioned to present 20 you
this testimonial to thepurity the evangelical
fervor andl fidelity of very long ministry;
they believe and they pray that after the
names TO this testimonial are faded away;
after its tender words are dimmed by the at
traction of time, that the influence of your
pleased ministry may bear fruit and its
memory be kept green among your own peo-
Die and in the diocese for generations 70
come. l again present this purse OF gold,
the spontaneous Offering OF loving peO-
pie. that love will abide after the
cold has vanished: it will 90 with
YOU into the blessings and the glory of the
life to come. We pray that your bodily
strength may be gracefully preserved that
your heart may beat warm with the love OF
Christ and the love of souls and that the FIRE
of your mind may burn brightly 70 the last,
and then may you hear the welcome Well