Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-26
DIR. GIBSON'SJUBILEE
GREAT MEETING or MINISTER'S AND
PEOPLE M PETERSBURG.
Love ofcring Of $500 IN Geid-ser-
vices by nishop whitsse--Address BY
Bishop Raadoiph--Dr. Cibsen's
Response.

cons orders In the Episcopal Church, Rev.
Churchill J. Gibson came TO Petersburg
BY assignment OF Bishop Meade TO do tho
work of a city missionary. There was then
only one Episcopal congregation In the
city. under the pastoral care of Rev. Nicho-
las II. Cobbs. In 1912 small structure on
Piaminro avenue, which cost 81, 800. was
consecrated rs Grace church by the la
mented Bishop Johns. Twenty-Five COM
municants constituted the membership
then. In fs&s Mr. Gibson was admitted TO
the priesthood, and in 1850 his congrega-
tion built new house Of worship on Old
street. the church being of brick and the
the whole cost being $500. This
church was consecrated on October
tinuing to grow II was determined
TO build yet larger structure. and ia 1859
the cornerstone of the present church was
laid with Masonic ceremonies. On July IL,
1861. services were held In the basement
The war interrupted further work. The
building fund was absorbed by other OBJ
iects. and with the return of peace 1t
seemed hopeless to attempt its completion.
Still--ali honor 90 the rector and the brave
and generous friends OF the church 1.-THE
present beautiful edifce was ready for
occupation within five years after the close
OF hostilities, and on April 10, 1870, IL was
consecrated by Bishop Johns. It's cost was
&ss, 900. and 1t was free Of encumbrance on
the day the first service was held IN 1t.
THE JUBILEE THANKSGIVING.
II was in commemoration of the fftieth
year of the pastorate of the Rev. DR.. Glib
son as rector of Grace church that the
jubilee thanksgiving service was designed
and was to-day held. It was announced
a.. - .,.-,-;oo sbopid baoif, nj IN ~ o'clock
but long before that hour the large and
beautiful church was crowded In all avail
able space and hundreds who thought TO be
In time were turned away from the doors.
People OF all denominations hocked to the
church to do honor to the venerable and
beloved man of God--the one man for whom
every person in the community had the
sincerest love and reverence.
BEAUTIFUL DECORATIONS.
Behind the chancel there was lovely
scene OF floral decorations. Palms and
arranged with admirable taste and effect.
The windows were fairly banked with
flowers, whose perfume peryaded the
church.
PROCESSION INTO THE CHURCH.
Al 10 o'clock the procession Of vestries
and ministers, which had been formed in
tbe basement. entered the front door of
the church and marched slowly down the
main aisle TO the chancel, the great con-
prepation rising TO their feet and the choir
singing the 13Sth hymn:
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty"
The procession entered in the following
order: Yestry of Grace church, yestry OF
st. Psul's, vestry of st. Johns. Episcopal
clergy in full surplice. clergy OF other de-
nominations IN the city, Rev. DIR. q. j..
Gibson leaning on the arm of his son, Rev.
X. A. Gibson, and in the rear Bishops Whit
tie and Randolph.
CLEBGYNEN PRESENT.
In addition to two bishops the following
Episcopal clergymen were present: Rev.
Pike Powers, Rev. DIR. j. b. Newton, Rev.
DIR. Il. G.. Dashiell, Rev. DR.. Joshua Peter
kin. Rev. Frank Stringfellow, Rev. X. A.
Goodwin, Rev. T.. l.. Goodwin, Rev. 5. 3.
Ware. Rev. j. w. Ware. Rev. ]. J. Gravatt,
Rev. L. II. Lacy (of West virginia., Key.
III. p. Logan, Rev. w. 4. Roberts, Rev. J..
w. Burton, Rev. james Grammar. Rev. =.
V. Jones. Rev. Job Turner, Rev. X. L.
Davis. Rev. Dabney DAVIS, Rev. II. A. Glib
son, Rev. L. Il. Jones. Rev. g. w. Phelps,
Rev. George s. Someryille, Rev. A. p.
GRAY, Rev. Thomas Spencer, and Rev. G..
X. Hains. These all wore their surphces
and sat within the chancel.
Among the resident clergy OF other de
nominations who occupied seats about the
chancel were Rev. DR.. A. 9. Bledsoe, Rev.
w. w. Lear, Rev. X. Il. Wilson, Rev. II. @.
Cbeatham, and others, of the Methodist
Church; Rev. Drs. AGREE and Huff, of the
Baptist church, and Rev. Drs. j. w. Rose
bro and s. X. Wlnn. of the Presbyterian
Church.
THE PROGRAMME OF SERVICES.
The nrocramme or order of services
was arranged by Bishop Whittle and was
published in beautiful pamphlet form,
copy of which was placed In the hands of
every person present and which will be
kept by great many as o memento or tho
interesting occasion. The selections were
very appropriate TO the occasion, as well
as to the venerable rector, whose IuDllee
they commemorateu.
The singing was rendered by thirty
picked voices from the Petersburg chorus,
under the direction of MIR. II. Noltenius,
and il was grandly beautiful. The OPEN
inc voluntary was from Mendelssohn's
95th Psalm. The TIE Deum Laudamus
Jackson's) was superbly sung, and the
S35th him. abide with Ne" in its sweet
melody and touching impressiveness,
brought tears to the eyes OF many and
swelled the hearts of all.
The whole service was one of thanks
giving, and was conducted by Bishop Whit
lie throughout. AS the good Bishop read
with clear and impressive voice the OPEN
ing sentences: "As thy days so shall thy
strength be"; Thou shalt. come TO thy
grave IN full age, like as shock OF corn
man and full of the Holy Ghost and of
faith, and much people was added unto the
Lord" and other appropriate selections,
the eyes of the congregations were turned
upon DIR. Gibson-whose face seemed 10
glow as with holy light and inspiration
as truly the man whom they closely htted.
All of the selected Psalms and the lessons
from the Old and New Testament were
significantly appropriate to the occasion.
The tenor solo in the 95th Psalm was
sung by Rev. DIR. Kaiser, the Jewish rabbi
in this city, in clear, sweet, musical
voice.
BISHOP RASDoLPH's ADDRESS.
The address of presentation TO DR.. Glib
son was made by Right Rev. A. M Kan
dolph, ID. ID. 1t was an eloquent, beauti-
full address. The Bishop spoke substan-
TALLY as follows:
day Of an association with q remarkable
Christian woman, who, though living
twenty miles from Petersburg, at Shirley
the Oldest home in America, attended ire
auently the illustrations In this church.
When boy of fourteen years old, on
visit TO that home. | remember 10 nave
heard an account of the conservation ser
vices of the second Grace church and her
Joy In theprivilege of attending them. The
conservation took place in October, 1851.
Just ten years before. in 184l, your minister
in the very morning of his manhood was
placed as q deacon by Bishop Meade
10 do missionary duty in Petersburg.
A little more than year after, IN
February, 1Si3, church was dedicated by
the name of Grace church, built at cost
of q. 800, the lot being given by Robert
Boiling, who seems 10 have been faithful
through life az q generous friend OF this
enterprise. They began with twenty-five
communicates, eighteen of these being .
colony from st. Paups church, the oldest
church. Seven years pass away and they
build another church and enter that with
q communion Of over one hundred
Eight more years pass away and they grow
ont OF that and in 1859 begin the church II
which we are gathered to-day. The build
ing is almost completed and the eongrega
tion Is worshipping In the lecture-roor
when the cloud of war breaks upon oul
southern land in 1861.
"For Ave years the work Is suspended
cad years they were, but they looked
sadder Just after they had passed thar
when you were passing through them
The wreck of the last shock was now all
around you; the memory was fresh OF th'
patient heroism of o starving army. The