Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-18
A LOOK BACKWARDS.
The Colonial virgiuian Treated BY
Mr.. r. A. Brock.
A VALUABLE ADDRESS.
Educattou, Religion, tho Professions, and
Social Influences In the Eariv Days
Of the Old Dominion.


graphical Study Of Richmond College,"
The address will be found pregnant with
valuable and interesting historical facts.
Mr.. Brock said:
MIR. President. Ladies'. and Gentlemcn,-
The Biographical and Historical Society
of Richmond College. at whose bidding
have the honor to toe here. was happy,
trust, in the choice of lis designation.
II should be potential IN its range OF pos
sihiiiies. 1t follows. omulously. IT
seems. other Virginisn precursors OF en-
hchtcnmenf.
The original title Of dicnifed body
which have for years str,ven 10 serve.
was the Virginia Historical aud fhIlosophi-
ca Society. Ii was organized December
q. 1891. with Chief Justice Marshall "a MS
first president. IL Is honorcd now IN tn
umvirate of directive officers. whom Rich
mond values for their excellence. The
second of these is your own loved presi-
dent-the chief herald Of the cause OF
education IN our teemIng republic. The
Hon. William Writ Henry and Colonel
Archer Anderson hold the first and third
trusts. Since 1870 the essential oNponent
OF our State has been known more SIMPLY
as the Virginia Historical Society. having
rclegsfed then philosophy to the dreamer.
IL had u predecessor IN Imposing name
more than half century before.
The Philosophical Society for the Dlhu-
sion of | sciui knowledge. Instituted at
the ambrosial capital Of the Old p0min-
ion-Williamsbur.. III the month OF hoW-
crs- NAV, 1918. | may recur - 1t again.
Does not history repeat Itself, 4 VIZ
glnian proclivity IS reassofted IN the name
Of your pTOmisirc society. Constituted
a. YOU are of representatives, OF quite every
county of Our own state and Ot many OF
The southern sistcrhopd: BOWED with the
infectious arGOr and activity of youth why
shOuid we not IA the results OF your CeNo-
ton hope .c- a golden trution IN your CO.
operative and inspiring invest cations?
Devou'iy. NAV the Geographical and
uistoric a, society III unlimited usefnlues.
endure Is a feature Of this boEchcrnt III
siuutiOn. the providence and zeal OF
whose faculty. called II INTO being
Virginia has not been unmixedly blessed
in the officer. OF hey annaistS and hlsto-
mans. Doughty John Smith. whilst IN the
cramorca description that Heaven and
carth seemed never to have agreed better
To- frame a place tor mans connections
and delightful hahitaticn." offers sweet Il
pa um 10 our regard for our gen.
.rouS mother. Is yet most unioyely III
lis yiruielt denunciation Of ms fellow
colonisi-. What yer his merit. II Is not
Casy 10 forget some peculiar trait 81 ms
From adventurous John. along the cycle
os Nirgniq's being, have the children OF
her own womb barred her bosom 10 the
shaft Of TIE detracior.
H.FPILY ANTICIPATED.
The invitation TO address you was sur
,r.se to me. in casting ahou; for sub
Joe, at frst thought toutilize some notes
had gathered as 10 the provision for eiu-
cation made 10y our foTetathers tut that
J., frf az
fclpgtcd IN the elaborate address % Mr..
NyndLam X. Meredith on Colonial Gull
tire in Virginia" delivered before the
literary societies of William and Mary Col
lece July Ist last. ! ava told tina, is pu''-
ncation III dura ole form Is designed. IL IS
emlnen;ly worthy If your consideration.
q here Is another presentation tnat would
commend to YOU III Its interest ana III the
attractive views Il unfOds-the elOqu nj
al lross Of DR.. Thomas Nelson Page before
the literary societies OF Emory AMI tienry
College June 10Th last OF Z" Ihe Social Late
of Old Virginia
In serving YOU this evening m,re shall
he but modest effort. stall cnieavor
simply To add a few lights to the ceilnea-
lions OF the gentleman cited. II aught
that Offer rs - the Nrginian character
nav prove suggestive 10 you shall DC
sincerely grained
history are valuable, conle-se, ms per
plex.ty" - a. TO the sources of Nirg:nian
ability AID cites u prominent Nlrslnan
educator tai a. au authority III his mystlh-
cation. Mithnl. be- makes the somewhat
singular admission that the product was
here. for the number OF educated VIZ
giuiaus WIS large IS compared with such
persons IN other COLONIES but the ma
chlucry appeared 10 be wanting. aud IN a
country peopiea with men of high culture
d0r that tlmel and of great political
knowledge and experience the educational
factor can hardly be traced.
The fact remains. however. that the list OF
Revolutionary leaders III Congress and III
State politics from 1863 TO 1873 would bc
very much lcssenad In NUN Der and iiu-
l.ortance were the Nirenlans To ne stricken
IRON it, 10 him who would believe
there should be little cause for marvel.
Whatever may have been the general in
forest of the English nation III cOloulzing
virginia the fact should not be ignored
toai III the first charter Of King James 10
tue Virginia company their desires III
fne "propasat NJ at the Christian re-
ligion" has signal Acknowledgement.
TIE HESCoroIIs MASSACRE.
This rious object j. noted in the third
and last charter. Was there no earnest
less IN reiterated desire: Ii i admitted
by Neill who Is constantly cited a. an
arch-detraciOr Of the glOries OF "Ouli
Virginia" that the Nirg MIA company were
the irst 20 take steps relative to tie estHb-
lshment OF schools III the English col
ONES of America. "a IL IL not
only ungenerOus hut dlsngeluous 10
urge that the results of the desire for
the civilizing and Christlgni1ing OF tho
natives ended substantially with the
blight of the College at liearlcOpOhs by
the Indian massacre Of March -. 1922.
The conversion 81 the gentle IOcahOn-
tasn can scarcely be regarded ~ unim-
por.ant fruit. lie Indians. like those OF
our own day. were pc-yerse pupils. Never
iheless, elOrts for their enlightenment dld
not cease. The Braherton school at VIII
Lam and MARY College. endowed 10y the
Hon. Robert Boyle II 1891, II Is noted bv
an English traveller. exercised It's useful
Offices IN 1859. 60 and II Is believed that
they were continued until the period OF
the Revolution. Governor Spotswood. IL
I'LL, desiring To- increase the facilities for
the education OF the Indians. recommend
cd TO the Assembly an annual appropriation
Tor the purpose. Co That the companion;
oi John Smith were not a. graceless as h'
would st'gmatize them as being, II Is IN cvl
dence that they held religious observance
IN regard.
Their pltty anu reverence are lhetauccO
both by Smith and Wingfeld. In Bag
nails narrative in the Historic" of th'
frst 90 il is noted that order was daily
10 haue PRAYER with Psalme " A.; and Wing
held states that when their store of liquor
was reduced TO two gallons each of " sack
aud aqua Vita" the first WAS reseruc'
for the communiOn-table." SINE Ilr
ginia Assembly. which met AT jamestown
July 80, 1919. the first representative icgis
lative body convened III America, On
joined the religious instruction OF III
natives. II also enacted that all person
whatsoever upon the Sabbath days sinai
frequent Divine service aud sermons bot
forenoon and afternoon. 20.
Drunkenness. gaming, and blasphem.
were Vigorously punished.
CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
The requirement OF church attendance
the introduction OF travelling on the sab
bath. and she punishment Of various III
Culcepccs aud iIunOfaities were continue
Ia enactments Of increasing severity, an,
these statutes remained IA the Code with
Out modification until the period OF tn
American Revolution. AZ H,Iaily's Stqiue
verify. Religious liberty is "a priceless
boon.
The Established Church in Virginia ha
been arraisDed Tor The persecution OF thos
differing from them III religious tenets.
The Cavaliers OF Virginia and the Puri
tans OF New England agreed IN thinkin,