Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-07


OF the proceedings herein"
TEE REy. WILLIAM srTTH CALLED.
The Rev. Mr.. Gavin appears to have dis.
severed his connection With the parish
prior 70 the 18th OF July, 1880, for on meet
ing Of the vestry of that date the Rev. Will
liam Stith underwent the Same probation
that his immediate predecessor had done
and was received as minister OF the parish.
This William Stith has the distinction Of
being the writer OF tho excellent history
bearing his name. He also was the son-in-
law OF William Randolph. Of Turkey
Island.
II has been indicated that ministers re-
oeived their pay IN tobacco. On Decem-
Der rs, 17ll, the following entry appears;
Beverley Randolph, gent, agrees TO
Build on the gleebe Tobacco House Forty
Feet long aud twenty feet broad, 10 be
well framed with good Timber and covered
with good shingles Nailed on, 70 be finished
in every respect Workmanlike, according
70 the manner OF Such sort of Houses, for
which he is TO receive Twenty pounds
CURT Money"
PAID IN TOBACCO.
II should be stated that the salary Of q
minister was 16, 600 pounds OF tobacco. the
value Of which varied from $40 to $50 in
money. The crops were unequal, in some
years failing. Tho ordinary price was
about pence per pound. An effort TO
make compulsory the Communication OF the
salary in money, and the legal resistance OF
tho ministers gave occasion for the first
appearance as an advocate and. IN public
lie of Patrick Henry, the forest-born
Demosthenes.n
Tho Rev. William Stith resigned the
rectorship December 8, 1851. and on the
22d of June, 1852, he was succeeded by the
Rev. Joseph Bewsher, who appears to have
served but temporarily, for on the 25th of
August, 1852, the Rev. Miles Selden was
unanimously elected TO succeed him ana TO
enter on his Office the 1st of October fol-
lowing.
Mr.. selden was man Of deep pieIty and
of excellent classical and theological train
inc. Several OF his sermons IN manuscript
are extant. He served the parish with
great acceptability and usefulness until
the opening of hostilities in the first
American war for independence suspended
hls functions and church service.
THE FOSTERING TEMPLE OF LIBtETY.
The venerable edifice of st. Johns, if not
admitted 10 be the cradle of liberty in
Virginia, may be allowed to have been its
fostering temple. for within its hallowed
walls the patriot convention OF virginia
met in IT'S and here 1t was that Pat
rick Henry with irresistible eloquence
sounded the tocsin Of freedom IN that
famed soul-stirring effort, concluding with
thu immortal words: Give me liberty or
give me DEATH"
Here again the convention met on the
18th of July following.
SERVICES SUSPENDED.
All service in the church was suspended
until 1885, its fortunes in the mean time
having undergone material change. With
the adoption of the new State Constitution
not only did the severance Of the long es-
tablished Church and State result, but I'M
der the demand of the dissenters and tho
claims of liberty of conscience the Church
was gradually despoiled OF all OF It's former
property holdings save the church edihces'
Under the depressing effects OF the
several new sec.s and the stigma which
was sought to be fixed to the Episcopal
Church as part of the late despotic gov
ernment il is no wonder the church Ian
guished and that the congregations were
dissolved, so that indeed many churches
unclaimed by their former congregations
were taken possession of by Baptist and
Methodist congregations and as such In
yestment became permanent.
The following records the revival OF 81.
Johns church: "A meeting was held
March %, 1885, of the county courthouse
in Richmond, HenricO, granting the Epis-
copal Church certain privileges OF tenure
and property as enjoyed by other religious
scots, which by previous enactment
had been denied. The church on
Richmond Hill was reorganized and
the following vestrymen elected;
Edmund Randolph, subsequently, Gov
ernor of Virginia and Secretary OF State
of the United States; Turner Southall. j.
Jaouelin Amber. long the Treasurer Of Vir-
gina; Nathaniel wilkinson, Bowler Cooke,
Hobson Owens, William Foushee, Mayor
of Richmond and Its postmaster for a
number of years; John Ellis, son of John
and of the family OF our present worthy
citizens, Messrs. Charles and Powhatan
Ellis, and William Burton OF these Ed
mund Randolph and Bowler Cox were
chosen church wardens."
"PARsoN BUCHANAN"
At a meeting of this vestry in 1875 the
Rev. John Buchanan Cd. ID. William and
Mary College. 1794) was chosen rector OF
Henrico parish.
This was the venerable minister so affec-
tionately remembered as Parson Bu-
chanan." He was one of the twain who In
spired the title of that readable production
of our beloved citizen, the late Colonel
George Wythe Munford, The Two Par
sons"
The other minister was the Rev. John
II. Blair, native of New Jersey, known as
PEARSON Blair" who served most holly
and with Astounding success the small
band Of PresbyteTians then resident in this
community. He was the ancestor of
Messrs. Hugh and James Blair, druggists.
In 1914 increasing years made 1T neces-
sary that PEARSON Buchanan" should be
provided with an assistant.
The Rev. David Moore, of New York,
-. 6 D., p,ohar1 HbonnipO Mora ID
d., was called.
He declined, and it appears that the
Rev. William II. Hart, of New York, was
chosen in mis- stead on May l, 1915:
Or. Buchanan dying on the 18th OF De-
cember, 1922, on the 9th instant following
Mr. Hart wns elected his successor. DE
resigned July IS, 1928, and was succeeded
by the Rev. William Fitzhugh Lee In
1929, as distasteful as such an action should
be considered. it was proposed to remove
the revered old sanctuary to point below
the hill or to build or purchase new one.
Divisions occurred in the congregation
which resulted in the resignation of Ny.
Lee and several of the vestrymen De-
cember 81, 1929, and the purchase of the
PRESBYTERIAN church situated on the south
side of Grace between Seventeenth and
Eighteenth streets, which was built under
the auspices of Rev. John II. Rice, ID. D.,
and which from the design OF its cupola
was quantity known as the pineapple
church." II received under its new con-
troll the name of Christ church. MIR. Lee
remained its minister until his death. The
church was demolished several years ago.
Mr.. Lee is supposed to have continued to
minister to the congregation of st: johns
until the installation of Rev. Ed. w.
Poet, who was elected to the rectorship
February "a, 1880.
ANOTHER CHURCH BUILT IN 1872.
Previous TO the Inauguration of Christ
church il is well known that another house
of worship had been built in 1872 on the
site of the lll-fated Richmond Theatre,
DESTROYED by fire December rs, 1911. This
church, in commemoration of the fire, was
named the Monumental. 1t was first served
by Bishop Moore.
At meeting of the vestry August q. 1881.
authority was granted for the building OF
an additional house of worship. This was
the preliminary step which led to the
erection of st. PauPs.
The Rev. Mr.. Peet resigning as rector or
St. Johns July 25, 1888, was succeeded by
the Rev. Robert b. Croes, subsequently q
bishop. He resigned January IA, 1886, and
on the 22d instant following was succeeded
by Rev. William II. Hart, who had be-
fore been rector of the church. He re-
stoned September 20, l842, and on the 21st