Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-11
THURSDAY. JUNE II, 1891
Object Lessons in History.

Our columns to-day contain readable nc
counts OF two interesting charlottesville
one at old st. Johns church, in this city,
and the other at the unwilling Of the Con-
federato monument at fredericksburg.
One takes us back to far-ofI Colonial and
Revolutionary days, the other 70 the war
for southern independence Together,
they epitomize the history Of this country
since our adventurous forofathers wre sted
IT from its savage tribes.
EEwPoRT and Smith upon their first voy-
age 10 what is now Richmond planted q
cross upon one Of the =" iletts" in our har-
Dor and In earnest prayers TO the Almighty
besought His blessing upon their en-
terprise. God has, indeed, been good to
this land. From that small beginning, and
subsequent ones elsewhere of similar cha
racter, have come these United States
II was not until 174l that the people "at
the falles" were numerous and prosperous
enough to build church Then the foun-
dations of st. Johns were laid upon a
beautiful hill Church HID overlooking
the James, but before that time we cannot
doubt there was public worship here
ueIu, perhaps, III tOut tlhu1 EIONt III NuC
summer and in some warehouse or private
residence in the winter. Ours has ever
been church-going town and ours has
ever been q community where people of
different faiths dwelt in harmony most
pleasing 10 the Father of All.
ST. Johns church rose up almost in the
wilderness. Indians still loitered about
a Gaho1 ctr EroTn
here started out towards the West many
exploring and trading expeditions. We
were then subjects Of the British throne
and no thought of American independ-
ence had entered the popular mind 1t
was the reign of GEORGE II. in England,
LOUIS XIV. in France, and FREDERICK II. in
Prussia.
Thus came into existence our first house
OF worship. When the Revolutionary cloud
arose, in the church-yard of St. Johns,
before and after service, knots of patriots
often gathered to talk over the cOuntry's
welfare For want of better place, and
for other good and sufficient reasons, the
Virginia Convention Of IT'S assembled
in st. Johns, and PATRICK HENRY made
himself and the little plank church IA
nous by uttering the trumpet-note of the
Revolution" Give mo liberty or give me
death" Saved from the tooth of time by
loving hands which have given it all need
ed repairs; saved from the various confla-
grations to which Richmond has been sub
jected w its location in the middle of a
battle-ground. il has come down TO us as
priceless legacy Of the Revolutionary era
of the days of WASHINGTON, HENRY, JEF-
YERsoS, and all that noble band who faced
their Kings wrath and made on these
western shores an asylum Tor the OPP
pressed OF all lands.
Fredericksburg, where the Confederate
veterans met yesterday to unveil the
monument TO their dead. was "a flaming
bastion" on our lines. There the tempest
of war was blacklist and deadliest, and its
people were put to the test of courage and
endurance and won an imperishable name.
Through its houses shells Kissed and
down its streets and lanes bullets whizzed.
On its limits 1.-THE sunken road" afforded
shelter for the Confederate infantry and
in the field in front Of it the Federal
chargers upon Marye's Heights fell by thou
sands.
1t is a city sweet with memories of other
days. There Is the former home of the
mother of WASHINGTON and near there is
her grave. Battle-felds are on every hand.
The landscape is beautiful. From few
other places in Virginia can you see noun
tains and tidewater.
Such exercises as those OF st. Johns and
ct Fredericksburg are object-lessons in
history. To quick-witted people they I'M
veil the past, and disclose q panorama
filed with moving figures Of great and pa
triotic men.
Our young people know too little of our
history. There is much they do not and
cannot get out of books and which is best
taught in addresses. orations, and other
features of historical celebrations. We,
therefore, plead the cause of these cele-
brations and hope that they will be ar
ranged for every fitting occasion, and that
all Virginians who revere our past and
would make our future equal It will for
few moments at least turn aside from their
daily routine TO give them a thought and
commend their lessons to their children.