The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-04
LATE REV. C. J. GIBSON.
,xpgEssivE sERTICEs At HIS FL
NERAL IN PETERsBUB0.
..r~c Number Of Leading Divinss Were
Present, Together With . Very Great
Crowd Of sorrowing Friends.

II o'clock from Grace Episcopal church,
~ which he had been 5he beloved rector
for more than half century. The body
laid In state in the basement Of the church
fuom to 10 o'clock. and was viewed by
a large number of people.
Such was the esteem in which the de-
ceased was held in the community that
an hour before the tirr. fixed for the ser
vices the church. which is one OF the
largest in Petersburg, was packed 20
OVERLOOKING even the aisles being crowd
cd. and hundreds were turned away, not
being able to obtain entrance into the
building.
the pulpit, desk and railing in front
NJ the chancel were richly and deliberately
decorated with floral tributes of the rich
est and most exquisite designs, gifts or
sympathizIng friends. Among the floral
tributes which occupied a place on the
pulpit desk, in the midst of a perfect bank
Of flowers were two large white doves
II may truthfully be said that such an
abundance Of flowers. wrought into al
most every design, has never before been
seen In Petersburg
Among the clergy who occupied seats
within the otancel were Bishop Wing
Alabama, Bishop A. NJ. Randolph, Rev
DR.. Burton, Rev. DR.. j. X. Mason, Rev.
Mr.. n. Newton, Rev. DR.. Grammar 81
Richmond, Rev. Mr. Clopton Of Mdnches-
ter, Rev. George c. SomerWlle IF Nelson
county, formerly assistant rector or
Grace church. Rev. DR.. William A. Meade
Of Roanoke, Rev. b. NJ. Rand )lph OF Hen
rico.
The ministers OF Petersburg who oc-
cuped seats in the chancel were Rev.
G. r. Haines, rector Of st. Paul's Episco-
pal church. Dew. r. A. Goodwin. rector OK
st Johns Episcopal church; Rev. Thomas
Spencer, Rev William II. Platt, Rev. ).
X Wlnn, pastor Of the Second Presby
terrain church; Rev. w. II. Battle. pastor
OF the First Baptist church; Rev. A. c.
Bledsoe, pastor of the Washlngton-street
NJ Il. church; and Rev. j. NJ. Pitcher,
general secretary of the Virginia Baptist
and Sunday School Bible Board.
At the appointed hour for the funeral
services the body vas brought into the
church by the following gentlemen, who
acted as pall-bearers: W. w. Gillette, {.
Plummer Caldwell, Robert w. Pitcher. A.
s. Hurt, ". H. Cole. Morton Riddle, Sr.,
A. c. n. Martin II. V. l.. Bird. T. S.
Beckwith and J. II. Slater. The hon
orary pall-bearers were the vestries OF
churches. The casket containing the body
was literally covered with the most beau
tiful floral tributes.
The body was met at the door by all OF
the ministers. the Episcopal clergy wear
ing their ministerial robes.
AS the body was borne up the sisle the
burial chant was sung by the choir, which
consisted of Misses Mary c. Butts, May
Beckwith, Ella Booth. Lizzie Plummer,
Mamie Strachan. Julia McRae, Halle
Butts, Lucy Stone. Mary Simpson, Jessie
Boiling. and Messrs. Frank Cunningham
Of Richmond. j. w. Friend, ]. B. Talia-
ferro. Eugene Jones. A. E. Traylor and
Or. S. w. RIdd. Mr.. II. Noltenius pre-
sided at the organ.
After the casket had been placed In
front of the chancel Rev. c. r. Haines
read the fifteenth chapter OF First Co
rinthians. Hymn 317, There is a Blessed
Home was next read by Rev. Thomas
Spencer and sung. Next followed re-
peating OF the Greed, by Bishop Jackson.
Prayer was next offered by Bishop Ran
dolph, who prayed for the afflicted family.
Rev. William II. Plat next announced
the 18th hymn, For all the Saints Whom
from Their Labors Rest" During the
singing OF this hymn the body was taken
from the church, and the solemn pro-
cession, which was about a mile In
length wendell it's way to Blandford
cemetery where. in the presence OF an
immense and sorrowing assemblage, the
body OF him whom Petersburg people, rich
and poor. had loved and honored was
laid 10 rest. The services at the ceme-
terry were conducted by Bishop Wingfield
and Bishop Randolph. While the body
was being lowered into the ground the
hymn Asleep in Jesus" was sung.
beautiful carpet made OF Ivy leaves bor-
dered with pine tags was placed over
and completely covered the grave, and the
floral tributes were then placed upon and
around the grave This concluded the
services.
Among those who attended the funeral
were Mr.. William ID. Gibson. brother
of the deceased, and his daughter, Mrs.
Robert Green; Mrs. Kate Valentine, Mrs.
Dr. Mcclure. Miss Fulton. Major e. I.
D. Myers. Major Bryan and Mrs. Bryan
Mr. Peter H. Mayo OF Richmond; MIR.
Gibson Cary and WIFE, OF Baltimore; Mrs.
Portia Morrison. Of Farmville. a niece OF
Mrs Gibson; Dr. Robert Atkinson OF
Baltimore. a nephew Of Mrs. Gibson; Mr..
John G.. Friend, OF Danville, great
nephew Of Mrs. Gibson.
During the funeral services most OF
the stores on Sycamore street were closed
and business was practically suspended.
Richmond October %, 1919. and had Just
completed his seventy-third year when
he died Early in his life he decided 10
study for the ministry, and was prepared
for that calling by a course or STUDY at
Bristol College Pennsylvania, and at the
Theological Seminary of Virginia, near
Alexandria. He was ordained deacon In
1874 and at once sent to labor In Peters
burg. his first and only charge. He came
here first as assistant 10 the Rev Dr.
Nicholas Cobbs, then rector or 81. Paul
church and afterwards Bishop or Ala
hama. He exsmplifed in all the years OF
his labor not only the charity that pc
slows its goods 10 feed the poor, but tnat
rarer charity which thinketh no eVh ana
hopeth all things.
The one-hundred- and-tenth session OF
the Virginia Annual Conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church, SOUTH VIII
meet in Granby-street church, NorIolh'
on the 10Th OF this month Bishop Hen
dirk. presiding. This conference does not
as might be inferred from It's name EN-
brace the entire State. In fact, less IMAM
one-half Of the territory OF the state ID
represented in this conference.
The following are some or the statisuCs
renorted by the conference held In this
city last year: Number OF preachers. ZS4;
Law delegates. a.; members. about 1IOOO'
vaIue OF Church property nearly $500 900;
amount raised for all purposes, s4o2.NO
THE Law delegates from this district 10
the conference are: John W. Bradbury
T. Medlock Joseph c. Davis ana Dr'
] r. Wingfeld. Alternates X. -. mart
lev. w II. Wheary, Charles r. smith
and Colonel T. b. Hamlin.
Tba Democrats OF Dinwiddie county