The Bessemer indicator., 1893-06-17
MAD ANTHONY'S GRAVE.
IN ST. DAvID'S CHURcHYARD
IN PENNSYLVANiA.
A wslch Church Built In 1715-A Ro-
mantle Hlstory-Nhmcd After the
welch Patron saint-Aged
and Sequestercd.

Situated in the section OF Delaware
county. Pennsylvania, known as Rad
nor Valley, on the confines OF Chester
the oldest churches in this country.
erected by Welsh colonists who came
from Radnorshire, Wales in 1885, and
named after their patron saint, St.
David. The church Is in sheltered
dale, the quiet peace OF the locality
being undisturbed by any march of
Improvement. The aged walls are
covered with luxuriant growth of
ivy and are surrounded by venerable
oaks. whose shadows have crossed its
roof for over two centuries
Tradition points to a church built
OF logs on the site Of the present
edifice early in tile seventeenth CEN
tury, and in the old parish regis ter
are recorded births as early as 1905.
Mention is made OF the parish in Old
mixon's "British Empire in America {"
In 1907 the Welsh Of Radnor ad-
dressed a petition to the English
Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts by minister
who understood the English Ian
guage. Mr.. John Chubb, who had
officiated as lay reader for some
time, was called to London, and
after taking orders was formally ap-
pointed the society's first missionary.
After his return to America sub
scription was started to erect stone
church in this section, says the New
York Herald. Opinions differed as
to the location, many desiring its
location on lot OF fifteen acres on
the Sugartown road, near Washing
toms headquarters; but after q
lengthy debate the present location
was decided upon, 1t is said. mainly
owing to its proximity to good spring
OF water The owner OF the lot hav-
ing given tho congregation the right
to "fence of five acres in one corner, :"
on May 10, 1715. the congregatio OIL
and visiting clergy marched in pro-
cession to the site. and each of the
latter, under the direction OF tho
master mason, laid one of the stones.
The edifice was completed during tho
same year.
For some time after Its compile tion
no provision was made for seating
the congregation. individual mem
bers providing their own chairs and
benches; but in 1765 the church was
fioored and rough settees rented to
the parishioners. On the venerabl
register we find that "William Evans
and Hugh Jones are to have ye upper
bench above ye doore for e2." A later
custom appears to have been to sell n
floor space within the church on which
the owner might erect pow to suit
his tastes. In 1868 it is recorded
that the vestry granted to Robert
Jones the privilege to build pew on
piece of ground in st. David's
church, adjoining Wayne's and Hun
ter's pew. he paying for ye ground
"a 1Os
Tradition speaks OF other uses than
divine worship to which old St.
David's was accustomed, for in 1853
the residents convened here at this
request OF Mr.. Currie to provide q
guard system to protect their homes
from an expected attack from the In
dams under Pontiac. AT the begin
ming Of the revolution the rector an
nounced his determination to con-
time the use of the liturgy, includ-
ing the prayers for the king and the
royal family; this met with such pro-
tests from the patriotic colonists that
he was forced to resign under the
plea OF "age and inirmities." The
historic edii!ce was then occupied by
various denominations. and among
others General Anthony Wayne's
chaplain, Il Baptist exhorter. aroused
his hearers to patriotic deeds.
During the occupancy OF this Sec
tion by the American army the leaden
diamond shaped sashes were convert
ed into bullets and the silver com
munion service, the gift Of Queen