Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-03
ST. PAUL'S JUBILEE.
Rinieth Anniversary Of This Historic
Edinee 10 Be Celebrated Tuesday Week.
7HE CHURCH AND ITS HISTORY.
How the New Congregation Was Formed
Half q Century Ago.
OPENING OF THE NEW ORGAN.
This Handsome Instrument, Which
Has Been Rebuilt, 10 he Played
To-day for the First Tfme-Those
who Have Served as Rectors.


have aranspired during the year 1895 ir
this city shall be conned in the closing
days Of the dying year. few. indeed, will
stand out with more prominence, or prove
Of greater interest. than the celebration
OF the golden jubilee of st. Pauls Pro-
testant Episcopal church, next Tuesday
week. November 18th.
For fifty years has this beautiful edi-
fice-around which cluster 50 many MIS-
toric associations, and connected win
which qhere are SO many memories
joyous. festive. and infinitely tender-exei
clsed In our midst a power with man
for God, and potent influence on the
affairs Of the diocese. that 1t is difncuit
10 estimate.
In reality. however, the congregation
that worships AZ St Pauls Is much older
than the building itself, having been
drawn from Monumental church, whicn
was built soon after The great iire In
1sIl. and consecTated in 1874. This congre-
CATION passed from the hands of dear.
old Bishop Moore Din 1s3D into those Oh
his assistant at that time. tne heV. VII
liam Norwood. ID. l.. Such was the
growth OF the congregation that neeu
a.
came apparent.
THE FIRST VESTRY.
Accordingly, loi was purchased In
NAV. 1916. and. by liberal subscription.
The plan was matured sufficiently TO al
low of the solemn laying of the corner
stone ON the 11th of October. 1873. by
Bishop Johns, then resident OF ms
city. A new vestry was elected on Easter
Monday 1914, which included the foliow-
ing gentlemen. nearly all OF whom had
been yestrynen OF the Monumental:
Joseph II. Anderson, John a. Cunning
ham. James Dunlop. Thomas II. Ellls'
Robert w. Haxall W. ii. Hubbard, VIII
liam H. Macfarland. Thomas Nelson,
Thomas II. Price, John Stewart. David
Walker, and William Williams. They re-
signed their membership in Monumental
church on the fth of December, 1sfo, Just
before their occupation of the new
church. and the venerable building was
taken possession of by the congregation,
which. under the rectorship of Mr.. Wood
bridge. had been worshipping at CHRIST
church. in the valley. They united win
about a dozen OF the old families wor-
shjpping there. The new church of St
Paui's. at che corner OF Ninth and Grace
streets. 80 beautifully located, near the
CAPITOL Square, WAS completed by the
efforts of a most efficient building COM
mittee-Rev. William Norwood, w. Ii.
Macfarlend William Williams, William
Mitchell. Jr. and II. +. ID. Gifford-and
built by prominent archtect-Tnomas
S. Stewart. who also butt the Church OF
St Luke. Philadelphia, which served as
q pattern for st. Paurs.
A COMMODIOUS CHURCH.
The church seats comfortably about
100 persons. The cost OF the building,
exclusive OF the organ. which cost 5000.
was $500 and no debt remained on 1t
when 1t was consecrated. on the 18th oil
November, 1916. by Bishop Meade, as
sisted by Bishop johns. who preached a
beautiful sermon from the text, II VIII
fin this house with glory, saith the Lord
of Hosts" Hosea, H., Z. Owing to some
additional work required for its final
completion, the church was not opened
for regular services until the 9TH OF
December 1916. by its founder and rector.
the Rev. William Norwood. The success
Of this movement vas most gratifying
and favorable TO the Episcopal Church
in Richmond. Some years before the
vigor of that Church had been manifested
in the building and organization of one
OF the most important and useful
churches in the docese-the Church OF
st. James-and instead OF pulling down
one church to erect and establish another,
by the removal of a large body Of the
congregation from the old Monumental
TO ST. Paul's. the providence or God
blessed 1t to the enlargement Of congre-
CATION, which from its former location
in the valley would necessarily have re-
manned feeble, but which, by its removal.
became one of the most fiourishing and
influential churches in Virginia
st. Paul's church has always been pros
vprouS Eyer siucp the afternoon. when,
through the influence of Rev. DR.. Nor
wood rector of Monumental church, and
the efforts OF numerous members OF his
congregation, $4,000 was subscribed for
pews In the proposed new church, It's
affairs have ridden serenely on tidal
wave OF success.
The cost of the original building
amounted to the sum above-named, and
at the memorable sale Of pews to defray
the expenses, single seats sold for as
much as 5000. $1,000. and N,lVo.
DURING THE WAR.
During the civil war 81. Paufs church
was the rallying point for all Episcopa-
lans OF the South, while its basement
rooms. which include vessry, choir, ana
robing-rooms, and a large Sunday school,
were converted into hospital for the
wounded soldiers OF the Confeceracy. and
church, which were of the finest quality.
were taken down stairs 10 contribute to
the comfort Of the unfortunate. Here
General Robert Il. Lee worshpped, and
was a regular communicate, and here,
too, was President Davis confirmed
and made 10 yie.d to religious influences
under the preaching OF the late Rev. DR..
Nlnnigerode. 1t was while attending a
service In this church that ex-President
Davis received the intelligence that led
20 the evacuation OF Richmond, and it
was round Its sacred walls that the mob
first gathered 70 yell their delight that
the cause Of the South was lost.
CHANGES IN RECENT YEARS.
Within the last few years the church
has undergone very extensive repairs and
alterations. AS II now stands. II is mo-
delled In tho classic style. and Is purely
n Greek temple with u Gothic spire on
top. curious mixture. yet both are ad-
mirable specimens OF the styles they fol-
low. The interior has been decorated in
the Pompeian style. and presents an
extremely bright and attractive appear
ance a baptist-r has recently been
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