Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-26
Celebration Of Dr.. HatChef'S Twentieth
Anniversary at GraCe-StTeet Church.
Hus LFE's WORK REVIEWED
Conspicuous Figure I'm the Religions
Life of Virginia for n THIRD Of n
ccssfuI--WideIy known.

during his ministry the church has at-
talncd a degree o. prosperity and power
uneNamEled Ga is career
For a ;hiri OF a century pr. Hatcher
has been conspicuous figure In the re-
lgious Fife OF Virginia, and bis name
s.. throughout the state a household
word lie is NirsInian. ana delights
20 name Bedford as his native county
lie took his degree az Richmond Col
lcgo as the valedictoriau OF his class in
1855. and entered at once upon his duties
as pastor OF Ealnbr1gc-sr church.
Manchester. During that p4storate Dc
raised nearly an the money expended in
the erection OF the present house OF 'or-
snip. and welcomed over GO persons into
the membership OF the church. In 1857,
Or. Hatcher. after being called twice,
accepted the pastorate Of the Franklin
Square church. Baltimore lie found 70
"a homogeneous and interesting charge,
but after less than two years his Yearn-
ine Tor his native State dd much iu
causing him 90 accept q call 20 the First
church OF Petersburg There he remained
for six years. during which time the
membership Of the church was increased
threefold.
CAME TO GRACE STREET
In 1910 Or. Hatcher Jecnme the minister
of the Grace-Street church, this city. ana
there he has remained. though again and
ueain invited 20 other and more lucrative
positions. Ana he was never more
strongly cuuenched in the hearts Of his
people than be IS to-day Ills church
q
attractive ecclesiastical buildings ia the
South, and has a membership Of over
100 souls. The church is we'll
known for its harmony, lberllity,
and ardent mission spirit
When DIR. Hatcher came 10 Richmond.
twenty years ago. the Baptist churches Of
the city closed their doors ON Sunday
night 10 join iu welcoming him 10 his
new field Of labor. And iu responding 10
his welcome, be said he came 60 be the
pastor Of GTacc-Street church. but that ne
came also 10 serve his denomination, ana
The people generally. 50 far as he might
have opportunity This promise no has
fulfilled by his iarEe hearted interest iu
the welfare Of Baptist affairs throughout
tho length and breadth OF the old Domiu-
ion' and 10y cordial sympathy with
very Christian movement No living
Baptist minister IA the State has probably
dedicated as many churches. ordained as
gnany ministers. or delivered as many
lectures. or taken as many collections
as Or. Hatcher
HONOEED BY Ills BRETHREN.
While not a seeker OF office. DR.
Hatcher las been houoreI by his brethren
with election TO the highest positions
within their cift. lie has been president
81 the Baptist General Association az
virginia; is now president of the Baptist
oVAdn1fe Of Nitgiuia; president of the
Baptist Education Board, and president
or the Richmond Baptist Ministers Con-
ference, besides being trustee OF the
Richmond College. OF the W0man's COL
lege. Of Richmond, OF the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary. of Louis
VIE, n.y., and Of The Southwest VIRGINIA
Female Institute OF Bristol, Va. RcyonI
IN" bounds az the Baptist brotherhood
llr Hatcher has been honored by election
- the presidency of the EvanEelical ALI
lance. OF which an the Protestant pastors
ar The city are members, and was bv
them chosen as their chairman IN tho
Tote great tah'iul cie meeting, under Nr.
Moody. u VIII Dee remembered also tina,
The leading part n raising the ia-z, sem
or money which relieved the Young Mems
Christian Association OF its indebtedness
was assigned To- the financial geucralshfp
OF the Grace-Strcet pastor.
WORK AS AN EDITOR.
pr Hatcher was for twelve years of |
hls lifo in active editorial work. first as
associate editor az tho Relieious Herald. |
and afterwards as editor OF the Baltimore |
baptist, ana has been for years the Nir-
EiniI correspondent az the New York |
Examiner aud The Chicago STANDARD. be- !
sides contribut'nr regularly 10 the South !
crn Baptist Teacher NJ Nashville. Tenn /
The Doctor s. known ass tho author of "A |
'Llic of Rev. DR. Jetor," of which Spur |
gCDn said, i'm tho sword and TroWel"
that "there is not dun sentence in it," |
Rev DR. John s. BrOadus made about !
this book precisely the same remark
The area OF the Doctors influence may
be imagined. when 30 SIS said that he has |
preached far and VIDE and most ace |
ceptably iu the great cities Of the North. |
At the same time his popularity and |
power as a leader is most C0nspicuousy |
Acknowledged in his native section Of the !
country. ON the floor OF the Southern |
Baptist Convention his words have great |
weight, and his opinions. when eN- |
pressed. are often decisive in the settle |
mcnt Of great questions Of UNCONVENTIONAL |
policy.
Dr. Hatcher IS now I'm the Glst year !
Of his age, weighs over 21O pounds, and !
seems 90 be in perfect health. His home. |
on upper Grace street. keeps the latch /
string ou the outside. and IS not only /
the resort Of througs 81 his own people. |
but ministers from every section of the !
country ever find "a CHEEKY welcome az |
his gate. lie Us fortunate I'm having "a /
wife. highly cultivated. active I'm various /
departments OF Christian work. held I'm |
highest honor wherever she is known |
and mtelIigeutly sympathetic In the ar |
dous enterprises ot her husband. lie |
has six children, the eldest OF whom |
ltev T.. T. Hatcher, SIS the popular pastor |
~ The First Baptist church OF Nor 1
solk. and the author Of "a recent book cn- |
Tilted. 'Ihe Bible and the Monuments"
THE ANNIVEHsARY EXERCISES.
The exercises this morning at the Grace |
Street church viii De of the most in- /
tercstiug character Professor H. III. Har- /
ris VIII preside. several brief congIatu- |
latory speeches viii be delivered, and |
DR. Hatcher viii make a short aunlyer- |
tary address.
Tomorrow nieht there viii be a public |
service held iu honor or the Grace-Street !
pastor az which the Baptist pastors az /
The city VIII have charge. Rev. pr.
lundrum NIL preside. Rcvs j. w.
Daugheriy j.. R. Thoruhul, n. \. Baeby. |
and others will take part iu the dcyo- |
Nofal exercises During the evening brief |
addresses OF conEratulatlop viii bee made. !
as follows. ON behalf OF the Baptist |
Ministers Conference. Rev J. h. Hut
con. Who Was for many years president |
Of that body. on behalf of Richmond |
Churchce, l..v Dr. George Cooper. pastor |
81 thr ola First church. the mother or
Efendmother OF thc other Richmond Bap-
tlst churches. ON behalf % the churches
81 other denominations. Rev Dr. j. y. !
fair pastor ot Grace Street Presbyterian |
church, ON behalf OF the educational |
interests whose active ana useful friend |
Or Hatcher BIAS long been. DIT H. a. |
Tupper. Nice-uresi1ent OF the Board ot /
trustees az Richmond COLLEGE. and |
president OF the Board OF Trus |
tees OF the Woman's College: on be- |
hfh OF Virginia churches ana pastors. |
Rev pr r. b. Pitt associate editor OF |
th4 haleiJps Herald: on behalf OF de- |
.oulnaUohh enterprises. Rev. r. j. VII
Ahtham. ID. ID. corresponding secretary |
% the Foreign Mission Board
Ih'se addresses win be limited 10 seven |
my a'es each. and VIII De followed bv |
reception. in which Dr Hatcher viii |
D. assisted hy brother ministers. after |
Mirh the entire audience VIII be enter |
s.l.'4 uy lAe young people OF the church |
Noi only Dr. ilatcheTa congregation but |
NJ on MS friends everywhere are most /
CORDIALLY Invited ff