The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-28
TWENTY YEARS PASTOR.
REV. WM. Z. HATCHER RECEIVES A
PERFECT OVATION.
Lsrge Congregations Crowd Gracs-Sireet
Baptist Church on Sun day MoraiDg aud
Last Night-Dct.il- OF the kxercis,s.

loved pastor OF the church, celebrated
the twentieth anniversary OF the day,
when he entered upon his pastoral duties
among that congregation. Professor II.
II. harris. Rev. II. l.. Chambers, Rev.
Dr. c. H. Ryland. Professor W. h.
Thomas, Deacon h. NJ. Foster, George X.
Pace, John Garland Pollard. and DR..
Hatcher himself participated IN the SER
vices.
Professor Harris, who opened the meet
ing, spoke Of the length OF time Ut.
Hatcher had been pastor OF the Grace
Street church and stated that, consider
ing the slight ties that bind Bapust
pastor TO his church In comparison WIN
those Of other churches. II being purely
compliment to Or. Hatcher that ne
should have remained so long.
Deacon l.. VI. Foster was then intro
duced by the speaker. VINO prescnttd 10
the pastor an office bearers greeting
TWENTY YEARS OF CHURCH LnE.
Mr.. George r. Pace. who followed,
spoke on twenty years oil our ch.Len
life" and started out by saying tnat
| anniversaries were m.ie-stones aiChs
LIES pathway. not hating places but
resting places by which past kocu "oiA5
can be measured, and rs success anu
failures, profits and losses brought more
plainly into view He then spoke OF Dr.
Hatchers predecessors, touching on the
character Of each, ana especially that o.
the late Rev. Dr. ~ W. Wilson. only
two Of the pastors now In Richmond saw
the installation Of Or. Hatcher. They
We're Rev. J. Il. Hutson AMI REV. Dr.
Hoge. Under the hand OF the present
pastor. he showed how wonderfully the
| church had grown, ana now many
churches have sprung from TINS one
$4,000 have been contributed 20 church
work bv the congregation. three churches
built and many others assisted largely
besides, a number of members OF TINS
congregation have been ordained MINIS
ters and now hold positions in some
g ~.
State. In conclusion, he spoke OF IT
| Hatcher when he first came 10 the
church. as not fresh from college Or
weighed down with old age but in the
prime of manhood and vigorous for work.
FACING THE FUTURE.
Mr.. John Garland Pollard made an in
terest.ng address. wherein he faced the
! future. He pointed out that the celebra-
ton Of this anniversary was ior lhc
purpose OF thanking God for the past
| and to pray for future blessings, also 10
seek 10 emulate the progress ana grown
Of the church. which had been from
$50 members to LOO. Touching signify
on what the church lacked OF being "A
model church, he pointed out many III
tie things that would tend 10 Improve IT'S
condition. He urged every one IN the
church to do his best until every Wheei
In the great factory was turning ana
advocated the exclusion of unworthy
members from the communion tabic-
those who refuse to pay their honest
debts. drunkards. and drunkard makers
Others who fetter the action OF the
church Ike a 6all and chain should not be
retained into fellowship.
DIR. HATcqER's ADDRESS.
The last address was by Rev. DR..
Hatcher himself on "Our Pastor Twen-
~ years ago. he said he had stood IN
that pulpit for the first time and prech-
ed a sermon from the text: Let us not
be weary I'm well doing, for I'm due sea
son we shall reap If we faint not" lie
spoke of how for the first ten years Of
been unable 10 do all the good when
his pastorate the church had been torn
by contention, ana In that tine ne had
ne had wished To do, so on his tentn an
niversary he had chosen the text or ms
first sermon. and how fruitful the last
ten years had been. il mad ne salu'
neN or been his fortune 10 have been call
ed 10 an ideal church. but that IN me
last few years his congregation haa
grown as humble and sympathetic as ne
could wish lie believed that ne uaa 3eTn
specially called Of God 10 hll ms pulpit
and would consider 81 "A privilege 10 spcnd
the remainder OF his days here.
LAST NIGHr's CELEBRATION.
Every seat in the big cdihce was occu-
pied last evening long before the exercises
of the second day Of the celebration o.
DR. Hatcher's anniversary cOmWeuced.
Nearly all the Baptist ministers OF the
city were seated in the pulpit, while othei
clcrgymtn held conspicuous places III tit
audience. Rev ". ". Lanarum, OF 'te
Second Baptist church, presided. Rev. y.
r. Thornhin. pastor Of the Bainbridgc-
Slcet Baptist church, In Manchester, ut.
Hatcher's first charge. offered prayer lie
was followed by Rev. II. \. Bagny. OF
Calvary church. the Oldest daughter OF
Grace-Strect Baptist church.
DIR. Iandrum briefly addressed the CON
gregatiOn, and expressed his sraiincdtlon
of being permitted TO conduct the JOyiul
exercises. He next read the names OF
numerous writers from all parts or the
country. who were unable 10 pc present
and yet desired TO give expression 10 tneir
hearty congratulations. lie READ rev
extracts from the letters from eX-GoVer-
nor Northen, of Georgia; Dr. Dunnaway'
Of Fredericksburg. senior Baptist minis
ter Of Virginia. Bishop John i. NeWton'
President Charles T.. Taylor OF W axe
| Forest University; Rev. Or. Mcdonald, OF
| Atlanta, Ga, and others
FROM THE BAPTIST MINISTERS CONFERENCE.
| Rev. J. -. Hutson. of Pine-Street Bap~
| fist church, followed with brief address.
| EXPRESSING the good wishes OF the Baptist
| Ministers Conference, OF hlchmond' ior
! Or Hatcher. their president lie stated
| that Or. Hatcher was the fourth Bapust
| minister in this city who had celebrated
| his twentieth anniversary, ana II ne ohiH
| year longer. he would have the longest
| Term OF Office 10 his credit He then
! gave "A brief history of the ministers con-
Rev. George Cooper, Of the First Bap-
| list church. was to have spoken on benali
! of the Richmond Baptists. but he was
| unavOidably absent. and letter from
| him was read by Rev. w. T. Jolly, OF
Randoph-street Baptist church. A..
| Captaln Frank ". Cunningham then
| took the place of Mr.. Haddon :. Watkins
| on the programme. and sang a solo,
! whereupon Rev. II. II. Pitt. associate edi-
| tor of the Religious Herald, and pastor
| of the Baptist church at Barton Heights,
| conferred the congratulations OF the Nlr-
| glnia Baptists and told briefly what l)f.
| Hatcher had done for them. At this
| iuncturc a letter was handed 10 the pre-
! siding officer from Governor OFerrall.
| IL was subsequently read, and set forth
| the Governors regret for being prevented
| The writer also expressed his high regard
| and esteem for DR.. Hatcher.
A UNCONVENTIONAL WORKER AND LEADER.
Rev. H. A. Upper. vice-president and
| acting president Of Richmond College
| and president of the WOman's College
] briefly spoke on the Educational Work
| that has been benefited by Or Hatcher
| in this state. KEY. X. =. w li ~ l na'n
| corresponding secretary OF the Board OF
| Foreign Missions. spoke OF Or. Hatcher as
| a UNCONVENTIONAL worker and leader. lie
| stated that during the sixteen years OF
| his connection with mission work among
| the few men whose teachings he remem-
| hered most distinctly were Drs. John \.
| Broadus and William r. Hatcher. lie
| referred 10 the latter's efficient ~oih
as a pastor for thirty-seven years, twenty
| of which he had spent In one or
| the largest churches Of this country for
nine years ne had been an editor. lie was
| the writer Of two books. numerous para
| graphs and essays. and held a great many
] meetings He had been an officer or the
| college for tWenty-siX years. was presi-
| dent OF the Board Of Education or the
a