The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-01
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY.
MONUMENTAL cHURcH CELEBRATES
ITS s0TH ANNIVERSARY.
Two Immense Congregations Attend tho
Ncrning and Evening services-Hun-
dreds of People Turned Away.

..l.hrofed IT'S eiqhtie:h anniversary '0'
vices were held in the morning anu az
noon. and on both occasions '"e
- crovrdea IN the doors. and great
many people had to be turhe' """'
the lack OF room. The music "'iuei -
d,rect,on 81 Mr.. philip s. Powers ~.
choirmaster was delightful. Inc scE''" a.
-. - enc programme were rendered.
,..,.,.ss manner by the surpiiceu
,r.. ,,,sic WAS selected from inc
'HoN i.ns,,ions. I'm order to CONFORM
o."'.,' 90 ,osei,,le to that In use AT INC
49, 49,. foneccrctiOn of the cnuTch.
~. nov John -. Newton the Az
80 fsIebop of the diocese. was pres
.,t ana took part in the moih"s "'l w
,,.v Fenner :. Stickney' the rector u
,be church. preached an eloquent "e'I
iu The morning. VA fact, the DesI olc 'a"'
,,,er delivered In this city. He selected
80, Ieaiah xXxy. s: And an high
nv shall be there and way dnt -
.hsu bo called the way Of Holiness MI
Snckuey ;hcn began as follows; No.. ,,,,h
~ stand to-day on one OF me MS"
,t,,.s af thc parting of the ways De
tween TWO years. From TINS pihlac'e w
,-,, c,ef our ewes backward ana iorWaIu 10
look upon the course we nave nav ~ >
observe it's advantages ana u'ss1,, ',a-
COOS and then, from thai experience
look upon the way before US anu ue'''
mine how we shall proceed
ghis lesson for the day-this last sun
as, i'm the year and this occasion OF our
canning together-inspires 10 auu pc0ui'n'
c,,rhasgs 10 the intrOspecuon ana retro
srection and sweet anticipation OF the
MIN place TO which the text arts us. Inc
Wv the prophet alludCs 10 Is that "hlCn
le.,,l. 10 the city whose builder anu ilahei
is God.
ruy spIrNDoR OF CHRISTIAN cIVIlIlAIloN'
Tho preacher dwelt largely upon the
beautiful and glorious propheuc hS"i 90
and promises OF the wondeilul I'M ~
NTH chaptcr oil Isaiah that he'' o',,
,..~o AGO foreshadowed the splendors %
present Christian clvillzaioh oN'' ,-"'4r
and America. then "A wilderness bul nov
in many respects. a very garden OF lhe
ord The darkest and worst p4d,'H va
cha. world and the worst aspects OF Huiii". J,
nature since Isaiahs day nave d"
changed The wilderness ana the soi'laiS
nlace everywhere especially AT TINS So
son. glow with the lghi anu ""ii''''
lie coming kingdom. Inc hapi,i'
80, spiritually. politically, physically
. ~. loss I'm truth and i'm righteous
moss are bospeaking the present 9pli' ~
.nd Cbristianitv has made the "ors'
,l,oos and conditions Of the WoIi 10 l'7
10 to the cod of Israel. Every place
ana every condition has been mdne a.
altar and monument TO scnd up l"0''9
10 the Almighty, and ID make iils Hdl'0
great among the Genules
AIR. Suckney spoke of the value oi
Monuments 10 postcrity. and then con
timed. We should never forget the past
monuments perpctuate the memory OF ne
,oie deeds and fire the hearts OF th'
,ouths All great ideas find cmhodlfneh
In visible institutions The Jewish ai'
christian churches are eNposluons oil lh'
Passover and the Resurrection. me Gun
uologv Of an nations is studied 81 'ne''
monuments and relics.
This monumental church is here TO re
mind us Of the age from which H. came
Eighty wears ago. when these walls were
,orsccratcd. Richmond was niue loWi
of 1000 inhabitants. and the lhItc'
states were STAGGERING under the secon'
war with Great Britain. The Governmen
had become bankrupt, specie pay ihe""
had been suspended and a general pan"
cnsucd. ID was then, when Napoiooi
Bonaparte abdicated. and peace was Ie
stored throughout Europe.
A WARNING FROM ABOVE.
our own peace commissioners at Ghen'
BELGIUM. signed the treaty with drea
britain this very week in December 1919
Following upon these events, large
wave of religious fervOr swept the Couh
NV. The burning of the Richmond hea'
became to the people of Richmond
warning from above, and We can o
thankful that this stately temple wa
built here and then. God seemed TO sa!
as 10 David of Old: For as much as j
was I'm thine heart 10 build me house
n is we'll that IL w6s in thine heart.
and the people. I'm response, answered j.
the words Of solomon. when he 81 read hl
arms out upon the braZen pulpit. arise
- cod. into thy resting place Thou ant
the ark and Thy strength. Let Thy prizes
Doe clothed with righteousness ana le
Thy saints sing with joyfulness.' Here
then. within these hallow % walls, Vol
shall find calm and the dovelike ministra
ton Of the Comforter.
The resurrective power OF Chris
tianlty Is the wonderful thing about II
Yerubabels spirit was stirred within hin
10 go up and rebuild the house of tn
Lord As Of Old blessings continued Il
come out Of what seemed 10 be curses
So Monumental church, like the fable'
phoenix from her ashes. arose from tn
RUNS OF this spot Verify man proposes
but God dsposes. Our actions lead "a
the appropriate results, whether We vii
or not. The Ismaelitish caraven wa
Gods chariot to convey Joseph Il
Egypts throne for the future preservatiol
Of his people.
We read the march of a nations idea
and character IN her architecture. Their
is no luxury here-all is sweet, simpl
and profound. These columns. this wide
spreading dome. these plain, octagona
walls tell the story of the profound con
yiction Of God in the minds of the pro
moters Of this undertaking. Their sens
Of obligation to duty finds expression i
this product of their thought, IS soon a
they begin 10 build.
TO BECOME THE CATHEDRAL.
But l have another thought for yo
concerning this church. which may strik
some with establishment Here, in tn
presence Of him who Is TO be the futur
chief pastor and Overseer of the flock /
this diocese OF Virginia. I nominate thi
historic and splendid fabric for the ca
thedral Church OF Virginia There was
day when our people were Jealous o
the Cathedral idea, bat everywhere oxpt
rIence has shown the universal need. un
I'll there is scarcely "a diocese of an
standing that has not it's cathedral four
dalton. Every Bishop should have hi
Cathedral Church To be the ecclesiastic3
centre Of his work. and 10 steer betwee
the extremes of thought that mantle.
themselves in his diocese; pulpit veril,
from which may be heard the message
all the prophets.
And | am pleased 10 say that the Bisi
OF who has this church for his Catedri
will find that there is nothing like IT IN an