Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-24


dependents. The ideas represented by
these elements were not religious alone,
but politica, and social principles as well
Thus the struggle against the Catholic
Church was n struggle also against Spain
and France. This struggle began to draw
to a climax I'm 1885,, when Raleigh's first
exped ton visited Roanoke. What SEEM
ed religious persecution generally had
very real political element which called
for severe penalties. Ii was too often
the misfortune OF the Church to be the
instrument for inhicting these penalties.
Much was done by each party in turn,
which was indefensibe and, on the other
hand, each party In turn supplied men OF
such exalted worth and purity of charac-
ter. that the light they kindled lightens
out path to-day. II was an heroic age
heroic in its characters. its questions, its
struggles and its remedies. out Of this
complex state, said Mr.. Bryan. grew the
first elements of our own beloved State
December 49, 1906. The distinctive cha
racteristic OF the beginning was that It
represented the ruling and conservative
elements Of the country from which
Il came The Virginia Colony was
genuine cutting OF the old vine set In the
virgin soil Of the New World. The Kings
instructions. given with his first letters
patent April. 1906, ordained that the true
word and service OF God and the Chris
tian faith he preached ana planted and
used" not only in the Colony, but also
as much as they may amongst the savage
people which do or shall adjoin unto
them. according to the doctrine. rights,
and religion now professed and establish
ed within our realm Of England"
FIRST SACRAMENT ON OUR SHORES.
The lecturer dwelt briefly upon the early
scenes In old Virginia's story. He told
how Cody Hunt qualified the factions
and comfOrtei the wants and extremities
of the first colonists; how. under the old
soil on July q 1861 the third Sunday
after Trinity, he first broke the bread OF
the Holy Sacrament on our SHORES ana
read TO the needless. factious selfish COM
pany the fitting epistle appointed TOT thal
day. St Peters words. "All of you be sub
iect one 10 another, and be clothed with
humility; how they had daily morning
prayer and in starving time how the last
supply of wine was reserved for the sac
rainent; of Smith and Percy and chival-
rous Lord de la War;, who, on MS ar
rival in 1910. gave thanks 10 God upon
his knees that he had come in time 10
save the Colony from Delng iorsakeu;
of Whitaker the Apostle TO Virginia,
who left his warm nest In England Tor
life of faithfuiness unto death in arduous
works here; of Young Bargrave. who
brought the first library OF any prefer
tions 10 Virginia. which he left to the
college on his death in l62l, which sood
Mr. Thorpe had even then come TO es-
tablish on its 5000 acres OF Henrlco lanu.
He spoke. too. of the meeting. or the ilrsl
House Of Burgesseis duiy yerobed G,eeied in ui the
choir of the little jamestown cnurch,
when good Mr.. Bueke read the Church
nravers and asked divine guidance on
that small but august beginning OF our
AZ AZ Them tbe end of the first fifteen years,
said Mr.. Bryan, the foundations or rel-
gious life of the Colony were iald. Az liiSo az
very period adverse forces began 10 ne
developed. which resulted in low conul-
tior Of religious life throughout the Colo
ny. and an almost complete repudia'iVn
~ that form Of religion with which the
Colony began. The Indian massacle y,
1859 was one of the causes, IL VA q
heavy burden upon the religious IRE oI
Inc land and we have to be thanhiul
thot anv progress at all was maue III
outstanding the Indians.
RARBAROUS ELEMENTS.
The Indian was not the only baroarouS
element the early Nlrginlan nau 10 Nc. nel
with. He took upon hlihsen hl an,V,i'ce ,,,onace
beathen i'm the negro, which was a menace
ond an inconsistent element in a ChrIs-
tian community. .. r.hiob
operated against the progress OF relts III
a strong negative force grew out OF tnc
ieoiotod character of the life or TN
nlanters. and to this must be adued a
Constant flow of mixed emigration from
the old home. -,s, +ho nosi-
The settlements deteIini,neI III, ~, .m. crono
tiOus OF the fdlloutH Hit't ~ 1c aol
TO be uniform in weight, ana vas Ioivoo ~
mounds of tobacco year. III money 'a.ac ,
varving from go to 800. To this Was
added some fees and gleDe. Inc sIaeor,
trouble however. was not IN the suplo. l.
~ INC clergy but I'm the wretched quailty
Of the clergy who came TO virginia. ~
there was little or no discipline ana '"0
work was unOrganlzed. T., 20,
OF me twenty-Cig1t parshes IN ~ H.
seventeen ranged from thirty TO lOJ niles
i'm length. the length always runillts
hack into the inaccessible part - the
country with from 200 10 100 famihes SCAT
tered over H. The clergy were not Only
few and generally indifferent and inert
but vice occurred with fatal frequency
osneclallv the vice Of drunkenness. >,
nianters managed to get the eccleslastlcal
dteciniine into the hands OF their own
,yor3ens. This struggle between the par
sons and the ruling class among me peo,
nle was the thin end Of the wedge III
line of cleavage which was radical.
During all this period no Dlshop caihe
70 Virginia. For nearly 200 years tne
Church dragged on an existence Douy
without a head-with such manned sys-
TEN it is small wonder that u!ssenI "p
peared and spread I'm the great mass OF
material made ready for IL by neglect
and positive evils I'm the Church.
When the revolution came ana the
C,burcb vac oyerthown, the people were
led in their battle for civil and religious
liberty by the best churchmen IN tne
land. who. when the war was over, stood
bv the ruins Of the ancient lalth anu anu
tanned the embers on her altars into
flame again. ,, - ,o,dorod
IN Mr.. Bryan for his lecture. which was
solloyed with the closest attention by
ieree and distinguished audience.