The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-16
HUMPHREYS

God OF heaven found us out and made us
readie 10 our hands, able and 1T men for
the ministerial function In this Planta-
ton; all Of them graduates, allowed
preachers, single men every way
fitted for that worke such men
as wanted nither living nor libertie of
preaching at home. In the in
fancy Of this Plantation, to put their
lives in their hands. and, under the as
surance OF so many dangers and diff
culties, to devote themselves unto It. was
certainly holy and heroicall resolution;
and proceeded undoubtedly from the
blessed Spirit OF Jesus Christ. VINO, for
this cause, appeared that He might dis
solve the works OF the dwell"
Among these early pioneers of the
Church the name OF the Rev. Alexander
Whitaker shines conspicuous. He came
with Sir Tbos. Dale landing here May
1911, and continued to serve the Colony
with unfaRging zeal and conspicuous
ability until the year 1617 when he was
drowned in the James river. lie was the
son Of the renowned DR.. Whitaker ~
master Of arts OF five or six years stand
ing in Cambridge:" "competently pro-
vided for, and liked and beloved where
he lived, not in want. but QOr a scholar
and as the days be- rich in possession
and more In poss.bilitc' Yet he "did
voluntarily leave his warm nest. and 10
the wonder Of his kindred and the amaze
ment of them that knew him, undertook
this hard but heroicall resoiu-
ton to go TO Virginia ana help to beare
the name Of God to the Gentiles.'
And now, Fathers and Brethren, let MS
see how the religious Impulse wi = was
50 conspicuous IN the genesis Of tnIs Col
ony. found expression.
THE FIRST SERVICE.
II was the 18th or Ath Of May, 1901
when, after a long and arduous voyage
Of nearly five months. the three little
vessels, the Susan Constant, the God
speed, and the Discovery. under the com
mand Of Raleighs stout old sea captain
Christopher Newport. came TO anchor
in yonder noble river. What was the
first act Of the weather-beaten colOnists
upon landing on the soil of the new
world II was TO worship Almighty God
according TO the rites Of the Church Of
England. There was of course no church
in which TO hold their services, but they
hung IAN old sale" 10 three or four trees
to shadow them from the sun, and there
they gathered one hundred and five souls
all told. and gave thanks to God for
their escape from the perils of their
weary voyage, the Rev. Robert Hunt
conducting the service. That was the
first Protestant church on American
soil. It's walls were wales Of wood,
its seats "unhewed trees its pulpit
bar Of wood nailed to two neighboring
| trees" a rude church indeed. but. as we
see it now. no Cathedral could be more
glorious, for It sheltered beneath that
old torn sail the cradle Of Anglo-SaXon
dominion, and Of Anglo-SaXOn faith and
polity on This western hemisphere.
But hasten to recall another historic
scene the first celebration of the Holy
Communion in the infant colony the
first. also. on the shores Of the new
world, according TO the rites Of the
Church OF England. 1t took place on the
2lst of June. 1907, five weeks after the
landing OF the cOlonists, and the day
after Captain John Smith. had been
through the persevering Efforts Of Rev.
Robert Hunt admitted to the council
That day and this spot VIII be forever
hallowed in the annals OF our American
Church. No words Of mine can add 10
the impression of the simple statement
that here arst Christian men knelt 70 par
take Of the Blessed Sacrament OF Christs
body and blood. Here first the print
tive and glorious Office Of the Holy Com
munion was heard here, in the untamed
wilderness here, where Englishmen iirst
set UP their habitations. here. In the face
OF so many perils and difficulties, here
where only twenty-six days before the
Indian savages had made murderous
assault on the infant colony. (kinging
applause) ii was not long before the
Church OF the torn sail was replaced by
a structure which Smith thus describes
"a homely thing like a barn, set upon
crotchets. covered with rats. sedgc and
earth" Of such workmanship las could
neither well defend from wind nor Taine"
In this rude but sacred building. created
by Captain Smith, It was the rule TO have
daily common prayer morning ana
evening every Sunday two sermons. and
every three months the Holy COmmu-
nion." during the lifetime Of the Rev.
Robert Hunt. Such was the standard OF
Virginia Churchmanship IN 16O7-'O9.
SECOND CHURCH DESCRIBED.
In 1910, by command Of Lord Delaware
the second church was built which is
thus described by an old chroniclor: 1T
i3 in length threescore foote. in breadth
twenty-foure. and shall have a chancel
in It Of cedar. and a Communion Table
OF Blake Walnut; and all the pews in IT
of cedar a pulpit Of the same
with a font hewn hollow, like a Canoe
with two Bells at the West End. = The
captain general doth cause il 10 be kept
passing sweete, ana trimmed up win
divers fiov ers with a sexton belonging
to IT: and in 1t every Sunday we have
sermons twice day. and every Thurs
Cay sermon QaughteO and
every morning at the ringing of ? bell
about ten of the clock. every man ad-
dresseth himself 20 prayers. and 50 a.
foure of the clocke before supper. Every
Sunday when the Lord Governor and the
Captain General goeth TO church hee Is
accompanied with all the Councillors,
other officers and all the gentlemen,
with a guard Of Halberdiers, in his
Lordship's livery. faire red clokes 10 the
number OF fifty. boath on each side and
behinde him: and being III the church his
Lordship hath his seat In the Quier. IN
q green velvet chaire, with cloath.
with q velvet cushion spread on the table
before him on which he knealeth, and
on each side set his Counsel. Captaines.
and OFFICERS, each in their place"
Such was the ritual and the rule OF
Divine, service in Virginia in 1910. 1t
sets before us a picture hardly I'm keep
ing with the representations OF certain
writer's, who portray those early colo
nists as a profane, profigate and god
| less set.
Under Sir Thomas Dale O6lD. whom
Rev Alexander Whitaker describes as