The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-04
BLANDFORD CHURCH.
(Nelr PetarSbIrG.)

H.
BLANDFORD CHURCH.
(Near Petersblrs)
tobacco. to be leveycd of each tytheable
in the parish for three years together
The church was finished November %,
1858.
Several pews were set aside for the use
Of the Governor and his council, ana LOT
the families of Col. Philip LudWelI and
Col. John Page.
The schedule of fees was as follows:
Payable TO the Rector, e5 or 1,Goo pounds
of tobacco for burial in the chancel: e
for funeral sermon.
PAYABLE to the Parish, 500 pounds of to-
bacco for burial in the body of the church.
I lPaya BILE to the Clerk, 3 pounds of tooac-
co each for registering marriages christ
enirgs and burials.
Payable to the Sexton. 10 pounds OF to-
bacco for digging a grave.
The Baptisnlal Font was Incorporated IN
1891 and in 1898 Mrs. Alice Page present.
cd to the church lone gold pulpit cloath
and cushion of Best velvet
At present the church owns three COM
munion services of solid silver. f1rst-
The old service OF silver presented 10
the jamestown Church in 1861 by Francis
Morrison, acting Governor of the Colony.
This consists of a large c'aiice ana
paten, each piece bearing the motto:
Mike Not Holy Thinges With Profane.'
Second A double-handed loving cup,
whose cover and sides are richly chased,
and also emblaZoned with 4 coat Of arms,
as yet unidentified. This cup was mate
in London in 1856 by q famous french
goldsmith by the name OF Peeter da-
rache, With this cup is a silver slit
patent made in 1877. and of inferior WORK
manship and beauty as compared TO th2e
of the cup.
Third A large silver fagon, chaiice,
and paten, on each of which Is engraved
the royal arms of England and motto,
"I4oni soft qrti nal y pense." with the
initials, SC, Ills r. = This service was
made part in 1864 and part in 1866
THE PRESENT CHURCH.
The presence of the 'fTice-Regal Court"
at williamsburg soon made it necessary
that a. new and larger church be built 20
accommodate the great influx OF VT
sinians to the Capital during the ssS-
sions OF the House OF Burgesses and the
sittiugy of the counts, councils. etc. SO
the present church OF sBruton" was
erected about the year Ills. 1t was 70
feet long, Of which Governor Spotswood
built % feet at his own expense, and the
other dimensions We're % feet wide and
% feet high. The House of Bursesses
erected two wings each 10 by q feet
which gave the church its cru2iform
shape The steeple was erected in 1863.
The aisles Were paved with fiaG-stones,
and tie pews and pulpit were finished In
mahogany. the chancel and pulpit oc-
cuped the east end. and near the pulpit
was the canopied pew of the Governor
There were several galleries around the
other sides OF the church for the use Of
the college boys. the parish boys, and
certain private families. They were re-
moved in 1888 when the church was re-
modelled.
In 1852 the House of Burgesses present
ed to the church an organ 1T the cost
Of G200 which is said to be the first
church organ in America, and in 1855
Peter Pelham received the position of
organist. From him were descended
Colonel Charles Pelham, of the Revo1u-
ton, and General John Pelham, Of the
Confederate army.
For many years the college commence
ments were held in the church; and there
is a good story of Bishop Madison, nresi-
dent OF the college, and John Tyler upon
one Of these occasions, when Tyler was
a member of the graduating class. The
subject Of his Grafton was Female Edu-
cation" and the future President of the
United states had given himself full
sway in the way Of iowery rhetoric. The
..curls,' and told Tyler that he would
station himself IN the back of the church
and indicate with his hands certain parts
to leave out The time came, and the
Bishop waved his hands and cane wildly
at various parts of the speech, but the
young orator was too proud of his
"curls" to leave them out. so continued
without noticing the Bishops gestures.
He received a rousing ovation from the
audience, and the Bishop afterward said:
1T was the finest speech ever delivered
at the college by a student
BEAUTY AND WIT.
The associations thai cling round old
Brutor make her the most interesting
old church in Virginia. For nearly a CEN
fury there worshipped at her altar all
the beauty, wit, and talent OF the colony
royal governors. burgesses, councillors,
judges, knights, and .faire ladyes." many
a one.
In the church and church-yard, among
scores of others Of gentle lineage and
local fame are buried Governors Mott
and Fauauier, Councillors John Page and
David Bray, and three Secretaries OF
State, Daniel Parke. DR.. William Cooke
and Edmund Jennings.
On twelve of the old tonbs now stand
ing one sees chiseled coats of arms. and
there are several other stones here.
marking the graves of those entitled
to the use of arms
The glories Of the old church are in
1.-THE past, but still within her sacred
walls the same old ritual is repeated
Sunday after Sunday by the. descend
ants Of many OF those cavaliers and
DANES who worshipped there more than
a century ago. And daily the shadow
Of the taperins finger of the old spire
counts the bombs sTepresentinC as II ong-
fellow says: "a dial plate Of human life
on which the hours and minutes are the
graves Of men, ~
ST. PAULS. NORFOLK.
While old SmIth1eld Church is Che
Oldest, and Bruton the most historic
Church nov standing in Virgana. ST.
paul s, at Norfolk, ds the most beautiful.
It's walls, covered with old English
tvy. in which are get riohly STAINED.