The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-14
PEACEFUL END OF
EVENTFUL CAREER
Continued from First Page.)


ordaised by the Fourth Presbytery, of
New York, December II, 1913. From 1913
to 1S49 he served as pastor of the Pearl
Street Presbyterian Church, of New York
city. As pastor of this church, he was
greatly beloved. and increased the mem
bership of the church considerai%a
CAME TO RICHMOND.
In 1S49 he was called to the pastorate
OF the United Presbyterian Church (now
the Grace-Street Presbyterian church,, in
this city. This church then had its house
OF worship on the corner of Eighth and
Franklin Streets. DR.. Read accepted the
call, and soon afterwards entered upon
his new field Of labor He soon became
very popular with his congregation, both
as a preacher and as a pastor, and he
built up the congregation TO a much
larger one than when he first took charge
AT that time the Presbyterian Church.
North and South, was one and the same
the only difference being in what was
known as the old-school and the new
school, which differed slightly i'll some
denomina tiCnal teaching. After the war
the Northern and Southern Presbyterians
divided into two separate assemblies, and
the old and new school were united III
Augusta. Ga, and DIR. Read was elected
moderator, to preside over that assembly.
THE CHURCH BURNED.
On Evacuation Day, April s. 1865, the
house of worship at iiie COZ Iiti u l--sS!iI Oh
and Franklin Streets was burned to the
ground. 1t was the only church n the
city destroyed by fire on that day This
was q great blow TO the congregation,
and owing to the terrible financial de-
preston of the people, the prospects for
rebuilding were very untaVorable. Dr.
Read was not disheartened. He deter
mined to rebuild, and he at once went
to work with all his energies to collect
money to erect new house of worship.
He secured subscriptions from various
people in the North and West for this
purpose, and while collecting money for
his new church he made fine impress
sion upon the members of a prominent
PRESBYTERIAN Church in San Francisco,
Cal. Afterwards he received an urgent
call 70 become pnstor of that church Ihat
was in 1867 He declined the call to re-
main in Richmond.
During the time that DR.. Read was Sc
curing funds TO build the new church
his congregation held their services in
the third story of a building near the
corner of Ninth and Broad Streets, and
afterwards in Virginia Hail. on Ninth
Street Subsequently they worshipped with
Rev DR.. Hose's congregation.
In spite of DR.. Reads Northern aifllla-
tons, he was an ardent secessionist. and
remained true TO the Southern Cause
throughout the war, rendering splendid
service in the hospitals and among the
soldiers. besides ministerng to the fami-
lies represented in his congregation. 1t
was when his church was destroyed, how
ever. that DR.. Read rose to the greatest
height. and with :nt1exible purpose and
unt ring zeal he started out to raise the
money 10 build Il house of worship for
his flock.
IN THEIR NEW CHURCH.
After many struggles and trials. with
more or less sacrifice. the building, which
was going UP al its present site at Fourth
and Grace Streets, began 10 approach
completion. The name of the church was
changed from the United Presbyterian
Church to the Grace-Street Presbyterian
Church. under which name the orSanlZa-
ton is now known. The upper audience
room of the building was competed IN
49,. The building was occupied for the
first time by the General Assembly OF
the Presbyterian Church, South, which
body met in richmond that year. ms
was in May, 49,
The funds with which the present struc-
tura was built were almost altogether col
Iected through DR.. Reads efforts, and but
for his labors the present house of wor-
ship of the Grace-Street Presbyterian
Church would not have been erected when
il was. The structure stands to-day as
a monument to tho activity and earnest
ness of purpose OF its beloved pastor, DR..
Read.
IL, 1850 he was member of the Second
General Council of the Presbyterian Al
lance, which met in Philadelphia ana ne
read an able paper on kurns Elders
before that body.
HIS HEALTH BROKE DOWN.
About fifteen years ago DR.. Reads
health began tn fail. He grew more feeble
bv degrees. and his congregation felt that
ba need an assistant. Rev Thomas Drew,
p. D.. of England. was called as co-pastor.
IA remained with the church for five
wears and later Rev. James Youns Fair,
y D.. was called from Charlotte. n. c.
Rev. Jere Witherspoon is the present pas
tor Of the church
DR. Read was elected pastor emeritus,
which position he has held ever since.
In recent years he has been too feeble TO
nreach. AS a preacher he was man Of
GREAT power and deep conservation. He
Was profound theologian, and one of the
hest scholars in the Presbyterian Church,
south. He was very graceful speaker
in the pulpit, and was particularly gifted
IN prayer.
fohi,-a,5 nra Snu fr Charles