Evening journal., 1902-04-14
"REMINISCENCES OF
THE OLD DOMINION


luton styled Virginia, "The Colony
and Dominion of Virginia" Captain
John Smiths history Of Virginia A.
D.. 1929. designates it the Colony and
Dominion" and "Ould Virginia. to dis
tinguish it from New England, and the
other settlements of the British.
Quaint old Robert Burton says in
THE Anatomy Of Melancholy" in the
seventeenth century that the English
OF Caesars day. and the Germans in
tho time Of Tacitus, were "as uncivil
as they in Virginia. but as colonizing
and good laws" brought them from
barbarous outlawry to rich cities, and
most flourishing kingdoms, even so
might Virginia have been improved.
suppose he refers TO the Indians.
When one stands by the ruins of
the old jamestown Church, and thinks
of godly ParsQE. Hunts work in 1907,
he can see that the Church OF England
cent the water of life" to the shore
Of the wide and beautiful James river,
that spiritual and natural streams
might mingle, and make the wilder
ness blossom as the rose"
Old POhick Church, where Washing
ton was a vestryman, and Christ
Church, Alexandria; St. PauIs, Nor
folk; ST. Johns, Hampton; and Bruton
Church, in the former capital, at Will
liamsburg, are specimens OF like low
ing care, while in later days the
Virginia Theological Seminary, on the
hill near Alexandria, does good
Christian work for home and foreign
lands. In Bishop Coleman's book,
The Church in America, the Virginian
church under the Charleses and the
commonwealth is traced, when clergy
had globes and were paid stipends
in tobacco, sometimes of the sweet
scented" kind.
The founding of William and Mary
College. under the Rev. Commissary
Blair. at quiet old williamsburg, was
a great event in provincial days The
late President Tyler was the father Of
a president of that college, who died
not long ago.
Captain John Smith. in his work,
Pathway to Erect a Plantation" says
of the primitive worship; Wee did
hang an awning, which is an old
sale, to three or foure trees to shadow
us from the sunne; our walls were
rallies of wood; our seats unhewed
trees. till we cut plankes our pulpit
a bar of wood nailed to otWOneighbour-
ing trees. In foul weather we shifted
into an old. rotten tent; this came by
fu
our church till we built hOmely thing
like a barne set upon cratchets, cover
ed with RATS, sedge and earth; so also
was the walls. The best OF our houses
We're of the like curiosity, that could
neither well defend from wind mol
rain" Here was daily morning anC
evening prayer, even two or three
years after the clergyman died, unit
another came. Pictures of Pohick ant
Bruton churches are in Alice Morse
Earle's 'Home Life in Colonial Days.
noticed near old Bruton Church the
graves OF the Custis family, relatives
of Mrs. George Washington.
Borkeley's History of Virginia statel
that strangers were freely entertained
by the planters servants even if th'
master We're absent; and poor planters
would often sit up on lie upon form
or couch all night to make room fO
a weary traveller to repose, after hi
Journey" Mrs. Earle also quotes
John Hammond's Leah and Rachel,
In 1856. as to the settlers assisting ant
advising newcomers. Negroes at TIN
planters gate would hail travellers
land assure them OF a welcome
Thomas Jefferson's great hOspitalit
Impoverished him.
William Writ. in the British Spy,
lgives an eloquent description Of
visit to jamestown, where he recall
smith that pink of gallantry, tina
flower OF chivalry," and refers to In
{ dian perils and hardships, and hunge
: and loneliness, as visions Of fair LOndo
f fingered in desolate minds; and he re
p fleets. that now both English citizen
and American emigrants are departeG
, and we may add that his pen, too.
+ quiet. / do not wonder that he joir
! with his musings q protest again
the bad roads of Virginia but whe
G the spring has settled itself. or summ'
s is on MS. the mountains and rivers an
pleasant towns of the old dominic
y Ihave furnished me. and hosts of Othe
y with many pleasant journeys.
II The Rev s f. Hotchkn.