The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-19
KING EDWARD IS
TO MAKE VA H: A GET 9 / !
Will Give Bruton Parish Church
a Bible for Lectertl
Use.
HOLY BOOK TO &c INSCRIBED.
Rev.. Mr.. Goodwin, Rector, Re
ceives Letter from Acrl1-
bishop Of Canterbury.

* Bruton Parish, the historical church Of
| Williamsburg VA, and the second Oldest
te,d the longest In continuous use In the
United States. has Just been tho recipient
Of an offer. unparalleled In the history
ofHthc Episcopal Church In America, Of a
Bible to DO donated by His Majesty, King
Edward VII. Of England. d.
Rev. w. AZ r. Goodwin, rector OF Bru-t
ton Parish, was recently in receipt Of q
in which he states that the King has con-
scented to donate Bible for lectern use
| In Brtlton Parish. His Grace states that
the King has authorized him to select the
Bible which shall be presented to Ills
| Nlnjcsty for approval Z.
The Holy Book will DO especially and
appropriately bound and inscribed. This
royal mark Of esteem Is to be given by.
| the King In commemoraton OF the three
hundredth anniversary OF the establish
mcnt Of Anglo Saxon civilization and
the English Church on Virginia shores
1t Is to be made particularly to Bruton
Parish Church, In View OF tho fact that
Bruton Is the official successor Of the
church at Jamestown, where lrst broke
the dawn Of Eastern enlightenment and
| sociaNon with the early history OF the Old
Dominion. jamestown Island. which may
be termed the cradle OF the Western en-
plrc, though TO day ravaged by the mighty
| waters Of the James and partly in n state
of desolntlon, Is stl the Mecca Of the
seeker for colonial history and Is still
| regarded as the seat whence springs the
inspiration Of an empire reaching people.
IT'S annals and records have been pre-
served In history, and the Society for the
Preservation Of Virginia Antiquities has
taken the island In hand with the worthy
endeavor to pro tcct 1t from the further
rnvages OF water and time, as the most
historical landmark In all America 4
tardy3 recognition Of Its Importance will
be the Jamestown Exposition which Is to
be held in 1907, on the occasion Of the
three hhndredth anniversary oftthc found
Ing of the republic.
Was the Court Church.
Bruton was the Court Church or Co
lonia Virginia from 1869 to- the Revolution.
Here. in silk canopicd pew, worshipped
the Colonial Governors, two Of whom were
buried in the aisle Of the church. Here,
in the part OF the church built and paid
for by the Virginia House Of Burgesses,
worshipped Washington, Jefferson Mon
roe Madison, Henry, Marshall, Mason,
who were among the builders Of the ma
ton. This church, where the old co..
lonal heroes minlstered as the servants
Of both their country and their God,
forms the monumental link between tho
past and the present. With its historical
associations and It's hallowed memories
1t Is an inheritance Of tho past and a
trust of the greater future From its
ivied walls springs the odor Of that gener-
alton, which by their blood. their
devotion and their faith In the high ideal
has bequeathed to posterty the foremost
nation Of the world.
The present church was built in Ills,
during the rectorship Of Rev. Commits
sary Blair, the official representative in
Virginia of the Lord Bishop OF London,
and the founder and the first president OF
the College Of William and Mary. The
work Of restoration, which Is now pro-
ceedng, will leave unchanged the ex-
terror where change would mean inno-
walton. But the Interior, which was
changed and distorted in view Of condi-
lions which no longer exist, will be re-
stored to Its ancient form and architec-
Hture, and the whole Will be transmitted
to following generations as It was planned
and bulded and used by the founders of
the colony.
The king had been Informed through the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Of the effort
being made to preserve and restore the
building to its original structure as
witness to tho continuity Of the church.
and the faith and devotion Of tho early
settlers of Virginia, and. remembering the
ties, which in years gone had bound his
throne to the loyalIsts of the Old Do
n.inion, and recognizing Virginia as tho
mother State and the seat of the Church
OF England, was prompted to make the
gift. Also, perhaps. tho king has not
forgotten the time when he. MS the prince
@ly representative OF the mother land, was
entertained with that hospitality for
which Virginia has always been famous.
When Work is Completed.
The time when this royal gift Is pre-
scented will depend upon the date when
the work, now In progress, OF restoring
the old church ls completed. s553
For the preservation of the historic
building over sl2 1000 has already been
contributed. For the restoration of the
interior $500 is needed, AS soon as this
is secured the work will be pushed to
compilation; the church will be re-entereu,
and the royal gift appropriately received,
This gift from the King OF England TO
old Bruton gives an international sigHl-
tlGanCc 10 the WOIhs UNIV " ~ y
serve and restore this ancient church,
around which are gathered so many his
toric associations. The church preserves
and still uses the original font and COM
munion silver Of the jamestown Church,
and n set OF communion silver presented
to the parish by King George H., and
another set of silver known as the Queen
Anne service. The re-Revolutionary,
bible and Prayer Book have been pre-,
served, and ALSO the old parish register
Of 1862, upon which the name Of George
washington occurs eleven times
The letter which has Just been received
by Mr.. Goodwin from the Archbishop OF
Canterbury is merely personal at TINS
time, but an official notification will be
made later when all thetdetalls Of the
ceremony Of making the gift Will be ar
ranged
ga STILL ALARM,n