The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-18

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| always be taken for granted that the
Old mcetlng-houses. like the new, were
quit In the midst of good neighborhoods.
| The old First African Church, like some
| other houses OF worship, has been re-
4 modelled and enlarged In recent time It's
main entrance was formerly from Broad,
| and is now from College Street. II my
recollection of the old edifice and Its
! premises serve me faithfully. 1t had
been built after the design of an Egypt
| ian cross, with one main and two Side
| doors for entrance and exit of its mem
Gers. This church comes next In age,
J as 1t does In position to the Monumental.
4 It's members had been originally whites
! and blacks, but after the whites sep
| arated In 1s9, or thereabouts, and built
up on the northeast corner OF Broad and
| Twelfth Streets. fair edifice. the col
| ored Baptists, under certain restraint,
were permitted to enjoy their devotions
| In way suitable to their tastes.
| Many party convention sat in It's pews
| OF secular days as early as 1910 up to 1860.
The church being in want of funds TO
pay off It's debt to tho whites, frequently
let the premises to politicians for con-
sideration. Military companies assembled
there on the old Fourth OF July and the
old twenty-second of February to hear
good reader of the grand Declaration
and some orator OF pronounced ability.
The Monumental Church.
The edflce built up on the ruins of the
old theatre of our fathers in 1914 has n
melancholy history, which / need not
here relate as 1t is so we'll known by it's
association with the burning of the build
Ing In 1911. il has been slightly altered,
without importing In the main the ORR
ginal design of Its architect, Robert Mills,
under whose supervision also our old
City Hall was subsequently, erected. The
Right Reverend Richard Charming Moore.
rector. and Rev. William Norwood, as
slstant minister. are both well remem-
bered by me. One who knew the bishop
longer and better than | has portrayed
him faithfully AS he stood at the altar
| and moved among his beloved congrega-
| ton. His snow white locks, which hung
| in thick profusion over his shoulders,
| his face, broad and full; his eye 80 ex-
| pressiye OF benevolence and charity, and
| his lips, evermore wreathed with smile
such as kind father wears towards his
| chiidren-added to walk and department
which bespoke to the beholder the man
of God-made an impression on one not
easily to be forgotten
Another has said OF him: He prayed.
not read the prayer"
"a heavenly man. venerable priest,
resist,
| OF good and kind he the just standard
seemed,
Dear to the best, and by the worst es-
teemed."
The bishops assistant was man to be
loved and honored for his many virtues.
He possessed an amiable simplicity OF
manner. softness OF nature that won
| all hearts.
Old Trinity Church.
There were old persons in my youth
whose memory went back to the days
| OF the camp meetings. who talked of
| Philip Courtney. the best known and best
beloved clergyman of the old Methodist
Episcopal Church,: OF that rare midnight
sermon he preached to the sailors who
had come ashore on frolic. They were
a goddess crew, who demanded a sermon
be preached whether he would or no.
Ihey came to mock and doubtless went
| away to pray. for the adroit minister
| spoke so sweetly and so evangelicallv as
to be without an audience when but half
| through. Trinity Church. or Old Trinity,
as 1t was formerly called. stood on the
south side OF Franklin Street. but a few
| steps above Locust Alley, with an alleys
width between it and the old Exchange
Hotel. 1t was RACED to the ground very
recently to make way for the erection.
| of dry goods warehouse. When intact
1t was notable for the many pastors who
| labored not In vain In the Lords vine
yard. Amongst those most distinguished
as orators was John Newland Mafitt of
meteoric flame. the comet of season.
| Crowds came nightly from all quarters
to hear this gifted minister. His elo-
| quence. all said. was an inspiration OF
| the spirit
while heavenly dews flowed plenteous
from his tongue.
And on his lips divine persuasion hung
Mr.. Mafiltt's manner in the pulpit was
thought by some of his congregation to
be extremely theatrical. Besides, his dress
was not according to the cut old Wesley
ans-'twas, to say the least of It, slight
ly foppish. But Rosser, Parson Rosser.
not then bishop, a man of versatile pow
ers. OF erudite scholarship theologian
who has left works which a Wesleyan
posterity will not willingly let die-how
shall I describe his benign bearing in
and out OF the pulpit? When, after an
exhortatlon, he found his people to be
touched and stirred too deeply. l have
seen him descend from 1t and give them.
as 1t were smiles for, their tears. His
was happy face, expressive of joy
such Joy as becomes the Serephim when
a lost sheep returns to the fold.
MAYO Street and It's Two Houses
of Worship.
This street is an excavation on it's
eastern sloEe of Council Chamber Hill
an extension OF Locust Alley to Broad.
The nelghborhood was composed chiefly
OF the elite Of the city. Governor Ruth
erford. Raleigh I. Daniel. John Thomp-
son, father of the poet of that name;
John z. Womble, Judge o. B. Clopton,
and such like writers. dwelt there up
to a time within the memory of persons
still living. The old Jews worshiped
their Maker in a Synagogue, which is
still standing like most Of the other
buildings on the east side of the street.
the steep declivity opposite them not
having then been brought to level
with it. DR.. Cohen, of blessed memory
was Rabbi there when ! was mere lad.
A man OF slight figure earnest coun-
tenance, and gentle demeanour; the at
nosphere always seemed to be clearer
and sweeter in whatever society he ap-