The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-30
TO RESTORE OLD

AO AESIUnE OLD
 BLANDFOHD CHURCH.
 The Ladies Memorial Association, of Virginia, have taken up the work of restoring old Blandford Church and have issued the following circular Mrs. J. C. Lee. of this city. vice president for Alabama of the Con- federate Southern Memorial Associa- tion, has been requested to take cnarge of the work of getting assistance in Alabama. This would be a fine work for the U. D. C.. of the State. Any communication on the subject may be sent to Mrs. Lee
 The circular Is as follows:
 TO the east of Petersburg stands his toric Cld Blandford Church, a fitting sentinel over the graves of more than twenty thousand Confederate soldiers, representing every Southern State. In full view of the great battlefields around Petersburg. it stood in the line of fire during ten long months, close behind the Confederates intrcnchments; it witnessed Grants bloody assault on June, 1864, and the fierce repulse of the Federal troops at the explosion or the Crater, and was in full view of the brilliant charge of Gordon's gallant corps upon Fort Stedman, almost the last expiring struggle of the Conieu- eracy.
 The Ladies' Memorial Association ob- tained possession of the church, Of which only the walls and roof were in tact, and decided to restore the interior and use it for a mortuary chapel ana to carry out the idea of memoriai' by requesting each Southern state to put in a window, in memory of tneir dead who lie in sight of the ivy-ciao walls of the old church; these windows to follow one general design, as mai cated in a former circular. that Is, at the top, the coat of arms of the state contributing the window, in the centre, the figure of one of the. apostles. and suitable inscription at the bottom. The cost of each window is $400, and the various Memorial Associations, Camps of Confederate Veterans, Sons of the Confectionery and Daughters of the Con- federacy, and kindred commemorative associations throughout the South, Will cooperate with the Petersburg Me- morial Association and start popular subscription to raise $400. the sum ne- cessary to defray the cost of putting in d Memorial window for each State. Virginia and Missouri were the first State to respond to the appeal sent out by the Ladies Memorial Association and their example was quickly followed by the Washington Artillery of Louisi- ana These three beautiful windows ! were put in place in May, 1904, and un- yelled with impressive ceremonies. in the presence of vast throng, on June l 9, our local Memorial Day. The interior of the church has been so far restored that it has been pos sibIe to use 1t for funeral services or several occasions. It is hoped to have
 the work of restoration completed al an early date, with pews and pulpit i in place, provision made for heating l in the winter, and the present plain glass windows replaced by the memo rial windows from the remaining
 States; thus making or old Blanforc Church an enduring and practical me morial to our lost cause and hs he
 roes. A representative of Tiffany ant Company says when the work Is com
 pleted this memorial chapel will be tht most beautiful antique in America. ] It is earnestly hoped that this appea
 will meet with prompt response, as Il
 is important that the work be pushed
 to completion.
 l It is recommended that the organiza' ations of each State appoint a Stat' I treasurer, to whom these contributions
 should be sent; the treasurer, in turn
 remitting to
 l Mrs. H. v. l.. Bird,
 President of the Ladies Memorial As Is sociatIon, Petersburg, Virginia.