The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-19

cal Seminary. and other Virginians.
The party Will visit the Theological
Seminary. at Alexandria on the morning
of September goth. proceeding that af-
ternoon to charlottesville, where the
Bishop of London Will address the
students OF the University OF Virginia.
This change in the announced pro-
gram has been specially arranged by
Bishop Gibson because OF the world
wide reputation of the Bishop OF Lon
don as u speaker to young men. to
Whom he seems, In fact, to be peculiar
ly attractive. Following the speaking
at Charlottesville tho party Will take
sleepers for Richmond, arriving here
early on the morning of October LIST.
In time to take part in the consecr;-
ton of Holy Trinity Church. Bishop
Gibson will be the consecrator
The formal exercises OF the opening
of the convention will take place in
Holy Trinity Church on the morning
of October ID the Bishop of London
October Sd. the visiting bishops Will
dine as the guest of the Virginia dele
cation at the jefferson Hotel.
On the afternoon of October 4th.
Mrs. Stewart and the Misses Stewart
will entertain in honor of the Bishop
of London at afternoon tea at Brook
Hill.
Trip to Willin ms burg.
Saturday, October 9Th, Will be given
up by the convention to trip to VIII
liamsburg and a celebration In old
Bruton Church. at which practically
the whole convention and the visitors
will be present. The Bishop of London
will present to the parish Bible. tho
personal gift OF His Majesty King
Edward VII. of England. At the same
service there will be presented to tfc
church lectern, the gift OF President
Roosevelt
1t Is regarded as peculiarly appro-
pirate that the house OF bishops should
meet in the Virginia State Capitol. as
it was here that the church in Nir-
ginia was organized. Through the
colonial period the church in Virginia
don. With the outbreak OF the Revo-
| luton the authority of the Church
of England was overthrown and from
about 17T5 to 1885 u period OF disorder
and chaos reigned. Two years after
the close OF the Revolutionary War, "a
conference of the churches located
in Virginia was held in the hall of
the House of Delegates in the Vir-
ginia State Capitol. then located in a
temporary building not In the present
Capitol Grounds, and the Diocese Of
| Virginia, was organized. Bishop Grif-
| fths was elected presiding officer but
as there was no bishop in America
to confirm or consecrate him, his title
| has always been questioned by strict
doctrinarles. but there can be no real
| question as to his right to the posi-
ton OF first bishop in tfe American
church. as he exercised de facto pow
ers for some years.
! Not only is Virginia the cradle of
the church in America, but 1t may
we'll be called the mother OF bishops.
/ The American church has conse-
Grated In Its history 234 bishops. OF
whom twenty-three are known to be
OF Virginia origin. and there may be
other names to be added The list
includes Bishops Griffiths, Madison.
Meade, Newton, Johns, Whittle, Ran
dolph, Gibson Tucker. Peterkin.
Strange, of North Carolina; Burton.
/ OF Ohio; Wingtield. Nelson, Dudley, II.
/ II. Wilmer, and Wilmer. of Louisiana;
Penick, Kinsolving, of Texas; Kinsolv-
ing, of Brazil: William Cabell Brown.
Funston, OF Idaho; Gravatt, 1ngle and
Beckwith.
Services Held There.
i Not only has the State Capitol a
significance because of the founding
of the church in Virginia in the build
ing once used for the purpose. but
4 because re guar services were held
for generation thereafter on alter
nate Sundays in the building In the
Capitol Square. In the old hall OF the
House of Delegates, now used as a
museum by the Department of Agri-
Il culture for more than twenty years