The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-13
WORK or COLONIAL DANES I'M
RESTORING ANCIENT CHURCH

ANVIL SoS VI 4NAls LII Kill VII
pressing Gratitude Of
Who Accomplish
In his address at jamestown Island oil
Saturday accepting on behalf Of tho a.
r. V. a. the rstored church from It's
donors, Tie Colonial DANES, Mi. Joseph
Bryan said:
The occasion which hns brought us to-
gether to-day is not only unique IN itself
and without parallel in tliis cottntiy, but
perhaps has no precedent in oil history.
10 identify with absolute certainty the
birthplace of what is now the greatest
nation oh earth Is privilege and a dis
tinction reserved for us. Whatever settti-
moi,t Of reverence and awe may inspire
or solemnise us to-day will, as years roll
BY, be surely Increased in the breasts OF
those who come to visit this sacred shrine
Of all America. we feel that we cantot
do toe much honor to tho memory OF
those who, by anguish and often death,
laid hcro the foundations of our great
ness.
But to-day my PLEASANT duty Is not
merely to acknowledge In humble graft
ttde tho great work that ol,r ancestors
have done, but to recognize and uc-
knowledge as 1t properly deserves the re-
cont work of those who have been more
fortunate. but not less patriotic, in their
efforts to preserve ard transmit tho IN
heritance they have received. Tho re-
cital Of even tho leading facts connected
with tho history Of jamestown. and the
most inconsiderable deduction from them
would demand more Of your time and
,~n} t,t1p KS ct r1f
you would be willing to grant, and would,
besides. be quite unnecessary In view Of
the well-known history of the place.
Beautiful Tribute. ;i3
You have already learned from the dis
tlnguished gentleman who has preceded
mo much of the history OF this place,
and especially that relating to tho re-
lgiolls Influences which were begun here
In the colony. I shall not rehearse any
part OF 1t, but only express my profound
gratitude to God that the church by
which this building was first erected, and
which, like this building, fell into decay,
| has itself risen from Its desolation, and
| Is now an cffectiVei and triumphant factor
| IN the propagation Of that gospel which
| Its Founder Intended 1T to- be-. 1t Is,
moreover, one Of the most beautiful
| tributes to the essential Christian unity
Of denominations which were once nlien-
ated from each other, and, indeed, an
tagonisttc, that they are now united as
brethren In doing honor to this ancient
church. That OF itself is an event OF the
greatest significance, Is memorable, and
should be the occasion to all true Chris
tians and patriots Of a feeling OF pro-
found gratitude to God.
shall not repeat the well-known story
of ibn uiifpar,10r NJ fho first min.
nists, nor how nearly they were moro
than once uprootcd and destroyed by dis
ease. starvation and massacre. Shocking
as AFRO these annals OF the colony, they
are merely incidents, the effect of which
was Upon tho victims themselves. and
have left no lasting impression on the
development OF our people rs a nation.
I shall delay you, however with refer
cncc to but two events in the history Of
this church and spot, which were. of grave
and lasting influence on tho life OF our
nation, and, think, alone are sufficient
to make this church and jamestown
Island venerable and sacred In the hearts
OF all Americans. Perhaps there is no
ono before me who does not know that
practical government of the people by
their representatives in a legislative body
assembled was begun here, and on the
very spot where this church now stands.
When 1t Is considered that at that time,
1919, tho divine right OF kings was stoutly
maintained in England, and that this
colony was being governed under a char
ter obtained from tho King. and that the
colonists had but recently been under q
draconic code Of laws. in the making OF
which they had nc part whatever, it will
be seen that the creation OF an elective
Legislature was the greatest step which
1t was possible to take to secure the
liberty and happiness OF the colonsts: q
step which once taken was never to be
retraced. and whose effect wns to mark
out for all timo the principles upon
which the people Of Virginia were
to be governed. 1t is remarkable that
tho details OF this important event were
unknown until nearly 240 years after
their occurrence. That there had beer
such an assembly was we'll known, but
the particulars were hid. Those who
have seen the first edition OF Bancroft's
History Of the United States will note
but tho meagerest reference to this as.
sembly. The great historian did not Their
know OF the existence OF that record from
which we now get our information. No,
only was the historian Stith. Ignorant OF
1t, but no traces Of wero met by ] eff
ferson and Henning, and those who fol.
| lowed Henning believed it no longer ex-
tnnt and 1t was given up as absolutely
lost The first published notice OF the
cxistance OF the document containing the
record OF this legislative assembly oc.
| CURED in the proceedings OF the annua
meeting OF tho Virginia Historical So
ciety. held December Is. 1853, In the
report made by the chairman OF tht
executive committee, Conway Robinson
ESD. .'@3ts @15a &if3f5-5t2t'
Real Life Of Virginia. u
1t has been we'll said that from thu
moment Of Governor Yeardley's arrival
In 1919. with the charter providing TO-
this legislative assembly, dates the rea
life of Virginia. Here prosperity begun
with the day when Virginia received. a!
n Commonwealth. the freedom to maxi
laws for herself. Under this new charte
a SOLEMN assemblago OF elected repre-
sentatives OF the people organized them
selves for the government of the colony
on the soth day OF July, 1919, abou
seventeen months before the Mayflowc
with her band OF Pilgrims reached
the shores Of New England. This as
sembly set the example which has eve
since been followed. by opening Its do
n witt n h,, r,