The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-02

M Church IN America assembled
u in Richmond, and not since
that date has this important
church body held its sessions in a city
of as small population as Rich
mond.
When the convention Of 1859 as
senlbled, by@agcurious coincidence the
Southern Baptist Convention which
met in Richmond last May, also held
Its session in Richmond the same year.
Convention of 80.
The convention of 1859 was held in
st. Paul's Church, where the House OF
aCler.eal and Lay Deputies will sit this
month. The gathering was hardly
half the size OF the present body,
there being at that time but one
diocese to State, and the great area
west of the mississippi River was then
an almost unknown missionary terri
tory. The House of Bishops also was
much smaller body, and their ses-
sions i'll the basement of st. Paul's
\ Church lacked something of the ease
and comfort which the House of
Bishops will find in the State Capitol.
st. Paul's was at that time COM
paratively new church, being in fact
but fifteen years old. No memorial
windows adorned its auditorium, and
stamped on the building. the historic
associations which are now among Its
most cherished possessions. From It's
windows could be seen the old State
Capitol, standing In its simple dignity
on the brow OF the hill, the same
building, in fact, in which the Diocese
of Virginia was organized. and IN
which for many years service was
held on every alternate Sunday
Crawford's Washington, fresh from
the hands Of its maker, surmounted
its PEDESTAL but the stately group
which surround the equestrian general
were lacking In several Of their mem
bers, and Crawford, the artist, was
GAready dead.
The Rfchmond Minister'S.
Among the Richmond ministers !
may be truly said. And there wer
giants in those days"
The host of the convention, the rec
Tor OF st. Paul's, was the much believe
Dr, Charles Minnigerode, whose tende
fninistrations during the years of wa
and desolation which followed hard o
the convention year of 1859 rendere
him doubly dear to the whole>city.
Fifteen years before st. Pauls ma
come out as a colony from Monumental
leaving but fourteen families at Tn
old church, and under the rectorship
Or Norwood erecting the present built
Ing of ST. Pauls Church. Monuments
retained sthe services of Dr. Woo
bridge, and the remnant were short
afterwards joined by the congregatio
Of the old pineapple Church, on Se'
fsnteenth street. who We're burned out
their church home. The pineapple
Church was later rebuilt and opened
a mission under the name of Chri
Church, and after being again burn.
moved on up into Nenable Street
Johns had In lSo9 the services OF Re
Henry S. Kepler, and the much b
loved and venerated Dr. Joshua Pete
kin, then an active young clergyma
was in charge of the new congregati
of st. James. who had recently erect
their building sin the far West Enc
at Fifth and Marshall.
This marked the westernmost bou
of church extension previous To I
war, although at the time the conve
I. lion met money was pledged for co
siderable part of the cost Of erecti
81 st Marks Church The war came
a$ before these pledges We're paid, a
the building of this church was {
ss layed ten years or more. until the we
known and much loved DR., DASH
again undertook TO raise funds for
church house.
Among Those There.
1t was not until in the years AT
the great struggle that Grace Chu'
ana later All Sainss' Holy Trinity Q
other churches in the West End w
projected, the march of the chul
having been steadily westward sil
the days when Parson Buchanan eros
the valley from ST. Johns and h
services In the State Capitol,
i Tho venerable Bishop Meade p
sided over the Diocese az Virginia. ;
was the host of the convention,
sisted by his coadjntor Bishop Jol
g.5 Among the members present W
Alorzo and Horatio Potter, the fat
and uncle os Bisliop Henry g. Pot
of New York. IForty-two members
in the House OF bishops emma,
s' Church had already been tablishet
Henrico conuty. near Brook Hin,
the rector there was Rev. r. H.
Il mAry afterwards consecrased Bishop
mississippi,
There was much social life in