The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
OBSERVE HOLY RITE
Bishops Celebrate Eucharist
at jamestown.
MAKE JOURNEY DOWN RIVER
Services In COmmemOratiOn of the
Three Hundredtb Anniversary OF
the Founding of Episcopal Church
in United States Are Conducted in
Churchyard Adjoining Old Tower.
By a staff Correspondent.

BY Stah Correspondent
Richmond, Va, Oct. 12.-The Anglican
Church In America celebrated to-day the
Holy Eucharist the most solemn rite Of
its ritual. on the very spot where 300
years ago Master Robert Hunt made the
first communion In the New World. ac-
cording to the rite of the English branch
of the primitive church
Gathered around the ruined tower. the
lone sentinel Of colonial times, on James
town Island. several thousand pilgrims
OF the general convention OF the Ameri-
can Episcopal Church. together with
several representatives OF the English
Church, worshiped God and paid tribute
to the memory of Robert Hunt and the
godly man Of the past who laid the
foundation OF this American church Of
Christ, which to-day numbers more than
Loo, 600, as compared TO the eighty or
ninety soldiers Of fortune who that Gay,
in 1907, knelt in the shadow Of the Vir-
ginia forests and heard the words of the
mass. The religion Of the beautiful out
of doors OF a Virginia Indian summer
held sway without the disturbing thought
that the ceremonies might be interrupt
ed by the war cry Of the fierce aborigines.
Four river steamers carried the crowds
to jamestown Island. the delightful sail
Of seventy miles down the river being
a feature The members OF the conven-
tion were the guests Of the diocese Of
Southern Virginia The woman's auxii-
iary of the general mission board also
entertained a party. The general public
cheerfully paid their fares. those who
could not obtain room on the boats going
by rail to Williamsburg. taking private
conveyances there for the short trip TO
the historic old island. A megaphone was
installed on each steamer. the points Of
interest and the historic old Virginia
.homesteads on the route being pointed out.
and their history related. Luncheon was
served or each boat by expert caterers.
Several Orchestras furnished sweet music
on the way down the river.
Celebrate Holy Communion.
The services on the island were con-
Quoted in the church yard. adjoining the
famous old ruined church tower. The
services consisted Of the celebration OF
tue AelJ CAililui4Uus AulttWtN uF AEfD-
tional exercises in commemoratlon Of the
3o0th anniversary Of the establishment Of
the Episcopal Church in the United
States. The services were conducted by
Right Rev. a. N. Randolph Bishop Of
Southern Virginia; Bishop Doane, Of Al
bany, n. Y, and Bishop Montgomery.
secretary Of the Society for the Propa-
cation Of the Gospel, the oldest mission
airy organization in England and the so
ciety which sent the first missionaries
to Virginia. The services were very inn
pressive. A large area Of the old island
was covered by the assembled crowds.
On account Of the jamestown pilgrim
age. which was participated in by prac-
tically all the church dignitaries in the
city, there was no session Of either house
of the general Episcopal convention to-
day. The Richmond Episcopal pulpits
viii be filed by the visiting bishops and
/ clergynen tomorrow morning and night
/ The house Of deputies has announced
/ that ii will hold night sessions during
! the remaining life OF the convention, IN
order to facilitate the mass Of business
/ yet TO receive the attention OF that body