Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1908-10-03
Trade Die Rally Support that's the Question


The British flag had been unfurled
over the town in view. We are told.
Of the significance of the visit OF
the representatives from the Church
Of Bruton in VIRGINIA.
Somerset. England. is noted for
the beauty of It's Parish Churches. |
Among them none is more beautiful
than Bruton. Hosry with age. its
stones. mellowed with the touch of
time. seemed to speak TO Us of the
vitality of the faith that had pro-
tected them so long. Spacious yet
poetic in its symmetry. the old church
stands in the midst of an extensive
green which reverence has protected
through the centuries from the en-
croachments OF the town
England does not sell her church
yards. Though cities crowd about
them they remain inviolate to give
an air of calm and an aspect Of
quiet lovliness to the ancient TEN
pers which consecrate them.
There is not time to give the his
tory Of Bruton. Il stretches back
through long centuries. through vis-
tas which run through the clustered
cells Of an ancient monastery and
through the vaulted aisles Of an an
cient abey church. Monastery and
abey are no more. but the thought
OF them rises up out of the dim past
and hallows the spot with sacred
memories.
To a congregation which crowded
the building We spoke OF the history
OF Bruton Va. and of the significance
Of the occasion as being but a par
OF a closer union between the one
great church on two sides o. thc
ocean. In the afternoon the sohol
arly vicar gave an historical addres.
OF exceptional interest. As one
listened to the history of the ok
{ church, which in ITS making hs'
left its marks indellibly in the stone
of the building. one could but o.
, impressed anew with a deep sens
OF reverence and gratitude. We ar
s told sometimes that our church wa
formed by King Henry VIII an
D that her age is only about BIS years
r Nobody of any intelligence in Ene
r land believes that. The lionel
Z ruined walls Of deserted monastsries
{ th. vine clad ruins of ancient abbey.
n the demolished shrines in paris
E churches. the faint lines which mar
6 the place of abandoned lady-char
: els. and confessionals. tn
e lone and deserted pedestal
2 OF antiquated and dethroned saint,
p the closed up receptacles for hol
y water. the deserted cells OF monk
y long since departed. these and man
II other marks of like kind in the:
= ancient churches tel what was dor
= in the time of Henry VIII and E
ward VI three hundred and fifty ar
? more years ago. but the stream
2 our church life runs back throul
i and far beyond these 10 simple Sa,
Z oa chspels which witnessed 70 tru
n faith. and 70 the ruins of early K
? glish churches which were before Il
o Roman domination and are now SIT
" pie tokens in stone of the simple u
el corrupted faith of our Ancestor
J. n the time of Henry VIII and <
II ward VI the English church brol
ye her chains, her idols and her {
c crusted shell. The question of {
n time Of her birth IS in no way q
a, termined by the time when she tot
o. her cleansing bath OF purificaho
Of We are not OF those who hold II
o. an ancient pedigree is the noble
he mark either of a man or of a churc
an but if either man or church has
,e vital hold upon the life that now