The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-27
IN MEMORY Of
GREAT TRAGEDY
CONTINUED from First Page.)

has sent out from Its membership some
OF the most eminent citizens. among
them four bishops and a number of
great men Of the early day as well as
Of later period.
What has been actually accom-
pltshed by the church will never be
known, said the speaker Impressive
~ If every man lives up to the
responsibilities placed In him by his
Maker, the result can but be inn
measurably great for good. Man. in
order to bring things to pass, must
rely upon the power entrusted to him
by God. God does not require us
to do impossible things. but to exert
the power we are endowed with. and
II this is done, we will see at the
close of the next hundred years much
more accomplished for the good of
us ALL"
Mayor Richardson spoke along the
lines of history, pointing out the vast
progress which had been made dur
ing the past hundred years, and sug-
costing that further effort be made on
the part Of the church to do still more
good for the community and for man.
Richmond has suffered from many
ealamities, said the mayor. There
is not another city in the country
that has been visited by more dread
full calamities than Richmond. From
the early days, the city. or rather the
community. has suffered. In 1922 the
few settlers who had dared locate
on the banks of the James here were
wiped out by the Indians; in 1884,
1855 and 1876 similar fate met the
intrepid ones who had followed the
course or the James. Then in 1891
the little town suffered by the in
vasion OF the British. and still later.
In 1883, a confiagration wiped out
the business section. In 1900 an
other insurrection was avoided by the
overlooking Of the creek. and fur
Their along. in 1892. the Asiatic
cholera carried away people by the
score. Then came the Civil War. and
tn 1870 the capitol disaster, in which
sixty-two people were killed.
Through Tribulation.
Our people have indeed risen up
through great tribulation and On
guish. But through il all the COM
munity maintained its high standard
as centre of refinement and in
teliigence. There was no town in
the country that bore wider repu-
tation for its large number of eminent
lawyers, physicians, Judges. preach
ers and statesmen and great men Of
every calling.
But politically. 1t was mlre OF
iniquity. there were bitter differences
OF opinion on many subjects, which
led to hatred and unfriendliness Some
OF our greatest men We're denounced,
and public and private life was made
IA burden for them.
George Washington. Thomas JET
ferson. Edmund Randolph and other
great men suffered much Tor political
calumny and jealousy.
ihe religious condition at the
time was also in a pitiable state. The
Baptists had small church on BROAD
street. the Methodists chapel at
Eighteenth and Franklin the Quakers
a church on Twentieth STR It. be-
tween Main and Cary. while tbs Pres
hytertans. Catholics and Jews had
no place of worship. The Episco.
paltnns worshiped at Old st. Johns
church, but that building was in a
dilapidated condition. There were
two Episcopal preachers here. how
over. which aiternated In services IL
the capitol building.
Conditions Were Bad.
conditions were deplorably bad.
while there were few places OF wor-
ship, the people themselves paid 1T
David Griffith was chosen bishop OF
the diocese he was so poor that he
could not go to England for conse-
Grafton. The parishioners would not
come 10 his succor. and 1t was vel,
salo by writer of the day, The
preachers hold services and preach
from benevolent motives to men of
the new school or modern phtloso-
piers who gather in the Capitol for
the want OF some place else t. 60 or
sorRething else to do.
Such was the condition of things
at the time of the holocaust But
the hre aroused the people. They
We're appalled, and were constrained
to think OF things Immortal. There
was great awakening. They lost
NJ time in reaching a conclusion.
nd the suggestion that monument
be erected over the remains OF the
Nictfms of the fire was eagerly
changed into one to erect a place
OF worship. and In a short time the
city Council had appropriated funds
Tor that purpose, in aiding many OF
the citizens, whose private cofYers
were opened up. and who afterward
paid for pews In the church so
readily that enough money was
raised to pay for the church and re-
turn portion Of the money privately
contributed.
From that time to the present
Monumental church has been doing
the community much good. And not
only the community. but the men
she has sent out To the many feIds
OF endeavor have helped to do the
world good
Pleads for Endowment
l)r. motifs asked the city to HELM
in raising the endowment fund, and
stated that II II were not done the
church could not continue its good
work. for there were many changes
taking place In that section OF the
city Numbers of people were NOV
ing to the West End who had wor-.
SHIPPED at Monumental. and in the
next decade there would be vast
difference In the personnel of the
congregation and mem bership.
No effort at taking subscriptions
was made last night. but the mem
bers, of the fund may be seen at
any time in reference to subscrip-
tons.
The Monumental Church Endow-
ment Fund, Incorporated was char
tered May 81. 1911, by the follow
ing men. who constitute its board of
management: Messrs. A. r. Var
brough. John L. williams. r. b. VAL
entine. John NJ. Taylor. Walter Chris
tan. Arden Howell. J. Amber John
ston. John A. Hancock and r. II.
Meade.