The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-30

Through the courtesy of the South
ern Churchman Publishing company
We are permitted to reprint from the
volume, Colonial Churches of Nir-
gtniA," the picture and sketch of the
historic and picturesque Nautcrs
church in 81. Anne's parish. Essex
county, Va. The church is located
near the summit Of Chimbors tiill in
upper Essex county, and stands in an
ancient grove of oak and walnut 1t
liz a brick building Of cruciform shape,
with three high sharp gables support
ing shingle roof. Its high and mar
now windows are guarded by heavy
wooden shutters.
The present chancel raised one
step from the stone paved aisles, is
furnished now with two modern
stands or lecterns for the service and
sermon, but back against the wall
there still stands tho old reading desk
and pulpit above it. The latter Is
reached by stairway from the chan
I Gel floor, and this stalrw ny is guard
ed by a handrail. Both pulpit ana
.f>eqseat7rs2 tse=k Hrs tiFHTsSf in crimson
hangings The pews are the same
old box stalls with benches Of un-
compromising rigidity, and furnished
! with changing doors, which announce
the retirement Of the occupants; but
/ they have been cut down to nearly
| half Of their former height. A yes
thule partition crosses the western
end OF the church, forming vestry-
room. and supporting gallery reach
ed by steps in the vestihule. An
! other gallery oyer the southern door
IL the organ loft
'T1iahnp MpaGe tells in his book
old Churches and Families or VIZ
4 ginia~ that when visiting these old
| colonial churches he frequently had
/ te hasten his arrival to erect tenn
pOrary platforms of bricks or stones
in tho pulpits, to enable him To see
the congregation; hut the sermons
of those DAYS were go long and closely
written that the minister had To he
more engaged in the scrutiny OF the
manuscript than In the observation of
the audience, In fact, from the shap"
of the church the pulpit could be only
visible from some points of the build
ing. TO complete the description or
this venerable building, there is only
10 be added that it's walls are covered
by the most iuNuriant mantle OF Eng
| l!sh Ivy. which is with 4lttcuItN re-
/ strained from invading and decaying
/ the wooden roof
:
churches. one of these churches
now destroyed ana even its name lost'
! but of which me foundation is visible,
stood near the present ST Matthew's
church, on+-f"hrth- - niIe above
H. on the road leading to Lloyd a.
This old church feil INTO the pos
session OF an owner Named SAFE from
which faFt II was known as SAFE
I Church" Legend tells lis that its
sfrtt tor IA Va "a ~ a
to seieA practical usos that It's chan
eel rail was made into chicken coop
About two miles from TINS old church,
ana on branch or oecupaeia creek:
stood the rertorN called me ''i"oe'
later gold to the R"wzie fafnlIy' anu
was known as Glover REID
with Wilson people ! guess this heat
About eight miles Iarlhef up IN
the county OF hsseS. ana situated
upon or near Blackburn's creek
stands Nauter's church. ana Mr-
Richard Baylor, Of kinfoch, writes
a.-fs i4@,Nl sf+s'e+'fftfs IN stets
Bishop Meade's above mentioned
work
The hrst thlnR that re""iiet'
*s connected Wlth the oid sanctuary
is that my father USED 10 Keep IN.
old English Hlpie at Mari t'ahk' anu
when the casual services or passing
EPlStbph MINISTER "NIt " te ""'N
there servant took the old Bible on
his head and accompanied the famlly
by near walking way across the
same Bfackburns creek. ana AFTER
service brought 1t back stlli nave
the old Bible AT h'nioch valued lot
its annqnltN' anu on 's oiahk feaFeS
are numerous references IN my
fathers handWrlHns' rer'0l,ioe,
when me ehnrCh u".rs always S.oou
VICE open, u lnoceo thes toulu ~
closed anu nave TAKEN fel1se ny
from storm IN anc "ous ~, ~
chutrH' lo"u'"s my i'oi ~ "A " ~. . NJ.
VT n"stoi re'A.e' w .t,--I Va ~, ~
OF o'ei between WV
iofe IN" spu'h uoo, % vac .ians,,
h Whicn ne aSs ne "as ~
ny MT NJ ~ H'"rNe' y, ~ I'm VIZ
attehdeu as surgeon WI D"y'o' 'oA
"hheS 49,, a.,