The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-24
FIRST CHURCH At
|. THE CENTURY MARK
PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION
ROUNDS OFT HUNDRED YEARS
OF USEFULNESS.
BIRTHDAY OBSERVED
SPECIAL SERVICE MARKS CEN
TENNIAL--FoRNAL CELEBBA-
TIoN OF EVENT WILL
TAKE PLACE IN
OCTOBER.
BIRTHDAY OBSERVED

Rounding out a century OF useful
service, marked by wonderful pros
perity and continued growth. and fac
ing new era rich in promise, the
First Presbyterian church yesterday
informally observed It's Tooth birth
lay..
The formal and elaborate ceIebra-
ton Of the centennial OF the church
will be held in October, but the con-
gregation felt from reasons al GENT
, ment, that the exact date wnen the
church arrived at the century mile
stone could not he permitted to pass
without some observance Of The nc
mentous occasion.
Services Brief.
The special services were brief b,3t
appropriate. The pastor, Rev. Frank
T. MCFaden. r. D., in lieu Of gar
mon. addressed the congregation III
the history Of the church. outlining
sts growth from the modest beginning
on June g. ISL, Ia thu present d. = ),
recitEng the story OF it's struEgi +
and It's triumphs. A special mes3eai
program was rendered by the choir
An audience that packed The comnu-
diouS auditorium of the eGifice heard
Or. McFaaen with marked interest.
Tho pastor announced that amo1g
,1e improve ments contemplate this
summer is the installation OF "a hand
some new organ. which ne tx5e Is
p'liI be in place ia time Cor tae an-
nual session Of the synod OF Virginia.
which win haid IL sessions .hs-s.
Organized in 1872.
The First Presbyterian contyrega-
tton WAS organized. with a ne aher-
oh - tyf4
1872, and lis first place OF wcra.il, !,
was = little frame structure en- the
south side Of Main street, between
TN enty -seyenth and Tw sAty- eIgh IA
streets. In 1915 a new building, @alen
derived the name OF the "21 laGyp}a
Church from an ornament On ITS
stee pie. was erected by the congrr-
CATION on the south side OF Grace
street. between seventh and eigh~
tenth streets. About 1880 the cor
gregation, still gaining steadily IN
growth. erected new edince pa tn
~ IT h side Of Franklin street, between
Thirteenth and Fourth stress 9n tsts:
square west OF The Ballard Iousa.
soon these quarters were outgrcwn,
II was found necessary 10 mavG
again. This iimc--in isbi--A l ew
t1-lttJ:ing was erected AT In tornIr
OF capitol and Tenth streets, the 5on~
eregation al the time moving west
ward te keep pace with the .festA OF
its membership IT was in 1884 that
the present splendid house Of worshi p
at Grace and Madison MAS butt and
here the congregation has since NOT"
SHIPPED.
Seat out Three Colonies.
Since its organisation tins First
church congregation has sent OUT
three colones--in 1916. the Second
church Was SAINT ont as a colony from
the First church. wiki Rev. Or.
Moses -. Iipge az pastor; in 1879 a
colony from the First church formed
the necleus of the First church Of
Manchester, and in 1889 a third col
ony from First church was organized
into Westminster church.
The pastors of the church since its
organization have been: From 1912
20 1893. Rev. John Holt Rice; from
1875 to 1885. Rev. William Jessup
Armstrong, 1894 io 1916, Rev. VIII
liam swan Plunmer: 1877 To Ises,
Res. Thomas Vernon Moore; 1888 10
1855. ReY> THOMAS I.ewss Preston
T SI t. TgGJ. 1Kev, KoBf FolI5eE
Kerr and since 1908 the present pas.
tor Rev. Frank #, Acfaaen. u d,
has served tae congregation with a
faithfulress and zeal that has WON
the hearts or his people. and ha-
marked period of usefulness and
prosperity such as the church has no:
experienced before in all its lola;
history