The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-30
LAST SERVICE IN
HISTORIC CHURCH
St. James Episcopal Moves This
Week to Its New Home in
the West End.
HEARD SOLEMN BENEDICTI0N
Mr.. Clark Reviews Career OF
Church and Tells of Its
Former RectorS.

With the pronouncement Of a solemn
benediction at the close of the evening
service yesterday at st. James FRO
testant Episcopal Church. the old
succeed edifice which has stood 1or
so many years at the corner OF Fifth
and Marshall Streets, a monument 10
| the church builders Of the last CEN
tury and a source OF inspiration 10
their descendants and successors
! nassed out Of existence as a house OF
! worship. In the words OF the REV.
| William Meade Clark. d. D.. the rec
! tor, the congregation turned 'ts
hack upon the material dwelling place.
| which had been its home and wehs or
| ward in its spiritual lie. ioohihs
| forward to the new habitation "hoss
erection the steady encroachment OF
| business houses upon the iocahty ot
! the old church and the compiets
| change in the centre OF residential
nopuIation had rendered necessary.
In the course OF brief and IN
tenselv interesting historical account
! Of the church and congregation' Mi
clark implied an all-sufiicient reason
| for the removal OF the congIesaNoh
| IN a new abode in the precedent SCI
~. these who organized and built the
old church. He said that In July. 1881
! a party Of churchmen gathered W
| gether at the corner or S'@th al.
! Marshall Streets for the purpose OF
considering the establishment OF
new house OF worship. for the RECORDED
| reason that it was. IN their opih.o'
essential that there be an Episcopal
~
attended by the jewellers in the eh-
creme western end OF Richmond
Hence. Mr.. Clark continued. they nxeo
upon Fifth and Marshall Streets as
convenient location for such ehuEch'
Descendants There To-Day.
Among the men who met In tha'
ma rty. said MI Clark. were four whose
| descendants are pewholders In the
! church to-day. John Williams. n. a.
/ Claiborne. Adolph Dill and Mann ..
Valentine, and OF these four. TWO
! represented on the vestry OF tne
| church by their grandsons-Mr. VII
| liams and Mr.. Valentine Inc hIe'
yes.ry of record.he stated. was com
| posed OF John Williams. Adolph Diil'
| Gennario Persico, John c. McCabe ira
ther of Colonel W. Gordon McCaoe,'
| Alfred r. Harris. General William Lam
bert (for many years Mayor OF Rlcn-
mond) and DR.. James Beaie. ihis
! record was written in 1887, In "Hici'
! year the cornerstone OF the present
! church was laid with Masonic rites and
| the conservation services were held III
the following year The BUILDING was
! consecra:ed. said Mr.. Clarke, In ap.
| parent violation OF the strict rules oi
! the church, since there was, ana &c
! manned for several years. a dept upon
| the structure.
| I, 1877 continued Mr.. Clarke. the
| srst rector of st. James. DR.. Adams
| Emnie. was called. not by the Vestfs'
tbut by the congregation. in meeting
assembled DR.. Empie continued rec
tor Of the church until 1858. MI
F.! Clarke proceeded. when he was sue
/ oee.ied BY the Rev. D. q. Cummihss.
| afterwards Bishop Of Kentucky. Af.
| Cummings rerr lined at St James Tor
! less than two years. being followed In
1855 by the Rev joshua Peterkin, d.
! D.. wko was preacher and pastor o,
the old church from that time unt''
his death. in 1se:
DIR. Peterkin's Goodness.
With DR.. Peterkin and his minis
| ,rations, said the present rector. began
RI. 81 lanes Church that is known
to-day He being dead. we, speaketh.
| quoted the rector. with deep feeling.
| Continuing. Mr.. Clark stated that no
stronger proof Of Dr.. PeteFkins god
1,ess and wisdom could be oneTeo
than his firm and earnest teaching tnat
no church could fulfil Its destined pur-
! nose on earth that confined ITS eHorts
/, and energies to Its own upbuiicins'
and cited the fact that. even in the
very early days Of DR.. Peterkins sue
cessful ministry at St James. ne mao
urged and carried out the estaohsh-
| ment OF mission churches. which later
| had become Independent bodies. In
:his manner, said Nj CLARK. Or: feter-
J kin had created and fostereo %. FhI.-
ip's the colored Episcopal church: St
Marx. at the corner OF First and Clay
streets and the Moore Memorial mis-
sion now the church OF the Holy Trim
i,y. all Of which were m!n!stered to by
assistants OF DR.. Peterkin until they
became independent churches.
| Among those assistants. the rector
! stated were the Rev. T. G. 1Dashiell
Who had charge OF st. Philips and was
later rector OF St Marks: Ri Rev.
! C.ore. ". Peserkin, Bishop OF West
Virginia. Rev. Mr.. Maury. Ri Rev
Rober, A. Gibson. Bishop Of Sireinis
!; no had specific charge Of the Moore
Memorial Mission: Rev. II. p. Lee. rec
tor Of Christ Church. Characteristic
r. Rev. J. r. Winchester, Bishop OF
. Arkansas: Res. Henry \. Wise. Rev
NJ r. spr!gG. who also hae charge OF
the Moore Memorial: Rev George W
pane. now % Baltimore: Rev. Gecrst
r sutton. and the Rev Preston Nash
To the memory OF M. Nash. Mr.. CiArk
,aid A high tribute. saying that h
vas like a loving son TO his aged rec.
!: tor. making his path smooth for hin
and bearing ali the burdens tina; Dr
P.,.,ksn would allow him to assume.
s,v~Ss (Hovssy wsvk.
Il Toward the latter few years Of DR.
re,.rkin.s life. Mr. Clark explained
~. condition % his health impeIlet