The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-21
ST. JAMES CHURCH
OPENS TOMORROW
New Structure at Franklin and
Birch Takes Place of Old
Home Down Town.
PLAN ELABORATE SERVICE
Bishop Peterkin to Preach at
Formal Opening-Descrip
ton Of Editice.

Beginning with the celebration OF
Holy Communion at S o'clock. followed
By morning service at II. AT which
time the Right Rev. George w. peter
KIM -. H.. Bishop of West Virginia.
Will preach. and b.: evening prayer at
O'Clock the new building OF ST
James Protestant Episcopal Church.
at the corner OF Franklin and Birch
streets. Will be used tomorrow as
house OF worship for the nrst time
FOR many years the old church AZ
the corner Of Fifth and Marshall
Streets stood az sturdy reminder OF
the missionary spirit Of it's congrega-
ton. for CHI -pcls and missions founded
and aourished By its rcctors and as
sistants grow into established churches
In more progressive sections of the
city. while their chcrishtng mother re
mained in tho old fashioned neigh
bprhood OF her early home. occupied
continually by one congregation from
the year 1882 until last October.
Although tire old structure was not
erected un.l 1897. the congregation
was organized in 1881 by a party OF
churchmcn who gathered together In
that year for the purpose OF consider
ing the establishment OF a church for
the reason, as their quaint minutes
read. that they deemed II Essential
that there be an Episcopal church
b. the jewellers in the extreme west
ern end OF Richmond"
Follows Congregation
Several years ago however IL be-
came relentlessly apparent that the
sphere OF usefulness OF the congre-
CATION Was gradually but surely mar
rowing, partly by reason OF changes
in the character OF the neighborhood,
but chiefly because Of the inacccss,-
bility OF the church 10 n great ma
jority OF it's members, almost all of
whom now reside in section tar
west OF Fifth street
Therefore, IL Was determined that
the needs 81 the congregation de-
manded its removal from its old home
TO church more centrally located
with reference to it's mcrl t,crship and
10 the rapid westward trend Of the
residence district. and the lot upon
which the present church stands was
secured
The services OF holland & Basker-
willie, architects. were engaged. plans
were drawn, submitted discussed ana
finally agreed upon, and on November
20. 1911. the contract for the erection
OF the building Was let 10 John T.
Wilson Company. Inc. with a clause
/ providing FOR its completion within
one year on May :, 1912 the corner
stone of the new structure was laid
with churchly solemnity, and Bishop
Peterkin, son OF the Rev. Joshua
| Peterkin. who was for many years
| the beloved rector Of the church de-
/ iivered the address OF ceremony
I The hnai service in the old church
I was held on the last sunday in Sep
! tenlher 1912, al which time the Rev.
I William Meade Clark, -. D., rector OF
/ the parish since 1886, spoke most in
terest:nsly upon the history of the
( congregation. and Of its rectors and
( assistants, and, in his words the con
gregation turned its back upon the
! material dwelling place which had
I spiritual life leaving the old builo
+ ing. which had been sold with the
/ proviso that ii should De used for no
/ other purpose than that for which II
| was erected. ANA moving ., once into
] the sunday school connected with the
/ new building.
/ Since that time services have been
\ regularly held in that room. even dur
/ ing the alarming illness OF the great
/ ~ loved rector OF the church, and the
/ congregation has not only remained
| united, but has grown in numbers
i Architectural Features
I In considering plans for its new
I home the rector and vestry discard ID
I the Gothic type for the reason that an
! auditorium with a ceiling was believed
10 possess better acoustic properties
and for the further reason that such
q construction would more nearly re-