The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-10
ANCIENT TABB STREET CHURCH
WILL OBSERVE ITS BIRTHDAY
One Hundred Years Ago First
Congregation Organized in
Petersburg.
ITS INTERESTING HISTORY
During Lifetime 1t Has Witness
cd Wonderful Growth OF
Presbyterianism.
Tie Times Dispatch Bureau.
. Bollingbrook Street,
(IJlnnn 1lE.l

Petersburg. Va. November ..
As appropriate TO tho observance
on sunday next Of the cen
tennial of the Tabb street Prcsbv-
terrain Church. the pastor tho REV.
Charles r. Strbling, at the morning
service to- day delivered scrInon-ati-
dress. embracing an interesting history.
OF the church and OF the men who In
tn" past had largely figured In it, His
text was from Heb. X 80 call to
Remembrance the Former DAYS" and
his subject was The biography Of u
Church" The congregation was large
and deeply attentive ana Interested. IL
was an occasion ana an address that
could not be otherwise than deeply in
terestinR
"Before | call from tho past the
men who figured SO prominently in The
history Of Tabb street Church." said
Mr. Stribing. ana attempt 70 clothe
them with flesh and blood again. lot
me- recall the conditions OF our city
and land 100 years ago. 4 war with
England vas raging, and Petersburg
had contributed literally of its best
men to maintain the rights and lib
critics Of the infant republic
only a few months before your
fathers became an organized Prcsby-
tcr!an church great Indian
ana more than 900 ,nen. women and
children We're brutally massacrcd. JuHt
prior TO this hy only a fcw years. tho
famous duel between John ID. Burls
and 81 Frcnchman. named Colbert. had
taken place almos, within sight OF
ing, and the poet and historian fell in
tho vigor ana manhood OF his days
and filled an untiIncly grave.
The moro recent horror OF the
burning Of the theatre in Richmond
was fresh in tho minds OF our people,
n a ~ IL. fp.ta 49,,
as it had done in Richmond. 70 turn
mems thoughts and heads 10 God
AT tina; time there were but two
churches hcrc-onc in Blandford, and
on" in Petersburg.
The first service ever conducted in
Petersburg By a Presbyterian preacher
was held b. the Rev Samuel Davies,
about the year 1850. No greater man
ever lived in our state than this pioneer
preacher. In 1872 Davies was followed
by Benjamin GriGsby and Archibald
Alexander. young men fresh from col
lcg.. There came in the summer Of
1872 benjamin Holt Rice. under whose
ministry twenty were gathered into n
! congregation and organized into n
church by Hanover Prcsbytery. In the
fall OF 1919 Mr.. Rice was chosen pas :
tor, and under his ministry the church
grew and prospcred.
HIS successors cndcavorcd 70 fol
low IN his footsteps. as he followed his
Divine Master Among the most con
spicuous OF these men were: the Rev
/ w. .. Piumer, y. D.. the Rev. John
l.cyburn. u. -. the Rev. =. H. Van
( Xandt. T.. -, the Rev a w. Miller
7 j.. H.. the Rev. William j. Hogc. the
Rev. u l.. Dabncy, -. y, the Rev. T.
II. rutherford. y. .. the Rev T D.
Withcrspoon. the Rev. Robert +. Kerr
/ H. D. the Rev. j. Roscbro. - D.
the isv. J. 6; Foster. u. u. But two
OF the churchs former pastors are
/ iiving-the Rev. Or. Kerr. Of North
minister Presbyterian Church. iSaltl-
more. and the Rev. Dr. Foster. OF the
+ First Presbyterian Church BirIning
/ ham. Ala
Rev. Charles r Striking. the pres
ent pastor, was installed III 1911. III