The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-05-11

farn, was presented to him by the
grateful members of his churches. We
may stop just moment and think OF
4 this man, said to be famed far outside
his denominational lines for his ele
ganCe and pious fervor. seated in his
home just across the Potomac in Fair
fax county, watching closely the prog
rcsS of national events. Probably he
knew of the passing of Washington's
J army from New York to its Gnal vic
i tory a Yorktown. Pcrchance Pat
rick Henry had minated to him the
1 coming fight which should finally in
corporate religious liberty in our Con-
stitution. Certain it is that he pub
lishcd two or three treaties I'M de-
fence of mis- principles. in which very
considerable ingenuity is displayed"
His early experiences must have col
ored his plea for liberty. as he re-
membered that once he had been
seized by lawIoss mob" and On ans
other occasion his companion had &C
tually been .tduCked." But we are not
TO forget that the activities of this
minister we're quite extensive in time,
fer he Vas born in i746 and died in
1915; SO that he lived through the
French and Indian Wars and through
the two wars with England, and en-
gagged IN ministerial work for fOrty~tiVe
the principles Of religious liberty,
writing 10 Thomas Jefferson. as late
as 1900, expressing his disapproval OF
a law ineapacitatnE the clergy from
being elected to Office. Indeed his
sympathies eXerted themselves
against slavery in powerful address
before the old kttoctin association
in 1892. He then predicted that if
slavery persisted this country would
be drenched in blood. as in the French
revolution. and declared that he
would free his own slaves but as no
provision had been made for them by
the constitution, he didn't know what
10 do with them.
Seat of Government
But We are rapidly approaching the
period when the seat of government
IS to be removed to Washington city,
and jeremiah Moore across the river
Is laying plans for the perpetuity of
his principles. Sempie says of him:
In point of talents Mr.. Moore stands
| in the front rank of Virginia preach
efs. His person and voice are ex-
tremely advantageous, his style is
strong and energetic and indeed ele-
CANT, especially as he has not had the
advantages of a refined education.
II ideas are brilliant. he is well
NerSed i'll Scriptures, his system is
high caNinism which he breaches with
great ingenuity. IT is doubtful
whether any preacher in Virginia has
run more honorable course than
Mr.. Moore. honorable to his God. hon
urabie to himself, honorable TO his
people. His age foretells that the
crown Of glory will not await him
much longer. But before this final
act Mr.. Moore is to leave permanent
impress Of his gigantic efforts and
mas maste, ~ strategy.
4 BAPTIST minister VIM Parkinson
had COME from Maryland in 1901, ana
was elected chaplain of the first CON
gress. As meeting houses" were few
IN the Capitol city Mr. Parkinson
preached Lords Day morning in the
Capitol building. and in the afternoon
in the Old Treasury, which stood in
the site of the present treasury. Mr..
| Parkinson. writing afterwards COM
| corning those experiences, says: The
members of congress attend album
! dainty better than l expected. ! have
moreover the pleasure of stating that
| the president (Thomas Jofferson has
missed but one Of my meetings a The
| Capitol lit will be recalled that
| lefferson's sister was member of
Baptist churCh)
| We have record Of a very sfgnif-
| cant event that took place the very
| next year, March 1892. Tin the files
| OF the National InteilEence), in
! which Moore and Parkinson had part
| The news item runs After suitable
| sermon delivered by Mi Moore, they
| constituted church by the name of
The Baptist Church in Washington"
| as an additional inducement to such as
| feel inclined To remove to this city
and also to travelling preachers OF
that denomination TO visit their breth-
! rem and preach tt the people in this
place. Congress was then IN session
| Tor the second time in Washington.
| and this city contained less than 1000
inhabitants. + street was the prin-
| cIpal thoroughfare. Penna, avenue
was not improved and difficult of pas
sage. and washed by the daily tides
| of Tiber cheek.
The new church stood at the $. w.
corner of Nineteenth and streets.
The first preaching was supplied by
| Rev. Mr.. Parkinson, chaplain to the
| government. The church was without
permanent pastor till 1907, from
| which ! conjecture mat Mr.. Moore
was still engaged in the larger work
of establishing new interests in the
state. Six persons We're the coustitu-
ent members OF this First church. A
church building Wa& erected in the
|
cupied, a present by the negro Bap-
fists. Mr.. Moore must have seen the
necessity long before of establishing
a Baptist church in Alexandria where
| he had been imprisoned a number of
times and where he had preached
often at last the opportunity presented
, itself. True a Presbyterian church
| had been established there in 1865. but
| then Presbyterianism and Episcopacy
| had long befofe agreed to disagree
and be at peace. Later the Metho-
| dists had projected their work. In
1903 Mr.. Moore was instrumental in
| the organization of the First Baptist
church of Alexandria and his dream
was a reality.
The caurch in Alexandria he
m'htione with peculiar pleasure, on
account of us being located in the
| place whcr@ he was thrice called TO
answer a the liar Of his country for
pted2ning the gospel. Taylor adds
NJ loubt is entertained but that the
church of AloXntrian is in part COM
posed of thp families that have de-
seconded frorl his most bitter perse-
CuIurs."
The EriscCraIians of course had for
a