Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-10-23
HONOR ASBURY's MEMORY
AT UNWILLING THURSDAY
Tablet to Pioneer Methodist
Bishop at Nineteenth and
Franklin Streets.
SITE OF FIRST CHURCH. IN CITY
I.uiit In 170D. with MernbershIp OF
Twcnty-EiHht, and wns Formally
Set APnrt TO Worship tn God EnrIy
In 1900.

With the unvciling OF the memorial
tablet to Bishop Francis ASbury, tho
pioneer bishop Of Mcthodism in Amer
lea, at. lie north east corner Of Nine
tcenth and Franklin Streets. Thurs
Gay afternoon, October 81, at 3 O'Clock
with eight bishops OF the Southern
Methods, Church in attendance. in
tcrcst again ccntcrs in the historic
church that stood on the site now
occupied by warehouse.
The following. sketch of the First
Methodist Church in Richmond is
rcpublishcd, with q few alterations
from the pen OF the late DR.. Alexander
@. Brown. well known minister OF
the Virginia Methodist Conference.
and former presiding elder OF tho
Richmond District.
The first house OF worship bull.
by the Mcthodists IN Richmond was
the church on the north east corner
OF Nineteenth and Franklin Streets
This was built in 1899. with n mem :
bcr1hip Of twenty eight. representing
All the white Nethodists in Richmond.
The structure was Of brick, fronting
80 feet on Franklin Street and run.
ming back 40 feet in line with
Nineteenth Street. 1t was inexpcn-
siEe and unattractivc. from an ar
chitecturai standpoint
First Pastor Thomas LycII
THIS church was formally set apart
To the worship Of God early in III.
year Of 1900. The twenty-cight
members were not all native Amer
leans. Most Of them were immigrants
from England ana elsewhere. The
first pastor was Thomas Lyeli. who
was transferred by Bishop Asbury
from the Baltimore to the Virginia
c"nference in May, 1893. lie was a
comparatively young man, good
speaker. and full Of zeal in the min
istry. His talents were of the popu.
lar type. He soon became Il great ia
rorite and won admiration and CON
fidencc OF the community.
soon after coming to Richmond.
Mt. Lycil began to arrange for the
building Of this first house of wor-
snip. After laborivus effort he sue
cecded in having it completed and In
possession Of the congregation bv
the close or the frs. and only wear
OF his passionate. 1t appears to have
pecn ready for use before that time.
would have preached withinJth the
walls of our new house of worship nj
Richmond" writes Bishop Asbury in
MS journal, September S. 1893. hut
the excessive rains we had prevented "
PREVIOUS to the erection of this
80. en- thtyMethodiSts were per-
mittcd to worship in the old Hen
rico County Courthouse. located on
East Main Street where the present
courthouse now stands. In a short
while however. this privilege was
Withdrawn on complaint of the peoplc
rcsidinG in the vicinity that the loud
singing and shouting OF the cnthusi-
astic brethren was serious dis,u,h.
ahce OF thSir peace. They were com
pciied, therefore. to bctake themselves
TO the common, and to worshin ms
best they could in the open air un-
der the broad canopy OF heaven.
Part Played by Iarotts,
Among the strangers from abroad
who had settled in Richmond. was n
Iahiy by the name of PARROT
Though neither rich nor influential,
| they Seem to have possessed COM
Portable home. with means sufficient
to enable them to help their brethren,