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2 (702) THE
I strengthened the work of the church. On one
Sabbath as many as seventy people united with
the church. A new church was erected in a new
location to meet the growing demands. Dr.
Armstrong was an earnest advocate of Foreign
.Missions. This hnally led to his appointment as
general agent and afterward as the Secretary of
!the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign
Alissions. lie ued in 1833. During
his pastorate 306 m^rDers were received into the
church. The concerns of the congregation at this
time were managed by a Board of Trustees. The
following account as to their election is of interest:
"At the time specified, the owners of the
pews subject to assessment shall assemble and
choose by ballot the trustees for the ensuing
year; and each pew of this description shall be
entitled to one vote only. Subscribers to this
building remaining creditors shall be entitled to
vote at meetings of pew holders, in proportion
to their amount of their respective credits, allowing
one vote for $100 credit; 2 votes for $300;
3 votes for $600, and 1 votes for $1,000 or
more.''
Dr. Armstrong was afterwards drowned on a
trip from Boston to New York, during a disas
trous storm, when the vessel was wrecked.
The third pastor was Dr. William Swan Pluiner,
who was called from Petersburg in 1834. He
remained until 1848, when he went to Baltimore
and became the hist pastor of what is now the
strong and influential Franklin Street church.
Dr. Plumer was a great leader. He was
known all over the church. He became the first
Moderator of the old school Assembly in 1838.
He became the editor of the Watchman of the
South, as also its founder, now known and read
by many as Tlle Pkesbytekian of the South.
Dr. Plumer was a great preacher and his influence
extended far and wide.
It was during his pastorate the Second Presbyterian
church, strong and vigorous and influential
to-day as it always has been, was organized.
It was under his pastorate and during
the old and new school controversy that some
hundred went out and formed the Fourth Presbyterian
church, which afterward amalgamated
with the Grace Street church.
During Dr. Plumer's pastorate 309 members
were added to the church.
The fourth nastor was Dr. T. V. Moore, from
Greencastle, Pa., whose pastorate was the longest
of any of the seven, extending from 1841 1868.
During that time, 619 were added to the
church. A new building was erected in 1851 at
Tenth and Capitol Streets. In 1859 a new (the
present) organ was installed.
Dr. Moore was a loveable character, a forceful
Witer, an able Presbyter, a preacher of unction
and power. He will long be known as the author
of "The Last Days of Jesus," and "The Culdee
1 1' TT-? ?4-n nmKru oorl fli n T^ATlAfl
Unurcil. XXia postulate ewuiuuvu wv f'
covered by the Civil War, and he was indefatigable
in all his efforts to bring comfort and peace to
sorrowing homes. In 1867 he was Moderator of
the Assembly in Nashville, Tenn. The church in
that city becoming vacant shortly after and remembering
the excellent sermon preached by
Dr. Moore, called him to their city, and in 1868
he removed to Tennessee.
HYKa naofor woo T^T* Tlinmflfl TiAWlft
ton, who was pastor from 1868 to 1883, and who
came from Salem, Va. During his pastorate 365
were added to the church. It was during his
pastorate that some twenty or more members
were dismissed to help organize what is now the
Porter Street church of South Richmond. Dr.
Preston was an able preacher and faithful pastor.
His leaving was greatly regretted, and the
assent to his request for the dissolution ?f the
relation that existed was "that the consideration
of the health of our pastor and! the peculiar cir
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE S <
cumstances that seem to indicate the guidance of
Providence, in the decision to which he has come
in the selection of a new held for his pastoral
services, alone reconcile us to the sacrifice we are
called upon to make."
The sixth pastor, the only living ex-pastor, is
the Rev. Dr. B. P. Kerr, who came from Tabb
Street, Petersburg, in December, 1883, and rexnained
until 1903, when, to the regret, not only
of the church, but of the whole city, he left to
take chai'ge of the Northxninster church in Baltimore.
It was during D$. Kerr's pastorate that
the oresent location was chosen and the chureh
removed from Capitol Square to Grace and
Madison. Likewise, under liis pastorate, the
Westminster church, the strong and vigorous
daughter of the West End, was sent out as a
colony and organized in 1899. Nearly 800 members
were added to the church during JDr. Kerr's
pastorate.
Dr. Kerr has left in Richmond a fragrant
memory as an able preacher, excellent pastor,
and an " all round hne man.'' He is well known
to the church as the writer of many line and valuable
books on Presbyterianism. He ib the compiler
of the well known hymn book, "Hymns
of the Ages." The many friends of the Seminary
look upon him as the leading factor in the
removal of the iSeminary to Richmond.
it is a pleasure to know that his bow abides in
strength and that he is giving to the church in
Baltimore the same service of success which he
gave to Richmond.
The seventh and present pastor is Dr. F. T.
McFaden, who came from Lynchburg in December,
1903. I shall refrain from any statement
as to these past eight years and a half. Suffice
it to say, that some 390 members have been added
to the church, the Men's Brotherhood has erected
and has charge of the Fainnount church, and
$140,000 in this period have been contributed to
the congregational and benevolent causes.
In the 100 years of the existence of the First
church some three thousand and more members
have been received, and between seven and eight
hundred thousand dollars have been contributed.
It may be oi interest to have something said of
the church buildings. There have been live
Ohurch edifices. The first was built in 1812 and
of brick. It was on the so*Uh side of Main
Street, between 27th and 28th Streets, near
Jlocketts, at the foot of Libby Hill.
The second one was erected in 1816, It was on
the south side of Grace, between 17th and 18th
Streets. From the appearance of the ornament
on the top of the high steeple it became known
as the Pineapple church. It was afterward sold
to fche Episcopal church and became the first field
of Dr. Woodbridge, so long the beloved rector of
Monumental cnurcn.
The third church edifice was erected in 1830
and during Dr. Armstrong's pastorate. It was
on the north side of Franklin, between 13th and
14th Streets, on the square just west of the old
Ballard House.
In 1851, the fourth church edifice was erected
on Capitol Square, at 10th Street, during Dr.
Moore's pastorate.
In 1884, the present building was removed to
the present location at Grace and Madison
Streets.
It is sometimes asked what became of the bell
on the church that was at 10th and Capitol. The
following will answer:
THREE BELLS.
The hell of the First Presbyterian church,
which building is now about to be torn down to
make room for the new City Hall, was, with those
of Dr. Read's and the Second Baptist churches,
removed during the war to be melted np and
used in gun metal. These churches, as no doubt
some others did, gave their bells to the cause.
) VVH [July 3, 1912
But they were never used. At the evacuation I
these three bells were sitting out on the pavement
on Seventh Street near where Williams'
tobacco factory now is. It is likely that they fell I
to the capturers of the city as a part of the
spoils of the day.
The First church has always stood for growth
and expansion.
in I84h the Second church was sent out with
74 members from the First and Dr. Hoge was
chosen as the pastor. The Second church has
sent out two colonies and has two mission
churches to-day. In 1836-1839, during Dr.
Plumer's pastorate, some one hundred members
went out and with some members from what
is now known as Grace Street church, organized
the Fourth Presbyterian church. This number
was composed of some of the best material of the
First church. The Fourth church afterward
united with the Grace Street church, and the influence
of these early members is still seen in
their descendants?the present leaders of the
Grace Street church.
In 1870 more than twenty were dismissed to
help organize the First Presbyterian church of
Manchester, now the Porter Street Presbyterian
church of Richmond.
A large number of thotse who organized the
Third church were likewise members of the First
church.
In 1889 the Westminster church was sent out
and organized as a colony. It is now a strong
and self-sustaining church with a vigorous mission
of its own.
In 1912 the church at Fairmount was erected
by the First and is now maintained by the
Brotherhood of this church.
Likewise the First church has most liberally
and cordially given of her members to all the
Presbyterian churches in all sections of the city.
Tt. would not hp woll tn noar r.ha pannliininn of
this address without saying that the First church
has had among its members twenty-five able
ministers who have preached in Persia, Siam,
and the home land. Some are preaching with
much success and fruitage to-day.
Liberal in her gifts to the benevolent causes,
ever ready to do good as opportunity arises, the
First church, entering r.pon its 101st year of
history, is renewing its youth and stand ever
ready to advance the interests of the Master's
Kingdom.
The men and women who labored in the past
were men and women of thought, of courage, of
action, men and women of God.
Wa liava antflnid intn tlinip lnhnrs Onfi SOW
eth, another reapeth. Both rejoice together.
Let us do the work so faithfully that those who
come after us shall rise up and call us blessed.
In reading the Acts of the Apostles we are
struck with the fact that those early believers
were very faithful in their dealings with one
another. They had caught the meaning of that
saying of the plain-speaking and kindly James:
"The wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceably, gentle, and easy to be entreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality
and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17).
When we have nothing else that we can ao
for the good of mankind, and are so poor that
we have nothing else that we can give, we can
always and everywhere give.kindness. Kindly
sympathy in another's interests, honest pity f?r
his mistakes and failures, sincere pleasure in his
successes?these are always in our power if we
are not too self-en grossed to bestow them, and
these will do much to fill the days with sunshine
and the future with radiapt hope.?Selected.
,,
"Behold we count them happy who endure.