_The Churches of Fredericksburg._
If the morals and correct lives of the people of a town are to be judged
by the number of churches within its borders, giving due consideration to
the number of inhabitants, the people of Fredericksburg would be rated
with the best. One of the first things that received the attention of the
founders of the town, under the charter granted by the House of Burgesses
in 1727, was the building of a house of worship and its dedication to the
service of the Almighty, and since that time Fredericksburg has been
blessed with regular divine services. And as the inhabitants of the town
increased in numbers, and the little building became too small to
accommodate all who would wish to attend upon the House of the Lord, the
authorities were not too much engrossed with money-making and
money-getting to enlarge the church and provide for the spiritual comfort
and necessities of the increasing population. So the church building was
enlarged time and again as the growth of the town demanded it.
Up to the first of the nineteenth century the only denomination holding
regular services in town was the Episcopalians, as that was the only
denomination that had a house of worship, but in the early part of that
century other denominations organized churches in town, built houses of
worship and have continued to occupy them to the present. Since then
Fredericksburg has not been without a sufficient number of churches for
the accommodation of her entire church-going population. There are at
present eleven church buildings in town--seven for the whites and four for
the colored people. The seating capacity of the white church buildings is
about three thousand and that of the colored churches about one thousand
five hundred, making the total seating capacity of the churches of
Fredericksburg about four thousand five hundred, being ample accommodation
for the church-going population, both white and colored.
[Illustration: Jackson Monument. Erected where he was mortally wounded May
2, 1863. (See page 96)]
ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The history of the Episcopal church in Fredericksburg is of peculiar
interest to the people of the town because of its antiquity and because of
its intimate connection with the history and affairs of the town. In the
year 1732, seven years after the town was laid out and named, the first
church building was erected in Fredericksburg.[69] It was in St. George's
parish, which embraced the whole of Spotsylvania county, which then
contained all the territory west, as far as it was or might be settled by
the whites. A church building had previously been erected in the county,
on the Po river, for the accommodation of the people of the county. This
church is said to have been located on the Catharpin road, on the top of
the hill west of Mine run, on the south side of the road, where the Yellow
church was afterwards built by the Baptists and which was destroyed some
years ago. This stream is not the Po, but one of its tributaries and may
then have been called the Po.
The first pastor the Fredericksburg church had after the completion of its
building was Rev. Patrick Henry, uncle of the great orator and statesman
of that name. He served the church for two years, and in 1735 was
succeeded by Rev. James Marye,[70] of Goochland county, who died as rector
of the church in 1769, having served it faithfully for thirty-four years.
Rev. James Marye was succeeded in the rectorship by his son, Rev. James
Marye, Jr., who was rector for eleven years. From 1780, when the second
James Marye closed his labors, to 1813 the church had many rectors, but
their stay was of short duration.
In the year 1787 the Common Council, through a committee of its members,
repaired and enlarged the church building by adding another wing, (one
having been previously constructed, mentioned elsewhere,) which made the
building a cross in shape. The cost for this work amounted to four hundred
and six pounds, a part of which was raised by the committee by an appeal
to the private citizens for donations, because of the depleted condition
of the city treasury. In the same year the Council prepared and adopted a
petition to the Legislature of Virginia, praying for a division of St.
George's parish and for vesting "the property of the old church and the
new burying ground in Fredericksburg in the corporation of said town."
Mr. James Monroe,[71] who was a member of the Council and a vestryman of
St. George's church, (who was afterwards a member of the Legislature, a
Representative in Congress, a United States Senator, twice Governor of
Virginia, twice Minister to France, twice Minister to England, Minister to
Spain, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, two terms President of the
United States, Presiding Justice of Loudoun county and Visitor of the
University of Virginia,) was appointed chairman of the committee to
present the petition and secure the desired action of the Legislature. If
any report was ever made by Mr. Monroe, neither it nor any reference to it
can be found. It is quite likely that the law separating church and State,
which was passed that year, made it unnecessary.
As has been stated, that after the death of the younger Marye, for more
than thirty years the pastorates of the church were short and
unsatisfactory. The cause for this state of things has not been recorded
and conjecture is needless. In 1813 Edward C. McGuire, of Winchester,
Virginia, came to the church as lay reader, being highly recommended by
Rev. Wm. Meade (who afterwards became bishop of the diocese) as a young
man of character and piety. Mr. McGuire was soon ordained and became
rector of the church, serving it with great acceptance and success to the
day of his death, in 1858, a period of forty-five years.[72]
Mr. McGuire was greatly beloved by all classes of persons, his ministerial
labors were signally blessed, and the number of communicants was largely
increased. From the death of Mr. McGuire to the present the church has
had several rectors, who did good work and who greatly endeared themselves
to the congregation and people of the town. These pastors served in the
following order: Rev. A. M. Randolph, D. D., now bishop of the Southern
Diocese of Virginia; Rev. Magruder Maury, Rev. Edward C. Murdaugh, Rev.
Robert J. McBryde, Rev. J. K. Mason, Rev. Wm. M. Clarke, Rev. Wm. D. Smith
and Rev. Dr. Robert J. McBryde, a second time, who is the present rector.
During a portion of the time that Dr. Murdaugh was rector he had as his
assistant Rev. Arthur S. Johns, a son of the late Bishop Johns. St.
George's church has a flourishing Sunday school, of which Dr. M. C. Hall
was superintendent for thirty-eight years, his duties closing at his
death. This long service as an officer of St. George's church has been
exceeded only by one rector, Rev. Edward C. McGuire, and one vestryman and
senior warden, Reuben T. Thom, Esq.[73]
There have been three buildings erected on the ground where the present
house of worship stands. The first one was built in 1732, and was an
oblong, frame building. As the inhabitants of the town increased an
addition was built on one side, and in 1787 another addition was
constructed, rendered necessary by a further increase of the population
and larger congregations. By the year 1814 the old building seems to have
become so old and dilapidated that a new house was thought necessary, and
therefore the old one, which had stood for over three-quarters of a
century, was torn down and a new one was erected in its stead. An aged
citizen, some forty years ago, describing this first building, said: "It
was cruciform in shape, with steeple and bell, capable of holding large
congregations. In each projection of the cross there was a small gallery;
one contained the organ, the others two pews each. It was a frame
building, painted yellow. The pulpit was at one of the angles of the
cross, highly elevated, with reading desk, and clerk's desk in front
below. A clerk, in his desk, generally responded to the minister in the
service, while the people were silent."[74]
The second house was made of brick, but, like the former one, was not
large enough to hold the growing congregation. The work was commenced in
1814, the corner stone having been laid that year, with imposing
ceremonies. It was completed in the following year, and was reported to
the Council in 1816 by Bishop Moore, who stated to that body that he had
consecrated a handsome, brick edifice in Fredericksburg and confirmed
sixty persons.
In the short space of thirty-three years it was found that this new, brick
house was too small, and so, in 1849, it was removed and the present brick
building was erected, which is one of the handsomest church edifices in
the State, outside of the large cities. While this house was in the course
of erection the church worshipped in the old Methodist church, just back
of the park, which was destroyed by fire about 1852. The new church was
consecrated and occupied in the Fall of 1849. A few years after its
completion it was very much damaged by fire, but it was at once repaired
and restored to its former beauty.
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Trinity Episcopal church, composed of members who withdrew from St.
George's church, and organized with Rev. Dr. E. C. Murdaugh as rector,
worshipped for some time in the courthouse, and afterwards in the
Hanover-street Methodist church, which had not been used for religious
services since the Civil war.[75] With commendable zeal this new
congregation went to work, purchased a lot on the south corner of Prince
Edward and Hanover streets and erected a handsome house of worship, which
in due time was consecrated to the service of the Lord. The change for the
purposes for which this ground was used was indeed radical; it was from
theatrical to church purposes. It is said that after the Revolutionary war
this lot had on it a large frame house, which was at first intended for
an extensive stable, but was converted into a hall for theatrical
purposes. Theatrical companies visiting town would sometimes remain for a
week exhibiting every night to large audiences of the elite of the town.
The first rector of Trinity church was Dr. Edward C. Murdaugh, who was
succeeded by Rev. J. Green Shackelford, Rev. John S. Gibson, Rev. J. S.
Gray, Rev. Edwin Green, Rev. W. V. Reaney and Dr. H. H. Barber, who is now
serving the church. Some few years ago the congregation erected a
beautiful and commodious rectory near the church building, which adds much
to the comfort and convenience of the pastor.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Presbyterian church in Fredericksburg was constituted in the early
part of the nineteenth century. In the year 1806 Rev. Samuel B.
Wilson,[76] a young minister of that denomination, came to town. At that
time there were but two Presbyterians in the place. As St. George's
church, which had the only house of worship in town, was without a pastor,
Mr. Wilson was invited to preach in that church. This invitation was
gladly accepted, and for some time he preached in St. George's church,
large congregations attending the services. In a few years Mr. Wilson
succeeded in getting together a sufficient number of Presbyterians to
organize a church, and a house of worship was erected in 1810 on the lot
where the asylum (at present known as Smithsonia) now stands on Amelia
street.
This house was occupied until the present brick building on George street
was erected, which was in 1833, and was dedicated on the 26th of July of
that year. The old church on Amelia street stood back several yards from
the sidewalk and was approached through a gate, near which the bell was
suspended on a cross-beam erected on two uprights. In the gallery of the
church, where the choir was seated, a large brass ball was arranged on
the principle of a metronome, which marked the time for the singers. Some
years after the house on George street was built a comfortable manse was
erected on the same street, near the church, for the pastor.
In 1880 the "Memorial Chapel" was erected just in rear of the present
church building, fronting on Princess Ann street and neatly fitted out by
Mr. Seth B. French, a Fredericksburg man, then residing in New York city,
as a memorial to his daughter Margaretta, who died just as she was
entering into womanhood; upon the death of his wife, a few years
afterwards, who was the daughter of Judge John M. Herndon, he placed a
very beautiful and costly window in the east end of the building as a
memorial of her. This house is built of granite, quarried on the old
Landram farm, two miles west of Fredericksburg, and is of a superior
quality. The Presbyterian house of worship, like other houses of worship
in town, was dismantled during the Wilderness campaign in 1864 and used by
the Federal authorities as a hospital. After the war the Presbyterians had
no bell and their church had been sacked by Federal soldiers.
In connection with this condition of things an amusing incident occurred,
which was related to us by the perpetrator of the joke, and which is too
good to be lost. Just after the war, when the different church buildings
had been repaired and fitted up for occupation by the respective
congregations, Mr. James McGuire, a prominent member of the Presbyterian
church, met Mr. Reuben T. Thom, senior warden of St. George's church, on
the corner of the street near the Presbyterian church, St. George's being
on the diagonal corner. They engaged in conversation, during which Mr.
McGuire appeared to be very much troubled because all the other churches
had bells to call their congregations together while the Presbyterians had
none. Mr. Thom, kind hearted as he was, sympathized with them very much
and undertook to console Mr. McGuire. Seeing Mr. Thom was very much
concerned, and casting his eyes up towards St. George's bell, just across
the street, his countenance brightening up as if a new idea had struck
him, queried: "Well, Mr. Thom, won't you let the Presbyterians come to
church by St. George's bell?" Mr. Thom, being anxious to accommodate the
Presbyterians, but feeling that he was not authorized to decide the
matter, replied: "Eh, eh, I have no objection myself, Jimmie, but, but I
will lay the matter before the vestry, and will inform you of its action!"
Mr. Wilson served the church as pastor until 1841, when he resigned to
accept a professorship in the Union Theological Seminary, then at
Hampden-Sidney, in Prince Edward county, Virginia. He was succeeded by
Rev. George W. McPhail, D. D., and Rev. A. A. Hodge, D. D. Rev. B. T. Lacy
supplied the pulpit for some time prior to the Civil war, but was never
the regular pastor of the church. The church has had the following pastors
since the war: Rev. Thomas W. Gilmer,[77] Rev. James P. Smith, D. D., Rev.
A. P. Saunders, D. D., Rev. Benjamin W. Mebane, D. D., Rev. John W.
Rosebro, D. D., and Rev. J. H. Henderlite, who is now serving the church.
Governor John L. Marye was a ruling elder of this church for more than
forty-seven years, giving faithful and efficient service.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Baptists came into notice as early as the year 1768, when John Waller,
Lewis Craig and James Chiles, three zealous Baptist ministers, were seized
by the sheriff of Spotsylvania county, carried before three magistrates in
the yard of the church building, on the charge of "preaching the gospel
contrary to law." They were ordered to jail in Fredericksburg, and, while
in jail, preached through the iron gratings of the windows and door to
large crowds, who assembled to see and hear them.[78] It is said as they
marched through the streets of the town to jail, in the custody of the
officers of the law, followed by a large, noisy crowd jeering at them,
they sang that old hymn by Watts, to the tune of Wyndham:
"Broad is the road that leads to death.
And thousands walk together there;
But wisdom shows a narrow way,
With here and there a traveller."
And as the sweet, solemn notes fell upon the ears of the curious crowd the
jeering ceased, and before the hymn was concluded many persons were melted
to tears.
The Baptist church of Fredericksburg was organized by Rev. Andrew
Broaddus, Sr., the great orator of King and Queen county and later of
Caroline county, in the year 1804, who for several years was its pastor.
In 1810 Rev. Robert Baylor Semple, in preparing his "History of Virginia
Baptists," says of the Fredericksburg church: "They have no resident
pastor, but are supplied by Mr. A. Broaddus, who attends them monthly. If
there is any objection to Mr. Broaddus's ministry in this city it is that
he is too popular with the irreligious. It may be said of him as was said
of Ezekiel: 'Lo! thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath
a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy
words, but they do them not.' This remark by no means applies to the
church, for, although they hear with much pleasure, they practise with
more. It is a young and rising church."
The first house of worship erected in town by the Baptists was a small,
frame structure built on the ground now occupied by the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company as a depot, but before many
years had passed the congregation had so increased in size the small
building was found to be inadequate and a large, brick building was
erected on Water street, where Shiloh church, old site, now stands, and
for thirty years or more the church worshipped in that building.
Under the preaching of able and faithful pastors the membership rapidly
increased and the congregations became larger, and by the middle of the
century the house on Water street was found to be too small to accommodate
the increasing attendance. In the year 1854 the present large and
commodious brick building was erected on Princess Ann street, mainly
through the efforts of Rev. Wm. F. Broaddus,[79] the pastor, J. B.
Benwick, Jr., architect, notwithstanding on a tablet in the front of the
church that work is credited to another.
The new house, with a large addition to it about twelve years ago, has
proved ample for the church and congregation to the present. Rev. Andrew
Broaddus, the first pastor, was succeeded by the following ministers: Rev.
Robert B. Semple, Rev. Carter Braxton, Rev. Mr. James, Rev. John Teasdale,
Rev. John M. Waddey, Rev. George F. Adams, Rev. S. C. Smith, Rev. Wm. F.
Broaddus, D. D., Rev. Wm. H. Williams, Rev. Thomas S. Dunaway, D. D., Rev.
Jacob S. Dill, D. D., and Rev. R. Aubrey Williams, who is now serving the
church. Dr. Dunaway's pastorate covered a period of thirty-two years,
during which he greatly endeared himself to the church and people of the
town, and was eminently successful in winning souls and building up the
church. The Baptist church has a large and flourishing Sunday school
connected with it that has had but four superintendents for sixty-three
years. George W. Garnett[80] was superintendent for thirty and Prof. A. B.
Bowering served nearly twenty-three years, S. J. Quinn ten, and B. P.
Willis, having just been elected, has entered upon the work.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodists, who, for a number of years, were designated as a society,
held services in Fredericksburg as early as 1786. For a number of years
they held meetings from house to house, and were very active workers. It
is not known when the first church or society was formed, or by whom it
was organized, but it is known that persons united with that denomination
before the dawn of the nineteenth century, and that Father Kobler
commenced his ministry here as a local preacher in the year 1789, and
continued his labors as such for over half a century. Therefore it may be
concluded that the first organization of that denomination in
Fredericksburg held its meetings in private houses for more than thirty
years.
The first house of worship built by the Methodists in town, that we have
any record or tradition of, was erected in 1822, on the lot in rear of
Hurkamp park, fronting on George street, and occupied by Colonel E. D.
Cole as a stable and lumber yard. It was then outside of the city limits
and was known as Liberty Town. It was a small frame building and was
occupied until 1841, when the old church on Hanover street was finished.
The services were then held in the new house and the old frame church
building was turned over to the colored Methodists, who occupied it for
some time. It was destroyed by fire about 1852.
Some years after occupying the church building on Hanover street, the
question of slavery, which had been so vigorously discussed by the
denomination North and South, was the theme of discussion in the church at
Fredericksburg. The feeling became strong between the parties and
increased in intensity until it resulted in a split in the church. One
division was known as the Northern Methodist, as its members opposed
slavery, while the other division was known as the Southern Methodist, its
members favoring slavery. When the difference became so marked and the
feeling so bitter, that the parties could not longer worship together, the
Southern Methodists withdrew, and held services in the second story of the
town hall for some time. The Northern wing remained in the Hanover street
house until the beginning of the Civil war.
In the year 1852 the southern division of the church erected a handsome
brick building on the south corner of George and Charles streets, where
Mr. P. V. D. Conway's residence now stands, in which they worshipped until
the war came on, when the sessions of the church were almost suspended.
Since the Civil war the two churches united and occupied the George-street
church until about the year 1879, when the old building on Hanover street
was torn down and a house of modern architecture erected in its place.
Since that time the new church has been occupied and the George-street
building was sold. About fifteen years ago an addition was built in rear
of the church for the accommodation of the Sunday school. The church also
has a parsonage on the same street, which was donated to it by Rev. John
Kobler.
[Illustration: "Kenmore," Mansion of Col. Fielding Lewis, who married
Betty Washington; now residence of Councilman Clarance R. Howard. (See
page 155)]
[Illustration: "Union House," where Gen. Lafayette was entertained in 1824
by his friend, Mr. Ross. (See page 144)]
In 1843 Rev. John Kobler, widely known as Father Kobler, a citizen of the
town, a venerable local preacher of the Methodist church, distinguished
for his piety and ability and greatly beloved by all who knew him, died
and was buried beneath the pulpit of the Hanover-street church. Prior to
his death he wrote his "farewell to the world," which he requested should
be read as a part of his funeral service, which was done. The farewell is
almost as long as a sermon and is "the very perfume of piety and Christian
assurance." 1st. He bids farewell to the ministry of the gospel and all
the ordinances of the church of God. 2nd. He bids farewell to the church
in her militant state. 3rd. He bids farewell to the communion of saints.
4th. He bids farewell to prayer. 5th. He bids a final and hearty adieu to
temptation and to every species of the Christian warfare. 6th and lastly.
He bids farewell to his Bible. This history of him is given on the first
page of the pamphlet: "John Kobler was born 29th of August, 1768; joined
the Methodist Episcopal church 6th of December, 1786; was converted 24th
of December, 1787; commenced his itinerating ministry 3rd of October,
1789; and died with glory on his lips, July 26th, 1843."
Some ten or twelve years after the death of Father Kobler his devoted and
saintly wife followed him to the glory land and she was interred by the
side of her husband. When the old building was torn down and the new one
erected the sacred dust of these two sleeping saints was left undisturbed,
and so under the pulpit of the new church their mortal remains still
repose. The present pastor of the church is Rev. W. L. Dolly, a faithful
and zealous servant of the Lord.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
About the year 1832 the religious movement, in which Alexander Campbell
was the leader, began in Fredericksburg. A number of citizens, adopting
the views held by Mr. Campbell, were organized into a Christian or
Disciples church. With commendable energy and zeal they went to work,
purchased a lot and erected quite a comfortable church building on Main
street, between Amelia and Lewis streets. The church prospered until the
breaking out of the Civil war, when, like those of the other churches,
its members were scattered and church services were suspended.
Several efforts have been made since the war to reorganize the church, but
they were unsuccessful until 1897, when Rev. Mr. Rutledge preached here
for some days, got the members together and the church was organized. The
old building has been remodelled and modernized and is now occupied by the
congregation. After the church was reorganized Rev. Cephas Shelburne was
called as pastor, and by his energetic labors the membership was very much
increased. Mr. Shelburne was succeeded by Rev. F. S. Forrer and he by Rev.
I. L. Chestnutt. The church now has no pastor.
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The Roman Catholics had no church organization in town until the year
1859. In 1856 Bishop McGill visited Fredericksburg and preached a sermon
of great ability and spiritual power, and under his influence a nucleus
was formed, out of which the church was organized three years afterwards.
The newly organized church went earnestly to work at once to build a house
of worship, and from amounts subscribed by the members and friends in
town, and the assistance they received from abroad, a neat and comfortable
brick building was erected on Princess Ann street, between Charlotte and
Hanover. A frame parsonage was purchased some years afterwards just below
the church building, which was destroyed by fire about the year 1875,
after which the present brick parsonage was erected.
The church at different periods has been visited by Bishop Gibbons, now
Cardinal, and Bishop Keene, by whom it was greatly strengthened. It has
had for pastors since its organization Rev. Fathers Hagan, Donnelson,
O'Farrell, Sears, Brady, Becker, Tiernan, Donahoe, Wilson, Kennefick,
Demunych and Coleman. Rev. Father Perrig is pastor at this time.
THE COLORED BAPTIST CHURCHES.
In 1854, when the white Baptists occupied their new house of worship on
Princess Ann street, they turned over to the colored Baptists their old
house on Water street. Prior to that the white and colored members
worshipped together in the same building. Separated to themselves, but
under the care of the white Baptist church, the colored people had Rev.
George Rowe to preach for them, which he continued to do, with success,
until the Civil war came on.
After the war closed the colored people, being free to act for themselves,
formed separate churches and selected pastors of their own color. The
colored Baptists of the town formed a church, under the name of Shiloh,
and called Rev. George L. Dixon to the pastorate. His pastoral care of the
church continued for several years, when he was succeeded by Rev. L. G.
Walden and he by Rev. Willis M. Robinson.
In 1887 the church building collapsed and a division of sentiment arose
among the members as to where they should rebuild, which resulted in a
division of the church and congregation and the erection of another church
building. A majority of the members of the church wanted to rebuild on the
old site, but a large minority preferred to sell the old site and build on
Princess Ann street, near the railroad depot. The contention was sharp,
the feeling was intense, satisfactory terms of separation could not be
agreed upon, and finally the controversy was carried into the circuit
court.
Judge Wm. S. Barton, who was judge of the circuit court, advised a
compromise, which was accepted by the parties, and a division of the
church and property was the result. But then another perplexing question
arose that promised to give trouble. Both parties strenuously contended
for the old name, Shiloh, and no other name it appeared would satisfy
either division. The wishes of both parties, however, were happily met
when some one suggested that the Water-street party should be known as
Shiloh Old Site and the Princess Ann party as Shiloh New Site. This
proposition was agreed to, the separation took place peaceably and both
parties proceeded to build substantial and commodious brick houses, which
are a credit to the colored people of the town.
Rev. Willis Robinson, who was pastor of the old church Shiloh, went with
Shiloh New Site and became its pastor. Shiloh Old Site extended a call to
Rev. James E. Brown to become its pastor, which he accepted, and served
the church for several years. For some time after the old church building
became unsafe for occupancy the colored people worshipped in the
courthouse.
In the year 1879 several members withdrew from old Shiloh church and
organized under the name of the Second Baptist church. They erected a
small, but neat, frame church building on Winchester street, near Amelia,
and asked for the ordination of Albert Ray, whom they had selected as
pastor. A few months later he was duly ordained, entered upon the
pastorate of the church and continued as such until disabled by rheumatism
in 1902.
Rev. Albert Ray's church was sold a few years ago and went into possession
of a new religious sect. The pastor is Rev. Roland Burgess and the sect is
known as "The Church of God and the Saints of the Lord Jesus Christ." The
church has made but little progress up to this time.
In 1903 Shiloh New Site had a split on the question of pastor, when a
large number of the membership withdrew and erected a frame building on
Wolfe street, called Rev. Willis M. Robinson as their pastor, which
organization is known as Robinson's church.
At present Shiloh Old Site has for its pastor Rev. John A. Brown and
Shiloh New Site has Rev. W. L. Ransom. Both churches are in a thriving
condition, with large Sunday schools, and both pastors are educated and
fully qualified to lead and instruct their race.