Learn to Count

When I’m not doing my crypt-keeping thing, I help out part time as sexton at the church. This is usually when I’m not at the burial ground, mostly holidays, weddings, funerals and Sundays. Since I am the key master, I’m usually the first person on site to unlock Christ Church and prepare it for services. 

Last Sunday, it was another humid Philly morning, so I got there a bit early to open windows and put on the fans. As I was heading up the north aisle of the church, the white marble plaque for John Waller James caught my eye. Now I have read this tablet a million times but on this day my eyes were quickly drawn to the date of his death which was August 14th, 1836. That would be 175 years ago this week that Reverend James died. 

Reverend James' Vault

Reverend James was the assistant minister who served under the aging and ill Bishop William White for four years. During his term as assistant minister, Reverend James introduced many new ideas to the church and was beloved by the members of the congregation. Many of his ideas, like the newer slip pews that we now have, were implemented after his death. When Bishop William White died on July 17th, 1836, Reverend John Waller James was elected as the next Rector of Christ Church. 

Before Reverend James began his time as Rector, he took a few days to visit his father in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. During his visit, he became sick with dysentery and died. His body was returned to the city of Philadelphia for the burial in the Christ Church vault, located on the northwest side of the church. Ironically, he was laid to rest just a few feet from Bishop William White whom he had laid to rest a few weeks earlier. 

Under the palladium window is the resting place of Bishop William White

Even though his term as Rector was about a month long, the congregation fondly remembered the eleventh Rector in Christ Church history. By all accounts, James was most one of the most revered assistant ministers in this church’s past. The members of Christ Church lamented his passing so much that money was quickly raised to erect the white memorial tablet that resides on the north wall of Christ Church. I also found in the 1836 vestry minutes that called for a church to be built in his honor in the town where he died.

While researching the list of Rectors of Christ Church I found a discrepancy. Even though James only served as Rector for a month, he is included on all lists of church ministers. For some reason, John Urmston, the third Rector who served in 1723, is excluded from some lists. Urmston was removed by the Vestry because of several scandals and replaced by Richard Welton. I find it weird that we remember James who served for a month but leave Urmston off the list because of his politics. I am here to say that I remember all the Rectors who served Christ Church. So if we include Urmston, then our current Rector is not the nineteenth Rector as most say, but he is the twentieth Rector. It is not my job to judge, just to remember. And remember I do.

-Hop

Go The Distance

      From my graveyard tan, I can tell we are deep into another Philadelphia summer. Like the summers of my youth, the Philadelphia baseball team is great once again. I believe my love of Franklin and passion for the burial ground can only be matched with my passion for baseball and my unconditional love of the Fighting Phillies. As I have mentioned many times before, I can connect the burial ground to almost anything in the universe and that doesn’t stop with the baseball diamond. 

Phils First Baseball Team, 1883
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How can I connect Christ Church to baseball? Last Sunday I spent a hot but winning afternoon at the Phillies Ballpark. As I sat in my seat high above home plate, I remembered that these were the best seats to see the steeple of Christ Church in the distance over the centerfield wall. As I removed my cap for the singing of the National Anthem, I looked at the large American flag and thought about Francis Hopkinson, the signer of the Declaration and designer of the American Flag who attended Christ Church and is buried at Christ Church Burial Ground. Even the National Anthem itself reminded me that I need to start cracking on my ideas for the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 and its connection to Christ Church. My mind drifted back to baseball and the game at hand against our enemies to the west from Pittsburgh. On the huge new scoreboard were various ads which appeared from inning to inning. My “Hop grin” appeared when I saw an ad for Franklin Square, the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Zoo. The most nerdish moment was when the Phils newest player, Hunter Pence, stepped up to bat and I turned to my friend and said, “Hey, did you know that in 1719 they purchased the graveyard for 72 pounds, 16 shillings and 1 pence?” I know, I know, I’m spending too much time in the sun. 

Can You Find It?
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When I think my favorite baseball movie Field of Dreams, it reminds me of the burial ground and the process of re-opening it. No not the part about hearing voices, I will never officially admit to that, but of the classic line, “Open it and they will come.” I think I can safely say that more than a decade ago, no one could have ever imagined that over 60,000 people would visit the burial ground, let alone pay money to do so. In baseball and in life I feel that you gotta believe! It’s all about faith. I have faith that people will continue to visit our historic and sacred grounds for reasons they may not even understand. I have faith that we will continue to use the funds we collect to preserve the grounds and the memory of those buried beneath our soil. And of course I have faith that I will be taking off a day of work this fall to watch a World Series parade stroll down Broad Street. 

2008 World Series Parade
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Go Phillies!!!

- Hop

I concur, Kevin Costner.