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

Special thanks to FindAGrave.com for the images and epithet cataloging that accompanied this posting.